PAFC CEO Matthew Richardson

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Not much new in today's interview but a lot of consolidating things Richo (and the club) have said and done.

3 things stood out.

* In March thought we'd get a $30mil hit to revenue but in the end was about $18mil. (2019 revenue was $58mil).

* Budgeting for same sort of crowds for 2021 as at end of 2020 but hoping can be over 30k.

* Rowe asks - Can you handle Kochie? Kochie's fantastic, - Come on Richo can you handle Kochie? I can absolutely handle Kochie.


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INTERVIEW: MATTHEW RICHARDSON - 12 NOVEMBER 2020

Entering the role of Port Adelaide CEO this month after replacing long-time boss Keith Thomas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Richo copying KT with a members message but a different ending.



Dear Members & Supporters,

It’s just over a fortnight since our Chairman David Koch announced that I was to become the next CEO of the Port Adelaide Football Club. Thank you to David and his Board for having the faith and confidence in me to lead the next exciting chapter for the Club.

I’d like to pay tribute and thank Keith Thomas for the incredible job he has done as CEO over the last nine years. He guided our Club through troubled waters early, prioritised football, ensured we arrived at Adelaide Oval in great shape, and built a business model which was sustainable.

As the new CEO, the contrast of the club we are today compared to when Keith started is not lost on me. The mark of any leader is to leave the organisation better than when you started, and KT has absolutely done that.

I have been overwhelmed by the messages of support and well wishes from so many people since my appointment.

It feels as though I know many of you already, but there would be many who would also be unaware of my background.

I have learned Port Adelaide from the ground up.

I joined the Magpies as an envious ‘outsider’ in 2001, heading up the club’s marketing under CEO Paul Belton. My first major event was the Greatest Team of the Greatest Club gala, which for me was a wonderful crash course in the history of Port Adelaide, and I was intoxicated by it immediately. I had the ‘bug’ from that moment and it’s driven me ever since.

The expectation of success hit me between the eyes.

My first task that week was to book the Magarey Room at Football Park for Grand Final night and the Premiership celebration dinner …. yes, in February! It was a standing booking at the time, and given the Club had been there for 11 of the previous 14 years, it made sense to book ahead.

I have been fortunate to learn from many amazing Port Adelaide people, with some of the legends of the club becoming great mentors and friends who have been instrumental in shaping my journey so far.

From the legends, to the unsung heroes who’ve been here for more than 60 years, and most importantly our people, our members and fans, I’ve always been someone who wants to listen and that won’t change.

My journey at Port Adelaide has been a series of projects which, without knowing it at the time, have ultimately prepared me for this role now.

In 2004 I became CEO at the Magpies. I did not realize fully at the time the challenge I was stepping into. It was a battle for survival on every front. I’d never want to go back to that but I learned so much in that four years about running a club and business under extreme pressure - resilience, fight and just finding a way, the Port Adelaide way in reality. I had many great people around me who guided me and sacrificed a lot personally. If it weren’t for some of these people, the Club we have today would not be what it is.

In 2009 I moved to the Power to work with CEO Mark Haysman on a number of strategic projects, first of which was the proposed (at the time) move of Port Adelaide to Adelaide Oval.

The next was our “One Club” campaign to reunite the Power and the Magpies, which took two years and two attempts to finally convince the SANFL that uniting a fractured and confused Port Adelaide community was the solution to re-building the Club.

I’ve been fortunate to sit one back from KT through the period of transformational change where we surged past 60,000 members and took our club to Shanghai. I was fortunate to be able continue to learn and experience different aspects of the Club and AFL industry throughout this period.

And to now have the honor and privilege to be the CEO of this great Club, is a big responsibility but one I am well prepared for. The reality on reflection, is that Port Adelaide has prepared me, and now it’s time to make that count as we set about chasing greatness in the AFL era for Port Adelaide.

I have a strong understanding and belief of the expectations of Port Adelaide.

No-one brings that in, it’s something that’s in-built in the club and its people and comes from 150 years of excellence and success. To thrive at Port Adelaide, you have to embrace the expectation, and we will be ruthlessly focused on doing just that in every part of the football club.

A few people have asked, “what’s going to change”?

The reality is, most of the change happened as we navigated our way through 2020.

There has been a lot of change, but we also have great stability which is a key for success when you have the best people in place. Our football program team has done an outstanding job led by Ken Hinkley and Chris Davies. Our coaching group are locked in, our playing group just got better with Aliir and Orazio joining us and there is a special connection and drive in our playing group led by Tom Jonas, Ollie Wines and Hamish Hartlett. A special mention also to Jason Cripps, who has again done an outstanding job in building our list.

Off field, make no mistake, we have a big task to work through the financial impact of COVID-19 and it’s not just going to be a one or two year re-build. We’ve copped a serious flesh wound, but thanks to the unbelievable support of everyone, our members, our partners and our staff who sacrificed a lot also in 2020, we go into 2021 with great energy and momentum.

In the coming weeks, I look forward to sharing with you our strategic framework, appropriately titled ‘chasing greatness’. It’s important that our whole club is engaged in and committed to this journey, and that includes our members, partners and all key stakeholders because we will all have a role to play.

Exciting news to come.

In the lead up to Christmas we are going to have some very exciting announcements to share with you.

The first of these announcements can be shared now. In January we will start stage one of the redevelopment of our social club, The Port Club at Alberton Oval. Port Adelaide has always prided itself on being a social club for its community and members. It’s why we were originally formed in 1870. The redevelopment will include an interactive museum where each of our 37 premierships will be honoured and celebrated. There will also be an expanded retail experience to enhance our range of merchandise options for our people. Later tonight we will reveal the details of this redevelopment with accompanying images.

I am so grateful to be chief executive of this wonderful club, a club that means so much to so many people. The responsibility is big, and I can ensure you we will absolutely be embracing the expectation of Port Adelaide as we take that on.

I look forward to sharing this journey with you all.

Richo
 
Good strong positive message from Richo.

Should be able to keep the goodwill of our trade period running with announcements of new contracts for young players.

Maybe we could do another 5 signings of Xmas ;)
 
RussellEbertHandball said:
Richo copying KT with a members message but a different ending.



Dear Members & Supporters,

It’s just over a fortnight since our Chairman David Koch announced that I was to become the next CEO of the Port Adelaide Football Club. Thank you to David and his Board for having the faith and confidence in me to lead the next exciting chapter for the Club.

I’d like to pay tribute and thank Keith Thomas for the incredible job he has done as CEO over the last nine years. He guided our Club through troubled waters early, prioritised football, ensured we arrived at Adelaide Oval in great shape, and built a business model which was sustainable.

As the new CEO, the contrast of the club we are today compared to when Keith started is not lost on me. The mark of any leader is to leave the organisation better than when you started, and KT has absolutely done that.

I have been overwhelmed by the messages of support and well wishes from so many people since my appointment.

It feels as though I know many of you already, but there would be many who would also be unaware of my background.

I have learned Port Adelaide from the ground up.

I joined the Magpies as an envious ‘outsider’ in 2001, heading up the club’s marketing under CEO Paul Belton. My first major event was the Greatest Team of the Greatest Club gala, which for me was a wonderful crash course in the history of Port Adelaide, and I was intoxicated by it immediately. I had the ‘bug’ from that moment and it’s driven me ever since.

The expectation of success hit me between the eyes.

My first task that week was to book the Magarey Room at Football Park for Grand Final night and the Premiership celebration dinner …. yes, in February! It was a standing booking at the time, and given the Club had been there for 11 of the previous 14 years, it made sense to book ahead.

I have been fortunate to learn from many amazing Port Adelaide people, with some of the legends of the club becoming great mentors and friends who have been instrumental in shaping my journey so far.

From the legends, to the unsung heroes who’ve been here for more than 60 years, and most importantly our people, our members and fans, I’ve always been someone who wants to listen and that won’t change.

My journey at Port Adelaide has been a series of projects which, without knowing it at the time, have ultimately prepared me for this role now.

In 2004 I became CEO at the Magpies. I did not realize fully at the time the challenge I was stepping into. It was a battle for survival on every front. I’d never want to go back to that but I learned so much in that four years about running a club and business under extreme pressure - resilience, fight and just finding a way, the Port Adelaide way in reality. I had many great people around me who guided me and sacrificed a lot personally. If it weren’t for some of these people, the Club we have today would not be what it is.

In 2009 I moved to the Power to work with CEO Mark Haysman on a number of strategic projects, first of which was the proposed (at the time) move of Port Adelaide to Adelaide Oval.

The next was our “One Club” campaign to reunite the Power and the Magpies, which took two years and two attempts to finally convince the SANFL that uniting a fractured and confused Port Adelaide community was the solution to re-building the Club.

I’ve been fortunate to sit one back from KT through the period of transformational change where we surged past 60,000 members and took our club to Shanghai. I was fortunate to be able continue to learn and experience different aspects of the Club and AFL industry throughout this period.

And to now have the honor and privilege to be the CEO of this great Club, is a big responsibility but one I am well prepared for. The reality on reflection, is that Port Adelaide has prepared me, and now it’s time to make that count as we set about chasing greatness in the AFL era for Port Adelaide.

I have a strong understanding and belief of the expectations of Port Adelaide.

No-one brings that in, it’s something that’s in-built in the club and its people and comes from 150 years of excellence and success. To thrive at Port Adelaide, you have to embrace the expectation, and we will be ruthlessly focused on doing just that in every part of the football club.

A few people have asked, “what’s going to change”?

The reality is, most of the change happened as we navigated our way through 2020.

There has been a lot of change, but we also have great stability which is a key for success when you have the best people in place. Our football program team has done an outstanding job led by Ken Hinkley and Chris Davies. Our coaching group are locked in, our playing group just got better with Aliir and Orazio joining us and there is a special connection and drive in our playing group led by Tom Jonas, Ollie Wines and Hamish Hartlett. A special mention also to Jason Cripps, who has again done an outstanding job in building our list.

Off field, make no mistake, we have a big task to work through the financial impact of COVID-19 and it’s not just going to be a one or two year re-build. We’ve copped a serious flesh wound, but thanks to the unbelievable support of everyone, our members, our partners and our staff who sacrificed a lot also in 2020, we go into 2021 with great energy and momentum.

In the coming weeks, I look forward to sharing with you our strategic framework, appropriately titled ‘chasing greatness’. It’s important that our whole club is engaged in and committed to this journey, and that includes our members, partners and all key stakeholders because we will all have a role to play.

Exciting news to come.

In the lead up to Christmas we are going to have some very exciting announcements to share with you.

The first of these announcements can be shared now. In January we will start stage one of the redevelopment of our social club, The Port Club at Alberton Oval. Port Adelaide has always prided itself on being a social club for its community and members. It’s why we were originally formed in 1870. The redevelopment will include an interactive museum where each of our 37 premierships will be honoured and celebrated. There will also be an expanded retail experience to enhance our range of merchandise options for our people. Later tonight we will reveal the details of this redevelopment with accompanying images.

I am so grateful to be chief executive of this wonderful club, a club that means so much to so many people. The responsibility is big, and I can ensure you we will absolutely be embracing the expectation of Port Adelaide as we take that on.

I look forward to sharing this journey with you all.

Richo
Click to expand...
Really liked that letter
 
So what’s this chatter about the AFL vetoing our original choice of CEO?

Seems odd considering Richo was being groomed even before KT announced he was stepping down.
 
Pretty sure we prefer people not to quote opposition boards here. Adds nothing and is generally bullshit that cause unnecessary angst.
 
afl2004 said:
Rucci was big on southern power and port fans should not show up to ammi stadium on 2011 to protest.

Grade A snake, disgusting we allow him near our club
Click to expand...
Anyone thought that Rucci may have made it up? Choco apparently was an idea a day guy to get crowds up and that was straight from Haysman, did Rucci suss out the club focus on Southern suburbs for member growth to be the usual voice of Port tradition. He loves playing that role.
 
VineValerian said:
That's the critical thing!

But yeah! Sounded composed in his interview with Dwayne the Drain, and articulated his position well.
Good mix of "aspirational" forward thinking stuff and nods to the fanbase (and the things historic, which we hold dear to our hearts).
Click to expand...
Lets back him in. I hear he gets stuff done, where as KT was a little bit of a dreamer. Best thing he can do is be in charge of Davies and Kenny and not let Koch play that role. Chairman role is to chair the board, not be the quasi CEO. Richo also needs to drive revenue from stadium and sponsors. He has had a long apprenticeship, all the best Richo.
 

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New Port Adelaide CEO Matthew Richardson talks to The Inner Sanctum about his story and Port moving forward with China, AFLW and the Prison Bar guernsey.

www.theinnersanctum.com.au

The new chief: Port Adelaide CEO Matthew Richardson

New Port Adelaide CEO Matthew Richardson talks to The Inner Sanctum about his story and Port moving forward with China, AFLW and the Prison Bar guernsey.
www.theinnersanctum.com.au www.theinnersanctum.com.au
 
InnerSanctumAU said:
New Port Adelaide CEO Matthew Richardson talks to The Inner Sanctum about his story and Port moving forward with China, AFLW and the Prison Bar guernsey.

www.theinnersanctum.com.au

The new chief: Port Adelaide CEO Matthew Richardson

New Port Adelaide CEO Matthew Richardson talks to The Inner Sanctum about his story and Port moving forward with China, AFLW and the Prison Bar guernsey.
www.theinnersanctum.com.au www.theinnersanctum.com.au
Click to expand...
Ugh praising the Crows AFLW and saying we will support that and development
in SA..seems years before we get a chance.
And still no Prison Bars meeting because the AFL execs want their holiday.
 
Not a criticism of Richardson because he wasn’t in charge, but does anyone else feel that the PB proposal should have be presented during the season while it had far greater visibility?
Seems to me it can be more easily brushed aside as an inconvenience during the off season.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
Something called Covid popped up! As important as we might think it is, the entire 2020 comp, the club, and even the AFL was compromised & potentially in danger. Was always going to have to be put on the backburner. We didnt let it lie though, we kept it in the forefront & the supporters responded by buying & wearing the bars to highlight it even further.
 
Very good article, especially for supporters who are looking for some insights into the club's administrative engine room off-field.

Richo generous with his thoughts and great to have a proper journo like Jack Hudson on our side.
 
Richo should be visualising what he wants his legacy to be when he leaves.
Realistically his success will be measured against 5 objectives:

-Gaining an AFLW team
-Wearing Prison Bars on a regular basis
-Winning a 2nd AFL flag
-Building financial strength (China, sponsorship)
-Alberton Oval upgrade
 
TheFVK said:
Richo should be visualising what he wants his legacy to be when he leaves.
Realistically his success will be measured against 5 objectives:

-Gaining an AFLW team
-Wearing Prison Bars on a regular basis
-Winning a 2nd AFL flag
-Building financial strength (China, sponsorship)
-Alberton Oval upgrade
Click to expand...

Also how he handles the reserves setup.

Under KTs watch we lost our zones, juniors, academy side, and tight restrictions got put on our SANFL listed players, with an AFL listed players cap put on finals.

Richo needs to keep the Prison Bars and Alberton home games, and seek better rules for our reserves listed players. If that means we have to leave the SANFL and join a national reserves comp, then it needs to be done. But as long as we preserve the 2 things I said above.
 
TheFVK said:
Richo should be visualising what he wants his legacy to be when he leaves.
Realistically his success will be measured against 5 objectives:

-Gaining an AFLW team
-Wearing Prison Bars on a regular basis
-Winning a 2nd AFL flag
-Building financial strength (China, sponsorship)
-Alberton Oval upgrade
Click to expand...

lol. No pressure.
 
RossFC said:
Also how he handles the reserves setup.

Under KTs watch we lost our zones, juniors, academy side, and tight restrictions got put on our SANFL listed players, with an AFL listed players cap put on finals.

Richo needs to keep the Prison Bars and Alberton home games, and seek better rules for our reserves listed players. If that means we have to leave the SANFL and join a national reserves comp, then it needs to be done. But as long as we preserve the 2 things I said above.
Click to expand...

I don't see any scenario where we regularly wear the prison bars in an AFL reserves comp.
 
Tibbs said:
Something called Covid popped up! As important as we might think it is, the entire 2020 comp, the club, and even the AFL was compromised & potentially in danger. Was always going to have to be put on the backburner. We didnt let it lie though, we kept it in the forefront & the supporters responded by buying & wearing the bars to highlight it even further.
Click to expand...

While you make valid points unfortunately COVID will be around for a while yet and who's to say next season isn't impacted as well?
The AFL stage managed the season and basically were highlighting "issues " every week or 2 just to show what a great job they were doing.
When's the last time we've seen the petition numbers mentioned?
Players and supporters aren't visible till Feb/March next year.
The approach should have been made and the AFL should have been the ones to say they'll consider it at a less pressing time.
 

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PAFC CEO Matthew Richardson

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