Sharks Major Sponsor To Halt Payments

Cronulla Sharks major NRL sponsor, Ace Gutters, will halt payments to the club during the NRL season suspension due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) global pandemic.

This decision will see the Sharks miss out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding during this period of uncertainty as Ace Gutters, who are in the final season of a two-year deal with the club, temporarily stop payments.

Ace Gutters chief executive, Don Anderson, told AAP the money won’t begin flowing into the club until the NRL 2020 season continues.

“It won’t this year because we’re not playing,” Anderson said when asked when the sponsorship money would continue to enter the club.

“We’re not getting the exposure.

“We’ve already paid part of one instalment for the amount of games we’ve had so far.

“Basically, that’s how it works.

“There’ll be no other money going to the Sharks until they start to play again,” he said.

Despite this decision, Anderson insisted he was sympathetic of the struggles the NRL and the Sharks are facing and would be ready to contribute again once the season resumes.

“I think we’ve all got to understand that it’s not the NRL’s fault,” Anderson said.

“It’s something that’s happened.

“I’m afraid we’re all going to have to live through it.

“If it’s cancelled altogether, there’s nothing much I can do about it and we’ll kick off the deal next year, won’t we.

“We’re virtually going to be a year out,” he said.

This decision from Ace Gutters sees them become the first NRL club sponsor to alter their partnership as a result of the Coronavirus epidemic that is causing the vast majority of sporting leagues around the world to be put on hold in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.

It has been reported that during this NRL hiatus, the league is set to lose around AUD$13 million for each round that doesn’t take place.