From last Saturday’s Morning Bulletin:

Keeffe has secured handshake agreements with the CEOs of the respective mining companies, whom he preferred not to identify at this stage.

It has also emerged that Keeffe has another weapon in his armoury – a “big” national company wants major sponsorship rights on the team’s jersey.

“I told them don’t expect much change from $2 million and they said that was alright,” said an upbeat Keeffe.

Read the full story here.

In a previous article I wrote about the wonderful opportunity that a CQ NRL Club would provide to the thousands of promising Rugby League players in our region. Opportunities will exist that are beyond their wildest dreams. It is rewarding for all those concerned, to know that we are providing hope and inspiration to young people from Central Queensland.

The opportunity to achieve extraordinary results is not limited to the Rugby League players. The corporate and small business sectors of Central Queensland now have an opportunity to promote their business by associating with the CQ NRL Bid. This association or partnership has many rewards and not all are commercial.

Most of us feel the need to do the right thing. It’s an Australian thing and something that makes us proud of who we really are. Business, or more to the point, business people, who have this ethos in their operation are always looking to find a way to express that “point of difference” but in a way where the community will benefit. It’s often called “corporate or business citizenship”.

A couple of weeks ago the CQ NRL Bid conducted the first of many corporate partnership launches at the CQ Leagues Club in Rockhampton. The results are outstanding with around 80 small to medium size businesses, mostly Rockhampton based, taking the opportunity to back the CQ NRL Bid. We are fielding more enquires every single day.

The reason for this extraordinary take-up is obvious. Central Queensland business people are fully aware of the popularity of Rugby League in CQ but this is more than a shared passion for a great game. This is about doing the right thing and being involved with a network of other business people who are in pursuit of common good. It’s about putting back and it’s about proving their corporate or business citizenship. The public appreciates businesses that care about their community.

This public appreciation is the key, because more often than not, when most things are equal, the businesses that are involved in their communities are rewarded by more people trading with them. This is quite a natural occurrence and the costs of this marketing exercise are usually much less than other forms of traditional marketing.

We have plans to conduct partnership launches right across Central Queensland in the near future but in the meantime, if any business that has the community at heart, cares about the great game of Rugby League and or wants the opportunity to prosper by way of public recognition, just give us a call on (07) 4922 7003 and make an enquiry. We will be happy to come to your business and explain the benefits of supporting the CQ NRL Bid.

This is just a quick recap of the exciting progress surrounding the CQ NRL Bid. From travelling out to the far west to meeting with politicians; even making a two page spread in the Rugby League Week magazine, the CQ NRL Bid has been on the move.

On Saturday August 7, Denis Keeffe (CEO) travelled to Miriam Vale to attend the Northern Districts Grand Final at Gary Larson Park. He was very fortunate in seeing 2 great games of Rugby League – congratulations to The Miriam Vale Magpies for succeeding in the Grand Final. It was also a great for support, as more than 300 signatures were collected, moving the CQ NRL Bid one step closer to our very own NRL team.

Towards the end of last week, the Chairman, Geoff Murphy, and CEO met with Kirsten Livermore about the complete CQ NRL Bid project. In particular the Central Queensland Academy of Sport, Education and Lifestyle; a massive community based development program associated with the establishment of CQ’s own NRL Team. The Chairman and CEO also met with Kirsten Livermore and Queensland Senator Joe Ludwig about the CQ NRL Bid and associated projects.

Friday afternoon came the 1^st networking function of the CQ NRL Corporate Partners. Held at the CQ Leagues Club from 5pm til 7pm, compliments go to our goods mates from XXXX who shouted a few Goldies and a good time was enjoyed by all. Some great networking ideas were discussed and we encourage all businesses in the CQ area to join.