Luxbet officially our new major co-sponsor

[one-eyed]

AFL snub drives off sponsor millions
Rod Nicholson | January 25, 2009

LEADING Australian corporate bookmaker Sportsbet has accused the AFL of scuttling a multi-million dollar deal with Richmond.

Sportsbet chief executive Matt Tripp said an AFL decision to look after "protected" sponsors also prevented it from helping other struggling AFL clubs, including financially bereft Melbourne, for another year.

The AFL determined this week that only bookmakers accredited with it for 12 months could become a major sponsor of a club.

Only Betfair and TabCorp fit that bill, though Tattersall's also comes into play as a gambling operation.

Betfair chief executive Andrew Twaits said his company "categorically was not in the running" to sponsor Richmond.

Luxbet, a Darwin corporate bookmaking subsidiary of TabCorp, began operations only four months ago.

Luxbet media manager Stephen Brassel said he was "not privy to any information" on a potential sponsorship deal and "couldn't shed any light on the subject".

Richmond president Gary March said the Tigers were "in negotiations at the moment with a couple of potential sponsors and we hope to finalise something next week".

March was disappointed the Sportsbet deal did not proceed, but believed the club would still benefit.

"I don't think we will be any worse off than if we had been allowed to partner Sportsbet," March said.

Sportsbet is understood to have negotiated a $2.4 million deal over three years, plus incentives, to be a co-major sponsor, allowing it to promote its logo on the back of the club jumper.

"I can understand that Matt Tripp and Sportsbet are disappointed," March said.

"We would have loved to have had such a progressive and huge company as Sportsbet on our side. However, the AFL ruling put an end to all that," March said.

Tripp said that the AFL's decision had left a sour taste in his mouth.

"We had a couple of million dollars to throw at the club and the AFL, but its all been brushed aside," he said. "We have spent hundreds of hours in meetings and negotiations with Richmond.

"This was a serious proposal of several million dollars to be a major co-sponsor for a three-year period. The Tigers board was thrilled with the proposal. It was like a joint venture, a terrific deal for the club that could have prospered for far longer than the original term.

"We believed the AFL would look at this situation in the same way it does with other sponsors. It has Toyota and Geelong has Ford. It has Qantas and Collingwood has Emirates. Both we and Richmond couldn't see why the AFL couldn't have TabCorp while the Tigers had Sportsbet.

"We may look at soccer or the NFL to spend our sponsorship money," he said.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24959011-19742,00.html

[mightytiges]

Surprise surprise Andy D and the AFL's Orwellian double standards  .

So we are back to "hoping" a deal will go through next week with Luxbet saying they know nothing of any sponsorship deal. This  after waiting a month for those morons on the AFL commission to sit down and make a decision. Thanks for nothing you hypocrites! 

[Stripes]

The AFL are used to saying no to us by now. It shows once more that any success we have on or off the field will have to be done the hard way - we can expect no support from Andy D. Its the bloody double standards that makes me sick!

Stripes

[bojangles17]

Surprise surprise Andy D and the AFL's Orwellian double standards  .

So we are back to "hoping" a deal will go through next week with Luxbet saying they know nothing of any sponsorship deal. This  after waiting a month for those morons on the AFL commission to sit down and make a decision. Thanks for nothing you hypocrites! 

[bushranger]

The AFL are used to saying no to us by now. It shows once more that any success we have on or off the field will have to be done the hard way - we can expect no support from Andy D. Its the bloody double standards that makes me sick!

Stripes

As it has been said before if it was Collingwood the deal would have gone through.

[Mr Magic]

What a stuff up.

[Ramps]

this is turning into a farce at the moment, it looks very unprofessional from all sides.

[WilliamPowell]

Firstly I am releived to know that I was right in the Sportsbet thing - it's the AFL that has screwed us again. If the AFL applied they same rules to Sportsbet that they do to a couple of other companies then 

Richmond president Gary March said the Tigers were "in negotiations at the moment with a couple of potential sponsors and we hope to finalise something next week".

March was disappointed the Sportsbet deal did not proceed, but believed the club would still benefit.

"I don't think we will be any worse off than if we had been allowed to partner Sportsbet," March said.

One would hope so - if not then the AFL are to blame ...

Tripp said that the AFL's decision had left a sour taste in his mouth.

"We believed the AFL would look at this situation in the same way it does with other sponsors. It has Toyota and Geelong has Ford. It has Qantas and Collingwood has Emirates. Both we and Richmond couldn't see why the AFL couldn't have TabCorp while the Tigers had Sportsbet. 

Gotta say that's the bit I don't get..... They will allow Ford & Mazda, Vodafone, Optus Emirates to sponsor Clubs but not a betting agency..... double standards of the highest order......

[bojangles17]

I suspect that the only means that Tabcorp would agree to relaxing current standing somehow meant that they could eliminate a key rival and instead pave the way for their own subsidiary in Luxbet to make legit ground in the market place. I am certain all the pieces will fall into place...Rules are rules unfortunately

[mightytiges]

I suspect that the only means that Tabcorp would agree to relaxing current standing somehow meant that they could eliminate a key rival and instead pave the way for their own subsidiary in Luxbet to make legit ground in the market place. I am certain all the pieces will fall into place...Rules are rules unfortunately

I have no problem with the rule if it was enforced across the board and towards every club. It's the fact it's applied at random when it suits or doesn't suit the AFL and the AFL plays favourites to some clubs but not to others is what ticks me off  . In the end if Luxbet matches Sportsbet original offer then we'll be no worse off but still for the AFL to fudge a new rule (in this case adding the 12 month criteria) to deny a club a multi-million dollar sponsorship deal when there's a global financial crisis is a low dirty act given it has approved previous AFL conflicting sponsors for other clubs  . The sooner the Andy D and his cretin admin are gone the better! I hope Benny Gale runs for the position when Demetriou's time is up. We need someone RFC friendly in AFL House.

[bojangles17]

I suspect that the only means that Tabcorp would agree to relaxing current standing somehow meant that they could eliminate a key rival and instead pave the way for their own subsidiary in Luxbet to make legit ground in the market place. I am certain all the pieces will fall into place...Rules are rules unfortunately

I have no problem with the rule if it was enforced across the board and towards every club. It's the fact it's applied at random when it suits or doesn't suit the AFL and the AFL plays favourites to some clubs but not to others is what ticks me off  . In the end if Luxbet matches Sportsbet original offer then we'll be no worse off but still for the AFL to fudge a new rule (in this case adding the 12 month criteria) to deny a club a multi-million dollar sponsorship deal when there's a global financial crisis is a low dirty act given it has approved previous AFL conflicting sponsors for other clubs  . The sooner the Andy D and his cretin admin are gone the better! I hope Benny Gale runs for the position when Demetriou's time is up. We need someone RFC friendly in AFL House.

Not sure I buy the consiparcy theory MT, the afl have most definately moved from their orginal position and along the way they have already rejected overtures from the likes of centrebet...My regret in all of this is that in 12 moinths time when sportsbet complete the qualifying criteria, some lucky mongrels are going to enjoy a lucrative deal...and prob wont be us

[mightytiges]

I suspect that the only means that Tabcorp would agree to relaxing current standing somehow meant that they could eliminate a key rival and instead pave the way for their own subsidiary in Luxbet to make legit ground in the market place. I am certain all the pieces will fall into place...Rules are rules unfortunately

I have no problem with the rule if it was enforced across the board and towards every club. It's the fact it's applied at random when it suits or doesn't suit the AFL and the AFL plays favourites to some clubs but not to others is what ticks me off  . In the end if Luxbet matches Sportsbet original offer then we'll be no worse off but still for the AFL to fudge a new rule (in this case adding the 12 month criteria) to deny a club a multi-million dollar sponsorship deal when there's a global financial crisis is a low dirty act given it has approved previous AFL conflicting sponsors for other clubs  . The sooner the Andy D and his cretin admin are gone the better! I hope Benny Gale runs for the position when Demetriou's time is up. We need someone RFC friendly in AFL House.

Not sure I buy the consiparcy theory MT, the afl have most definately moved from their orginal position and along the way they have already rejected overtures from the likes of centrebet...My regret in all of this is that in 12 moinths time when sportsbet complete the qualifying criteria, some lucky mongrels are going to enjoy a lucrative deal...and prob wont be us

The 12 month criteria clearly was done to favour the AFL's existing sponsor TABcorp (who has one-year left) by cutting out Sportsbet from sponsoring AFL clubs in 2009. I'm not saying there's a conspiracy (although the RFC never seem to get a break when they ask for things) but you didn't see the AFL add special clauses to protect Toyota or Qantas when other clubs wanted to be sponsored by conflicting sponsors like Emirates and Hyundai. Bloody double standards as usual from Andy D .

[tiga]

Isn't there a god damned solicitor around that is capable of arguing precendence in this fiasco? Or do the solicitors have to be AFL approved also? 

Lets get Johnny Cochrane and he can use his Chewbacca defence!  "This is Chewbacca, Chewbacca is a Wookiee from the planet Kashyyyk, but Chewbacca lives on the planet Endor. Now, think about that. That does not make sense! Why would a Wookiee - an eight foot tall Wookiee - want to live on Endor with a bunch of two foot tall Ewoks? That does not make sense! What does that have to do with this case of AFL vs Sportsbet sponsorship? Nothing. Ladies and gentlemen, it has nothing to do with this case! It does not make sense! None of this makes sense. If Chewbacca lives on Endor, you must acquit! The defense rests. DAMNIT! 

[mightytiges]

Isn't there a god damned solicitor around that is capable of arguing precendence in this fiasco? Or do the solicitors have to be AFL approved also? 

The money you would have to fork out to fight the AFL in the courts is probably equal to the sponsorship after all the lawyers and judges have taken their cut  . The clubs also when the commission was first formed gave the commission complete ruling power and ownership over the clubs  .

Lets get Johnny Cochrane and he can use his Chewbacca defence!  "This is Chewbacca, Chewbacca is a Wookiee from the planet Kashyyyk, but Chewbacca lives on the planet Endor. Now, think about that. That does not make sense! Why would a Wookiee - an eight foot tall Wookiee - want to live on Endor with a bunch of two foot tall Ewoks? That does not make sense! What does that have to do with this case of AFL vs Sportsbet sponsorship? Nothing. Ladies and gentlemen, it has nothing to do with this case! It does not make sense! None of this makes sense. If Chewbacca lives on Endor, you must acquit! The defense rests. DAMNIT! 

Andy D must be Jabba the Hutt

What if Chewbacca found the little furry Ewoks tasty? lol . In any case virtually all the wookiees apart from Chewbacca were murdered by the Empire on Kashyyyk and Chewbacca himself was part of the rebel mission on Endor and thinking with his stomach got everyone captured by the Ewoks. The prosecution rests  .

[one-eyed]

I see on the SEN website that Luxbet sponsors them so they won't mind promoting it if Luxbet ends up our sponsors as well.