Thurston signs up with Sony for charity gigs
“Our merchandise sales have really skyrocketed as well.”
Ms Smyth said the venue’s carpark party on Saturday was full, with the club expecting an even larger crowd this weekend.
“Remembering back to the grand final in 2015, this week will be even crazier,” she said.
“It will be all hands on deck on Sunday. If it’s anything like the last one, which I’m sure it will be, the whole lead- up is just busy.”
Townsville Enterprise chief executive officer Patricia O‘ Callaghan said the fairytale win was historic for both the Cowboys and North Queensland. “They are more than just a football team, they are community heroes,” she said.
“It plays an important role in the economy. The ( media) coverage is all about Townsville and North Queensland. The spotlight is all on us.”
“Even on the grand final weekend businesses from surrounding regions come to the city and participate.
“They inject millions of dollars into the economy every day and I’m sure that will increase this year.
Deputy Mayor Les Walker said the win was “massive for the confidence of the city and the region” and the knockon effects were huge.
“There are fans right across the country,” Cr Walker said. “It puts Townsville squarely on the map when people watch these games.
He said the Cowboys had been consistent year after year.
“The Storm has got one big problem and that’s the Cowboys.” HE’S spent a career setting records on the rugby league field but Johnathan Thurston wants to make it clear he’s not about to start making records.
“No, I’m not about to release JT’s Greatest Hits,” the Cowboys star said with his trademark laugh.
Thurston is about to enter the same stable as the Foo Fighters, Midnight Oil, Bruce Springsteen and Pink after securing a lucrative management contract with music industry leaders, Sony Music Entertainment Australia.
But for now he’s got no plans to make music. Rather, he wants to prove to the rest of the sporting world just how dominant he and other league stars can be in the corporate world.
Sony have aligned with Thurston and his long- time agent Sam Ayoub, to extend his reach and appeal, through ambassadorial and charity work under the Sony Australia banner.
“It was actually Mal Meninga who invited Denis Handlin ( CEO and chairman of Sony Music Australia) into the Maroons camp when he first began coaching Origin, to be a mentor for us players,” Thurston said.
“I was also taught by Denis’ brother in high school so there’s always been a connection, but to now be associated with Sony is massive.”