These corporate sponsors of the Gold Coast Titans, are a big part of how the club is able to sustain operations and continually take part in the National Rugby League, so my role within the club is integral in ensuring the clubs success from a commercial perspective. By collaborating with interested sponsors, a Commercial Partnerships Manager helps to align the Gold Coast Titans club goals by developing and growing partnership relationships with the relevant sponsors. Sponsors, which genuinely interest the teams supporters.

Sports sponsorships and/or partnerships leverage on the power of sports, in this case the NRL, as sports is a very powerful medium for communication. These sponsorships are important as they allow organization, like that of the particular sponsor and the NRL team, to establish connections with members and fans of the club alike, as well as enhance overall visibility of the brand.

This is all something a Commercial Partnerships Manager helps to set in motion.

While the league is becoming increasingly more difficult to succeed in, as teams and players alike continue to improve, the Titans need to improve with the rest of the league.

Most recently, the club has also been plagued with injuries to key players. With the team captain out for the rest of the season with an ACL tear, team morale has suffered, which in turn leads to further poor performance.

To further make on field success a challenge for the Gold Coast Titans, the introduction of the Dolphins to last years (2023) NRL competition and the teams early success, can hinder motivation and morale at the Titans. As the Gold Coast team is the youngest team in the league after the dolphins.

This source focuses on the specific role and responsibilities of a Commercial Partnership Manager. It's a specific resource for employers looking to find someone to fill this spot on their team, and it relevant to this portfolio as it outlines the skills required of this role, and how they are applicable in the workforce.

Sydney FC. (n.d.). Commercial Partnerships Manager. [online] Available at: https://sydneyfc.com/commercial-partnerships-manager/.

This source is taken from the Syndey Football Club website, as the club is advertising for this position. While it is from a football club, it outlines the specific requirements from someone in this position within a high-level sporting team. It directly mentions the interactions with potential sponsors, and how to interact with existing partners. It's relevant, as it shows a Commercial Partnerships Managers role within a sporting institute.

www.hatch.team. (n.d.). Partnerships Manager at NRL. [online] Available at: https://www.hatch.team/role/ext_28616 [Accessed 27 Mar. 2024].

This source focuses on the roles and responsibilities of a Commercial Partnership Manager, but is directly related to what the role would entail within the NRL. It mentions the skills that are needed for the role, and what will be required of the role, specifically relating everything back to the National Rugby League.

Gold Coast Titans. (n.d.). Strategic Plan. [online] Available at: https://www.titans.com.au/about/strategic-plan/.

This source is a strategic plan drafted and published by the Gold Coast Titans, and features the several points of improvement the Titans wish to focus on by 2030 to ensure feature success of the club. The plan also targets how they wish to improve in both the NRL and NRWL respectively, and the want to bring a premiership win to the Gold Coast. This relates to the challenge as the Titans have shown as awareness to the issue at hand.

Pryde, S. (2024). Five big questions for 2024: Gold Coast Titans. [online] Zero Tackle. Available at: https://www.zerotackle.com/five-big-questions-for-2024-gold-coast-titans-205381/.

This source is published by Zero Tackle, who know themselves as Australia's Number 1 source for NRL news. It focuses on the introduction of Des Hasler as the head coach for 2024, focuses on how it could be a breath of fresh air for the club. It also goes into depth about the questions surrounding the Titans 2024 season and whether on-field success can be generated. This source again shows that the Titans are self-aware of the issue being faced.

www.sen.com.au. (n.d.). Smith forecasts more pain for struggling Titans after ACL tear to skipper. [online] Available at: https://www.sen.com.au/news/2024/03/25/smith-forecasts-more-pain-for-struggling-titans-after-acl-tear-to-skipper/ [Accessed 27 Mar. 2024].

This sources focuses on the recent injuries the team has faced, and how this might be the beginning of the end for the Titans 2024 season. In this article, Cameron Smith forecasts that the team is in for a long season. This source relates as it conveys the issue the Titans are facing, but also that the issue is out of their control to an extent.

BUILDING TITANS. (2023). Available at: https://www.titans.com.au/contentassets/d90bfed6d0884854943cc643e7353d60/building-titans---2030-roadmap.pdf.

This source is drafted and published by the Gold Coast Titans and is a continuation with the Titans strategic plan, and focuses on building the titans in conjunction with the published roadmap to 2030. This source is relevant as it helps convey the idea that the Titans are aware of what needs to be fixed in order to be successful as a team.

Adams, T. (2023). Gold Coast Titans looking to build success on and off feild. [online] News.com.au. Available at: https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/gold-coast-titans-nrl-club-looking-to-build-success-on-and-off-field/news-story/7ce296ef593235a0b3ad2b716e5677ea.

This source is focused on how while the Gold Coast Titans appear to have their finances in order, they have struggled for the last 3 years in the competition and haven't played in the finals since 2021. However, the club has confidence in itself to get back into the finals. With this newfound confidence, they can begin to improve and find themselves some on-field success.

Matosevic, A. (2024). NRL 2024 Season Preview: Gold Coast Titans. [online] The Inner Sanctum. Available at: https://www.theinnersanctum.com.au/nrl-2024-season-preview-gold-coast-titans/#:~:text=Whilst%20a%20premiership%20is%20not%20to%20be%20expected [Accessed 27 Mar. 2024].

This source gives an overall season review of the Titans, and is relevant as it everything and everyone, that can both hinder and greatly help the club in its chase for premiership glory. It lists all the new and returning players to the team in 2024, and mentions how these players can help lead to on-field success for the Titans this year.

The Roar. (n.d.). In defence of the Titans: Why Des Hasler can be the man to finally bring tackling to the Gold Coast. [online] Available at: https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/02/06/in-defence-of-the-titans-why-des-hasler-can-be-the-man-to-finally-bring-tackling-to-the-gold-coast/ [Accessed 27 Mar. 2024].

This source focuses on how the new coach for the Titans in 2024, Des Hasler, may be the coach who can finally help the Titans with their field game. With Hasler's work ethic and the standards he sets for his teams, many view him as the man to help the team improve their defence efforts on the field. This is relevant as on field success is one of the first sections in the Gold Coast Titans strategic map.

4BC. (2024). ‘We made a promise’: Gold Coast Titans eager to win a Grand Final for their fans. [online] Available at: https://www.4bc.com.au/podcast/we-made-a-promise-gold-coast-titans-eager-to-win-a-grand-final-for-their-fans/ [Accessed 27 Mar. 2024].

This source is focused around the strategic plan the Gold Coast Titans published, and how the club is eager to win a grand final for its members. Its from a podcast hosted by Peter Psaltis from the Wide World of Sports and in this episode Peter is chatting with Steve Mitchell, the CEO of the Gold Coast Titans. In this episode, Steve mentions throughout how the club, despite setbacks with injuries, new players and a new coach for 2024, is still aiming high and still aiming for that premiership. This source is relevant as it is aimed towards the improvement of on field success.

With this positive observation, when the Gold Coast Titans begin to generate on-field success it becomes easier for the club to maintain sponsorships and maintain interest within the community.

A successful year in the National Rugby League for the Gold Coast Titans, helps to set the team up for more success over the years to come.

In turn, once the club is consistently successful on the field, it becomes easier to obtain new and/or more experienced players for the team, as the Titans will instead be viewed as a genuine premiership contender. This will also help to attract more fans as well.