MOUNTAINS OF MONEY FOR PANTHERS

PENRITH is predicting a financial bonanza after winning Sunday’s NRL grand final with club chief executive Brian Fletcher declaring: “This is an opportunity we can’t waste.”

The Panthers sold a staggering $1.3m worth of club merchandise in the first 72 hours after Sunday’s grand final win, with that figure expected to top $3m by Christmas.

“You don’t get this opportunity very often,” Fletcher said.

“And we have to be smart enough to stay in this space for a while – not just be in it, then drop out and come back in 10 years – that’s no good.

“We sold $1.3m worth of merchandise from grand final day until the close of business on Wednesday.

“We expect the next week or so to be busy and then again when the players get home (from Queensland) and we have a fan day.

“And we expect it to be busy again when our licensed clubs reopen and then with Christmas coming up as well. You would expect that to exceed $2m.

“I’m being conservative, it might be $3m.

“It’s a nice, favourable position to be in.”

The club generally pockets around 50 per cent of merchandise sold.