Ken's oath to build pride in Power

Men of Power, from left, coach Ken Hinkley, captain Travis Boak, chairman David Koch, Chris Bayman of Renault and Port vice-captain Brad Ebert during the announcement of Renault as Port Adelaide's new major sponsor at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Picture: Hamish Blair. Source: Herald Sun

NEW Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley is more concerned by what money cannot buy after the strain on his football budgets was eased by a significant corporate sponsorship for the Power yesterday.

Hinkley wants respect rebuilt on the field after the new Power administration restored pride in the smashed "Port Adelaide" brand with much-awaited corporate backing from Renault.

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The French car maker's three-year deal - worth $1.5 million - and the prospect of another international company backing the Power signals a major turn in Port's off-field business prospects.

"Clearly, it is important to have success off the field," said Hinkley at the MCG where Port boldly put its sponsorship deal on Australia's biggest sporting stage to draw attention.

"Everyone involved in the club can be proud. They can see we are on track to be better and stronger as a football club."

But in a revealing indicator to how Hinkley operates, the first-year AFL dismissed the Renault deal puts new pressure on his players to perform - or gives him reason to pressure the Power board to invest more in the AFL's leanest football budgets.

"We aim to perform no matter what," said Hinkley.

"As for the footy department spend, we'll deal with what we have.

"The key is, success on the field generates corporate support. And we're going to work as hard as we can (regardless of the budgets) to get that success.

"Today we've gained confidence in the long-term future of our football club. We're going in the right direction . . . we can only get stronger."

For the first time since 2009 - when multi-national telecommunications company Vodafone walked away from AFL for car racing - the Power has a well-known company logo on its jumper.

There could be another if last year's sponsor, SA-based VIP Services, steps back on Port's corporate table to secede to an international company.

Charity arm Foodbank, that had its logo on the Power's jumper last season, will not be abandoned by Port.

Renault's link to Port re-establishes the Power in the corporate world after years of big companies looking away from Alberton because of the club's collapse on the field after the 2007 grand final disaster.

Port has not played an AFL final since - and been put in financial peril for this lack of success and inability to entertain the fans.

New president David Koch says off-field changes must now deliver on-field results.

"We've proven we can sell our club's future vision to sponsors," said Koch at the MCG. "That will deliver results on the field.

"Our financial challenge was not about our costs. We are one of the most frugal clubs in the AFL. It has been a revenue problem - we've not been banking nearly enough revenue. But that is changing.

"We have 30,000 members - up 15 per cent on last year - and are aiming for high 30,000s this season. The fans have given us a vote of confidence we have not seen in years.

"Now we have to deliver - we want Port Adelaide to be fun to watch. We want to the team to play a style the Port Adelaide fans will be proud of.

"We want to bring back to swagger in Port Adelaide - and we want to justify that swagger in how we go about our business."

Port was to have announced the deal a fortnight ago but this was threatened by the Australian Crime Commission report on drugs, organised crime and match-fixing in Australian sport.

Renault marketing director Chris Bayman admitted the ACC report forced a rethink by his board.

"We asked what our involvement should be," he said.

"But after the day of the report being released we saw no-one was charged or arrested and we saw Port Adelaide has great systems in place to protect its brand.

"We're very comfortable to be linked to the club."

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