A network of Carlton Football Club’s wealthy business people spent a staggering $1 million on wine in a single visit to Penfolds after the Blues signed a new sponsorship deal with the wine producer.
Having signed a new three-year deal with Penfolds back late last year, the Blues flew two plane loads of their wealthy “Carlton in Business Network” members to Adelaide, where they spent, according to Carlton chief executive Brian Cook, “at least a million” on prestige wines.
Carlton president Luke Sayers, former star Greg Williams and CEO Brian Cook were among the group that went to Penfolds Magill.Credit: The Age
The news of the splurge surfaced as the football world descended on South Australia for Gather Round. Cook confirmed that the club had organised for 260 or so guests from their wealthy coterie group, which he referred to as “our chamber of commerce”, to make the trip to Penfolds Magill Estate, on the outskirts of Adelaide. The group had purchased $1 million of wines in one fell swoop after they completed a new sponsorship in October – an average per guest of close to $4000.
The club organised two charter flights with Virgin, also a backer/partner of the club’s powerful business group. The cost of the wine purchased – which included Grange and other expensive labels – surpassed the amount of money that Penfolds contributes to the Blues in the sponsorship. Clubs typically keep the dollar returns from sponsorship deals confidential, but Penfolds is not in the highest value tier of sponsors.
The amount of money outlaid for the wine highlights the power of Carlton’s business community, which Cook and the club hierarchy believe represents an edge they hold over AFL rivals. “We think it’s the largest [business] network in a sporting club in Australia,” said Cook.
The Blues had invited all 160 companies in the Carlton in Business Network to bring two representatives each to the wine estate and had a take-up of 260 people, who were dined in lavish style at the same restaurant where the AFL launched the first Gather Round on Wednesday night at a function where popular singer Guy Sebastian performed.
Cook, Carlton president Luke Sayers, ex-champion Greg Williams and their fellow board member Craig Mathieson – nephew of Carlton’s powerful benefactor and pokies magnate Bruce Mathieson – were among those who made the trip to Penfolds Magill.
Sayers, the former CEO of PwC Australia, is renowned for his networking between business, politics and sport, having friendships with both Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg, the latter a fanatical supporter of the Blues.
The AFL views the Carlton as a club with still untapped potential given its huge supporter base, top-end of town connections and hunger for success and have scheduled them to play in many marquee timeslots this season.
The Blues have not played finals since 2013. They suffered a setback against Adelaide on Thursday night when the revived Crows booted eight of the first nine goals to win by 56 points in the Gather Round opener, in what was their first defeat of 2023.
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