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Tennis Australia’s erstwhile chief executive Craig Tiley may have since moved on to bigger and better things after leaving the Australian tennis body to run its US counterpart earlier this year.
But if a fresh tax return filed by Tennis Australia is any indicator, Tiley left the organisation as one of the best-paid executives in the country. He pocketed $US2.5 million ($3.5 million), the biggest of his compensation packages disclosed by TA to the US Internal Revenue Service of at least the past five years. The year before, Tiley made $US1.2 million.
The figure was reported in what’s known as a 990 filing in the United States, where Tennis Australia is registered as a non-profit and is required to report to the IRS annually. The latest filing covers the 12 months to September 30 last year and includes a level of detail TA doesn’t include in its annual report.
Tennis Australia insists the figures don’t offer an accurate picture of its financials, particularly when variances in reporting periods between Australia and the US, foreign currency fluctuations and other accounting quirks such as bonuses and other payments falling between reporting cycles are considered.
But if the figures are good enough for the US tax authorities, they’re good enough for us!
Tennis Australia’s chief commercial officer Cedric Cornelis, meanwhile, made $US812,027 last year, and the sporting body’s chief strategy and performance officer, Timothy Jolley, took home $US561,337 for the same period.
TA’s chief operating officer Thomas Larner made $US506,282, while Katrina Blair, the organisation’s chief financial officer, made $US694,816. US Open and Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt, who is also Tennis Australia’s Davis Cup captain, took in $US264,547, while US Open champion Samantha Stosur, also Tennis Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup captain, made $US268,975.
Tennis Australia announced Tiley’s resignation in February before announcing former NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo as the organisation’s new boss in May. But when reached over the weekend, the tennis peak body would not be drawn on whether we could expect to see Abdo making the same kind of money.
At least we won’t have to wait too long to find out.
Politicians and powerbrokers descend on NFL
The concept of the best seat in the house is liberally thrown around these days, but at the history-making showdown between the LA Rams and the San Francisco 49ers at the MCG on Friday, real power and serious influence converged in the NFL boss Roger Goodell’s private suite.
Goodell has been the commissioner of America’s National Football League for the past 20 years, and entry into his orbit was the most exclusive invitation at the ground, where 100,021 fans flocked to Melbourne’s sporting colosseum.
Goodell’s suite, actually three suites at the MCG which were turned into one for the day, hosted the likes of News Corp chair and Fox Corporation boss Lachlan Murdoch and his wife, Sarah, Tourism Australia chair Penny Fowler, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, federal Sports Minister Anika Wells, Victorian Premier Ben Carroll and various state ministers.
AFL commissioner Craig Drummond was also there, along with chief executive Andrew Dillon, who were joined by rugby league chief Peter V’landys, Visit Victoria board members Eddie McGuire and Andy Penn, as well as chief executive Brendan McClements, and Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece.
Rob Placek, senior adviser for sports diplomacy with the US Department of State, was also there, as was Robert Koepcke, charge d’affaires with the US embassy in Canberra, and Colin Crosby, the US consul-general in Melbourne.
Also making the list, CBD was reliably informed, were Andrew Liveris, Brisbane Olympic Games organising committee president, Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s executive vice president for international events, and Australian Sports Commission chief Kieren Perkins. Gerry Cardinale, founder of RedBird Capital Partners, was there, as was Hostplus boss David Elia.
Then there was Governor of Victoria Margaret Gardner and her husband, Glyn Davis. The suite, we’re told, held about 60 people, and CBD heard of many significant business identities dropping in throughout the match from other corporate areas to say hello.
The exodus from the ’G started at half-time, the AFL contingent leaving to make it to the Fremantle v Geelong elimination final at Optus Stadium in Perth that evening. The NRL contingent, meanwhile, left straight after the game to get back to Sydney for the Rabbitohs v Knights elimination final. Goodell himself flew out of Melbourne on Friday night, as did both US teams.
John Buckley is a CBD columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.
Fiona Byrne is the CBD columnist for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.From our partners
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