Sports-linked business flops

Opus Prime: recently came to the rescue of the two-car IndyCar team Conquest Racing. Additionally, they sponsored HSV V8 Supercar team and few other minor racing sponsorships.

Eddy Groves: his forced departure as a major ABC Learning shareholder coincided with the sale of the Brisbane Bullets basketball team.

Craig Gore: this Motorsport mad millionaire has recently sold his two licences to run V8 Supercars and an associated fund has frozen a $24.8 million mortgage fund relative to its dealings with the troubled City Pacific.

Norm Carey: once sponsored motor racing great Dick Johnson who was left high and dry without a sponsor when Norm's Westpoint collapsed.

Fincorp: this now collapsed property business once sponsored Sydney to Hobart yacht Fincorp More Witchcraft.

MFS: sponsoring a rugby team and their annual $5.5 million association with Golf Australia are in the past now for this battling Gold Coast financier.

HIH: coincidedly collapsed into a $5.3 billion black hole after developing an association with the Collingwood Football Club. This union involved sponsorship and HIH associate Brad Cooper was vice-president.

Alan Bond: famous backer of a couple of America Cup campaigns and once was the president of Richmond Football Club for about 8 weeks, and then his empire collapsed spectacularly.

Bob Ansett: his grandfather started Ansett, but Bob was involved with Budget Rent-A-Car which sponsored North Melbourne, where Bob was president and part-owner before being ousted.

Elders-IXL: with John Elliott in control, it poured hundreds of millions into Fosterising the world, including vast sums on the Grand Prix circuit, plus plenty for Big Jack's beloved Carlton.

Christopher Skase: before escaping to Spain, he was heavily involved in bankrolling the Brisbane Bears.

FAI Insurance: this failed insurance company was a major sponsor of the Manly Sea Eagles.

Tom Hedley: the Cairns-based developer and hotelier had a big interest in horse flesh which is now being sold up as his empire dwindles.

Hutchison Telecommunications (Orange): Has lost billions in Australia and has poured plenty into Essendon and the Australian Cricket team. Go here to see the extent of their losses.

Firepower: this fuel technology company was dumped by the South Sydney Rugby League Club as a sponsor, following investigations by the corporate regulator.

One.Tel: once provided the primary sponsorship of Australian Olympic team for the Winter Olympic Games which was reneged following the collapse of the company.

VoiceNet: they once sponsored the Essendon Footbal Club and the former managing director Alan Raymond Dawson, was convicted on two charges brought by ASIC.



Check out all the Mayne Report business lists here. Go here to see the full comprehensive list of lists we've created documenting the dominance of foreign investors in Australia and our relative poor performance on the international business stage.