Crown Resorts and the South Sydney Rabbitohs have announced that Crown will be the Club’s Major Home Corporate Partner in a new three-year deal which starts with the 2014 season. The major corporate partnership agreement will see the Crown logo appear on the front of the Rabbitohs home jersey for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons, accompanied by continuing Rabbitohs Major Corporate Partners De’Longhi (Away) and Kenwood (Sleeve and Training). Crown are working towards building a world class hotel/resort at the Barangaroo South site in Sydney, which will see opportunities for the Rabbitohs to be involved in Crown’s Indigenous employment and training programs through its charity and community arm of the Club, Souths Cares. Crown is working closely with the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) whose home is in Redfern alongside the South Sydney Rabbitohs. South Sydney Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson says this is a perfect fit for the Club and a major boost as it plans for the next three to five years. “We’re very excited to have Crown confirm that they will be joining the Rabbitohs family as our Major Home Corporate Partner for at least the next three years, starting next season,” Mr Richardson said. “Crown will be more than just a logo on the front of our home jersey. They will be a valued member of the Rabbitohs family, with our aim to be the number one sporting organisation in Australia. “Crown is a global brand with a wonderful business reputation and a willingness and drive to help increase the attraction of Sydney to global travelers. “We’re excited by their plans for the Barangaroo South precinct and the opportunities that this will open up for our Club, opportunities for Souths Cares, and other organisations with whom we work. “We are currently planning for our short- and long-term futures and Crown will become a major part of what we can achieve both on and off the field. Crown will take over from The Star as the Club’s Major Home Corporate Partner for the 2014 season, and Mr Richardson paid tribute to the role The Star has played in helping the Rabbitohs achieve what it has over the past three years. “We will always be grateful to the The Star and their management team for partnering with us over the past two-and-a-half seasons and, of course, we still have the remainder of this season to go,” Mr Richardson said. “The Star chose not to take up the option within their contract to continue their major partnership arrangement with us, as is their right to do so. “We will continue to work closely with them for the rest of this season and we have a number of events for our Members, supporters and Corporate Partners coming up at The Star this season. “Hopefully we can continue to have success with them on board and we look forward to working with The Star for the rest of this season.” Crown CEO Rowen Craigie says Crown was; “extremely excited about partnering with the Rabbitohs in 2014, particularly on our Indigenous employment programs at the NCIE. “Souths are one of the oldest and most prominent sporting clubs in the country and part of Sydney’s social fabric; we jumped at the opportunity to take up the sponsorship and will use the club’s high profile to help deliver our Indigenous training and education roles in the Redfern area. “Most pleasing will be the result for local job seekers, students and the players themselves. Souths’ players will be key mentors for Crown’s school based traineeships at the NCIE and act as Crown education Ambassadors. “Crown’s sponsorship with Souths, will build on our training partnership with the Penrith Panthers Football Club and our wonderful sponsorship of the Melbourne Storm. Rugby League is part of Australia’s social fabric and we are proud to be aligned with these great clubs.”