NRL 2024: Lee Hagipantelis’ scathing resignation letter to Wests Tigers

Lee Hagipantelis has labelled representatives he used to serve with on the Tigers board as “cowards” in an explosive and scathing resignation letter. READ THE EXCLUSIVE EXCERPTS HERE.

Former Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis. Picture: Getty Images

Former Wests Tigers chairman and major sponsor Lee Hagipantelis has delivered a brutal attack on his former club, describing the process that brought him down as “despicable” in a letter to announce he was terminating his $1 million sponsorship.

Your columnist has obtained the explosive two-page resignation letter that Hagipantelis emailed to the club last week in which he slams the independent review that led to his demise.

We have opted not to publish part of the letter for legal reasons.

He says the review was a “sham” and refers to key stakeholders at the club as “cowards.”

Hagipantelis says he was not consulted for the review.

The letter was addressed to Nathan Russell, the head of corporate partnerships at the Wests Tigers, who was not involved in Hagipantelis’ demise.

“The disgraceful events of 12 December last year impacted significantly and adversely on the relationship of Brydens Lawyers and Wests Tigers given the disrespectful way I, as Chairman of Wests Tigers, was treated by the representatives of the Club’s stakeholders,” Hagipantelis writes.

“Despite such despicable conduct, I continued with my commitment to the current contractual arrangements as opposed to terminating same, a course adopted by another high-profile sponsor.

Former Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis. Picture: Getty Images

“I felt that the honourable thing to do was to fulfil my current obligations, although honour is a quality that does not seem to permeate throughout the upper echelons of the Wests Tigers ownership.

Hagipantelis then complains about CEO Shane Richardson not making himself available for sponsorship contract talks. Richardson was appointed after Hagipantelis was dismissed.

“Recent events have compounded the concerns which I have held with respect to the continuing relationship of Brydens Lawyers and Wests Tigers,” he wrote.

“Firstly, the distinct lack of engagement by your CEO in our discussions with respect to the continuation of our sponsorship is most disconcerting.

“In my experience, which is very extensive, the CEO of any club or community organisation would become intrinsically involved in discussions with the Major Sponsor when negotiating a sponsorship agreement.

“Most CEOs would regard this engagement as being important. Obviously, yours does not.”

He then refers to a recent interview Richardson did with the Australian Financial Review in which he was critical of the previous Wests Tigers management.

“There has been consistent criticism by your CEO of the previous Club administration,” he said.

“Obviously, such criticism implicitly includes me given my previous role of Chairman of Wests Tigers. It is indeed an interesting approach to maintaining relations with the Major Sponsor by being so vocal in one’s criticism of its Principal.

“Obviously, this is of no concern to your CEO given that he has doubled down on the criticism in the recent Australian Financial Review article wherein he referred to, ‘Business people, (who) take their head off and put a pumpkin on. They think they know all about running a sports organisation.’

“Again, how could this criticism not be construed as being directed to me?

“To allay any concerns of paranoia on my part, I have been contacted by multiple persons expressing disdain at such comments and their obvious reference to me.”

The Bryden’s Lawyer principal then attacks some of his former colleagues.

“I have the philosophical difficulty of continuing in business with people in whom I repose no respect,” he said.

Shane Richardson. Picture: David Swift

“I speak of the representatives of the stakeholders with whom I had the displeasure of serving on the Board.

“These persons are still engaged in the Club whether it be in a formal or informal capacity.

“I regard these people as cowards. Therefore, I find it most distasteful to contemplate the continuation of a relationship with Wests Tigers while these persons remain involved.

“I wish Wests Tigers every success in the future. I will continue to wholeheartedly support Benji, the Football Department, the players, and the staff. I fear, however, that the success of the Club will be compromised given the continuing involvement of those whom I have referred to above.”

We contacted Richardson on Sunday for his response.

“I spoke to Lee last week about the letter, I responded to him in writing and thanked him for his help over the years,” Richardson said, “I said I was disappointed he wouldn’t be there moving forward.

“There’s nothing I could do to turn it around. I understand how he may feel, but there’s not much I can do about that.

“Whether he is right or wrong, it was never my call. There’s really no difference in that letter to what he actually said to me when I met with him when I first got to the Wests Tigers.”

Originally published as NRL 2024: Lee Hagipantelis’ scathing resignation letter to Wests Tigers