Russell Crowe announced this week that 2013 will be his last year as an owner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Roar asked me to share my thoughts on what this means for the Rabbitohs. I enjoy this site’s mad passion, so I agreed to write this.
The last six years have seen the comprehensive turn-around of the Rabbitohs. In 2006 the club was labelled a bankrupt laughing stock.
Today it is a financially stable, membership-focused club with a team that is a true Premiership contender. In 2013 the club is forecast to be cash-positive for the fourth consecutive year, with a net profit (after tax) of over $1 million (all of which will go into reserves).
Depending on which way you slice the figures, the Rabbitohs are #1 in sponsorship, membership and social media activity in rugby league.
Something else happened during that time that is harder to count, can’t be stacked up on league tables, and is difficult to share on social media.
It’s about values, and putting them at the centre of what you do in business.
An American sports team owner is famous for saying “just win, baby.” I never saw the goals of sports team ownership that way and I don’t think Russell did either.
I’ve called what I’ve tried to do in business ‘values-based change management’, which sounds a bit too close to management speak.
Russell is able to be a bit more immediate with his words. But the bottom line is the same, and I think we’ve demonstrated that good values have a place in good business decisions.
Russell was outspoken on a number of issues, and showed that it was appropriate for an owner of a business to have views about how it interacted with its community.
Russell took considerable heat for expressing his views on how women were seen at games (only as cheerleaders) and the impact to our society of putting poker machines in every corner of our cities. These were not popular or financially beneficial positions but they were the right ones to take.
Russell instilled a laser-like focus on excellence, a habit of very hard work, and absolute determination to achieve your goals. These values will stick with the club.
I remember when he first said we should try to recruit one of the best players in the world, Roy Asotasi. Roy deserves credit for seeing the potential, but it was Russell’s idea to go after the best. It was the change in values the club needed.
He didn’t just have a vision for how our players should look, but how good rugby league could look. He shared a belief that league could stand tall and be proud of itself. More importantly, he was prepared to stand behind the sport, and promote it on a world stage.
My involvement with the club began because of a chance meeting with a person associated with the club. He told us that the Rabbitohs would have to be happy to be back in the competition, and that is all they could reasonably hope for. The team from South Sydney would merely ‘make up the numbers’. Fans would have to be duped into accepting mediocrity.
It would have to be a lie to every supporter who bought season tickets. Kids could put the posters on their bedroom walls, but they couldn’t afford to dream too high.
When I heard those words I had to do my best to control myself. I was brought up to consider those to be fighting words.
Not everything was exactly smooth: a few times we were put in very difficult positions. Certain individuals did some things that did not fit with our values, but in some ways they were helpful for us.
In each case, the harder the decision in the short term, the better the decision was in the long term. I rank some of these as the most difficult decisions of my business career.
At the heart of everything we did was our community, starting with a partnership with our members. We did what we told members we would do, and members did what we asked of them.
This happened because our members, by an extraordinary majority, with all the information presented to them, and after considerable deliberation, voted in favour of Russell and I controlling the club.
We got rid of nasty politics, but there were deep pockets of blazer-wearing bullies and keyboard cowards that would only be made irrelevant by performance.
We put in (and kept) good people who work incredibly hard. They are open to new ideas and are dedicated to finding world’s best practice. I am confident that some of the best people in sports management in Australia work in our club.
We respected the past, but we made sure we stole the best ideas from the future.
We built systems, invested in the infrastructure, paid off old debts we inherited.
We worked hard to be productive partners with City and State authorities. We supported the changes that have made the NRL a much better structured code.
We worked to build a great relationship with ANZ Stadium and enjoy playing finals games there.
Russell will be well remembered for his passion every time people see the Red and Green run onto the field. But those who know his full involvement will also see his impact in our financial results and the way the club relates to its community. Indeed, in everything that we do.
Yours in sports madness, Peter Holmes a Court.
FlameThrower
Guest
It is now well past the ridicuous attitudes of the "No Sayers" 18.05.2013 and South Sydney Lead the NRL Competition. This is thanks only to Russell Crowe and Peter Holmesà Court. Funny how the "No Sayers" are suddenly very silent, even their Patriarch says very little these days. My Thanks to Russell for his benevolence and it does not suprise me that Peter is the one blowing Russells Trumpet. Peter is a very modest man and does not declare the work he did and continues to do for South Sydney. Peter simply allows Russell to take ALL the kudos, this act alone shows the extent of Peters gentemanly outlook. Bravo Peter as a multi decade South Sydney supporter I am forever in your debt.
rabbits72
Guest
godfrey,ask yourself a simple question,why did souths crash after the 89 season? it was the begginning of the end. secondly,you say dont listen to lie merchants??dude,you are so hard to ignore.
rabbits72
Guest
everytime you give a little knock on the wood,the worms come out.
Chris Hardiman
Roar Rookie
I see what's going on here. You're embarrassed for being called out for crawling. Well that is a natural reaction so you know to rectify your behavior. Get a haircut.
The Bat
Guest
.......Pete , if you were aware of the deed you would know there is no requirement to offer an explanation even to the members let alone the general public should he wish to dispose of his share. If Rusty cannot find a suitable person or company then its Rustys problem. Rusty did state that he wanted to simplify his life. Its common knowledge he has some personal difficulties at the moment and probably reading between the lines wants to devote more of his spare time to his family. Im a Souths fan and yes i'm surprised and probably a little disappointed . Disappointed for the Club and members but probably more so for him. He deserved whilst owning his share of Souths a premiership. His endevours, his energy and passion will never be forgotten.
peterlala
Guest
Bat, my question was, Why? (I'm moving overseas. Why? I'm changing my religion. Why?) No blame. No clots. No abuse. That's all in your head.
The Bat
Guest
.....Just why does Rusty Crowe have to justify disposing of an asset in your eyes Peter from La la Land. Owning 37.5% of the the South Sydney RLFC is no different than owning 37.5% of shares in BHP or owning 37.5% of a house. Rusty Crowe does not have to justify to anyone his reasons. Did he abuse it ? , Did he leave the asset in worse shape now? You clots just dont get it. Again thank you Rusty and Peter
peterlala
Guest
The major question is not addressed in this piece. Why leave?
Renegade
Guest
Oh i see what's going here....you've just spat the dummy because it was your post that got completely disintegrated by Spiro's response! Oh gee, just take it on the chin 'Rookie' and again get out of the Old Barbershop ;)
Renegade
Guest
I've stuck it to Spiro in other articles mate....i give credit where credit is due. Looking at your responses on this thread....your in line for d***head of the year at the moment. Keep up the good work ;) P.S You might want to get out of the old barbershop and get with the times.
Pot stirrer
Guest
im a roosters supporter so i really dont like souths. However ppl can say what they like about crowe and im no fan of his either although i have enjoyed a couple of his movies. But he has single handedly turned souths around. before crowe no one took souths seriously as any sort of professional RL club. Through his profile and financial support he has turned that around completley and souths are now viewed as a premier team and not the poor cousins of all the other syd teams. So imo as far as crowe is concerned i think its a case of mission accomplished and the bunnies will have the motto of lets win it for the gippa (or what ever that american saying is) to spur them on in 2013. If it wouldnt feel like i was betraying my own club id put a 50 on them to win the comp.
Dingo
Guest
Russell Crowe has been excellent for the Rabbitohs and for Peter, who knows intimately how he has benefited the team, to write an article outlining the many ways he has done this is to be applauded. Crowe has raised the profile of the Bunnies in a way nobody else could have. At almost every opportunity he was an ambassador for his beloved team. Good on him for what he has done for them and good on Peter for acknowledging that here on The Roar.
Arthur Fonzarelli
Guest
As a non-Souths supporter with a limited knowledge of the inner political machinations of Souths, can I ask this question : If Souths are now going so well, as this article implies, why is Russell Crowe (and Peter Holmes aCourt???) getting out ?
sheek
Roar Guru
Peter, Welcome to The Roar & thank you for taking time out to offer us your thoughts. Some contributors here at The Roar have trouble accepting the harsh fact that not everyone agrees with them. Shocked by this revelation, they naturally strike out with all sorts of accusations & personal attacks. We can only hope that they will eventually grow up! While I'm not either a hardcore Souths supporter or rugby league fan, one of my earliest mates when I first attended boarding school in Sydney was a diehard supporter who dragged me along to as many games as possible & helped me fall in love with both the Rabbitohs & the game. As Spiro Zavos suggests often, any sport that loses touch with its traditions is eventually doomed for failure. A composite Souths team 1967-71 is worth recalling here: Eric Simms, Mike Cleary, Bob Honan, Paul Sait, Ray Branighan, Dennis Pittard, Bob Grant, John Sattler (c), Elwyn Walters, John O'Neill, Gary Stevens, Bob McCarthy, Ron Coote. On the bench you might have - Brian James, Jim Lisle, Jim Morgan, George Piggins.
Chris Hardiman
Roar Rookie
And your response should be put in the brown nosers hall of fame.
oikee
Guest
Thank you,,,,,,, fifi.
oikee
Guest
Oh, here it is, while i was looking up PNG rugby league, i come across this story by the bunnies. http://www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=45125 The national trust. ?? ok so that means even if the rabbits were gone, dead buried and bust, they still would not be dead. Come-on, their is only 1 team worthy of a national icon or trust or whatever else, well maybe 2 teams. The mighty Broncos and the Mighty Maroons. Bring on 2013 , moon doggy. :)
oikee
Guest
All you guys are a little slow. I was reading somewhere just the other day that the Bunnies are now under a Australian order, or something like that. A national icon or the only sports club to be placed on the endangered species list. I will see if i can find it again. Maybe someone else knows more. What it means is they are a protected species. haha, you gotta laugh. No serious, i read about it not less than a week ago. Even if you wanted to kill them off, you cant. :) That is awesome when you think about it, everready bunnies, you cant kill the suckers. Not even with a big stick. ? Sounds like rugby league. Remember the amoubnt of times our game tried to kill itself, impossible. Even the sports reporters were saying we cant kill the game. They were trying to kill us, but we showed em. :)
Ziggy
Guest
Thank you Peter and Russell for saving our great club from oblivion.
clipper
Guest
Midfielder - someone could be a guarantor as a backup, so that the debts could be technically paid when due, then it wouldn't be trading while insolvent, but as I don't know the details I wouldn't like to comment too much. I don't think there was much choice but to sell the assets - you have to factor in the cost to modernise the club as it was.