‘Cowards’: Former chair Hagipantelis pulls $1m sponsorship in scathing letter to Tigers

Exiled Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis has terminated a $1 million deal with the club in a scathing letter to the club.

Chairman of the Tigers Lee Hagipantelis. Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images.

Former Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis has terminated his $1 million Brydens Lawyers sponsorship — and delivered the news in a scathing letter to the club.

Hagipantelis was ousted from his role of chairman, which he held for four years, following an internal review last December commissioned by major shareholder Holman Barnes.

His exit cast doubt over the future of the Tigers’ relationship with major sponsor Brydens Lawyers given Hagipantelis is the firm’s principal.

And now, as revealed by News Corp’s Phil Rothfield, Brydens Lawyers’ has officially ended its support via a scathing two-page letter penned by Hagipantelis.

The only place to watch every game of every round LIVE with no ad-breaks during play is Fox League, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

“You should see the unedited version of the letter,” Rothfield told Sky Sports Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast.

“When I wrote the column yesterday I sent it off to our lawyers and there were some very, very heavy words that our people, for defamation reasons, took out of the letter.

“He has put in $1 million a year of Brydens Lawyers’ money... but he’s had enough... he is not prepared to put his money up under these sort of circumstances.

“I can understand Lee Hagipantelis’ disappointment. He wasn’t involved in the review in any other way, but it’s just a bad divorce isn’t it?”

The letter, which was obtained by News Corp, was addressed to the Tigers’ head of corporate partnerships, Nathan Russell, however it’s important to note he was not involved in Hagipantelis’ exit.

Hagipantelis slammed the review process as a “sham” in the letter, took aim at new CEO Shane Richardson and sensationally referred to key stakeholders as “cowards.”

“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 wrote in the letter.

“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.

“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.”

former chairman of the Tigers Lee Hagipantelis walks off. Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images.

Hagipantelis then zeroed in on Richardson and his lack of communication when it came to sponsorship talks. He also referred to comments made by Richardson in an interview with the Australian Financial Review.

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

“There has been consistent criticism by your CEO of the previous Club administration.

“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.”

Hagipantelis did not hold back when it came to mentioning major stakeholders of the club.

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

“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.”

Originally published as ‘Cowards’: Former chair Hagipantelis pulls $1m sponsorship in scathing letter to Tigers