R91 Sports and Recreation Activities

AFL kicking goals as Toyota signs record $18.5m annual sponsorship deal

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian – Page: 21 & 24 : 15-Mar-19

Toyota has renewed its naming-rights sponsorship deal with the Australian Football League until 2023. The car-make will pay $18.5m a year to be the AFL’s major sponsor, compared with $16m annually under its current deal. As part of the new deal, Toyota will also become the AFL’s official community partner, as well as the official automotive partner of the women’s AFL competition. The AFL’s latest financial report shows that it boasted revenue of more than $200m from commercial operations in 2018, including sponsorship packages.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, TENNIS AUSTRALIA, KIA MOTORS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Village halts plans for more Topgolf centres

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 17-Jan-19

Village Roadshow is believed to have put the rollout of its Topgolf venture on hold. Village Roadshow opened the first of eight propose Topgolf venues in mid-2018, but the company is said to have halted the rollout until the performance of the Gold Coast venue can be ascertained. Meanwhile, Village Roadshow’s deputy chairman John Kirby is pushing for asset sales and the removal of executive chairman Robert Kirby and CEO Graham Burke.

CORPORATES
VILLAGE ROADSHOW LIMITED – ASX VRL, TOPGOLF, WET `N’ WILD WATER PARK, K CAPITAL PTY LTD, ARNOLD BLOCH LEIBLER

Governing body happy with series attendances but ODIs face uphill fight

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Original article by Jon Pierik
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 51 : 13-Nov-18

Attendances for Australia’s recent three-match one-day cricket internationals series against South Africa have been described as modest. Ratings for the matches on Fox Sports were probably only a third of what they would have been if they had been on free-to-air television. Cricket Australia is hoping for better attendances and ratings when the first of four Twenty20 internationals begin at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast on 17 November.

CORPORATES
CRICKET AUSTRALIA, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Sheik up, as McEvoy streaks to third Cup

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Original article by Chip Le Grand
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 7-Nov-18

The Godolpin racing stable of Dubai’s Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum has won its first Melbourne Cup after trying to do so for two decades. Godolphin’s "Cross Counter" has become the first British-trained horse to win the prestigious race, with jockey Kerrin McEvoy riding a Melbourne Cup winner for the third time. Race favourite "Yucatan", which is part-owned by businessman Lloyd Williams, finished in 11th place. Another horse owned by Williams, "The Cliffs of Moher", was put down after fracturing its right shoulder.

CORPORATES
GODOLPHIN RACING

Williams chasing Cup three-peat

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Original article by James Thomson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 6-Nov-18

Australian businessman Lloyd Williams is confident of winning a seventh Melbourne Cup with Irish horse "Yucatan". Williams is a co-owner of the Cup favourite, whose other owners include fellow entrepreneurs Brian Singer, Alan Green and Gerry Ryan. Williams is also the co-owner of another Melbourne Cup contender, "The Cliffs of Moher". Horses owned by Williams won the Melbourne Cup in 2016 and 2017.

CORPORATES
COOLMORE STUD

Tuivasa-Sheck becomes first Kiwi to win Dally M Medal

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Original article by Christian Nicolussi
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 43 : 27-Sep-18

New Zealand Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has won the National Rugby League’s 2018 Dally M Medal for player of the year. The Newcastle Knights’ Kalyn Ponga was the runner-up, and the winner of the prestigious award was not decided until the final round of votes were counted. Tuivasa-Sheck’s performance in 2018 has been widely attributed as a key contributor to the Warriors’ on-field success during a season in which the team exceeded expectations by making the finals. Melbourne Storm’s Cameron Smith has been named captain of the year.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS LIMITED, NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS LIMITED, MELBOURNE STORM RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB LIMITED

Tennis Australia profit hit reveals cost of Open

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 11-Sep-18

Tennis Australia generated revenue of $337 million in the year to 30 June, up from $318 million. However, its net surplus of around $6 million was down on the $11.4 million surplus that it recorded for the previous corresponding period. Tennis Australia’s total costs increased by $22 million to $329 million, while spending on operations and events increased from $199 million to $215 million; most of that expenditure went towards staging the Australian Open.

CORPORATES
TENNIS AUSTRALIA, THE A2 MILK COMPANY LIMITED – ASX A2M, AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC FEDERATION, CRICKET AUSTRALIA

Osaka upsets Serena Williams in extraordinary US Open final

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Original article by James Dampney
The Age – Page: Online : 9-Sep-18

Naomi Osaka has become the first Japanese tennis player to win a Grand Slam title after she defeated Serena Williams 6-2 6-3 to win the US Open women’s final. However, her historic victory was overshadowed by a number of code violations including a game deduction that were imposed on Williams by chair umpire Carlos Ramos. Williams, who would have equalled the record for Grand Slam wins if she had won the match, referred to Ramos at one point as a "thief".

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CA in hunt for new CEO and new image

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Original article by Jon Pierik
The Age – Page: 38 : 6-Sep-18

Cricket Australia is continuing its search for a replacement for James Sutherland, who is stepping down as CEO after 17 years. The number of potential candidates has been whittled down to four, with Sutherland’s current deputy Kevin Roberts and Melbourne Grand Prix chairman John Harnden among the contenders. Meanwhile, CA will release its Australian Cricket Census on 6 September, with the number of Victorians who played cricket in the 2017-18 season up 13.46 per cent to 426,959. Female participation in Victorian cricket rose by 31 per cent, while multicultural participation increased by 33.13 per cent.

CORPORATES
CRICKET AUSTRALIA, MELBOURNE GRAND PRIX ORGANISATION, WESTFIELD CORPORATION

Record crowds fuel AFL clubs

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian – Page: 3 : 28-Aug-18

The Australian Football League will announce on 28 August that 6,894,700 spectators attended its matches during the 2018 season, up 2.7 per cent on last year. An average of 34,822 people attended games during the season, while AFL membership was at a record 1.008 million. Five clubs had more than 70,000 members, with reigning premiers Richmond increasing its membership by 38 per cent to 100,726. Richmond CEO Brendon Gale says the upcoming finals will determine whether it exceeds its 2017 operating profit of $3.06 million.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, RICHMOND FOOTBALL CLUB, WEST COAST EAGLES FOOTBALL CLUB, COLLINGWOOD FOOTBALL CLUB, HAWTHORN FOOTBALL CLUB