Putting the gold into the Gold Coast Suns

It’s hard to imagine many scenarios where the Gold Coast Suns could have done any less with the draft pick riches and other assorted handouts they were granted by the AFL.

In six completed seasons they have never been a legitimate finals contender, and as another season draws to a close their CEO, Mark Evans, has been charged with performing a full review of football operations.

Yet the Suns on-field performances are not their sole problem. They remain tied to the AFL for close 50 per cent of their funds and have one of the smallest sponsorship revenues in the league.

The Suns finances won’t be an easy fix. Their inability to establish a strong foothold on the Gold Coast not only mirrors that of other professional sporting teams in south-east Queensland but also those of expansion teams the world over who land in markets where the economy is largely tourism-driven.

For true, lasting success the Suns must address these balance sheet issues perhaps as a more pressing problem than who will coach the side and lead the football department in the immediate future. It’s no coincidence that pre-merger Hawthorn, pre-Eddie Collingwood, pre-Cook Geelong and pre-Schwab Fremantle were all financial basket cases that transformed to viable entities before beginning marches up the ladder.

Tony Cochrane would have a to-do list and I imagine it might or should include the following things.

Governance: Adding some further corporate or political muscle to the board, which is primarily young and Gold Coast-based, you would think would help. David Koch has done it at Port Adelaide to good effect.

Connections with local community and business: A partnership with a local university as the Gold Coast try to promote themselves as a destination for both domestic and international students would be a good start.

White shoe club: One or more supporters willing to dip into their own pockets for the benefit of the club. Preferably those who are happy to give their hard-earned without voicing an opinion on who should play at full forward. The Bulldog’s are by no way a financial powerhouse, but they wouldn’t be the club today without a select group of supporters who provide millions of dollars of support each year.

China: Somehow somewhere it must be on a whiteboard at each of the 18 clubs, and why not? The numbers and market size make it so appealing. The Gold Coast, given its links to tourism, must be able to identify a long list of Chinese businesses wanting to promote themselves to Australian tourism providers.

Data and social media: It worked for the Trump campaign in the swing states, and with the Suns looking to turn those with little or perhaps a passing interest in the game into rusted-on fans, it must be part of their plan too.

While all of these ideas are sound and have merit, they are perhaps just one part of what the plan the Gold Coast needs. Given the Suns don’t have a large membership base or a pokies pot of gold, to make the leap from expansion team to AFL financial powerhouse will require some truly innovative thinking.

(Image: AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

Never one to throw stones without offering up support, here are a few ideas I think could help the bottom line.

Concept 1: Growing match-day attendances and commercial returns
Hawthorn’s sponsorship arrangement with the Tasmanian government is often called out as one of the best in Australian domestic team sport. The Suns might not have the drawing power to sell home games, but can they do the reverse of the Hawks and bring fans to their games instead of taking games to the fans?

Plenty of interstate supporters already attend Gold Coast matches, and the Suns can use this knowledge to open up new revenue sources and further profit from these footy tourists.

How? Subscription-style start-up companies are the flavour of the month. They work on the basis that customers get cheaper goods or guaranteed access to supply while suppliers get the comfort of a set demand that they can then more accurately plan and budget around.

There would seem an opportunity for the Suns in this space. Working with a range of businesses they could put a competitively priced package together for football tourists, with the Suns acting only as the middle man in the deal, exposing themselves to no additional financial risk.

With ten home games at Metricon and with, say, a target of 3000 fans for each match, undertaking a Groupon-style program could quickly become a very profitable venture for the Suns. Not only would the Suns profit from tickets sales, they could also take a slice of all other weekend activities: accommodation, airfares, dining and other leisure pursuits.

Concept 2: Maximise returns from Metricon Stadium
The Suns want to maximise returns from Metricon Stadium, so do they wait to be asked to dance or actively seek out dance partners?

Tough Mudder, the obstacle fun run concept founded in 2010, has become a global phenomenon with revenues over $100 million a year. What could the Suns be doing to find and partner with the next Tough Mudder?

Could the Suns, perhaps working with the Gold Coast City Council, set up a competition to give event management start-ups a kick start? Jointly they could provide assistance and support across a facet of business development areas as well as access to Metricon Stadium at discounted prices, thus helping to turn an idea into a thriving business.

The cost to the start-up? They have to become a sponsor of the Suns, set at a set percentage of their revenues.

These are just a couple of ideas – make of them what you will – but if the Suns can embrace their unique qualities and perhaps think a little outside the box, it will give them their best chance to prosper financially.

Once the balance sheet is in order, on-field success will no doubt follow for no other reason but that there will of plenty of people, players and officials alike, who will be attracted to that version of the Suns: footy when you can wear shorts and t-shirt on your day off is always going to be more fun.