Pride certain they can survive impact of shutdown

THE Northern Pride are confident the COVID-19 pandemic won’t have a dire impact on the sustainability of the club, despite no games for the next two months.

The Queensland Rugby League this week announced that all statewide competitions, including the Intrust Super Cup, BHP Women’s Premiership, Hastings Deering Colts and Mal Meninga Cup, had been suspended, effective immediately, until June 5.

Pride CEO Mark Quinn was adamant the club would be able to survive the shutdown period, but admitted it would not be without its financial challenges.

“It’s very early days yet and we’re just in the process of contacting our major stakeholders,” he said. “All of our major partners and our minor partners, across the board there, they’re all local businesses and they’re all very supportive of us.

“If some of them are struggling financially, we’ll try to work through it with them as well. “We’re very, very lucky to have some long-term major partners with us.”

The Pride are one of five Intrust Super Cup clubs that do not have the financial backing of a major leagues club, instead depending on revenue from the QRL, local community sponsors and game-day income to exist.

The club secured a threeyear naming rights partnership with Kenfrost Homes last December, which will take them through to the end of the 2022 season. As the Pride’s first naming rights sponsor since Sea Swift’s deal ended at the end of 2017, the lucrative partnership couldn’t have come at a better time.

With an annual salary cap of $500,000 in the Intrust Super Cup, most clubs are hoping to honour all expenses, minus match-day payments.

Townsville Blackhawks have the support of the Townsville Brothers Rugby League Club, but as with many other clubs, will face challenges.

Norths Devils have the backing of two major leagues clubs and the support of their NRL feeder team, the Brisbane Broncos, while Redcliffe Dolphins are well positioned, backed by Redcliffe Leagues Club and it’s 40,000 members.

The QRL is working with Intrust Super Cup clubs on their financial situations.