1 week ago
National Rugby League main executive Andrew Abdo is group to make 1 of nan awesome leaps crossed Australia’s sporting dividewith reports linking him to a occupation pinch Tennis Australia.
His resignation from nan NRL was wide reported connected Monday, but nan caller activity building astatine 1 of astir influential organisations successful world tennis remains unclear.
Abdo replaced Todd Greenberg arsenic NRL main executive successful 2020 having spent overmuch of nan preceding decade successful a commercialized domiciled astatine nan organisation.
Alongside influential Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V’landys, Abdo has consolidated rugby league’s financial wellness and expanded nan competition’s footprint into Papua New Guinea and Western Australia.
He is group to time off conscionable arsenic negotiations intensify complete nan adjacent NRL broadcast and subordinate salary deals.
Craig Tiley, main executive astatine Tennis Australia, announced earlier this twelvemonth he would beryllium taking connected nan aforesaid domiciled pinch nan US Tennis Association.
International executive recruitment patient Egon Zehnder has been responsible for uncovering Tiley’s replacement since his departure was announced successful February.
The scheme astatine that shape was for Tiley to enactment for “the coming months” to support a soft transition.
Speculation astir contenders to switch him included Tom Larner, nan existent main tennis officer, main of events Stephen Farrow, arsenic good arsenic Tennis Queensland main executive, Cameron Pearson.
Tiley’s departure, aft much than 2 decades pinch Tennis Australia, represents a important displacement successful nan country’s sporting landscape. His tenure has not been cleanable – his inability to forestall Novak Djokovic’s deportation was a rustle to nan executive who portrays himself arsenic player-friendly – but nether his guidance nan Australian Open has transitioned from a tennis arena to a broader taste phenomenon, attracting spectators willing successful eating, drinking, manner and music.
Fuelled by nan Australian Open, Tennis Australia revenues are now astir $700m per year, down only nan AFL and NRL among Australian sporting organisations.
