‘You have to be nuts’: Port Adelaide boss David Koch reality sinks in

Australia knows David Koch was one of the hardest workers in TV — but many have overlooked just how crazy his life has been.

Port Adelaide Chairman David Koch. Photo: The Advertiser/ Morgan Sette.

David Koch singled out his beloved Port Adelaide Football club when he announced his decision to quit Sunrise on Monday morning.

The veteran Channel 7 presenter was emotional as he announced he was quitting the breakfast program, leaving the network scrambling to find his replacement before his final show on June 9.

Koch made clear in his announcement that his decision to step away from the morning show mayhem does not impact his future with Port Adelaide.

Koch has been the president of the club since 2012.

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The reality of Koch’s workload has begun to sink in following his Monday announcement as he prepares for the next stage of his career.

On top of his taxing Sunrise schedule, which includes a 2.30am wake alarm, and his regular Channel 7 projects — Koch has enough going on to run anyone ragged.

Koch and his wife Libby own Pinstripe Media, a marketing company specialising in start-ups, business and finance.

He is also the executive chairman of AusBiz, a streaming channel for markets and business content.

Outside of finance, the father-of-four is also a Patron of the Koch Centre For Youth in Macquarie Fields.

It is his role as the boss of the football club that has been dominating his time recently as the Power head into an uncertain future surrounding coach Ken Hinkley.

The club has been under pressure to address Hinkley’s future and Koch himself was accused of making “disrespectful” comments about the coach on Sunrise earlier this month.

David Koch with Port Adelaide players, wearing the prison bar guernseys. Picture: David Koch/Twitter.

David Koch has been boss of Port Adelaide for 11 years. Picture: Jonathan Ng.

The 67-year-old has also dealt with a long-running war of words with Port Adelaide great Warren Tredrea, who has been a vocal critic of the chairman and Hinkley.

It’s enough to drive anyone bonkers.

He has somehow found a way to balance it all while keeping Sunrise as the dominant ratings force on breakfast TV for 20 years.

“I don’t know how he does it,” FIVEaa radio host David Penberthy said from Adelaide on Monday.

“It’s not like he only did the TV show. Being chairman of a footy club, that is a full time job in itself.

“Anyone who’s been involved in any of those football jobs, you have to be nuts to do it. None of them get paid a cent. It’s all in their spare time.”

The football club congratulated its boss on social media.

Congratulations to @kochie_online for a remarkable 21-year career as @sunriseon7 co-host 👏

20 consecutive years as the number one breakfast show - now that's quite the feat!

Enjoy a well-deserved sleep in, time with the family, and of course, more time at the footy! 🏉 pic.twitter.com/GjtL3tjiVL

— Port Adelaide FC (@PAFC) May 29, 2023

The breakfast host made his announcement just after 8am on Monday in between stories, prefacing the bombshell with: “Before we move on, just a bit of news from me.”

He told viewers after “nearly 21 years and 5300 shows”, he felt it was time to pass the torch to the next generation.

Sunrise presenter David Koch will leave the Sunrise couch after 20 years. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

“I started here before Facebook, before Instagram, before Twitter and iPhones. That’s how old I am,” he said, as his co-host Nat became visibly emotional.

“I have loved every single minute of it and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved here over the last 21 years. I’ve been privileged to experience so many great adventures, to meet so many different people and to meet so many different people and to cover so many moments of history in the making. It really is the world’s best job.

“As everyone knows, I’m a finance nerd so you’ll still see me pop up every so often on RBA board meeting days or covering other big financial news, but as a guest rather than host,” he said.