Parramatta Eels Chief Executive Confident of Finding New Sponsor

The Parramatta Eels Chief Executive, ailment Ken Edwards, remains confident the club can find a new major sponsor despite the controversy surrounding Australia’s National Rugby Leage (NRL) following the recent drug saga.

The Australian Crime Commission’s (ACC) report on banned performance-enhancing drugs in sport named six NRL clubs, who are now the subject of Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigations. Parramatta were not one of the six clubs named.

It was announced yesterday that Pirtek, who have been the Eels major sponsor since 2005, would end their association with the club after the 2013 season. Edwards said a mutual decision to end the agreement was reached on 1 February – before the ACC’s report was published.

Edwards stated his belief that the club would be able to find a replacement for Pirtek for the 2014 season and that the club would meet its reported sponsorship level of $1.5 million.

He also indicated his belief that Australian business still had faith in the NRL.

He said: “The boardrooms that I have been in over the last few weeks would indicate to me that there is a high level of confidence in corporate Australia that the NRL and the other sports will deal with this appropriately.

“That they will take a strong position that there is a zero tolerance position for drugs in our sport.”