Two Months in Leisure Some of the industry headlines over recent months. Daily industry news can be read at www.ausleisure.com.au
TEG Live to refund thousands of basketball fans over Marvel Stadium fiasco
Promoter TEG Live has agreed to refund over $5 million to thousands of basketball fans for tickets purchased to last year’s Australia-USA exhibition series at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium. The move follows an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) investigation that found fans at the two games in August last year were misled about the quality of views from their seats in sections of Marvel Stadium. Fans were also found to have been subjected to false advertising by TEG Live, which used top NBA stars in promotional material but who did not ultimately play in the two games. Record crowds of more than 50,000 fans attended each of the Melbourne matches. As a result of the ACCC investigation, TEG Live admitted that it made false or misleading claims about seating at the games held in Melbourne and acknowledged the Commission’s concerns that it may have breached the Australian Consumer Law.
Broadcaster accuses NRL of ‘mismanagement’ as league announces plans to recommence on 28th May
With the NRL moving towards a restart of its season, the code has been accused by broadcaster the Nine Network of financial “mismanagement” and breaking its lucrative television deal. During discussions on a restart to the season, Nine released a statement referencing COVID-19 and stating “this health crisis in our community has highlighted the mismanagement of the code over many years.” Nine advised “(we have) invested hundreds of millions in this game over decades and we now find they have profoundly wasted those funds with very little to fall back on to support the clubs, the players and supporters. “In the past the NRL have had problems and we’ve bailed them out many times, including a $50 million loan to support clubs when the last contract was signed. “It would now appear that much of that has been squandered by a bloated head office completely ignoring the needs of the clubs, players and supporters.”
VMA supports members with suspension of membership dues
The Venue Management Association (Asia and Pacific) [VMA] has announced that to support its members during the Coronavirus crisis it has decided to provide all current financial members with a 12-month membership fee free period. In a communication to members, VMA President, Steve Harper CVE, wrote “I wanted to take this opportunity to personally reach out to each of you, our valued members, and those in our amazing industry during this challenging and unprecedented time. “Our industry, in particular, has felt the full brunt of this crisis and we know there will be many more challenges ahead for our members, their venues and staff.”
New national guidelines for guided outdoor adventure activities
The safety of active and adventurous Australians has been strengthened with new standards and guidelines being rolled out across the country. Developed in partnership with the nation’s Sports and Recreation Ministers, the Australian Adventure Activity Standards (AAAS) and Good Practice Guides (GPGs) are part of the first Australia-wide framework for good practice risk and safety management for providers of guided outdoor adventure activities. The AAAS apply to organisations conducting outdoor recreation activities where the participants have a level of dependence on the leader. This new national approach will make it easier for activity providers to operate in multiple jurisdictions, improve sharing of expertise and experience, and improve safety for participants.
Viagogo confirms website changes and accepts jurisdiction of NZ courts
The Commerce Commission has dropped injunction proceedings against online ticket reseller Viagogo after the Switzerland-based company made changes to its site and advised that it had submitted to the jurisdiction of New Zealand courts. The Commission had sought an interim injunction preventing Viagogo making representations that the Commission alleges are misleading, pending a hearing of the Commission’s full case against Viagogo. 10 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 138
Two-thirds of world’s gyms are currently closed
The Coronavirus outbreak has seen nearly two thirds (64%) of the world’s fitness clubs, gyms and studios close, either voluntarily or as a result of Governmental restrictions. The closures, part of measures to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, have resulted in around 230 million people with fitness club memberships around the world being unable to attend their regular place of exercise. The figures have been released by new global fitness data platform fitNdata, launched in March 2020 by David Minton, the founding Director of The Leisure Database Company.
