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Crown Melbourne: That's entertainment, business and sport; Melbourne Storm sponsorship pays off

Melbourne is celebrating its second NRL Premiership after beating the Bulldogs 14-4 in the NRL Grand Final at a packed ANZ Stadium.

In a fiery match that was marred by a biting allegation, the Storm held on with an impressive defensive performance to keep the Bulldogs scoreless in the second half. It was just three years back, when the Melbourne Storm rugby league team was at its lowest point, James Packer's Crown group stepped in big time to become major sponsor the ambitious team. The rise to the top wasn't without scandal.

Who can forget the sports betting scandals that plagued the league, including Storm, but they weathered the storm and rose to the top based on talent, training and hard work - not just money being thrown at them - but there is no doubt the team is more cashed up that most and has a vast reserve of resources. In August this year, Crown renewed its sponsorship of the Storm for another year, putting up a reported $1.5 million for the deal. Bottom line - the support and the hard work have paid off big time with the NRL premiereship. As Crown Limited top dog James Packer would agree - winners are grinners. Bulldogs fans - there's always next year but good luck - you will need it.

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Melbourne Storm NRL team ink sponsorship deal with Packer's Crown Casino; Sydney news, by Greg Tingle - 31st August 2012

Melbourne Storm Crown Casino Crown Limited

The Melbourne Storm is raking it in, with an extra $1.5 million in with Crown Limited inking as major sponsor for a third year running, while rugby league in Victoria could also benefit significantly.

Thursday's renewal of Crown's only team sponsorship is believed to be valued at $1 million, give or take a few dollars.

The funds boost joins the $500,000 Australian Rugby League Commission chairman John Grant confirmed on Monday would be delivered to all clubs before October 31.

With a back-of-jersey sponsorship still to be sold before the finals, Storm might well collect another payday.

Club chief exec Ron Gauci advised the funds would be used to help expand the code in Victoria, a cause boosted last month with the debut of born-and-bred local Mahe Fonua.

Storm officials aim to fund youth teams down to under-16s and spend up to keep Melbourne "ahead of the pack" with cutting-edge, football-specific technology.

"We'll continue to invest in the organisation. We'll invest both across the football department and administration," Gauci said.

"We want to continue being best practice and continue being ahead of the game. We'll invest in football operations and pathway development.

"We want to extend the Storm brand beyond the under-18s and we've put in a proposal to the Australian Rugby League Commission to facilitate the growth of the game in Victoria and now have the funds to help make that happen.

"For us, any investment needs to have a long-term benefit."

The push from the Government-backed Victorian Major Events Company to secure more State of Origin clashes in Melbourne could reap even more cash for local rugby league.

Plans are in place to establish a youth academy, with only the arrival of sufficient funding needed to make it happen.

Great to see Crown's casino king James Packer sharing the love and funds around to worthy causes.

It's understood that Sydney's South Sydney Rabbitohs management including king bunny, Russell Crowe, are taking an interest in the way The Storm and Crown do things, as you might expect with Rabbitohs also having a sponsorship deal with gaming - entertainment firm - The Star.

Sydney NRL team also has casino deal...

The South Sydney Rabbitohs are continuing to enjoy their sponsorship deal with The Star (formally known as Star City Casino).

NRL top brass has said rugby league has benefitted from its association with betting agencies because it allows better access to information about irregular plunges.

As the Australian and globally economy continue to go through tough times its going to be interesting to see if more NRL teams ink deals with Australian casino or gaming firms. I for would would bet yes.

And what's to become of the Barangaroo 6 star hotel and casino development in Sydney? Could they also become a sponsor of an NRL team? With James Packer in the think of the action one would think so. Keep watching this space.

Media Release...

Exclusive Deal For 6 Star Hotel...

Last week's announcement by Lend Lease and Crown, that they had signed an exclusive agreement to develop a six star hotel at Barangaroo South, has attracted wide ranging media coverage and commentary. Below is a summary of the media releases and media coverage to date.

Following the announcement, the Authority confirmed it will continue to work with Lend Lease, and now their exclusive rights partner Crown, to negotiate a new location for the hotel in Barangaroo South and oversee the appropriate planning applications that must be approved before any concept moves ahead.

Acting Premier Andrew Stoner last week said the development of such a hotel would represent a significant investment in NSW tourism infrastructure, and today’s agreement is a vote of confidence in the NSW economy.

“It is, of course, subject to all the necessary planning and regulatory approvals but Lend Lease already has an existing permit to build a hotel in Barangaroo South and are negotiating with the Barangaroo Delivery Authority to relocate that onshore,” he said.

“The creation of a hotel of this stature would deliver new jobs in construction, off-site manufacturing and the tourism industry, along with hundreds of millions of dollars for the State economy each year.”

Lend Lease Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Steve McCann, said that Lend Lease and Crown would now work towards achieving the necessary development approvals from the NSW Government for the hotel and jointly develop the concept plan for the hotel. Lend Lease is currently in negotiations with the NSW Government to finalise the hotel location.

“Barangaroo South is a major urban regeneration project that provides a unique opportunity to create a world class commercial, residential, entertainment and mixed use destination on Sydney Harbour. A key part of Lend Lease’s vision for Barangaroo South is to have a high quality international hotel,” said Mr McCann.

*the writer is a shareholder in Crown Limited, Virgin Blue and Ten Network Holdings.

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Crown Casino Teams Up With NRL's Melbourne Storm...

Melbourne are expecting a cyclone size backlash as the latest National Rugby League club to link with a gambling establishment after confirming Crown Casino as their new major sponsor. In a massive deal snatcher for a club which last year was disgraced after being stripped of all points and two premierships during the salary cap scandal, the Storm unveiled Crown as their front jersey sponsor on Friday. Melbourne chief executive Ron Gauci agreed there would be criticism of the club's link with gambling. However he defended the arrangement and said Crown offered a home for Storm supporters, which the club had not had since it joined the competition in 1998. All Storm after-match and mid-season functions for members will be held at Crown. The casino believes the sponsorship will boost their exposure interstate. "I think you'll have those that wish to comment but I think we need to emphasise what it is that we wanted out of the relationship and that is a home for our supporter base," Gauci said. "If you think about what Crown has to offer as an entertainment complex ... this is a great place to consolidate those activities." The Storm lost major sponsors Host Plus and ME Bank in the wake of last season's scandal. Gauci said the new sponsorship delivered a message of confidence in the Storm ahead of the 2011 season. "I think it does deliver us a substantial message to the marketplace, and for the club it's very important to have an organisation as big a Melbourne icon as Crown is to support the club. It delivers a magnificent message about the confidence the corporate world has in Melbourne Storm and our future direction." The Storm joined South Sydney as the second NRL club to have a gambling establishment as their major sponsor, while Penrith have renamed their home ground Centrebet Stadium and Manly will also have the Centrebet logo on the back of their jumper. Yes, NRL ramped up links to gambling are all the rage. A rumour has started that igaming kings PartyGaming want into Australia and would accept an NRL jersey, shorts or even stadium deal. The firm is known for its well known and respected PartyCasino, PartyPoker and World Poker Tour brands, which have a strong following in Australia, other parts of the Asia Pacific, such as New Zealand. Party is also looking to ramp up sports betting services in the Asia Pacific region. Melbourne's announcement also comes in the same week as Ryan Tandy, who left the Storm midway through last season to join Canterbury, was arrested and charged as a result of an ongoing police investigation into "irregular betting" on a match between the Canterbury Bulldogs and North Queensland Cowboys last August. Dennis Watt, rugby league general manager with News Limited, who own the Storm, defended the arrangement between a gambling establishment and a sport sold as a family game. "I can speak for Crown as an integrated entertainment, retail complex. It is very much reflective of the heart and soul of Melbourne and it's a great relationship for us to have and I don't see a conflict for the relationship the Storm have sought here." He echoed the views recently expressed by NRL chief executive David Gallop that the association between sport and gambling "is as old as sport itself". "Gambling's a part of the Australian way of life, part of our character and our history," he said. "We advocate moderation, we know that problem gambling affects less than half a per cent of the population. "You've got two million problem drinkers, four million smokers, over nine million Australians suffering levels of obesity which are also big social issues."

A Media Man spokesperson said "The Crown Casino - Melbourne Storm sponsorship deal looks to be a match made in heaven. Crown has world class facilities and entertainment is the name of the game. Entertainment takes many forms, be it football, burlesque, television, rock bands or slot machines aka one armed bandits. Crown Casino can do it all. Already this deal has generated national and international headlines, and yes, we are helping spread the word to our friends in the U.S and Canada. Gambling911, CAP, GWPA and Poker News Daily are just a few outlets that we expect to run the story. It's balanced and positive coverage all the way, instead of the agenda driven gaming hater stuff you read from time to time. Chalk up more browny points for Crown's James Packer and his world class team at Crown, and good on the NRL and The Storm for seeing the golden opportunity and moving it into high gear. I never thought I would say this again after last season's scandals, but Go The Storm!"

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Aussie Racing Club Buys Pokies Clubs, by Greg Tingle - 30th May 2010

The Australian gaming, igaming, racing and overall business sector continues to evolve, as the old adage of only the strong will survive continues to hold true. Media Man and Gambling911 crack the whip at the Aussie racing and pokies sector with this special report...

The illustrious Melbourne Racing Club has further ramped up its business interests , solidifying its future, with a $50 million fab deal to buy what is understood luck seven pubs. In the purchase the MRC will pocket ownership of up to 380 pokies aka "one arm bandits". Something tells us the 'Virtual Racing' and 'Gone To The Races' slots are going to be the most popular, but old favorites 'Cleopatra Queen Of The Nile', 'Penguin Pays', and 'Black Rhino' are going to be hard to beat. Aussie punter's are also calling for a 'Monopoly Slot' upgrade.

Key Players And Deal Makers Inc

Vendor - was receiver and manager PPB on behalf of former owner Rick Munday.

NAB (National Australia Bank) is the primary lender (appointed PPB after loans were not paid).

The well known and cashed up racing finally bit the bullet and got knee deep in the pokies sector. They will own the leasehold on the popular hotels strategically scattered around Melbourne.

The Munday family had to sell up after what you could call overcapitalising, a time when the world's financial sector started bleeding.

The PPB was appointed to sell the portfolio in April, when it was discovered Mr Munday could not participate in the Victorian government's well publicized auction of 27,500 or so gaming licences...breaking up the Tabcorp and the Tatts Group duopoly and virtual strangle hold on the sector.

Upgrades including to accommodate for smoking laws are partly responsible for the blow out in financials.

The agent, Mr Musca lists the following in the portfolio: Golden Nugget Hotel in The Players, Court Jester, Golden Fleece, The Sugar Gum, The Cove, and The Grand.

As in a global financial crisis, there's big winners and losers, and the Australian racing industry is doing what it needs to do to shore up its future. If it means them getting into bed with pokies and the like, that's what they will do. Media and racing identity Alan Jones has called for unity in the sector.

Meanwhile, further aboard in France PartyGaming has shored up its deal with PMU (Pari Mutuel Urbain). Party is incorporating its online poker product - solution into the deal.

We think the France - Party deal may have lit a fire in the belly of Australian racing and tipped them it was time for some off track action, if they are to survive in the long haul. Credit where credit is due.

Media Man is preparing a proposal for "the powers that be" in and around the current Asia Pacific racing sector to further shore up their financial future.

Gambling911 and Media Man remind readers to bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming inc sports betting and racing, is just one of a dozen business sectors covered.

Media Man does not represent Melbourne Racing Club

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Melbourne is the second most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 3.81 million (2007 estimate).

Located around Port Phillip Bay in Australia's south-east, Melbourne is the state capital of Victoria. A person from Melbourne is called a Melburnian.

Melbourne a major centre of commerce, industry and cultural activity. The city is often referred to as Australia's 'sporting and cultural capital' and it is home to many of the nation's most significant cultural and sporting events and institutions. It has been recognised as a gamma world city by the Loughborough University group's 1999 inventory. Melbourne is notable for its mix of Victorian and contemporary architecture, its extensive tram network and Victorian parks and gardens, as well as its diverse, multicultural society. It was the host city of the 1956 Summer Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Melbourne was founded by free settlers in 1835, 47 years after the first European settlement of Australia, as a pastoral settlement situated around the Yarra River. Transformed rapidly into a major metropolis by the Victorian gold rush in the 1850s, 'Marvellous Melbourne' became Australia's largest and most important city by 1865, but was overtaken by Sydney as the largest city in Australia during the early 20th century.

Melbourne served as the federal seat of government from the time of the new nation's federation in 1901, until Federal Parliament moved to the purpose-built capital, Canberra, in 1927. (Credit: Wikipedia).

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