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Dale Miller The West Australian
August 28, 2014, 2:30 am
The WA Football Commission is facing a funding black hole of almost $1 million a year from next season as Patersons is yet to commit to continuing as naming- rights sponsor at Subiaco Oval and AAMI ends its five-year association with the WAFL.
National insurer AAMI yesterday confirmed it would not renew as sponsor of the WAFL once the existing deal finished at the end of this season.
AAMI has been the league's naming-rights sponsor since 2010 in a deal worth about $300,000 a year to the WAFC.
The company chose not to exercise an option in the contract allowing it to extend the sponsorship for a further two years.
The WAFC is also facing a dilemma over sponsorship arrangements for Subiaco Oval. Patersons is believed to be willing to pay for the naming rights for only the next three years at about a third of the original cost.
It is understood the financial services firm will pay no more than $300,000 a year to have its name attached to the ground for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons.
The original deal struck in 2010 was worth $3.5 million over four years.
A WAFC spokesman said the renewal process had started and that conversations had been "positive".
The commission has until December 31 to finalise negotiations, but will be left in a tenuous financial position if Patersons pulls out of a new deal.
The venue has three more seasons of AFL matches before the new $1.2 billion stadium at Burs- wood is ready for the start of the 2018 season.
The commission is already spending more than $1 million a year keeping Patersons Stadium safe for spectators and staff, making the ageing ground a difficult sell to other sponsors.
Finance company Homeloans Ltd was among other corporate companies which showed an interest in buying the naming rights in 2010, but it is no longer interested.
Patersons declined to comment when contacted by _The West Australian _yesterday.
The WAFC said it was in discussions with other potential sponsors to take over the WAFL naming rights but was yet to secure a deal.
AAMI's head of sponsorship John Bennetts said the company had not been disappointed by the partnership, saying it had viewed the WAFL as the "perfect vehicle" to launch its brand in the WA market.
"The key reason for the departure is that now the AAMI brand is entering a phase of consolidation in the WA market, it is time to review our sponsorship activity in line with the overall AAMI brand portfolio strategy," Bennetts said.
Doubts over sponsorship security come at a time when funding arrangements for the Burswood stadium are still to be finalised.
Eighty per cent of the WAFC's funding is generated from its management of Patersons Stadium, but the commission will not find out until next year whether it will run WA's new football venue.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/...onsorship-hit/
Go and rot in your busted arse oval I say, you raped RugbyWA for $$$, you pay sweet FA rent, your facilities are falling down around you and you can't keep a sponsor, well deserved IMHO.
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
WAFC I have two words for ya, SUCK IT!
Couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of pricks.
If Patersons was smart, they'd agree the number based on the next three years call it a lump sum for the rights until the new stadium is built. On form, they'd get eight or nine years out of it.
As an aside, if "Eighty per cent of the WAFC's funding is generated from its management of Patersons Stadium" is true, it highlights just why Rugby has to do whatever it can to ensure the stadium is independently run. Without the burden of funding both the WAFL and AFL, the ground rents should be much more reasonable. Alternatively, cut a deal where if they are handed public infrastructure for nothing, we get NIB on the same basis with an analogous upgrade to all facilities.
Last edited by AndyS; 28-08-14 at 13:04.
I would be lying if I said I had any sympathy for them in any way, shape or form.
If my memory serves me right from an email I received from ARU their agreement with Spewbiaco ends in 2015 too!
Don't they also get a portion of taxpayer money from the WA Football Trust?
If so, can I nominate to give my taxes to the WA Cricket, Hockey and Rugby trusts instead?
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?