Waratahs CEO Jason Allen has announced his decision to move on from the organisation, following four years at the helm.
One of the longest serving CEOs in NSW Rugby history, Allen instigated a significant change process and now leaves the organisation at the top of its game.
Culminating in the Tahs’ first-ever Super Rugby title, 2014 has seen Waratahs Rugby record revenues and net earnings, with the business enjoying the clear benefits of a strong financial footing and a championship-winning rugby team.
Waratahs Rugby Chairman Roger Davis reluctantly informed the Board of Allen’s decision, saying, “Jason has done a remarkable job as our CEO and his resignation was accepted with a great deal of regret and disappointment.
“You could ask for no more evidence of the positive results of Jason’s commitment to the organisation over the past four years than the athletic and financial successes, which are the holy grail of all sports administrators, often sought but rarely achieved!”
On his decision, Mr Allen added, “I am very grateful to the Waratahs Board for their invaluable support over the past four years, and to our terrific commercial partners and key stakeholders.
“I’m very proud of the incredible commitment and passion of the on and off-field staff here at the Waratahs.
“On the back of a record-breaking season, the business has never been in better shape and I feel now is the perfect time to consider my next steps.
“These last four years have seen significant change take place at all levels of the business. In 2012 we became a vision and values-based organisation, with a clear focus on excellence, accountability and innovation. As well as being Super Rugby Champions, next season looks set to eclipse 2014 and deliver record membership numbers, with early indications showing a 50 per cent increase in demand and member satisfaction ratings at over 90 per cent.
“As well as an explosion in the team’s social and digital media reach, the Waratahs have also fostered stronger links to the NSW Rugby community, thanks to the strength of the Tahs Together community engagement, launched two years ago.
“I am hugely grateful to the Waratahs Board and senior leadership team for their support and commitment in making all this possible and I wish them and the team the very best of luck for 2015 and beyond.”
Decisions on the future leadership of the organisation will be made in due course.
Mr Allen joined Waratahs Rugby in November 2010, bringing with him over 20 years’ experience of building and growing organisations, having held a variety of senior executive positions with blue chip companies across Australia, including senior roles for Carlton United Breweries and Southcorp Wines, and National General Manager of Consumer Sales for Vodafone Australia.
His passion for the greater community has seen him sit on a number of Boards, including Variety South Australia. He is a former Chairman’s Club Member and Ambassador of the Port Adelaide AFL Club.
Crash Ball2
Guest
Sorry Weary, if I understand your last comment, the point you are making is: "...as Top Dog the buck ultimately stops with Allen for the mistakes. Quid pro quo, so too does the credit for success." Is this correct?
Weary Tah
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sorry but I thought that this WAS the point I was making.
Weary Tah
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And good luck to him... Best thing is he isn't ours to worry about now
Tom G
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Tom G
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Crash Ball2
Guest
Can't have it both ways Weary. If as Top Dog the buck ultimately stops with Allen for the mistakes. Quid pro quo, so too does the credit for success.
levelheaded
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Weary Tah, you continue to go personal. The facts never come up, he inherited a business with losses of over $1.4m for the 15 months prior - a balance sheet well in the red, a new structure of a separate business from NSWRU with politics galore, no money under a $1m plus licence fee per annum. Crowds had disappeared years prior across all of Rugby, with the exception of QLD. In fact if you check your facts, all codes are down, except for Rugby in NSW for the past 18 months - so far nearly half of his tenure after beating his head against the wall with no money, they, the Waratahs have bucked the trends. You may ask why am I supporting this bloke, the answer, he always stops and talks to my family after a game and I have taken an interest in observing how he answers questions honestly. No politics, no bs, transparent, honest answers - we need to support this. Refreshing and I am seriously disappointed he is going, all we need now is another Rugby type running the show. This bloke is a business guy, cares for his staff and I have seen them run to him after a game. Not an easy market for sport Weary Tah, winning premierships and not losing millions like 14 of the 18 AFL Clubs and many of the League and other Super Rugby Clubs is quite an effort, but he wouldn't say that, he would praise his staff and move on. Watch this space, he will do very well.....
Weary Tah
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I would never lay all of the Waratahs woes at his feet mate, he didn't exactly inherit a healthy situation in 2010. However to be receiving such glowing tributes is to ignore many of the obvious deficiencies that characterised his tenure such as losing fans and sponsors. Whilst these are not the exclusive domain of the CEO the buck more than certainly stops with him, a hell of a lot more than how the team performs on the park.
Weary Tah
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Not lonely enough to join the Worlds smallest club.. "The Jason Allen Appreciation Society".. which disused phone box do you meet in?
Dru
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Sorry sorry, I'm again confusing a simple arogance with kiwi attitude. My apologies.
Dru
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Well that was gracious.
Crash Ball2
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Weary, I appreciate you are clearly one of the disillusioned and pessimistic Allen spoke of. At the time, he acknowledged that there had been mistakes in the journey and that he had made many of them. You'll note in my original post, I made no comment of fiscal efficiency, marketing prowess or Silver Bullet business methodologies. Rather, I focused on the one aspect that I liked about Allen's platform: the commitment to back the new coach he had hired to implement a - then foreign - expansive rugby playing style come hell or high water. There were calls for the Tahs to adopt a more moderate approach and it would have been easy for Allen to simply pass the responsibility to Cheika (particularly in the company of a small group of no-name couch experts in The Rugby Club that evening). He didn't. And I found that admirable. The broader question of Allen's effectiveness over his Waratah tenure, I haven't commented on*. I have no access to the corridors of power in Tahland and can only speculate upon the individual or committee process they undertake for issues relating to marketing or book balancing. That said, in your sweeping statement I believe you do Allen a fair sized disservice in laying all of the Waratahs woes solely at his door, and in the same movement, apportion none of the credit. But you are right on one point, history would be far less kind to Allen had his team not won the competition. Then again, you could say that about anyone. Who's team won anything. Ever. *For the record, as a staunch Brumbies supporter, I have no stake in defending another club's CEO. I'm not a distant member of the Allen family. And I'm not working on commission. I just enjoy great rugby (which is why it difficult to be a Brumbies supporter currently).
levelheaded
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Hey Weary Tah, detail, the ARU made all the money on the Lions tour from their report and the ARU's and they pay a million out in licence fees every year. No other Club does that in Australia. Seriously mate, you are all over the show with your debate, little on the facts, big on the personal attack. Life must be lonely for you.
ethan
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I think the decisions made by a CEO could have large impact on a clubs on field success - however it is true that he should be judged over his whole tenure and not just one year, and I agree, it doesn't look too good for him. A team of excellent players who for the most part, struggled to fire, then struggled to draw crowds even when they were firing, and the club in deep financial trouble. Hopefully whoever takes his place is able to build on the momentum gained over the last year.
Weary Tah
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Interesting that you refer to financial performance they posted a loss of $96k in 2013 even with a bonus sell out Lions game, a small profit in 2012 of around $65k and $50k in 2011, his first year. As previously stated this year provided a revenue windfall with the additional games and premiership. Nothing personal mate facts are facts
levelheaded
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hey mate, just looked at their financial reports and as a summary best period out of the last 10 - your facts are blatantly personal mate and not logic. I also have met several of his staff and they think fondly of him.
Weary Tah
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... but hold on mate he single handedly won the premiership and has left the Club massively in the black if you believe the bloke who saw him speak at the Rugby Club... must have been one hell of a talk!.
Weary Tah
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.. and it appears that you are evidently incapable of doing so succinctly hence requiring a lengthy explanation and substantiation. I have seen too many sports administrators take the good from on field but NONE the bad ... all bouquets and no brickbats. However if you wish to view this CEO's record as being linked to the team's on field performances then I refer you to the three years of abject failure and underperformance rather than the one year the team performed to its potential. I will say that being a Jason Allen fan makes you a member of an extremely exclusive club
Crash Ball2
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"On field results have little if anything to do with the CEO". I think the winding, bumpy path to deconstruct this argument is too lengthy if this is your starting point.
Weary Tah
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The tributes for this bloke are bewildering as history would be far less kind to him if Cheika and his team had not won the competition. On field results have little if anything to do with a CEO. In fact the 'record' season would have been a complete failure if not for the additional games and GFcourtesy of Cheika, his coaching staff and players. Half way through the season Allen was even quoted in an interview bemoaning the parlous financial state of the club, saying that they were barely able to pay their bills and needed finals football to pay their way. For the better part of last season the great rugby the Tahs were playing was played in front of an empty stadium due to the administrations inability to attract a decent crowd through bloody awful marketing. This was his responsibility and his legacy. I guess the greatest skill he demonstrated is knowing when to jump.