Virgin Blue lands the AFL contract
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Virgin Blue lands the AFL contract
Proving me wrong in a previous post in another thread. VB lands the lucrative AFL contract that Qantas held. Looks like John Borghetti's plan to move VB to the next level just took another critical step.
Reported in "The Australian" by Damon Kitney:
Virgin Blue steals AFL official airline contract from Qantas | The Australian
EXCLUSIVE: Damon Kitney From: The Australian November 18, 2010 2:27PM
VIRGIN Blue will become official airline of the Australian Football League after stealing the $8 million-a-year contract from arch rival Qantas.
Qantas had been keen to extend its association with the AFL, which started in 2002 after the collapse of Ansett.
But Virgin is believed to have bid aggressively for the contract, which involves sponsorship and extensive travel deals.
The official airline provides the AFL with thousands of heavily discounted seats a year for football clubs and AFL officials.
The deal, to come into effect from January 1 next year, will be announced this afternoon.
Hundreds of AFL figures and supporters meet on the Gold Coast today for the AFL Industry Conference and tonight's draft.
More to come..
This has to one of the biggest marketing wins in VB history.
Reported in "The Australian" by Damon Kitney:
Virgin Blue steals AFL official airline contract from Qantas | The Australian
EXCLUSIVE: Damon Kitney From: The Australian November 18, 2010 2:27PM
VIRGIN Blue will become official airline of the Australian Football League after stealing the $8 million-a-year contract from arch rival Qantas.
Qantas had been keen to extend its association with the AFL, which started in 2002 after the collapse of Ansett.
But Virgin is believed to have bid aggressively for the contract, which involves sponsorship and extensive travel deals.
The official airline provides the AFL with thousands of heavily discounted seats a year for football clubs and AFL officials.
The deal, to come into effect from January 1 next year, will be announced this afternoon.
Hundreds of AFL figures and supporters meet on the Gold Coast today for the AFL Industry Conference and tonight's draft.
More to come..
Last edited by Mr. Hat; 18th Nov 2010 at 03:12. Reason: More detail
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The AFL wanted exclusivity.......i guess the rugby and soccer and rugby league contracts are worth too much to lose.
Maybe flight ops will be asked to save 16 million now instead of 8!!
Maybe flight ops will be asked to save 16 million now instead of 8!!
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AFL is the main football code in VIC, SA, WA and TAS. Also popular in NT and now has two teams each in NSW (to be included by 2012) and QLD, although these latter two states the main code being Rugby. But, outside NSW and QLD the only state hosting an NRL side is one in VIC. In addition, one is in ACT. So, esreverluf I don't think VIC is the only state to give a flying %^ck about AFL.
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Demetriou's demand of exclusivity was just stupid - the Wallabies and Socceroos are worth a lot more to Qantas, in particular to overseas markets. So I guess Russell Crowe will need to get a new sponsor now fo Souths?
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Another croc from Ergonomic Central.
Once again the goons spend money they dont have while staff get rogered. The question is 'will they get the players to their destination on time' ?? I doubt it. Crap OTP,crap service, crap flair, busted planes (or dented ones) and a bunch of nuffy's prancing around like a bunch of queens on steroids.
One word - LAME.
Once again the goons spend money they dont have while staff get rogered. The question is 'will they get the players to their destination on time' ?? I doubt it. Crap OTP,crap service, crap flair, busted planes (or dented ones) and a bunch of nuffy's prancing around like a bunch of queens on steroids.
One word - LAME.
The point is, it is a contract QF used to have that they don't have any more.
JB openly stated that he was going to take business off QF, and he is doing it.
First he took some of the people he wanted, he then stole the Etihad deal from under their noses, he has now secured a lucrative sponsorship/contract from them.
In my view he seems to be kicking a few goals. Not sure if this mean more profit, but without the sponsorship deals and the contracts, you have nothing.
Also, the AFL is probably a good one to start with. Not too corporate (i.e footballers are basically bogans) so they will put up with the VB Cr@p. All the while JB will be working to improve the product so that, hopefully, one day it will be recogniseable as a genuine business class product. Once (if) that is achieved he can start hunting the big corporate spenders.
JB openly stated that he was going to take business off QF, and he is doing it.
First he took some of the people he wanted, he then stole the Etihad deal from under their noses, he has now secured a lucrative sponsorship/contract from them.
In my view he seems to be kicking a few goals. Not sure if this mean more profit, but without the sponsorship deals and the contracts, you have nothing.
Also, the AFL is probably a good one to start with. Not too corporate (i.e footballers are basically bogans) so they will put up with the VB Cr@p. All the while JB will be working to improve the product so that, hopefully, one day it will be recogniseable as a genuine business class product. Once (if) that is achieved he can start hunting the big corporate spenders.
Virgin will cancel flights and players wont be getting to destinations on time. It's what Virgin do and when it happens once, twice three times the AFL will come crawling back to Qantas.
Virgin are incapable of operating a respectable RPT service. It's more like a CPT.... C for casual...
Virgins OTP is p*s$ poor for Australia's second largest carrier.
PLUS... I would fancy that their 'guests', as Virgin refer to them as, would have a bucket load of difficulty in fitting into a small cramped tiny ejit flying across Oz... Even if the A330 is in service by then, not every team plays in Perth every week, and even so, even if it is on the 737, the leg room just isn't there for players like Jack Watts, Nick Naitanui. The talls will suffer and the game revolves around them.
Good luck Virgin.
Virgin are incapable of operating a respectable RPT service. It's more like a CPT.... C for casual...
Virgins OTP is p*s$ poor for Australia's second largest carrier.
PLUS... I would fancy that their 'guests', as Virgin refer to them as, would have a bucket load of difficulty in fitting into a small cramped tiny ejit flying across Oz... Even if the A330 is in service by then, not every team plays in Perth every week, and even so, even if it is on the 737, the leg room just isn't there for players like Jack Watts, Nick Naitanui. The talls will suffer and the game revolves around them.
Good luck Virgin.
Yes there is some kudos in this for VB
All income is good to have but is $8 million significant when their revenue last financial year was $2,907 million?
.0027% of revenue
They stole it from QF. Now can they keep it?
All income is good to have but is $8 million significant when their revenue last financial year was $2,907 million?
.0027% of revenue
They stole it from QF. Now can they keep it?
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Got to love the qantas guys who jump on here like a bunch of women trying to compensate for the fact that their beloved "icon" is rapidly being flushed down the toilet. You just worry about your own problems ladies, like the PR disaster that is QANTAS!
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Hey hey Buzzy,
Those Hawthorn footy shorts and bandannas are gunna look great in those red jets. Maybe a few coolie loaches and red rams as well.
Cheers mate
Galley Hag,
Dunno what flight you have been on seeing AFL players in Business Class, but I can assure you they DO NOT travel in J on the PH flights. All economy my friend like the rest of the bogan supporters.
Those Hawthorn footy shorts and bandannas are gunna look great in those red jets. Maybe a few coolie loaches and red rams as well.
Cheers mate
Galley Hag,
Dunno what flight you have been on seeing AFL players in Business Class, but I can assure you they DO NOT travel in J on the PH flights. All economy my friend like the rest of the bogan supporters.
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I have no idea where you work but as cabin crew I can assure you high profile players (where seats are available) ALWAYS fly J Class along with the management of the teams just like the NRL. As I always work J Class I think I would know which sporting team flys in which part of the aircraft!
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So what does it really mean?
A few dopy blokes who kick some leather around a paddock and then get druunk abuse the general public travel on airline B. To me, as a passenger I'm supposed to be excited and also buy a ticket on airline B?
Haven't had the displeasure as yet, but if I found myself having to sit next to one of these teams of morons, I think it may be the last flight I do with airline B.
I did have the pleasure of traveling back from J burg, a few years ago with the Aus cricket team back when they could play cricket, and they were nice blokes.
A few dopy blokes who kick some leather around a paddock and then get druunk abuse the general public travel on airline B. To me, as a passenger I'm supposed to be excited and also buy a ticket on airline B?
Haven't had the displeasure as yet, but if I found myself having to sit next to one of these teams of morons, I think it may be the last flight I do with airline B.
I did have the pleasure of traveling back from J burg, a few years ago with the Aus cricket team back when they could play cricket, and they were nice blokes.
Whispering "T" Jet
"IF" Qantas really wanted the AFL contract they would have got the contract, clearly it wasnt an issue and Virgin can have the scraps.
