New Metricon sponsorship deal a $4 million shot in the arm for Suns
THE Gold Coast Suns have locked away one of two key sponsorship targets for 2019, landing a deal that will add $4 million in revenue to the club.
The Suns yesterday announced they had signed naming-rights sponsor Metricon to the end of 2022 as they shift their focus towards securing major-rights partner Host Plus, whose deal expires at the end of this year.
Metricon’s commitment is worth about $1 million per year to the club and is a part of key financial backing that will show the AFL their continued investment in the Queensland franchise is warranted.
The AFL continues to prop up the Suns, granting them $24 million last year, but the club’s ability to attract major corporate companies is a shot in the arm, despite finishing 17th in the past two seasons.
Metricon’s deal is worth around the same as Host Plus and Cover-More’s contracts and, together with other guernsey sponsors, make up more than half the sponsorship revenue for the club.
It continues a turnaround for the club which struggled to replace former major sponsor Fiat for 12 months until CoverMore came on board at the end of 2017. Fans will be the major beneficiaries of the agreement with Metricon to build a terrace behind the northern goals.
Metricon’s Gold Coastbased director Jason Biasin said the company did not hesitate to renew the deal.
“For us it’s a no-brainer, they have been great partners,” he said. “It’s also about giving back to the community. I’ve lived up here for 13 years and all my family barrack for the Suns now.” Mr Biasin said despite the disappointing on-field performance last season, Metricon was happy to show its support.
“I always say no national sporting club ever really made it here (the Gold Coast) – it’s a tough market to do well but once the Suns start winning more games people will come.”
The Gold Coast could be treated to more off-season events with the club potentially looking at bringing more concerts to the stadium – a move Mr Biasin endorsed.
“It’s a great venue and for us the more events they can have off-season the better off we are.”
Gold Coast Suns CEO Mark Evans said the partnership was a testament to Metricon’s commitment to the AFL and the Coast community.
FORMER Suns academy coach Beau Zorko says only time will tell how big a loss Rising Star Bailey Scott is to the club after witnessing his journey to the AFL begin to take shape three years ago.
Zorko was head coach of the Suns’ under-15 and 16 academy sides in 2016 and an assistant for the Queensland under-16 side when Broadbeach junior Scott was emerging.
The now North Melbourne player, who was named the first 2019 Rising Star nominee after his AFL debut last weekend, instantly made Zorko stand up and take notice.
“He is the utmost professional and leaves no stone unturned when it comes to working on his game,” Zorko said.
“What impressed me most in the 12 month period I coached him was his understanding of the game.
“He was captain of the state under-16 side and his ability to talk to the players about how we were playing and how he would talk to them on the ground as a leader to help steer them around was incredible.
“It came as no surprise to me that he won the Rising Star (nomination). It was always going to be about when he got his opportunity and how quickly he could fit in at AFL level.
“He has terrific goal sense but his ability to accumulate the ball is very good as well.”
Scott was in the rare position of having links to three clubs leading into last year’s draft.
His father Robert played more than 100 games for both North Melbourne and Geelong while his presence in the Suns academy meant he may have preferenced the Queensland club.
“It was a unique situation that the Suns aren’t going to come across too often,” Zorko said. “The Suns put a lot of time into him and will be disappointed he chose to go to North Melbourne. Only time will tell how much it costs them.”
New Suns academy coach Andrew Raines said in a perfect world Scott would have stayed.
GOLD Coast must learn to win the key moments if they are to topple Fremantle this weekend.
That’s the view of impressive midfield recruit George Horlin-Smith after making his Suns debut in their one-point Round 1 loss to St Kilda.
The 25-year-old former Geelong player had 17 disposals in a solid outing but conceded the Saints outplayed them at key times.
“It was disappointing (and) AFL footy’s pretty unforgiving,” he said. “There were big momentum swings throughout the game and while we put ourselves in a position to win it, the boys are pretty flat that we didn’t get over the line.
“We gave up consecutive goals at really important parts of the game – back end of the first quarter and back end of the second quarter – and that just kills a little bit of momentum.”
Horlin-Smith remains confident the Suns can bounce back despite the disappointment of the narrow loss.
“I’m super proud to be representing the Gold Coast and running out with those guys. I’ve seen how hard they’ve worked,” he said.
“Hopefully we can get a win sooner rather than later.”
Teammate Peter Wright earned himself a Goal of the Year nomination for his second major against the Saints, while Brisbane’s Charlie Cameron was another nominee for his juggling bicycle effort against West Coast.