Dominic Brock | rugbyleaguelive.com | 03/09/08 | 0
The South Sydney Rabbitohs believe they are the No.1 club in Sydney off the field, with bumper sponsorship deals, crowds and membership putting them behind only Brisbane in the NRL.
They may have finished 14th this season, but Souths chief executive Shane Richardson says the club is thriving off the field and should be in no danger of relocation.
The Rabbitohs were kicked out of the premiership in 1999 after being considered the worst existing club under a list of criteria set by the NRL.
But now, after revealing a new state-of-the-art training facility at Redfern Oval and retaining the club’s major sponsors, Richardson declared the Bunnies were the best of the best.
"While we're disappointed to finish 14th this season, off the field we'd be the No.1 club in Sydney - if not the entire competition," Richardson told Fairfax.
"In terms of the value represented on our jersey, we're probably only second to Brisbane, we'd be No.1 for overall sponsorship among the Sydney clubs, we're No.2 for crowds in Sydney, we've got the largest ticketed membership of all the Sydney clubs, we've got more members in general than any other Sydney club and we've now got the best training facility of any club in any code in Sydney."
South Sydney have Virgin Blue, De'Longhi and NAB on board as sponsors for 2009 and still have space for a sleeve sponsor.
In total, the Rabbitohs are expecting more than $6 million in sponsorship next year, and are hoping to boost their season ticket-holders from 6800 to 8000.
Richardson says the club is hoping to secure a turnover of $15 million – without depending on poker machines.
"Most other clubs in Sydney would have a turnover of about $10 million without poker machines but ours is genuine turnover," he said.
"We do not rely on poker machines and we won't be in the future. From a club point of view we have never budgeted on it, we've had to get by without that support and a lot of other NRL clubs are now going to have to do that."
Coach Jason Taylor said the club's financial position now silences calls for the Rabbitohs to relocate to Gosford.
"I think the reason that Souths has always been linked to it is because they've always been on the bottom of the table and struggling a bit with sponsors, but that's no longer the case," Taylor told The Australian.
"I think anyone that is watching us closely can see we're a club heading in an upwards direction."
We'd be No.1 for overall sponsorship... No.2 for crowds... and we've now got the best training facility of any club in any code in Sydney.
South Sydney chief executive Shane Richardson
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