Waratahs Rugby confirms more than $1,000,000 contribution to grassroots rugby

May 1 • Australia, General News • 2774 Views • Comments Off on Waratahs Rugby confirms more than $1,000,000 contribution to grassroots rugby

Waratahs Rugby Limited has confirmed it contributed $1,083,278 to the community game for the year ending December 31, 2013.
Chairman Roger Davis told Tuesday’s Annual General Meeting at Moore Park that after payment of the grassroots contribution of $1.1 Million to community rugby, Waratahs Rugby Pty Ltd finished the year with a small loss of $96,325 (compared to a small profit of $64,745 in 2012) on revenue of $18,430,783, down marginally on 2012 revenue of $19,059,871.

The result comes after decreased funding from Australian Rugby Union, which incorporates broadcast revenues (down $200,000 compared to 2012) and a $652,399 reduction in professional rugby expenses.

Despite the loss, Mr Davis said the organisation was in a strong financial position and pointed out its unique position in Australian professional sport.

“The contribution to the community game is worthy of highlighting because, unlike other Super Rugby clubs where the community game is funded as a distribution below the line, the NSW Waratahs fund community above the line in the form of a franchise fee, which results in a direct impost to the club’s profitability.”

The result is the organisation’s first loss in three years, with 2012 seeing Waratahs Rugby announce an annual surplus of $64,745 (the state’s best result in six years) and 2011 returning a profit of $49,990.

“Despite a somewhat disappointing 2013 Super Rugby season when the Waratahs finished just out of the top six, the club is in a good state. We are very proud of the fact that we are able to contribute more than $1 Million into grassroots rugby across NSW.”

Equally importantly, Mr Davis said the organisation was united behind a clear vision and set of goals. “There is no doubt that 2013 was a highly competitive year, both on and off the paddock. These challenges will undoubtedly continue this season and beyond and I want to make it very clear that everyone involved with the club – our coach and his players, the CEO and his team, as well as the directors of the Waratahs and the NSW Rugby Union – is totally committed to ensuring we have a financially strong, vibrant and successful professional rugby organisation that is well positioned to successfully compete against other codes whilst also growing the game in the state of NSW.

“That is our commitment to our fans, our members and our partners.”

In closing, Mr Davis finished, “ I would like to pass on my thanks to coach Michael Cheika and the Waratahs team, CEO Jason Allen and his team, and all rugby Board Directors, for their continued hard work and professionalism throughout what was another difficult year. Go the ‘Tahs in 2014!”

In response, CEO Jason Allen added an extended thanks to the team’s many stakeholders. “We are ever grateful for the terrific support we continue to receive from our valued sponsors, stakeholders, members and supporters.

“We are extremely grateful for their support in 2014 and in the years to come. We sincerely hope that we will repay that faith and dedication and give the NSW community a team and a club worthy of its passionate support.”

Notable achievements for 2013 included:

* Waratahs Rugby delivered over $7,000,000 in global media value for its sponsors (a 45 per cent increase versus 2012), the highest of any Australian franchise.
* Number one across all 15 Super Rugby franchises for back of jersey position exposure.
* Revenues from gameday increased by 2.8 per cent to $3,234,921.
* Gross sponsorship revenue came in at $5,451,528 (a shortfall of $328,128 versus 2012)
* Annual revenue from corporate hospitality concluded at $255,403, with Chairman’s Club now established as the premium sports hospitality offering in NSW.
* Member numbers were up 26 per cent versus 2012 to 11,050 with total memberships for the season hitting a record 18,502.
* Member satisfaction (as measured by the annual member survey) was 82 per cent, a huge rise from the 34 per cent recorded in 2012.
* Match attendances for the Super Rugby season averaged 16,949, the second-highest of all Australian franchises but down almost 20 per cent on 2012.
* The continued growth of the Tahs Together community program saw players and coaches make over 700 community visits, with highlights including: the team signing session at Rebel in Chatswood; the Junior Club Blitz that saw players visit all 54 of Sydney’s Junior Clubs; the four big Tahs Junior Clinics held across metropolitan Sydney; and the Tahs Komunity Project Surf Pro Am, a charity surf competition on Manly beach, supported by Volvo Cars and attended by over 10,000 people.

Waratahs Rugby Limited was established in December 2009 by NSW Rugby Union as a distinctly independent subsidiary, and granted a licence to administer all aspects of professional rugby in NSW, including the NSW Waratahs’ participation in the Super Rugby competition.