Gold Coast Suns Chair Tony Cochrane says the club is keen to continue playing in China.getty images
Australian Football League side Gold Coast Suns signaled an intention to play in Shanghai again next year, "sparking potential conflict between the federal and Victorian governments over access to the lucrative Chinese market," according to Greg Denham of THE AUSTRALIAN. New business opportunities and federal government assistance may lead to "a change of heart by the Suns," which have not "ruled out playing Port Adelaide for a third straight year in Shanghai next season." The club said that the environment "has changed since informally ruling out further participation in China." Gold Coast Chair Tony Cochrane and his board, "encouraged by new developments in their China strategy" leading into last Saturday’s game, have commissioned a report by Suns CEO Mark Evans to be tabled at next month’s board meeting. A "key element to the Suns’ potential backflip" has been a new engagement in sponsorship and partnership opportunities in China. While the club has received almost A$1M ($760,000) by "surrendering two home games on the Gold Coast to play in China," it is "in the process of exploring deals" that could net it "far more cash and provide more opportunities" for its community. A "strong push" by the Victorian government to replace the Suns in China with a Melbourne-based club "appears set to be challenged." Victorian Minister for Trade & Investment Philip Dalidakis was also in China last week, where he "continued to lobby the AFL for a Melbourne club to play the Power next year." Cochrane: "The last time I looked, I didn’t know the Victorian government controlled the AFL. Maybe the minister still thinks it’s the VFL" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 5/23).
