Latest news with #V'landys
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘We need to lift our game': How the AFL is bracing for an NRL invasion
The ongoing battle between Australia's biggest sporting codes is about to escalate as the AFL and NRL enter a new era of expansion with new teams entering both competitions in new markets before the decade ends. Although in somewhat of a phoney war right now, the codes' chase for eyeballs is on with spectators, sponsorship dollars, broadcasting revenue, talent, venues and reputations up for grabs. As the AFL, led by a slo-mo replay in chairman Richard Goyder, looks to the relatively safe harbour of footy-mad Tasmania to expand with the Tasmania Devils starting – subject to a stadium being built – in 2028, and keeps the pot boiling in the Northern Territory for a possible 20th team, the NRL's incursion into new territory is more aggressive. They have already made forays into Las Vegas with clashes opening the past two NRL seasons and unveiled a plan to create a team in Papua New Guinea by 2028; a move underpinned financially by the federal government partnering with the NRL in an ambitious piece of sports diplomacy. In 2027, the NRL will enter AFL-mad Perth with the Perth Bears, a membership-based team with a local chair to be born with seed funding of $65 million over seven years from Roger Cook's state government as they play at HBF Park near the centre of Perth. The energetic and determined approach of indefatigable NRL chairman Peter V'landys has generated hype for the new team in a state with just 5000 adult players and six teams in its division one competition. 'The sad thing is we can't do it tomorrow because of all the publicity and have to wait until 2027,' V'landys said. 'It has got momentum, it has got people excited, there is immense interest.' No one expects the NRL to dominate the AFL in Perth, so the interest is as much about what it means in the national strategic battle between the two codes and what inroads the Bears will make. But there is enough regard for the NRL's muscle and expertise in reaching consumers and sponsors to understand the impact they can have in a sport-oriented city that not only watches West Coast and Fremantle, but also fanatically supports cricket's Perth Scorchers and basketball's Perth Wildcats. 'It will have an impact, there is no doubt about that,' Michael Roberts, the CEO of WA Football, said. Competition for the corporate dollar will increase with another professional sporting team in town also seeking members and crowds. The NRL has also tapped into a growing awareness among state governments since COVID – and particularly since the advent of the AFL's Gather Round – that tent-pole events in their state can benefit their economy. The NRL's influence on WA government policy remains to be seen, but their mere presence means the competition for resources and program will intensify. The NRL is talking about co-existence, V'landys arguing that a rising tide floats all boats. But there's no need for niceties in a competitive landscape. 'As I said at the press conference (announcing the Bears), I am not really concerned as to what the AFL thinks because Kentucky Fried Chicken doesn't ask McDonald's when they open a franchise. We are concentrating on the NRL,' V'landys said. The AFL, confident of the position of its sport in Western Australia, wasn't taking the bait. 'Western Australia is a proud football state, and we will continue to invest in the game in WA as well as continue to hold big games and big events to drive participation across the state,' Dillon said. 'Footy fans in WA are as passionate and parochial as they come, with Optus stadium averaging 45,000 plus fans a week for West Coast and Fremantle matches, and now with the Kangaroos bringing two home games to Bunbury this year. You pair that with the recent success of the Indigenous All Stars game, the AFL content in WA is only on the rise. 'We are obviously aware of a new sporting franchise being established in Perth from 2027, and while we respect their presence in such a great sporting city, we will continue to focus on investing and growing our game in WA.' This month that will act as a forerunner of what is to come in Perth, and around over the country, as regions vie for events to attract business and sports tourists. In June, an NRL premiership match will be played in Perth, as will the jewel in the NRL's crown – game two of State of Origin to be played in front of what is expected to be a soldout Optus Stadium. Although crowds for the NRL doubleheader at Optus Stadium in round six in April was underwhelming (about 30,000 spectators per match), the game was played during a low ebb in negotiations between the government and the NRL, so there was a backlash for the sport at that time. Confirmation of the Bears' entry in May prompted enthusiasm for the sport, lifting TV ratings to record levels for State of Origin game one broadcast on Nine – the owner of this masthead – with a national average audience of 3,755,000 backed by dramatically increased Perth viewership. From an AFL perspective, the WA government has spent close to $2.5 million a year over the next three years for North Melbourne to play two home games in the state against the Perth-based teams. They are also interested in hosting an AFL State of Origin game. AFL officials are aware that good local stories will be important in driving the success of the Bears. Two rugby league sources, who wished to remain anonymous, expect the Bears could attract up to 25,000 members from Perth in 2027 as well as those North Sydney Bears followers who are now aligned to the club. The AFL also knows that West Coast's poor performances of late have led to poor fixture timeslots that deliver below-par ratings which are less appealing to sponsors, so it is hoping the Eagles are on the improve by the time the Bears emerge from their hibernation. The NRL are being bold too, appointing Anthony De Ceglie, the former Seven West media executive who was editor-in-chief of The West Australian, to add some sports media intrigue to the perennial issues facing expansion teams in non-traditional states. The West Australian was a vocal objector to the Cook government's support of the NRL expansion team until that announcement. V'landys described the media coverage as biased, accusing Seven West Media of protecting their AFL interests. 'They don't want us to be here because they realise we are going to be competitive,' he said. Now everyone is watching the local media's response as the Bears' entry moves closer. The NRL are also closing in on Mal Meninga as their inaugural coach. There are few bigger names in Australian coaching than Meninga who, with all due respect, is a much bigger national brand than either Eagles coach Andrew McQualter or Justin Longmuir, of the Dockers. The need for recognition adds another element to the Eagles' desire to retain Harley Reid. What is of more concern for the AFL in Western Australia is how the NRL's presence will create a contest for elite talent that has not previously existed. This looms as a real issue for the AFL, more bound by the country's borders when searching for talent than the NRL who can draw on New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific for players, as well as far-flung corners of England and South Africa. The AFL has Irish talent, a small-scale Pacific partnership and a reinvented combine in the USA to complement its reliance on homegrown players. AFL officials are not being complacent. They know the strength of the NRL as a brand and organisation and respect their willingness to take risks and work hard to get a result. Fremantle CEO Simon Garlick says both AFL clubs and WA Football need to be at the top of their game to guarantee the natural appeal of AFL among the corporate community is not taken for granted. He also understands the demands for talent means Western Australia must carry its weight. 'The critical element for the AFL and WA Football to work through is our pathways and talent development to ensure we continue to attract both participation numbers at the rates we need and talent coming through those ranks because that is the lifeblood of our competition and the foundation [of our game] that makes it so strong,' Garlick said. Although the Western Reds had no impact on the AFL during their short-lived time as WA's rugby league team, that project was derailed by the Super League wars in the late '90s. This re-entry has been a long time coming and will be more sophisticated. Already areas on the Perth map are being circled where rugby league teams might emerge. 'We do need to lift our game,' Roberts said. 'You can't just rest on your laurels. We know that the NRL is going to go heavy into schools, and we need to be sure that we lift our game. The fight for talent is one area that it will have an impact.' The NRL entry into schools is part of their seven-year agreement with the government, formalising a desire to enter 500 schools. They are also keen to partner with Clontarf, who work with Indigenous youth, in the west. Former NRL stars such as Johnathan Thurston and Preston Campbell are revered figures among Indigenous people in a time when the AFL has dropped the ball in attracting and retaining Indigenous talent. Just one Indigenous player was drafted last season. 'Rugby league would be part of the curriculum in WA absolutely and that is good for a number of reasons,' V'landys said. 'The beauty of rugby league is that you can play different formats of it, you can play touch, you can play tag, and you can play contact, so it is a sport that anyone can play at any level.' West Coast's inaugural coach Ron Alexander is upset that the WA government is using state money to support NRL in schools, calling it 'a betrayal', but remains relaxed as he doesn't expect the Bears' arrival will have the impact some anticipate. 'I don't think it will make much difference. The people who follow Aussie rules will keep following Aussie rules and those who are interested in NRL will go to the NRL,' Alexander said. The NRL has chosen a good time to strike, opening up new fronts when the AFL administration is weakened and struggling clubs in Victoria, such as St Kilda, are trying to limit Gold Coast's growth in Queensland, a state where the AFL is making significant progress increasing participation through development programs, headlined by the northern academies. The battle is more difficult in western Sydney, where local AFL teams are struggling to attract participants in the face of the dominance of the Penrith Panthers, the Parramatta Eels and the Wests Tigers. V'landys dismissed the presence of Greater Western Sydney, a club which has been competitive at AFL level. Loading 'They are not the Giants, put it that way. They have not had any impact on us at all,' V'landys said. The NRL also expects expansion will help its broadcast discussions, particularly as it walks that tightrope between ensuring Perth feels as though it has its own NRL team while keeping that team aligned to North Sydney fans in NSW. 'It is certainly going to have an effect because we are going to provide an extra game which is going to have its benefits ... it is certainly enhancing our broadcast pitch to the various broadcasters,' V'landys said. The AFL is in a strong position with ample broadcast revenue to attack or defend where it sees fit in the codes' 'cold war'. This month's action in Perth, will provide an insight into what that means before the competition gets real in 2027.
The Age
3 days ago
- Business
- The Age
‘We need to lift our game': How the AFL is bracing for an NRL invasion
The ongoing battle between Australia's biggest sporting codes is about to escalate as the AFL and NRL enter a new era of expansion with new teams entering both competitions in new markets before the decade ends. Although in somewhat of a phoney war right now, the codes' chase for eyeballs is on with spectators, sponsorship dollars, broadcasting revenue, talent, venues and reputations up for grabs. As the AFL, led by a slo-mo replay in chairman Richard Goyder, looks to the relatively safe harbour of footy-mad Tasmania to expand with the Tasmania Devils starting – subject to a stadium being built – in 2028, and keeps the pot boiling in the Northern Territory for a possible 20th team, the NRL's incursion into new territory is more aggressive. They have already made forays into Las Vegas with clashes opening the past two NRL seasons and unveiled a plan to create a team in Papua New Guinea by 2028; a move underpinned financially by the federal government partnering with the NRL in an ambitious piece of sports diplomacy. In 2027, the NRL will enter AFL-mad Perth with the Perth Bears, a membership-based team with a local chair to be born with seed funding of $65 million over seven years from Roger Cook's state government as they play at HBF Park near the centre of Perth. The energetic and determined approach of indefatigable NRL chairman Peter V'landys has generated hype for the new team in a state with just 5000 adult players and six teams in its division one competition. 'The sad thing is we can't do it tomorrow because of all the publicity and have to wait until 2027,' V'landys said. 'It has got momentum, it has got people excited, there is immense interest.' No one expects the NRL to dominate the AFL in Perth, so the interest is as much about what it means in the national strategic battle between the two codes and what inroads the Bears will make. But there is enough regard for the NRL's muscle and expertise in reaching consumers and sponsors to understand the impact they can have in a sport-oriented city that not only watches West Coast and Fremantle, but also fanatically supports cricket's Perth Scorchers and basketball's Perth Wildcats. 'It will have an impact, there is no doubt about that,' Michael Roberts, the CEO of WA Football, said. Competition for the corporate dollar will increase with another professional sporting team in town also seeking members and crowds. The NRL has also tapped into a growing awareness among state governments since COVID – and particularly since the advent of the AFL's Gather Round – that tent-pole events in their state can benefit their economy. The NRL's influence on WA government policy remains to be seen, but their mere presence means the competition for resources and program will intensify. The NRL is talking about co-existence, V'landys arguing that a rising tide floats all boats. But there's no need for niceties in a competitive landscape. 'As I said at the press conference (announcing the Bears), I am not really concerned as to what the AFL thinks because Kentucky Fried Chicken doesn't ask McDonald's when they open a franchise. We are concentrating on the NRL,' V'landys said. The AFL, confident of the position of its sport in Western Australia, wasn't taking the bait. 'Western Australia is a proud football state, and we will continue to invest in the game in WA as well as continue to hold big games and big events to drive participation across the state,' Dillon said. 'Footy fans in WA are as passionate and parochial as they come, with Optus stadium averaging 45,000 plus fans a week for West Coast and Fremantle matches, and now with the Kangaroos bringing two home games to Bunbury this year. You pair that with the recent success of the Indigenous All Stars game, the AFL content in WA is only on the rise. 'We are obviously aware of a new sporting franchise being established in Perth from 2027, and while we respect their presence in such a great sporting city, we will continue to focus on investing and growing our game in WA.' This month that will act as a forerunner of what is to come in Perth, and around over the country, as regions vie for events to attract business and sports tourists. In June, an NRL premiership match will be played in Perth, as will the jewel in the NRL's crown – game two of State of Origin to be played in front of what is expected to be a soldout Optus Stadium. Although crowds for the NRL doubleheader at Optus Stadium in round six in April was underwhelming (about 30,000 spectators per match), the game was played during a low ebb in negotiations between the government and the NRL, so there was a backlash for the sport at that time. Confirmation of the Bears' entry in May prompted enthusiasm for the sport, lifting TV ratings to record levels for State of Origin game one broadcast on Nine – the owner of this masthead – with a national average audience of 3,755,000 backed by dramatically increased Perth viewership. From an AFL perspective, the WA government has spent close to $2.5 million a year over the next three years for North Melbourne to play two home games in the state against the Perth-based teams. They are also interested in hosting an AFL State of Origin game. AFL officials are aware that good local stories will be important in driving the success of the Bears. Two rugby league sources, who wished to remain anonymous, expect the Bears could attract up to 25,000 members from Perth in 2027 as well as those North Sydney Bears followers who are now aligned to the club. The AFL also knows that West Coast's poor performances of late have led to poor fixture timeslots that deliver below-par ratings which are less appealing to sponsors, so it is hoping the Eagles are on the improve by the time the Bears emerge from their hibernation. The NRL are being bold too, appointing Anthony De Ceglie, the former Seven West media executive who was editor-in-chief of The West Australian, to add some sports media intrigue to the perennial issues facing expansion teams in non-traditional states. The West Australian was a vocal objector to the Cook government's support of the NRL expansion team until that announcement. V'landys described the media coverage as biased, accusing Seven West Media of protecting their AFL interests. 'They don't want us to be here because they realise we are going to be competitive,' he said. Now everyone is watching the local media's response as the Bears' entry moves closer. The NRL are also closing in on Mal Meninga as their inaugural coach. There are few bigger names in Australian coaching than Meninga who, with all due respect, is a much bigger national brand than either Eagles coach Andrew McQualter or Justin Longmuir, of the Dockers. The need for recognition adds another element to the Eagles' desire to retain Harley Reid. What is of more concern for the AFL in Western Australia is how the NRL's presence will create a contest for elite talent that has not previously existed. This looms as a real issue for the AFL, more bound by the country's borders when searching for talent than the NRL who can draw on New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific for players, as well as far-flung corners of England and South Africa. The AFL has Irish talent, a small-scale Pacific partnership and a reinvented combine in the USA to complement its reliance on homegrown players. AFL officials are not being complacent. They know the strength of the NRL as a brand and organisation and respect their willingness to take risks and work hard to get a result. Fremantle CEO Simon Garlick says both AFL clubs and WA Football need to be at the top of their game to guarantee the natural appeal of AFL among the corporate community is not taken for granted. He also understands the demands for talent means Western Australia must carry its weight. 'The critical element for the AFL and WA Football to work through is our pathways and talent development to ensure we continue to attract both participation numbers at the rates we need and talent coming through those ranks because that is the lifeblood of our competition and the foundation [of our game] that makes it so strong,' Garlick said. Although the Western Reds had no impact on the AFL during their short-lived time as WA's rugby league team, that project was derailed by the Super League wars in the late '90s. This re-entry has been a long time coming and will be more sophisticated. Already areas on the Perth map are being circled where rugby league teams might emerge. 'We do need to lift our game,' Roberts said. 'You can't just rest on your laurels. We know that the NRL is going to go heavy into schools, and we need to be sure that we lift our game. The fight for talent is one area that it will have an impact.' The NRL entry into schools is part of their seven-year agreement with the government, formalising a desire to enter 500 schools. They are also keen to partner with Clontarf, who work with Indigenous youth, in the west. Former NRL stars such as Johnathan Thurston and Preston Campbell are revered figures among Indigenous people in a time when the AFL has dropped the ball in attracting and retaining Indigenous talent. Just one Indigenous player was drafted last season. 'Rugby league would be part of the curriculum in WA absolutely and that is good for a number of reasons,' V'landys said. 'The beauty of rugby league is that you can play different formats of it, you can play touch, you can play tag, and you can play contact, so it is a sport that anyone can play at any level.' West Coast's inaugural coach Ron Alexander is upset that the WA government is using state money to support NRL in schools, calling it 'a betrayal', but remains relaxed as he doesn't expect the Bears' arrival will have the impact some anticipate. 'I don't think it will make much difference. The people who follow Aussie rules will keep following Aussie rules and those who are interested in NRL will go to the NRL,' Alexander said. The NRL has chosen a good time to strike, opening up new fronts when the AFL administration is weakened and struggling clubs in Victoria, such as St Kilda, are trying to limit Gold Coast's growth in Queensland, a state where the AFL is making significant progress increasing participation through development programs, headlined by the northern academies. The battle is more difficult in western Sydney, where local AFL teams are struggling to attract participants in the face of the dominance of the Penrith Panthers, the Parramatta Eels and the Wests Tigers. V'landys dismissed the presence of Greater Western Sydney, a club which has been competitive at AFL level. Loading 'They are not the Giants, put it that way. They have not had any impact on us at all,' V'landys said. The NRL also expects expansion will help its broadcast discussions, particularly as it walks that tightrope between ensuring Perth feels as though it has its own NRL team while keeping that team aligned to North Sydney fans in NSW. 'It is certainly going to have an effect because we are going to provide an extra game which is going to have its benefits ... it is certainly enhancing our broadcast pitch to the various broadcasters,' V'landys said. The AFL is in a strong position with ample broadcast revenue to attack or defend where it sees fit in the codes' 'cold war'. This month's action in Perth, will provide an insight into what that means before the competition gets real in 2027.
Sydney Morning Herald
27-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Doomed from the start: Why the great Rosehill sell-off failed
'I was swamped afterwards for controlling a meeting that saw the best of ATC membership, civility, construction … yes, there were strong points of view on a couple of occasions, there was a response from the audience, but it was minor over more than an hour of speaker after speaker.' V'landys isn't untouched by the defeat. Racing NSW supported the sale behind the scenes, and the power he wields has also come under scrutiny as the Rosehill controversy became a proxy battle in a broader conflict over racing's direction and leadership. A disappointed Premier Chris Minns singled him out after the vote, saying, 'Sydney could do with 10 Peter V'landys rather than one, and we'd be a more exciting, more dynamic city'. As the racecourse's owner, though, it was the ATC that devised and delivered the proposal, and it was behind the pace from the outset. Minns and McGauran announced the proposal 18 months ago, and just weeks later, in February last year, blindsided turf club members gathered at Rosehill at one of several forums. McGauran, a former minister in John Howard's government, addressed members, as did renowned trainer Gai Waterhouse, who has eight wins in the Golden Slipper, Rosehill's signature race, to her name. But it was the reaction that day of fellow trainer Chris Waller – the man behind champion mare Winx's record-breaking career – which turned the dial. 'Gai spoke up on social media nearly straight away, so you knew immediately that she was against it,' said Vicky Leonard, a member of the Save Rosehill group of trainers, owners and breeders, which challenged the sale process. 'Obviously Gai got up at that [forum] and was fairly aggressive, and she doesn't mince her words. 'But a lot of people didn't realise how upset Chris was until then. He's a very considered person, and he's also got a very close relationship to V'landys. So to have him speak out against anything that PVL endorses is pretty rare. That's why it was quite staggering.' Plans were then in their infancy, and it showed. Waller, whose stables are at Rosehill, reportedly said in a prepared statement that the designs presented looked like they had 'just been whipped up overnight'. The reception set the tone for what was to come, with opponents of the sale seizing on uncertainty over what the Sydney racing landscape would look like without Rosehill, and other unanswered questions. A split on the ATC board and a public slanging match between McGauran and vice-chair Tim Hale over what price the track could fetch was another setback, as was a referral to the Independent Commission Against Corruption, even though it quickly dismissed concerns over Minns' dealings with race club official and long-time friend Steve McMahon. Loading An entrenched distrust of racing's institutions also played its part in the 'No' vote win, as did the timing issues faced because of the urgency of deciding while a station could still be built on the new Sydney Metro West line. While the vote was twice delayed, proponents of the sale recovered ground in the weeks in the run-up to Tuesday's finish line as the ATC finally settled on a way forward. Warwick Farm Racecourse would be redeveloped into a top-line metropolitan track at a cost of $800 million, and a golf course at Penrith would be converted into a fourth track for the city. A loyalty scheme in which members would have their fees waived and receive $1000 food and drink credits for five years also seemed to hit the right note, despite being derided by opponents as a bid to buy votes. A new 'lifestyle club' was also to be built at Randwick. 'There is a demographic that exclusively uses Randwick and they're probably younger … I think the free membership and the $1000 [credit] has resonated,' said former ATC chairman and Macquarie Group executive director Laurie Macri. 'I've spoken to a lot of members … I was at dinner the other night with four of my mates, and they were all voting 'No'. But between the four of them, they had six kids, all under 30, all live in eastern suburbs, and five had voted 'Yes' and one had voted 'No'. ' Prominent industry figures such as trainer Richard Freedman and Charles Kelly of leading horse stud Newhaven Park also publicly backed it this month, and V'landys moved to allay fears that Racing NSW would scoop up the proceeds. In the end, it wasn't quite enough. Those who pushed for the sale point the finger at vested interests and misinformation for bringing it undone. Loading The role of Waterhouse, who fought it tooth and nail despite her bookmaker husband Robbie offering up land in western Sydney for a new track, was also significant. McGauran admits the lack of detail provided to members until last month wounded the Yes cause but says it was the 'nature of the beast'. 'Unfortunately, because it was an unsolicited proposal process, everything was back to front,' he said. 'It was a land deal, so we couldn't talk about it until the deal was done. 'We had nothing to show for months except those basic drawings. It was always the cart before the horse. I would have loved to have spent months planning it down to its final detail and then releasing it to members, but it was never possible under the confidential negotiations with the government.' While Minns' housing solution is out the window, racing will go on, the grandstands populated during carnival time and mostly empty at others. With the ATC reliant on Racing NSW for top-ups from betting revenue, tired facilities in need of a revamp and McGauran worried about the sport's declining social standing, the question for Sydney racing is whether it will regret knocking back a so-called deal of a lifetime. The members, however, have spoken. As they say, that's racing.
The Age
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Doomed from the start: Why the great Rosehill sell-off failed
'I was swamped afterwards for controlling a meeting that saw the best of ATC membership, civility, construction … yes, there were strong points of view on a couple of occasions, there was a response from the audience, but it was minor over more than an hour of speaker after speaker.' V'landys isn't untouched by the defeat. Racing NSW supported the sale behind the scenes, and the power he wields has also come under scrutiny as the Rosehill controversy became a proxy battle in a broader conflict over racing's direction and leadership. A disappointed Premier Chris Minns singled him out after the vote, saying, 'Sydney could do with 10 Peter V'landys rather than one, and we'd be a more exciting, more dynamic city'. As the racecourse's owner, though, it was the ATC that devised and delivered the proposal, and it was behind the pace from the outset. Minns and McGauran announced the proposal 18 months ago, and just weeks later, in February last year, blindsided turf club members gathered at Rosehill at one of several forums. McGauran, a former minister in John Howard's government, addressed members, as did renowned trainer Gai Waterhouse, who has eight wins in the Golden Slipper, Rosehill's signature race, to her name. But it was the reaction that day of fellow trainer Chris Waller – the man behind champion mare Winx's record-breaking career – which turned the dial. 'Gai spoke up on social media nearly straight away, so you knew immediately that she was against it,' said Vicky Leonard, a member of the Save Rosehill group of trainers, owners and breeders, which challenged the sale process. 'Obviously Gai got up at that [forum] and was fairly aggressive, and she doesn't mince her words. 'But a lot of people didn't realise how upset Chris was until then. He's a very considered person, and he's also got a very close relationship to V'landys. So to have him speak out against anything that PVL endorses is pretty rare. That's why it was quite staggering.' Plans were then in their infancy, and it showed. Waller, whose stables are at Rosehill, reportedly said in a prepared statement that the designs presented looked like they had 'just been whipped up overnight'. The reception set the tone for what was to come, with opponents of the sale seizing on uncertainty over what the Sydney racing landscape would look like without Rosehill, and other unanswered questions. A split on the ATC board and a public slanging match between McGauran and vice-chair Tim Hale over what price the track could fetch was another setback, as was a referral to the Independent Commission Against Corruption, even though it quickly dismissed concerns over Minns' dealings with race club official and long-time friend Steve McMahon. Loading An entrenched distrust of racing's institutions also played its part in the 'No' vote win, as did the timing issues faced because of the urgency of deciding while a station could still be built on the new Sydney Metro West line. While the vote was twice delayed, proponents of the sale recovered ground in the weeks in the run-up to Tuesday's finish line as the ATC finally settled on a way forward. Warwick Farm Racecourse would be redeveloped into a top-line metropolitan track at a cost of $800 million, and a golf course at Penrith would be converted into a fourth track for the city. A loyalty scheme in which members would have their fees waived and receive $1000 food and drink credits for five years also seemed to hit the right note, despite being derided by opponents as a bid to buy votes. A new 'lifestyle club' was also to be built at Randwick. 'There is a demographic that exclusively uses Randwick and they're probably younger … I think the free membership and the $1000 [credit] has resonated,' said former ATC chairman and Macquarie Group executive director Laurie Macri. 'I've spoken to a lot of members … I was at dinner the other night with four of my mates, and they were all voting 'No'. But between the four of them, they had six kids, all under 30, all live in eastern suburbs, and five had voted 'Yes' and one had voted 'No'. ' Prominent industry figures such as trainer Richard Freedman and Charles Kelly of leading horse stud Newhaven Park also publicly backed it this month, and V'landys moved to allay fears that Racing NSW would scoop up the proceeds. In the end, it wasn't quite enough. Those who pushed for the sale point the finger at vested interests and misinformation for bringing it undone. Loading The role of Waterhouse, who fought it tooth and nail despite her bookmaker husband Robbie offering up land in western Sydney for a new track, was also significant. McGauran admits the lack of detail provided to members until last month wounded the Yes cause but says it was the 'nature of the beast'. 'Unfortunately, because it was an unsolicited proposal process, everything was back to front,' he said. 'It was a land deal, so we couldn't talk about it until the deal was done. 'We had nothing to show for months except those basic drawings. It was always the cart before the horse. I would have loved to have spent months planning it down to its final detail and then releasing it to members, but it was never possible under the confidential negotiations with the government.' While Minns' housing solution is out the window, racing will go on, the grandstands populated during carnival time and mostly empty at others. With the ATC reliant on Racing NSW for top-ups from betting revenue, tired facilities in need of a revamp and McGauran worried about the sport's declining social standing, the question for Sydney racing is whether it will regret knocking back a so-called deal of a lifetime. The members, however, have spoken. As they say, that's racing.
Sydney Morning Herald
25-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
PVL's biggest game of the week isn't State of Origin
The new teams, and the promised riches they will help drive in the new rights deal, are his babies and are for him to bed down. He mightn't get as much as he thinks for the rights, but he'll squeeze the lemon dry. In racing, he's been an ideas man and has run it in an autocratic style with a small staff. He's rustled feathers but nobody can deny he's brought untold riches to many in the thoroughbred industry as well as keeping it thriving while under siege from all around. The gambling dollar was spreading to other sports at a rapid rate, especially among young males, and animal welfare lobby groups had the ear of politicians and the hearts and minds of many in society. Worryingly, corporate bookmakers had eaten into the TAB's turnover alarmingly, which was hurting the return to race clubs for prize money and, even, survival. The corporates were taking bets, but not offering a return to racing, as the TAB was obliged to do. V'landys took them to court and won. Soon, the coffers of racing were full. Armed with a war chest, prizemoney skyrocketed. And not just at the top end - it boomed for regular country, provincial and metropolitan racing. In 2016, the year before V'landys' creation The Everest reinvigorated racing, total prize money in NSW was $196m. Last year, just eight years' on, it was $407m. That's astounding growth. On top of that, breeders cleaned up as higher prize money, coupled with renewed excitement, drove up yearling prices. In 2016, total prize money in NSW was $196m. Last year, just eight years' on, it was $407m. That's astounding growth. In 2016, the average price of a yearling sold in book one of the flagship Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast was $193,000. This year, it was $269,000, an increase of $76,000 per horse. At 800 horses, that's an extra $61m. People are doing well, but they're still off him. Despite the Rosehill sale being an Australian Turf Club proposal, it has V'landys' blessing. On its knees financially, nothing happens out of the club's Randwick's headquarters without Racing NSW ticking off on it, another source of angst for many. Through the bitter battle, V'landys has been wounded by a campaign led by top breeders and trainers. Last month a blistering letter lobbed on the desk of Racing Minister David Harris, who is reviewing the governance of racing in NSW amid criticisms of V'landys' autocratic style. Loading The letter said, in part: 'A review is timely given that the regulator, Racing NSW, is not subject to the direction and control of the Minister for the purposes of accountability to the Parliament. Nor is the regulator subject to audit by the Auditor General.' It claimed there was an 'erosion of trust in the governance structures currently in place' and 'a growing divide between the controlling body and those it exists to represent and serve'. Typical of this bloody battle, the letter didn't name V'landys. Timid antagonists treat him like Voldemort. But it was about him. Self-interest means the agitators want someone else (the government) to knife him. Among those to sign the letter were bloodstock heavyweight Vin Cox, trainer John O'Shea and Winx owner Debbie Kepitis, a breeding giant in her own right. Gai Waterhouse also signed it and, to her credit, has battled V'Landys publicly. It's complicated, but the angst began when the rich new races ignited a feud with Racing Victoria, which then refused for years to endorse them as 'black type', a status of race breeders are addicted to. The winners of black type races add value to yearlings, stallions and broodmares in the old analogue stud book. Breeders panicked that the 'pattern' of black type would be distorted in future generations of thoroughbreds. In other words, it's about money. In racing, it always is. There's not a lot of charity going on. Without the sale, racing will have to go it alone with no government assistance for facelifts of facilities for years. The sale's proceeds would give it guaranteed generations of life.
