Storm's secret $1m pokies link
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PurpleBlooded
- Squall
- Posts: 93
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:01 pm
- Location: Western Suburbs
CAMERON HOUSTON AND MARIS BECK
May 2, 2010
THE Melbourne Storm are under investigation by Victoria's gambling watchdog over $1.1 million in sponsorship payments made by a pokie venue owned by pokies and pub king Bruce Mathieson and Woolworths.
The secret sponsorship deal is also being examined by Deloitte auditors and the NRL amid concerns that the payments may have been part of salary cap breaches that have left the Storm on the brink of collapse.
Aces Sporting Club paid $1,113,829 in ''sport sponsorships'' after 2003 but did not declare the recipient in five annual statements lodged with the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation. The gaming venue acknowledged for the first time in 2008-09 that a payment of $165,000 had been made to Melbourne Storm.
Last week, NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert revealed the NRL club had broken the salary cap by $150,000 more than original estimates that came from the confessions of acting chief executive Matt Hanson, who has been stood down. Schubert did not disclose the source of the funding.
The commission's executive commissioner, Peter Cohen, confirmed an investigation into the sponsorship payments had been launched.
''The VCGR is investigating the Aces Sporting Club and its relationship with the Melbourne Storm. [We] will examine the community benefit statements submitted by Aces Sporting Club to review the legitimacy of claims for payments made in statements, in particular payments made to Melbourne Storm,'' Cohen said.
He told The Sun-Herald that the relationship between Storm's disgraced former chief executive Brian Waldron and the gaming venue - in Keysborough, south-east of the city centre - would also be scrutinised.
News Ltd chief executive John Hartigan claimed Waldron was the architect of the NRL club's salary cap scandal.
Under the commission's guidelines, all gaming venues are required to maintain a list of approved individuals and companies who hold a financial stake or beneficial interest. Waldron and his predecessor, John Ribot, both appear on the commission's list of approved associates of Aces Sporting Club.
But neither Melbourne Storm nor its owner, News Ltd, was ever an approved corporate entity, despite the massive sponsorship deal with the pokie venue. A holding company, Valimanda, which was established to oversee Storm's sponsorships and corporate agreements, also fails to appear on the list of approved entities.
The embattled NRL club was also reluctant to acknowledge any financial relationship with the pokies club.
Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group chief executive Ross Blair-Holt confirmed that Aces Sporting Club had sponsored Storm for about 10 years.
Asked why Aces had not declared the relationship until 2008, he said: ''I don't know, but it is all above board.'' He said Aces' payments met the government definition of a community benefit.
Waldron's spokesman, Michael Smith, refused to ask Waldron about the issue.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... -u0iq.html
May 2, 2010
THE Melbourne Storm are under investigation by Victoria's gambling watchdog over $1.1 million in sponsorship payments made by a pokie venue owned by pokies and pub king Bruce Mathieson and Woolworths.
The secret sponsorship deal is also being examined by Deloitte auditors and the NRL amid concerns that the payments may have been part of salary cap breaches that have left the Storm on the brink of collapse.
Aces Sporting Club paid $1,113,829 in ''sport sponsorships'' after 2003 but did not declare the recipient in five annual statements lodged with the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation. The gaming venue acknowledged for the first time in 2008-09 that a payment of $165,000 had been made to Melbourne Storm.
Last week, NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert revealed the NRL club had broken the salary cap by $150,000 more than original estimates that came from the confessions of acting chief executive Matt Hanson, who has been stood down. Schubert did not disclose the source of the funding.
The commission's executive commissioner, Peter Cohen, confirmed an investigation into the sponsorship payments had been launched.
''The VCGR is investigating the Aces Sporting Club and its relationship with the Melbourne Storm. [We] will examine the community benefit statements submitted by Aces Sporting Club to review the legitimacy of claims for payments made in statements, in particular payments made to Melbourne Storm,'' Cohen said.
He told The Sun-Herald that the relationship between Storm's disgraced former chief executive Brian Waldron and the gaming venue - in Keysborough, south-east of the city centre - would also be scrutinised.
News Ltd chief executive John Hartigan claimed Waldron was the architect of the NRL club's salary cap scandal.
Under the commission's guidelines, all gaming venues are required to maintain a list of approved individuals and companies who hold a financial stake or beneficial interest. Waldron and his predecessor, John Ribot, both appear on the commission's list of approved associates of Aces Sporting Club.
But neither Melbourne Storm nor its owner, News Ltd, was ever an approved corporate entity, despite the massive sponsorship deal with the pokie venue. A holding company, Valimanda, which was established to oversee Storm's sponsorships and corporate agreements, also fails to appear on the list of approved entities.
The embattled NRL club was also reluctant to acknowledge any financial relationship with the pokies club.
Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group chief executive Ross Blair-Holt confirmed that Aces Sporting Club had sponsored Storm for about 10 years.
Asked why Aces had not declared the relationship until 2008, he said: ''I don't know, but it is all above board.'' He said Aces' payments met the government definition of a community benefit.
Waldron's spokesman, Michael Smith, refused to ask Waldron about the issue.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... -u0iq.html
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StormFront
- Player Sponsor
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2003 9:31 am
- Location: Melbourne - is there any place better ?
They have always supported The Storm.
I arranged a few events there for the supporters club a few years back now.
I think the "secret" part is about how much financial support they gave.
It all gets very confusing and technical... and a spin is placed on everything
I arranged a few events there for the supporters club a few years back now.
I think the "secret" part is about how much financial support they gave.
It all gets very confusing and technical... and a spin is placed on everything
.
.
Lets Party Like Its 1999....
The Storm 1999, 2007, 2009, 2011
StormFront......
.
Lets Party Like Its 1999....
The Storm 1999, 2007, 2009, 2011
StormFront......
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Michael :P
- Tropical Cyclone
- Posts: 3090
- Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2005 11:34 am
Bit rich.
Pokies are the life-blood of AFL teams now, they going to investigate that as well.
Pokies are the life-blood of AFL teams now, they going to investigate that as well.