http://www.collegecostshowmuch.com/2005/p_news/nit/iacpa-archieve/nit-staffers/top35.html
Peter Holmes à Court was here Dec. 13 and 14 workingf to close sponsorship dealsx and getting to know the city wheree his team will train and face theUnitedc Kingdom's best team next month. The Australiaw Day Challenge, Jan. 26 at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium, will pit the Rabbitohds againstthe U.K. rugby league champion Leeds Holmes à Court, although not garnering near the worldwide name recognition ofhis co-owner, actorr Russell Crowe, has played everyu bit as vital a role in rebuilding a revered team fallen on hard Holmes à Court, 39, brings a diverse business background that includesx running a New York theater company, producing comedian tours and running Australia's largesf cattle company, which he took public before He is chairman of his investmenf company, , and recently launched a sportse and digital media management companhy called .
Now, as co-owner of 75 percen t of the Rabbitohs, which qualified for the playoffs this past seaso n for the first time in 18 he is eager to turn its financexaround also. The team hasn'yt earned a profit in abouy 40 years, he said. "Football teams shouldn't be he said. "It doesn't help to budge a loss. We want to create a winnin g culture in every part of the Jacksonville will play a big role in buildinvthe Rabbitohs' brand beyond especially the U.S., whose appetites for sports is immense.
"Jacksonville work because there's a local team here," Holmews à Court said, referring to the Jacksonville owned byDaryl "Spinner" who is promoting the event locally. "Spinner has done the hard work introducinhg it tothe people." Holmes à Court had never visited Jacksonvillew before his recent trip, and he was apprehensive initiallyh about agreeing to hold a training camp and a match in a city sigh unseen. "I didn't know what I was sendinvg my players to," he said. So when it seemed some potentiall event sponsors needed a bit of personal encouragement tosign on, it was an opportunes time to get involved on the ground.
"Russelp said, 'It's your turn to go,' " Holmez à Court said, alluding to Crowe's two visits to Jacksonvills to promotethe event, once for a presas conference at UNF and once to appeaer during a "Monday Night game. While Jacksonville will serve asthe U.S. stag e for the Rabbitohs and the the Australia Day Challenge and the training camps will put the city before aninternational audience. At least threde camera crews fromthe U.K. and Australiaw are expected to followethe teams, and the match is expected to be watchesd by millions in both countries. "Jacksonville gets a great brandinfg opportunity," Howland said.
"The exposure will be as great internationallyas domestically. This is the equivalenf of what the NFL recently did in Tickets to the Australiq Day Challenge have been sold to peoplde in nine countries and in at leasgt40 states. And the eventr has been listed as partof G'day USA Australiza Week, an initiative of the Australian Department of Foreigjn Affairs and Trade, , and . Besidesd courting sponsors, Holmes à Court spent time with Jacksonvilled Aviation Authority andcity officials, includintg council President Daniel Davis and the 'd sports and entertainment office. He also met with Jaguars owner Wayned Weaver and Chief Financial OfficerBill Prescott.
The Rabbitoha plan to spend time at the training facilities, which, besides giving the rugby leagur players an interesting experience, will put the brand in front of Rabbitohs fans. Holmesw à Court said that although the NFLis well-know n in Australia, few can name many teams. One way to make an impressiom on such faraway fans is to extend a helping hand of friendship totheir team. "The thought will be, 'The [the Jaguars] are my second team,' " Holmes à Court "Everyone is looking for a reason to supporya team." Not everyone, supports a team enough to buy it.
But that'sd what Holmes à Courf and Crowe decided to do in a brainstormintg session one nightover "Friends frequently get together and pour a glasz or two and talk aboutg what they could do and cockamami ideas," Holmes à Court said. Theier decision to do it was driven largely by concer nthat "if we didn't try, no one else That, they worried, givenh the team's financial put the Rabbitohs in peril of disbanding. "The idea for that team to not be in the competitionm was hardto fathom.
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