Changing the business of sport
http://www.cio.com.au/article/363517/me ... ess_sport/
Melbourne Storm chief talks about changing the business of sport
Turning around the fortunes of National Rugby League (NRL) club, the Melbourne Storm, has been no easy task for new CEO, Ron Gauci, but his background in management and technology gives him a unique advantage.
Contrary to popular belief, success in NRL is no longer determined by premierships but financial ability, said Gauci; strong management plays a vital role.
"If you were to judge success by premierships, the most successful clubs such as St George would not be featured," he told delegates at the CIO Summit 2010 in Melbourne.
When the former Verizon ANZ vice president joined the Storm three months ago, the club was losing money and recovering from a salary cap scandal where it emerged that players were paid more than the cap. The team was fined, stripped of its premiership points and could not earn any more points for the remainder of the 2010 season.
"We had four major players and the best coach but we were still losing money hand over fist. If it was not for News Limited stepping in, we would be insolvent," he said.
Gauci looked at the business and its revenue streams.
“There was no concept of budgeting or business planning so we had to get those processes in place. We've been running a series of think-tanks. That's when the football guys say they understand why we need to have a business."
He said there is “no question” the Storm has an opportunity to grow a business using tools and technology. Gauci plans to change the membership card into a chipped card that will give fans special discounts and provide a “value proposition”.
The club recently held a virtual participation event, opening home ground, AAMI Park stadium to fans to hear about the club’s plans. “We did a webcast and received great feedback from all over the world,” Gauci said.
His other plans include player education and development, gaining ideas from other entertainment organisations and insourcing content production to produce multimedia such as webcasts.
A self-confessed Australian Football League (AFL) fan, Gauci said the club chose him as CEO because of his business and technology background.
“It was clear with the shortlist the Storm advertised that they were serious about hiring someone with that expertise.” He told delegates their technology experience was of incredible value to businesses. “Technology is the differentiator so if that applies to your business than make the most of it. Innovation and technology is what I brought to the table.”
Melbourne Storm chief talks about changing the business of sport
Turning around the fortunes of National Rugby League (NRL) club, the Melbourne Storm, has been no easy task for new CEO, Ron Gauci, but his background in management and technology gives him a unique advantage.
Contrary to popular belief, success in NRL is no longer determined by premierships but financial ability, said Gauci; strong management plays a vital role.
"If you were to judge success by premierships, the most successful clubs such as St George would not be featured," he told delegates at the CIO Summit 2010 in Melbourne.
When the former Verizon ANZ vice president joined the Storm three months ago, the club was losing money and recovering from a salary cap scandal where it emerged that players were paid more than the cap. The team was fined, stripped of its premiership points and could not earn any more points for the remainder of the 2010 season.
"We had four major players and the best coach but we were still losing money hand over fist. If it was not for News Limited stepping in, we would be insolvent," he said.
Gauci looked at the business and its revenue streams.
“There was no concept of budgeting or business planning so we had to get those processes in place. We've been running a series of think-tanks. That's when the football guys say they understand why we need to have a business."
He said there is “no question” the Storm has an opportunity to grow a business using tools and technology. Gauci plans to change the membership card into a chipped card that will give fans special discounts and provide a “value proposition”.
The club recently held a virtual participation event, opening home ground, AAMI Park stadium to fans to hear about the club’s plans. “We did a webcast and received great feedback from all over the world,” Gauci said.
His other plans include player education and development, gaining ideas from other entertainment organisations and insourcing content production to produce multimedia such as webcasts.
A self-confessed Australian Football League (AFL) fan, Gauci said the club chose him as CEO because of his business and technology background.
“It was clear with the shortlist the Storm advertised that they were serious about hiring someone with that expertise.” He told delegates their technology experience was of incredible value to businesses. “Technology is the differentiator so if that applies to your business than make the most of it. Innovation and technology is what I brought to the table.”
G'day Simo
I think it'd be fair to say that I can definitely DISAGREE with you on this.
He's just the new fresh faced assasin that hartigan has put in place. He sure does look like a nice guy, until you speak with him behind closed doors. He's the same as them - Extremely deceitful. And I'm not sure if you're aware, but I'm actually very close friends with a memeber of his family, so I really did want to like him, but unfortunately he's just the new fresh faced puppet as I said, and everything he does is with the same type of dishonesty that is assosiated with his superiors.
So for me to be saying that, with a member of his family a long time friend, you have to see the sriousness in what I'm saying.
I think it'd be fair to say that I can definitely DISAGREE with you on this.
He's just the new fresh faced assasin that hartigan has put in place. He sure does look like a nice guy, until you speak with him behind closed doors. He's the same as them - Extremely deceitful. And I'm not sure if you're aware, but I'm actually very close friends with a memeber of his family, so I really did want to like him, but unfortunately he's just the new fresh faced puppet as I said, and everything he does is with the same type of dishonesty that is assosiated with his superiors.
So for me to be saying that, with a member of his family a long time friend, you have to see the sriousness in what I'm saying.
Sport needs to be less bussiness like,sure hirings and firings will have to happen however in australia besides Hindmarsh and BeaverJAMIE wrote:G'day Simo
I think it'd be fair to say that I can definitely DISAGREE with you on this.
He's just the new fresh faced assasin that hartigan has put in place. He sure does look like a nice guy, until you speak with him behind closed doors. He's the same as them - Extremely deceitful. And I'm not sure if you're aware, but I'm actually very close friends with a memeber of his family, so I really did want to like him, but unfortunately he's just the new fresh faced puppet as I said, and everything he does is with the same type of dishonesty that is assosiated with his superiors.
So for me to be saying that, with a member of his family a long time friend, you have to see the sriousness in what I'm saying.
how many 1 team men have there been in the last say 10?
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Diehard_Storm
- Thunderstorm
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All I've seen Gauci introduce is social networking.
Everywhere you look now the Storm is pasted with Twitter and Facebook references.
It will take more than social networking to make this team successful.
Interesting to see him surprised at the lack of budgeting/financials at the club. He may want to ask Hartigan and co. why that is?
Why would News Limited - a major multi-national company be so poor at managing their financials?
I can tell you why: They didn't care!
They were and are a law untold to themselves. They own the game, they run the game and they've done this for a long time now.
Gauci reckons if it wasn't for News Limited, we'd be insolvent. The more astute observation is it's because of News Limited, we probably should be.
Losing $6m a year was small change to them, because of the TV-ratings and newspaper sales they'd get from 'growing the revenue pie' by having a strong and successful Melbourne presence.
Nothing will change whilst News Limited continues to control the Storm and control the NRL.
Everywhere you look now the Storm is pasted with Twitter and Facebook references.
It will take more than social networking to make this team successful.
Interesting to see him surprised at the lack of budgeting/financials at the club. He may want to ask Hartigan and co. why that is?
Why would News Limited - a major multi-national company be so poor at managing their financials?
I can tell you why: They didn't care!
They were and are a law untold to themselves. They own the game, they run the game and they've done this for a long time now.
Gauci reckons if it wasn't for News Limited, we'd be insolvent. The more astute observation is it's because of News Limited, we probably should be.
Losing $6m a year was small change to them, because of the TV-ratings and newspaper sales they'd get from 'growing the revenue pie' by having a strong and successful Melbourne presence.
Nothing will change whilst News Limited continues to control the Storm and control the NRL.
Diehard Storm, Very. very well said.
It's really depressing to see supporters stick their heads in the sand as to what has happened and more to the point - what is still happening. Putting what you said aside for a moment, it's also clear to me and many others that News Ltd were not only aware of the rorting, but employed the person who was the face of it all - Brian Waldron. And then Ron Gauci telles me that the 4 independent directors were responsible for Waldron being there - Not News Ltd. Gauci's a typical news ltd slug, adapt at deflecting blame from News Ltd, and don't let his fresh kind face mislead you into believing otherwise.
It's really depressing to see supporters stick their heads in the sand as to what has happened and more to the point - what is still happening. Putting what you said aside for a moment, it's also clear to me and many others that News Ltd were not only aware of the rorting, but employed the person who was the face of it all - Brian Waldron. And then Ron Gauci telles me that the 4 independent directors were responsible for Waldron being there - Not News Ltd. Gauci's a typical news ltd slug, adapt at deflecting blame from News Ltd, and don't let his fresh kind face mislead you into believing otherwise.
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Michael :P
- Tropical Cyclone
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You need time to make your mind up about NEWS 
It was because of News Ltd and their employee, Brian Waldron, that we had massive fines to repay.estormboy wrote:"We had four major players and the best coach but we were still losing money hand over fist. If it was not for News Limited stepping in, we would be insolvent," he said.
I laugh at the ignorance of all the calls for an "independent commission", just how independent will it be when it will have the biggest News Ltd Muppet as it's CEO.Diehard_Storm wrote:Nothing will change whilst News Limited continues to control the Storm and control the NRL.
Ever wonder why the NRL doesn't step in and force Nein to honour their TV broadcast contract? Take a look at the ownership of Fox Sports and there is your answer.simo wrote:haha.. alot of accusations and conspiracy theorys there..
I read an article on the contract the NRL has with Nine about a week ago.. i dont have the link.. but regarding nine... On the contract the only thing nine had to honor was showing the state of origin and NRL GF live.. in Victoria. There was nothing regarding regular season games that Nine actually had to honor.
It wasn't a very thorough article then, put out by a News Ltd journalist was it?
When the TV rights announcement was made it was stated then, and there have been further statements about it, that Nein were required to schedule Friday night football to commence before midnight or immediately after the late news, whichever was the earlier.
Ie if the late news was scheduled to finish at 11:45pm, then the Friday night matches were to be scheduled to start at 11:45pm. If no late news was scheduled then the matches could be scheduled for 11:59pm.
Numerous times throughout the year Friday night matches were scheduled to be televised after midnight. Ask yourself why Nein never schedules the NRL games to start before 11:30pm on a Friday night, and consider the fact that Fox Sports has the right to show Friday night football from 11:30pm.
News Ltd have in the past stated that Melbourne Storm are vital to them as they drive up subscriptions for pay tv.
It would be interesting to see the percentages of Storm members in the Victorian market that have pay tv and to compare that to a cross section of the general Victorian population.
When the TV rights announcement was made it was stated then, and there have been further statements about it, that Nein were required to schedule Friday night football to commence before midnight or immediately after the late news, whichever was the earlier.
Ie if the late news was scheduled to finish at 11:45pm, then the Friday night matches were to be scheduled to start at 11:45pm. If no late news was scheduled then the matches could be scheduled for 11:59pm.
Numerous times throughout the year Friday night matches were scheduled to be televised after midnight. Ask yourself why Nein never schedules the NRL games to start before 11:30pm on a Friday night, and consider the fact that Fox Sports has the right to show Friday night football from 11:30pm.
News Ltd have in the past stated that Melbourne Storm are vital to them as they drive up subscriptions for pay tv.
It would be interesting to see the percentages of Storm members in the Victorian market that have pay tv and to compare that to a cross section of the general Victorian population.
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MENACING*STORM
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Me too (plus "Nekkid and Funny" is a bonus tooglennb wrote:We only have foxtel because of Melbourne Storm
)