EJ Whitten Legends game: Ted Whitten Jr promises new era of accountability

TED Whitten Jr has promised a new era of accountability for September’s EJ Whitten Legends game after a year of financial turmoil.

TED Whitten Jr has promised a new era of accountability for September’s EJ Whitten Legends game after a year of financial turmoil.

The EJ Whitten foundation has joined with the AFL and Channel Seven to rebrand the game after splitting with the management company that ran it for 20 years.

The Herald Sun last year revealed that just six cents in every dollar raised actually went to cancer research, with $220,000 from last year’s game allocated to Baker Smith Management.

Ted Whitten Jnr and Bobby Skilton at last year’s EJ Whitten Legends Game launch. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis

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This year’s contest, to be launched today, will be played in prime time on Friday September 2 — the spare weekend before the AFL’s football finals.

EJ Whitten Foundation executive director Whitten told the Herald Sun yesterday he and the AFL had pledged unprecedented accountability over the game’s finances.

Ted Whitten Jnr addresses the All Stars before the 2012 EJ Whitten Legends game at Etihad Stadium.

It will see a huge increase in funds allocated to the fight against prostate cancer, which claimed Ted Whitten’s life.

“Without knowing how much the game is going to earn, the AFL and the (EJ Whitten) foundation will be very transparent about what the game does earn,’’ Whitten said.

“We will also be appearing on Channel 7 to be able to present cheques to the beneficiaries, which include the Ladder Foundation.

“So we will be laying it on the line in regards to that, it will all be revealed and out in the open so everyone knows what is happening.

“The EJ Whitten Foundation is going to benefit in a bigger and better way.”

The Legends game will be announced this morning with the two captains to be a pair of the most popular and high-profile star players from the past 20 years.

Ted Whitten in 1994.

A naming rights sponsor Trading Post has come on board, with an elite squad of players to be revealed in coming weeks for the Etihad Stadium contest.

“It is a completely new game with completely new players who haven’t played before and it’s a great opportunity to play on a stand-alone weekend,’’ Whitten Jr said.

“Not only does it commemorate dad’s memory, it gives us a chance to promote men’s health awareness.

“We have worked hard with Channel 7 and the AFL in particular but we have also worked hard with CAV (Consumer Affairs Victoria) who are looking after our foundation beneficiaries.

“The foundation has for long time promoted prostate cancer awareness and the Legends Game is the biggest promotional tool we have.

“We did come across some reasonably bad publicity but it was no fault of the foundation and we are hoping to explore new territory and make the game bigger and better.”

Tickets go on sale today for a crowd expected to be upwards of 30,000 at Etihad Stadium.