NRL memberships rise as fans respond to coronavirus crisis
Rugby league fans are rallying like never before to ensure their NRL clubs can survive the biggest financial crisis in the code’s history. PLUS, Buzz’s open letter to Gladys Berejiklian. IT’S ALL IN SAINT, SINNER, SHOOSH.
Teams
Don't miss out on the headlines from Teams. Followed categories will be added to My News.
SAINT
The 480 NRL players who have agreed to play on despite the coronavirus, especially those from the New Zealand Warriors separated from their families. To have footy on TV at least gives fans something to look forward to while so many of us are house bound.
Watch the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership on KAYO. Every game of every round LIVE & Ad-Break Free during play. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
SINNER
The ridiculous NRL rule where players have to sit 1.5 metres from each other on the interchange bench. Then they run on, tackle, lie all over and belt each other. It hardly makes sense.
SHOOSH
Which Sydney-based NRL club has generously offered to lend $5 million to help struggling rivals to stay afloat during the coronavirus crisis?
SHOOSH II
Which former NRL star had to step in to break up a brawl that had spilled onto the street outside a Balmain pub last week? We spoke to the ex-player who declined to comment on his peace-keeping actions and asked not to be identified.
SPOTTED
Channel 9 TV stars James Bracey and Brad Fittler having a coffee on the northern beaches at Kanteen — the cafe owned by Freddy’s wife Marie.
SPOTTED II
Former NRL star Brett Finch checking out the Sydney Aquarium with his wife and baby daughter.
SPOTTED III
Cronulla prop Andrew Fifita sitting on a sideline advertising sign at ANZ Stadium last week waiting for Souths to kick off after scoring a try. It’s an indication of how bad his knee injury is.
SPOTTED IV
2GB’s Ben Fordham at Neutral Bay buying footy boots for five-year-old son Freddy’s soccer debut before coronavirus shut down kids sport.
SPOTTED V
Tim Tszyu back in his Rockdale gym for five hours of intense training on the day after the postponement of what would have been the biggest fight of his career against Jeff Horn.
SPOTTED VI
The NRL’s isolation rules don’t include players going to the beach. This is the Gold Coast Titans’ million-dollar man Ash Taylor having a dip at Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast on Friday.
SPOTTED VII
Bryan Fletcher and Mark Waugh have bought into a racehorse called Succendam — which ran fourth at Wyong last week. Fletch has a very sad record with racehorses … his last one died of a heart attack.
FANS CHIP IN TO SAVE THEIR STRUGGLING CLUBS
Rugby league fans are rallying like never before to ensure their NRL clubs can survive the biggest financial crisis in the code’s history.
The Parramatta Eels last week sold 100 new memberships and a corporate box to fanatical fans who may not even get to see the team play at Bankwest Stadium this season.
It’s the same at the South Sydney Rabbitohs, where passionate supporters bought 50 new memberships and some even offered to pay for next year’s season seats in advance to help with cash flow.
Parramatta Eels CEO Jim Sarantinos says the support has been extraordinary.
“We’ve had people reaching out on social media, via emails or phone calls wanting to help out,” Sarantinos said. “It has been amazing in a difficult period.
“No one knows where this is going to land and everyone’s doing it tough, including our members. Our figures, year on year, are now up 23 per cent.”
Rabbitohs boss Blake Solly said the reaction from South Sydney fans had been the same.
“We’ve had more than 50 new memberships this week,” Solly said.
“We’ve had emails from fans offering to buy their 2021 membership in advance. They are so loyal and so passionate.
“We’ve even had representatives from The Burrow come in to talk to us.
“This shows the importance of continuing to play while we can. The game can provide a bit of hope and comfort for all fans, not just ours”
Your columnist spoke to Parramatta Eels fan Brock Norris, who bought a silver membership with season seats on Tuesday.
“It’s nice to help the club during tough times,” he said. “We brought them for my dad’s birthday. In the worst-case scenario we don’t get to games, but the tickets are there if we need them.”
BUZZ’S OPEN LETTER
Dear Premier,
The coronavirus has given you the opportunity to reassess plans to spend more than $800 million of taxpayers’ money on a new 45,000 seat Allianz Stadium.
This new venue is far too big for the Sydney Roosters, the Waratahs and Sydney FC, yet too small to host major events like State of Origin or NRL grand finals.
An outrageous $100 million is being spent on a curtain to cover the top of seats for weekly games.
There is a very simple solution, Premier, to save $500 million.
Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta and the Cowboys’ new home ground in Townsville cost only $300 millions each. They are magnificent sporting venues that can hold up to 30,000 fans. They are a perfect size for the clubs that use Allianz Stadium.
If SCG Trust members want a bigger venue, charge them, not taxpayers, a building levy.
It is not right we are paying for a stadium that will have 30,000 empty eats most weeks.
Part of the money you save could go towards emergency funding for the ARU, NRL and A-League. Give them $50 million each to help them through the current crisis.
The remaining $350 million could turn two suburban footy grounds into boutique 20,000-seat stadiums: one at Brookvale and on in Sydney’s south.
This would be a victory for all footy fans. It is not too late to change.
Regards,
Buzz
The Daily Telegraph NRL podcast. Adam Mobbs, Dean Ritchie and Michael Carayannis discuss Brisbane’s surprise emergence as a potential 2020 NRL grand final host, Latrell Mitchell’s start to his Rabbitohs career and the coronavirus impact on rugby league.
PENRITH DIRECTORS’ $1.3M OF TENDERS
It would be nice to be a board member of the Penrith Panthers.
Three of their directors have interests in companies that have been paid more than $1 million to supply services to the NRL club in the past year.
Chairman Dave O’Neill, vice-chairman Greg Alexander and director Ian Hicks are part of companies that won tenders worth a combined $1.3 million.
O’Neill is a director of ABCOE Distributions, a company that was paid $396,000 for stock.
Alexander owns Dalycone, a company that was paid $201,000 for sponsorship services and function hosting.
Hicks is managing director of Hix Electrical Pty Ltd, a company that collected $704,000 from the Panthers, again in sponsorship and services.
The payments are listed in the Panthers’ annual report, although with little detail. According to the annual report, all agreements were reached in open and transparent tenders.
FOOTY TIPS! Join Australia’s best footy tipping competition for your chance to win big. Add our experts to your league and join now at TIPS.COM.AU.
MATTY ON THE JOHNS
Matty Johns is on the lookout for a toilet paper thief near his home on Sydney’s northern beaches. Twice last week an intruder got into his backyard and raided his supply in the outdoor toilet.
“If someone hard up had knocked on the door and asked for a roll I would have given it to them,” Johns said, “We’ve given up. No more toilet paper out the back. I’ve had to lock it all up now.”
CHANGING ROOM STINK
The rivalry between St George Illawarra and Cronulla continues. On Friday morning the Sharks had a captain’s run at Kogarah Oval and used the home dressing sheds. The Dragons blew up because they had to use the same room later that night for the game against the Penrith Panthers. Cleaners had to be called in to ensure the room was disinfected.
MORE NEWS
Athletes lose their marbles during coronavirus lockdown
COVID-19: Sydney Kings and Boomers star Andrew Bogut won’t go to Tokyo Olympics
NRL’S CALL TO GUS
The NRL has called on the Phil Gould to help out with solutions for the coronavirus crisis.
Gus was invited to be part of a telephone hook-up with the NRL’s senior executive and club representatives to look at all options for the future of the premiership.
The great man had been suffering from the flu and couldn’t appear on Channel 9’s 100% Footy show last Monday night.
The NRL also invited retired champion Cooper Cronk to join the phone hook-up.
GAME CUTTING COSTS
Like every other business, the NRL is undergoing significant cost cutting, with revenue down because of the coronavirus. At this stage no employees have been made redundant but the situation will change if the competition has to be suspended.
No employee can spend more than $1000 on anything without prior approval from chief financial officer Tony Crawford. That means new footballs, travel and accommodation, sponsorship services or any of the usual day-to-day costs of running the game.
Originally published as NRL memberships rise as fans respond to coronavirus crisis