OFFICIAL LAUNCH
 TEAMelbourne OFFICIALLY
LAUNCHED
A new chapter of Melbourne’s sporting landscape was unveiled
today (12 June 2007) when The Hon. Steve Bracks MP, Premier of
Victoria and The Right Hon. John So, Lord Mayor of Melbourne
officially launched TEAMelbourne to an array of dignitaries,
sporting identities and media at the Melbourne Exhibition
Centre.
TEAMelbourne is being heralded as a world first sporting
alliance of premier sporting clubs, with its founding member clubs
being the Melbourne Football Club, Melbourne Storm Rugby League
Club, Melbourne Tigers Basketball Club, Melbourne Racing Club and
Netball Victoria, working together to strengthen business,
membership, partnerships and community relationships.
With the support of the Victorian Government, the TEAMelbourne
alliance will provide an opportunity for the member clubs to
significantly improve their positioning in their respective codes
and competitions.
Mr Bracks said that having the five founding member clubs all
working together would further enhance the world’s sporting
capital.
“TEAMelbourne is a brilliant new concept that will see
Victoria’s elite sports clubs join forces to boost Melbourne’s
brand as the sporting capital of the world, across a diverse range
of high-profile sports,” Mr Bracks said.
“Our highest profile sporting organisations are casting aside
their inter-sport rivalries in a revolutionary approach to
bettering their own codes, and the overall status of sports in this
great sporting city.
“The founding members of TEAMelbourne will help strengthen
business links, community partnerships and sporting memberships of
the state’s leading sports."
CEO of TEAMelbourne, Mr Barry Gibson said that “TEAMelbourne is
an outstanding example of how sporting bodies in opposing codes,
along with government, community and corporate partners can work
together to generate significant joint promotional and operating
synergies in a dynamic but competitive environment.”
“This is a quantum leap forward in the sports entertainment
industry and the member clubs along with the Victorian Government
need to be applauded for such foresight.”
Hosted by swimming icon Nicole Livingstone, the launch showcased
the five founding member clubs as well as the city itself.
TEAMelbourne’s stakeholders are committed to the success of the
venture, as such the founding member clubs have collectively
committed $1.5 million in funding over the next three years, while
the Victorian Government in their capacity as Major Supporting
Partner provided seed funding to support the initiative.
The founding member clubs were represented at the launch by
CEO’s, chairmen and captains including David Neitz, captain of
Melbourne Football Club; Billy Slater, Melbourne Storm NRL; Chris
Anstey, captain of Melbourne Tigers NBL; Sharelle McMahon, captain
of Melbourne Phoenix for Netball Victoria and Craig Newitt,
champion jockey for the Melbourne Racing Club.
“We are delighted to be joined by distinguished guests including
David Gallop (NRL CEO); Rick Burton (NBL Commissioner);
and Kate Palmer (Netball Australia CEO),” Mr Gibson said
during his official welcome.
TEAMelbourne is defined by sport, entertainment and community
and the vision to be a respected world leader in those areas is
what TEAMelbourne will collaboratively work towards.
As a not-for-profit entity TEAMelbourne is unique in that it
offers a sporting calendar with 12 months of activity across male
and female sports of all demographics; multi-sport membership
opportunities; a complement to Melbourne City branding, major
events and tourism; and a commitment to supporting city and
community initiatives.
La Trobe University has also been welcomed as a
Foundation Partner in the higher education sector. The three year
partnership includes a scholarship program and joint research
projects.
Passionate sports fans will soon be able to join TEAMelbourne
and receive great offers and ticket packages across all five
sporting organisations, through www.teamelbourne.com.au
“To celebrate our launch anyone who visits our new website will
be given the opportunity to go into the draw to win one of five
double pass prize packages that will provide entry to an event or
game from each of the member clubs,” Mr Gibson said.
“Unique membership packages will be unveiled in the coming
months, including an exclusively limited number of Foundation
Memberships, which we believe will be the ultimate sport and
entertainment membership package.”
In line with TEAMelbourne’s partnership with the Victorian
Government, the organisation will host exciting Mega Sports Clinics
twice a year.
“500 young Victorians will have the opportunity to experience a
variety of sports in a friendly and fun environment under the
tutelage of their sporting heroes,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the foundation member clubs, Steve Harris,
CEO of Melbourne Football Club said that TEAMelbourne “was born of
an idea that Melbourne-based, and Melbourne-named clubs have a
particular responsibility for, and opportunity through, embracing
the name of our city and all that goes with it,”
“The view is that if the clubs work more collaboratively
together, without losing any sense of identity, it will provide
broader and deeper opportunities,”
“These opportunities encompass membership and supporter bases;
athlete, coach, trainer and staff development; sports science and
technology; infrastructure efficiencies; corporate partners; and
stronger roles as community leaders,” he said.
With the business of professional sport evolving rapidly, the
TEAMelbourne model is one that could pave the way for a new
direction in Australian sport.
“There are similar models in the US and UK, but nowhere near the
magnitude and diversity of what is now known as TEAMelbourne,” Mr
Gibson said.
“TEAMelbourne is a representation how our founding member clubs
have realised this exclusive opportunity to enhance Melbourne’s
positioning as the sporting capital of the world,” he said.
Ends.
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