Sponsor drops Dogs

[gong_eagle]

Just heard on the Ch 10 news that Mitsubishi Electric will not be re-newing their sponsorship in 09

 

[Eels Dude]

That's not good news. While I hate the Bulldogs more than any club in the NRL, I really feel sorry for their fans because it's just one hit after another at the moment.

 

[perverse]

no biggy, $BW has sponsored them for next year.

 

[AILD]

sucked in.

 

[lockyno1]

Wonder if Hanannt and co are having 2nd thoughts about going to this rabble

 

[Dogaholic]

Big deal. 5 years is a good run. Dogs will get something bigger and better.

 

[perverse]

Big deal. 5 years is a good run. Dogs will get something bigger and better.

and this is based on... blind optimism?

 

[East Coast Tiger]

This actually proves that the Bulldogs have sold out for far too little. Not only have they sold a near $2m contract for $750k but they've received no compensation for all of the other losses caused. At the end of the day that's their own stupid fault and they will have to deal with the consequences. Therefore it's still not as bad as the disservice they've done to the game by rewarding a player who has done the wrong thing, which will only encourage others to look to do the same.

 

[Dogaholic]

and this is based on... blind optimism?

Yes

This actually proves that the Bulldogs have sold out for far too little. Not only have they sold a near $2m contract for $750k but they've received no compensation for all of the other losses caused. At the end of the day that's their own stupid fault and they will have to deal with the consequences. Therefore it's still not as bad as the disservice they've done to the game by rewarding a player who has done the wrong thing, which will only encourage others to look to do the same.

Who was going to foot the bill? The Dogs? The NRL? Were all the other clubs going to chip in?

Of course not. It would have been on the Dogs to pick up the tab, go it alone, disrupt the 09 season with negative articles etc.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

They said they were fully committed to going all the way and then they chickened out. Just another example of a poorly run club that offers very little to the game on and off the field.

 

[ibeme]

This actually proves that the Bulldogs have sold out for far too little. Not only have they sold a near $2m contract for $750k but they've received no compensation for all of the other losses caused.

They didn't sell a $2m contract. They sold a release from the contract. The Bulldogs keep the remaining $1.25 (approx.) plus get a $750K payout. That's about $2m the Bulldogs now have in their pockets. Effectively, they got SBW for nearly two years (minus games he spent on the sideline) for free and now have $2m to spend for future players.

It's hard to measure what financial impact SBW's departure will have on sponsorship. Mitsibishi Electric had been a major sponsor for 5 years. That's a long time for a major sponsor and it's not unexpected that they've decided not renew.

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

That's not good news. While I hate the Bulldogs more than any club in the NRL, I really feel sorry for their fans because it's just one hit after another at the moment.

ditto.. looking at the bigger picture that is one big name company pulling its money out of Rugby League.

 

[ibeme]

They said they were fully committed to going all the way and then they chickened out. Just another example of a poorly run club that offers very little to the game on and off the field.

They actually said that their door was always open for discussion with SBW. He tried to leave scott free. The Bulldogs had to do whatever it took to force him to come to the table. Fortunately, it happened sooner rather than later. Had it not, the Bulldogs would have kept going and would have forked out hundreds of thousands more in legal costs.

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

They said they were fully committed to going all the way and then they chickened out. Just another example of a poorly run club that offers very little to the game on and off the field.

So did Sonny Bill.. He was prepared to go to jail, until of course he wasn't. Face the facts only the lawyers would win if this was dragged out.

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

They actually said that their door was always open for discussion with SBW. He tried to leave scott free. The Bulldogs had to do whatever it took to force him to come to the table. Fortunately, it happened sooner rather than later. Had it not, the Bulldogs would have kept going and would have forked out hundreds of thousands more in legal costs.

Beat me to the punch.. Unfortunately the Bulldogs had to give some ground as he was A. not going to come back and play and B. The Lawyers would have been pocketing a fortune. $750k less some money paid to SBW after he walked out is much better than nothing.

 

[dallymessenger]

always thought 750,00 was too little.

this proves it.

and anyone that doesnt believe the loss of sbw had a major cause in this is a dope.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Whay would happen if two or three more Bulldogs just walked out now? They could do so knowing there is virtually no way they would be worse off. No legal ramifications, still more cash and they'd be jumping a sinking ship. SBW must be laughing. RL is a massive loser out of this but not as big as the Bulldogs.

 

[BrisVegas]

This actually proves that the Bulldogs have sold out for far too little. Not only have they sold a near $2m contract for $750k but they've received no compensation for all of the other losses caused. At the end of the day that's their own stupid fault and they will have to deal with the consequences. Therefore it's still not as bad as the disservice they've done to the game by rewarding a player who has done the wrong thing, which will only encourage others to look to do the same.

The problem that was facing the NRL/Bulldogs is that by claiming millions of $ in damages they are proving, in a roundabout way, that SBW's claim that the salary cap is restricting his earnings is true. It's hard to sue a player for millions in damages due to lost earnings from sponsorship, gate takings, publicity etc, then try and justify capping his earnings through the salary cap.

The Bulldogs were stuck between a rock and a hard place, the longer it dragged on the higher the legal costs would grow (already reported to be $300k), and any chance of a "win" would be gone.

 

[The General]

always thought 750,00 was too little.

this proves it.

and anyone that doesnt believe the loss of sbw had a major cause in this is a dope.

Mitsubishi Electric were going to pull the plug on sponsorship the last time they came up for renewal (3 years ago). It was only a last minute move that had them renew their sponsorship deal. I think it was always going to be tough getting them to sign on again. 5 years for a major sponsor is a pretty long time for most Rugby League teams.

 

[ibeme]

Whay would happen if two or three more Bulldogs just walked out now? They could do so knowing there is virtually no way they would be worse off. No legal ramifications, still more cash and they'd be jumping a sinking ship. SBW must be laughing. RL is a massive loser out of this but not as big as the Bulldogs.

If they got the same deal as SBW, they'd have to pay back the money the Bulldogs had paid them for the previous years under the current contract. I could afford to give my last two years of pay back to my employer.

It's well and easy to say that the Bulldogs let him off lightly when you're not the one's forking out the legal costs. The reality is that SBW was not going to come back to play. The Bulldogs were never going to get anything more than a payout. They could have spent millions to ensure the SBW didn't play for anyone else for the remainder of his contract but that would have cost millions with no benefit to the club. They had to weigh up cost vs benefit, and there was never any guarantee that they were going to get anymore than what they got. The only guarantee is that it would have cost a sh*tload more to try.