Broncos act to ensure survival
BRONCOS boss Paul White has conceded the NRL’s glamour club will have to endure “some pain”, with Brisbane’s $22 million payroll facing a savage cut to keep the franchise alive.
The Broncos will undertake a huge shakeup to the club’s 100-plus employee base while executives, including White, will accept pay cuts to help keep the $52 million powerhouse afloat.
The downside of being the NRL’s richest club is that Brisbane is facing the biggest financial blow following the game’s decision to suspend the 2020 season indefinitely.
While the Broncos have $14 million in the bank and will still pocket a $1.2 million grant from the NRL on April 1, the club will be without any form of game-day revenue for the foreseeable future. With the Broncos beginning the process of laying off and standing down staff, White says the club faces tough times in what will be his last season in charge.
“We are implementing our own measures internally to ensure the long-term sustainability of our business,” he said.
“That’s critical at this point. It’s moved so fast over the last seven days and invariably will move quickly over the next few months.
“It’s an ever-changing environment and we will apply every effort to make sure we will get to the other side of this in reasonable shape.
We are going to have to take some pain, but we will get to the other side in reasonable shape. We are dealing with a lot of unknowns outside our control.”