Gold Coast Suns CEO Andrew Travis has resigned, the AFL club has confirmed.
Travis was appointed CEO in 2015 after almost six years as the Suns’ chief operating officer (COO).
He initially joined the club in 2009 as COO on a three year contract to deliver the new home ground, Metricon Stadium at Carrara.
Travis’ resignation came after the Suns moved into their state of the art $22 million training and administration facility at Carrara.
“I was at the club in the sheds before the good sheds came and have been part of building the club from the ground up,” Travis said in a statement.
“I will always be proud of the work we have done to deliver Metricon Stadium.
“Moving into the new training and administration facility is a good time for the club to look forward – and I feel that I am leaving the club in a good position with a great platform for the next phase of growth.”
AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said Travis would “always be associated with the establishment of the Gold Coast Suns”.
“Andrew … has done a very good job over the last seven years establishing an AFL team on the coast and growing the game throughout Queensland,” he said.
Paul D
Roar Guru
This isn't Kochie's finest hour. The good people of China don't give a stuff what 2 teams are playing and surely if the Suns are wearing a strip that resembles China's national flag that can only be good for interest. Surely Port Adelaide aren't that desperate for fans that they feel they have to shake down the people of Shanghai for support. Or maybe they are. Either way if the Suns do wind up wearing their home strip, Koch is going to wind up looking very foolish, and the Suns will count their blessings they only got roped into this Chinese fiasco once.
Birdman
Guest
Evans already in on the jumper stoush with Kochie for the Port v Suns China game. He must know he has AFL backing and Koch really has himself to blame by not including the jumper clause in the contract.
Cat
Roar Guru
How long before a GC Suns player gets rubbed out by the MRP and Mark Evans starts complaining? :p
Beny Iniesta
Guest
Gold Coast have been handed so many draft concessions they'll be playing off in the next 6 Grand Finals against their brothers from GWS. The AFL was far far too generous with what they gave Gold Coast & GWS. (That's the line we've all been told to parrot isn't it?)
Paul D
Roar Guru
Makes sense that they’re stepping in – the AFL is footing all the bills for the Suns, you’d think they’d want some control over how their money is being spent. QLD is a really tough market to crack, they need the best people they’ve got working it.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
So head office moves in. It'll be fascinating to see what shakes at Gold Coast over the next year or two. You'd wager there'll be some big things happening, Evans is not going up there to be all "carry on folks, business as usual".
Paul D
Roar Guru
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/mark-evans-to-leave-afl-joins-gold-coast-suns-as-new-chief-executive-ahead-of-2017-afl-season/news-story/4ecf4f2786a5ee36db1f1a2b76d7acae Well, he comes with impeccable pedigree. There you have it, Travis was pushed out by a much bigger fish.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Given the market they're in, you'd think the role of CEO at the Suns would be more vital to the club than the CEO of any other club in the AFL. Hopefully they nail it with the replacement.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I reckon this has a fair bit to do with the inability of the Suns to line up a major sponsor. This wasn't voluntary.