Welcome to the CEO Update for July, where in a change from previous communications we will look at the 'team behind the team', the various departments, management and staff who combine to put games on each weekend and who contribute to the health and success of the overall Sharks business.
From Justin Coulton and his staff at Sharks at Kareela, to our commercial, marketing, community, membership, merchandise and football departments, we have a hard-working and dedicated group, all pulling in the same direction, which is to support our male and female players on the field, while delivering the best possible product to our members and fans.
Our NRL, NRLW or pathways teams wouldn't be able to operate without them.
They generally go unnoticed, going about their work behind the scenes, many on duty seven days a week during an NRL season, and they do what they do without much external attention or fanfare, however within our walls their efforts are certainly appreciated.
Following in this CEO Update, department heads will briefly outline the areas of the business they cover, while highlighting some of their key staff members.
In addition to those detailed below, thanks also to Vince Costa our CFO, Alison Lane our Group Financial Controller and their extremely efficient Finance team, our HR staff led by Arna Orr and Shae Brendecke, Stadium Operations and Events Manager Lauren Chester and to Mitch Bates who is our Sharks go-between in relation to the Woolooware Bay property developers and their building contractors, Peter Brogan who is all things Facilities and finally Belinda Rae my Executive Assistant.
While we enjoy watching our teams do their thing in Sharks colours each weekend, I felt it important to highlight the 'team behind the team' in showing appreciation for those who keep the Sharks 'ship' sailing as smoothly as it does.
In a brief overview of business for the month just passed, an exciting development was the opening of the new Sharks Store in the Woolooware Bay Town Centre. Please drop by for a visit next time you are in the area or before a Sharks home game.
In relation to the NRL team, while experiencing a tough period of late we still sit inside the top four with Finals fast approaching. Please continue to support the boys in the run home, starting with our crucial match against Souths this Saturday.
And while the men are coming towards the end of their regular season, the NRLW girls have just begun and have kicked off their 2024 campaign in impressive fashion. This weekend they play the Parramatta Eels in looking to build on their impressive win over the Cowboys in round one.
Outside of that, although the focus is very much on 2024, we are working diligently in the background planning our trip to Las Vegas to kick off the 2025 season. An outstanding opportunity for our club and our brand, we hope to see plenty of Sharks Members and fans in the Allegiant Stadium stands next March.
So for this July update, please take the time to read through and find out who and what makes the Sharks tick away from the field on a daily and weekly basis in this special CEO Update.
Thanks again for your continued support and we hope to see PointsBet Stadium at capacity for our remaining NRL home games this season and whenever our men and women represent our great club in the weeks to come.
Sharks CEO
Dino Mezzatesta
At Sharks at Kareela, our dedicated team is committed to providing exceptional service to our members and guests. Leading the team, I oversee our Operations Managers, Luke Malam and Lisa Wilkinson, who handle the behind-the-scenes operations to ensure everything runs smoothly. Our back-of-house team also includes Maintenance, Cellar, Accounts, People and Culture and Marketing staff contributing to the overall seamless operation of the club.
Our Duty Managers are crucial to our daily operations. The team includes full-time Duty Managers Maree Downey, Matt Ivkovic, and Eryn O'Neill, supported by relief Duty Managers Zac McConnell, Dakota Paea, and Sophie Breaden. They manage our frontline staff, the backbone of our entire business. Our frontline team, made up of both permanent and casual employees across Gaming, Bars, Cafe, and Reception, strives to offer exceptional customer service to all our Members and guests.
Gina Louloudakis, our contracted caterer, oversees the culinary offerings at Cove Bar & Grill and our Functions, with the support of Head Chef Anita Lisson and Functions Manager Bec Busch. Their dedication ensures a top-notch dining experience. Additionally, Golf Professional Scott Lennox manages the golf operations.
The Sharks Commercial department, led by me, Kylie Lucas, comprises a small yet efficient team who take on the responsibility of generating revenue through a variety of sponsorships, funds which are utilised to support football club programs and initiatives.
The commercial department then works diligently to service those sponsors and corporate partners, from majors such as Aramex, Ace Gutters, Quest, PointsBet, Zambrero and Classic, to the many other brands and organisations supporting our NRL, NRLW and pathways teams, and to our hospitality and signage partners, in aiming to meet their respective needs and expectations.
Also falling under the responsibility of the commercial team is game day corporate hospitality and to ensuring the experience is a memorable and enjoyable one for those who attend PointsBet Stadium games in the ET and Monty Porter Stand corporate boxes and in the other hospitality facilities offered.
With the 2024 Finals now fast approaching, the commercial team will also look to provide our partners with ticketing and corporate facility options for the big end of season Finals matches.
From there the focus will quickly shift to 2025, with the Sharks in market for a stadium naming rights partner due to the end of our association with PointsBet. A mutually beneficial partnership over several years, the departure of PointsBet comes as a result of changes to new government regulations relating to restrictions around gaming sponsorships for sporting organisations.
An outstanding sponsorship opportunity with the Sharks therefore currently exists for the right brand.
Working alongside me in the Commercial department are Carly Fagerstrom, Kerriann Tyson-Jones, Toby Learmont and Emily Araullo.
Led by myself James Peters, ably assisted by Giselle Vigna, James Rayment and Monica Tanuse, our Membership and Ticketing team comprises four full-time staff members, while also utilising the skills and experience of Maria Tzavaras and the assistance of a number of interns, predominately university students looking to gain experience in the sports industry.
The Membership and Ticketing department services the needs of our 16,500 Members, is responsible for strategic planning of the Member experience and benefits, casual game ticketing for both the NRL and NRLW at PointsBet Stadium and matches taken on the road and in arranging Members functions and special events.
In addition, we assist to ensure all communications from the NRL and the Club reach the inboxes of our Members. This is a pertinent reminder that Members will shortly receive information regarding the exclusive Member on sales dates for the 2024 Telstra Premiership Grand Final. The first on sale was scheduled for July 31.
While 2024 remains our focus, we are looking ahead to the 2025 season and to finalising ticketed Member packages, as well as taking in Member feedback and exploring ways to improve the member experience. If you have any suggestions, please send them through to [email protected].
Don't forget, if travelling to see the Sharks play away from home, or you're a Country & Interstate Member heading to Sydney for a match, you can access our exclusive Member discount code for a Quest Hotel Apartments stay.
NRLW tickets for the 2024 season are still on sale, for just $15 for Adults and $10 for Juniors. Full-season Members will receive free entry simply by scanning their Member card. For more information please go to https://sharks.com.au/gameday.
Members should also refer to the Member Email sent Thursday, July 18 for the Round 24 Members' Round exclusive captain's run event. If you did not receive the email, please contact us by emailing [email protected].
The primary purpose of the MB&D team, led by me as Group General Manager Marketing, Brand and Digital, Melinda Madigan, is to develop and deliver the Sharks annual Marketing, Brand, and Digital strategy. Our current priorities are to build a widely recognised and respected national brand (including on the international Vegas '25 stage), grow a highly engaged and passionate Sharks fanbase in all key markets, evolve the club's CRM strategy and positively contribute to the Group's commercial performance.
The team collaborates across the Group on a broad spectrum of initiatives. These include targeted membership marketing campaigns, partner acquisition programs, merchandise sales campaigns, Leagues Club marketing, customer insights and major corporate presentations and publications. We also partner with external agencies and stakeholders including mainstream media and the NRL.
Heading up our Game Day production and Content function is Jess Ciccia who has proudly been with the Sharks for over 15 years. Jess wears multiple hats including game day production to enhance the fan experience. Together with our highly skilled Media and Content Producer Mitch Karadinovski, she also looks after professional video content and publishing across all Sharks social channels, where we engage daily with 630,000+ followers. You can view some of our video creations here.
Heading up our Brand and Design function is Gary Dover who, along with Senior Creative Designer Dan Robertson, delivers arguably some of sport's best branded content, animations and campaigns. The team creates compelling brand, retail and fan engagement creative concepts including high impact in-stadium digital content, the club's annual NRL and NRLW campaigns and special campaigns including Sharks In Vegas and the new Sharks Store branding.
The Group Marketing Executive (role currently vacant and in market) is responsible for creating and implementing impactful brand, retail, and customer experience marketing campaigns. Their focus is to grow and engage our Football and Leagues Club communities of members, fans, corporates and visitors. This includes a strong emphasis on data and digital marketing.
Rounding out our small but dynamic team are veteran Media Manager Rob Willis and respected Media Coordinator Troy Whittaker who are the club's key year-round media liaisons. They play an active role in day-to-day media relations, media conferences, game day media activities, news content and communications. Rob also supports our CEO on the Club's key corporate media and communications requirements.
Follow us on our social media channels below:
The Cronulla Sharks uphold our reputation as the 'Community Club' by utilising the profile of our players and the game to create social impact and bring about meaningful change.
The community team is led by me as Head of Community and Government Relations, with the support of Community Engagement Manager Luke Koutrodimos. The team also comprises NRLW stars Emma Tonegato and Jada Taylor, who both play key roles in the delivery of our programs in the community.
Emma, a qualified occupational therapist, leads our work in the disability space in the role of Equal Access Program Lead. Her programs provide opportunities for people with a disability to participate in rugby league activities and connect some of our most passionate fans and Members more closely to the club. Emma has pioneered several new programs to ensure rugby league can be a game for all.
Jada, a proud Gamilaroi woman, is our Indigenous Programs Coordinator who, through a partnership with Deadly Choices and the Central Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network, delivers a range of healthy lifestyle programs that help close the gap in health and wellbeing outcomes for the Indigenous people in our community.
The Sharks community team, also referred to as the Sharks Have Heart team, have a community-first approach whereby our dedicated crew work tirelessly to ensure the Cronulla Sharks are more than just a football club. We are an inclusive organisation delivering real change through evidence-based programs that make a lasting impact to all who we interact with.
Our programs are delivered in schools, clubs and various community groups throughout the Shire and beyond. Our suite of programs and initiatives include our One Heart Diversity and Anti-Racism school program, our Junior Jaws and Mini Mermaids Holiday Clinics, the aforementioned Deadly Choices programs for Indigenous students across the area as well as our notable Equal Access Programs – SCORE Sharks, Mega Waves for school students with a disability and Mega Jaws and Trainer Group programs.
The club, through the Sharks Have Heart team, support a number of charity partners as well as a host of other sporting clubs and associations in the community through our From the Heart initiatives. We also support the Cronulla-Sutherland District Rugby League Association and their clubs, understanding the vital role the club plays in inspiring and providing a pathway for the young boys and girls that participate in our great game.
Another integral role of the community team is advocating to all levels of government for support of our Sharks Have Heart programs as well as support for projects and initiatives to benefit the wider community.
To find out more about our Sharks Have Heart programs and how to get involved go to: https://www.sharks.com.au/sharks-have-heart/
You can also support the club and our community outreach by making a tax-deductible donation via the Australian Sports Foundation HERE.
It's been an exciting period for our small but dedicated merchandise team with the launch of the Sharks Store in the Bay Central Woolooware precinct last week.
As merchandising manager, I oversee operations such as the Sharks Store, product development, manning merch outlets at home games and driving the merch van to select road matches, including trips to Brisbane and Coffs Harbour this year.
I am ably assisted by Ashley Luland, manager of the Sharks Store, and casual retail staff who serve patrons looking for the latest and greatest Sharks gear.
The Sharks Store is located at Level 1, Shop 18, Bay Central Woolooware, adjacent to PointsBet Stadium. Our trading hours are as follows:
- Monday - 9am to 5pm
- Tuesday - 9am to 5pm
- Wednesday - 9am to 5pm
- Thursday - 9am to 8pm
- Friday - 9am to 5pm
- Saturday - 9am to 4pm
- Sunday - 9am to 3pm
- Extended hours on game days
With the NRL, Jersey Flegg and Jets NSW Cup teams now in the run home to the finals, and the NRLW and NSW Women's Premiership teams have recently kicked off their 2024 seasons, it is an appropriate time to highlight the structure of our football program and some of those who work tirelessly behind the scenes to prepare our players each week.
We have 22 full-time staff across NRL, NRLW, Pathways and Wellbeing, with all having important roles to play.
Our full-time staff fall under the following pillars:
- NRL Coaching Staff – Craig Fitzgibbon, Steve Price, Josh Hannay and Daniel Holdsworth, supported by Performance Analyst Marc Leabres.
- NRL High Performance Staff – A team of six led by High Performance Manager Nathan Pickworth and including Physiotherapists Jackson Selby and Liam Richardson, Sports Scientist Jess Adams, Strength & Conditioning staff members Scott Campbell and Tony Grimaldi.
- NRL Football Operations – Mark Noakes, the NRL Football Operations Manager, along with support staff Alan Thompson and Belinda Rosslind.
- Male Pathway Operations & Recruitment – Glenn Brailey and Bryce Gentle.
- NRLW & Female Pathway Football Operations & Recruitment – Casey Bromilow and Jack Gould, working closely with NRLW Head Coach Tony Herman and his staff.
- Wellbeing & Education – Jeff Robson (NRL), Pippa Stevenson (NRLW & Female Pathway) and Renee Tatana (Male Pathway).
In addition to our full-time staff are over 100 part-time staff members, consultants and volunteers, working across all programs. They are extremely diligent, knowledgeable and skilled, and all make significant contributions. The majority of these staff work within the NRLW and Pathways programs and without them we simply could not conduct our operation.
As General Manager of the Football Department, I work closely with Head Coach Craig Fitzgibbon in providing leadership and support to the entire football program.
My role also includes Recruitment, Salary Cap and List Management and working with the Group CEO and Board of Directors in providing strategic direction for all programs.
It is an exciting time of the year for all players and staff. Members and fans can be rest assured that the whole team will be working tirelessly to prepare our players to the highest level in order to give them every chance of performing at their best.
