I was lucky to have someone who understood," he recalls. Ex-AFL boss Andrew Demetriou makes humiliating exit from Crown board along with the CEO as James Packer's embattled gaming empire makes desperate bid to reverse ban on opening its new Sydney. There has been much talk of the $200-million war chest that will fund the expansion, and those on the inside say it will take all this and more. I invest heavily in my family, and in friends and colleagues. As the only indigenous code in the country, it regards itself as the one true national code, and since 1982 it has put six teams into states outside Victoria, two of them - the Sydney Swans and the Brisbane Lions (formerly the Brisbane Bears) - far beyond its traditional boundaries. He met his second wife, Symone, then a corporate sales executive at the AFL in 2001 and they married a few years later. 1988 He had a brief move to Hawthorn in 1988, but played only three games and kicked one goal. "Our numbers are very impressive in western Sydney," he says, when he says anything at all. Demetriou, who takes his girls to his local Auskick at weekends, where he's likely to run into Eddie McGuire and a host of footy influentials, says he's not fussed. I played golf once three or four years ago, and when I got home after six hours " - he pauses, smiling - "no, no. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. But that's just part and parcel of the job. Suitably enough, Demetriou met Symone Richards, then a corporate accounts manager, in 2001 at a grand-final-day function. He later would be involved in another business, the Baxter Group, which he took from a market capitalisation of $40 million in 2003 to a sale in 2006 for $260 million. Demetriou was made CEO of the AFL in 2003, replacing Wayne Jackson. Name: Andrew Demetriou. "With a chuckle, he continues: "I have to say, that board meeting takes longer than the meetings of other boards that I've been on they're talking about different designs, the manufacturers in India, what colours we should do. he says. There will be a bit of talk about the next season. Or, as he would put it, giving people options. The pairing - cheeky young footy player, independent older woman - seemed unlikely, but their friends remember them as a wonderful couple. He was 24. He is presiding over an enterprise whose growth in recent years has been little short of exponential, with rising memberships, ballooning revenues and top ratings underscoring the might of the indigenous code in an era of unprecedented competition, in particular from the round ball behemoth that is The World Game. But, you know, that's Andrew defending his patch. The AFL are incredibly good at leveraging causes into money. Leaves it to others. "You could see, even at that young age, that he was very erudite, well-read, interested in travel.". Demetriou married twice. "The answer is, 'I don't know', because the things I've done are all very, very different - garbage, false teeth, football, so I think anything's possible. Andrew Demetriou has a distinctive walk. He had a brief move to Hawthorn in 1988, but played only three games and kicked one goal. He understands the power and responsibility of running the "people's game". "I'll never forget the phone calls," he says of the jarring interruption of bad news from afar. This is in itself quite charming. At AFL House, there's also a sense of higher purpose: a desire for expansion to carry the torch of Aussie rules enlightenment into the darkness of heathen league, union and soccer lands. The chief executive of Crown Resorts, Ken Barton, and a non-executive director of the casino group, Andrew Demetriou, . North Melbourne rejected that offer and, in January 2008, the AFL chairman, Mike Fitzpatrick and Demetriou announced that the Gold Coast Football Club would enter the AFL in 2011. He has treated us fairly and with respect and I admire that. I get home and see the children, help with the bath, reading books, getting to bed. He might be just a very good actor, but I don't think he's addicted to the clout he has - I'm sure he likes it, and I'm sure he likes winning and doesn't like losing. Chairing several companies after his retirement from playing, he was appointed CEO of the AFL Players Association in 1998, and was responsible for negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players. Then there's a long silence, during which he appears to be considering weighty matters of national significance. Discover Andrew Demetriou's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. I always appreciate the great obligation we've got to the game. "We are living in an age of scrutiny that we've never experienced before and it's not just football. It's been a real joy to be a part of. "We've had some differences and clashes over years. Andrew J. Demetriou | Corporate Attorney | Los Angeles | Husch Blackwell Andrew J. Demetriou Senior Counsel Los Angeles phone: 213.356.2949 fax: 213.337.6551 email: andrew.demetriou@huschblackwell.com Overview Experience Thought Leadership Outside the Office Community Leadership Download Bio Download vCard Overview Jennifer bodymeasurement and social media presence. "It doesn't make this better," he said at the time, "but it has helped me through a very difficult period. One of the more significant challenges he has faced was his first wife died of cancer in 1999. [16], In April 2014, it was announced that Gillon McLachlan, Demetriou's then deputy, would be his successor. Andrew Demetriou (born 14 April 1961) is an Australian businessman, sports administrator, and former Australian rules football player who was chief executive officer (CEO) of the Australian Football League (AFL) up to June 2014. 1983 No responsibility for Essendon scandal: Demetriou, No responsibility for Bombers scandal: chief. Andrew Demetriou's net worth I think he must have taken it in the best spirit because he still recounts that story. Along the way, he also chaired Baxter, a waste management company that was eventually sold to a bigger outfit. "Symone and my children are my . "To be frank, if the clubs had had their way, there'd be no national expansion," says Gale. But Demetriou, the negotiator, has talked them around. But it's not all beer and skittles. In common with other older, poorer clubs, Richmond will suffer from the wealth of talented young players (usually allocated to clubs via the annual draft) and financial support being channelled into the new clubs. When he told his children on Sunday night he was stepping down their first question was whether they could still go to the football. It had got a lot easier by the time Andrew went through - his cohort was that big '60s influx of migrants - but I know he copped it on the footy field. It was while Demetriou was a student at La Trobe University in 1983 that he met his first wife, historian Jan Bassett. 2023 Getty Images. The youngest of four boys born to Greek Cypriot parents, Demetriou was good enough to play top-level football in the 1980s, eking out. ". In 1996, Bassett was diagnosed with breast cancer. noted some who passed including his first wife Jan and heaped love on his wife and four kids. We've never underestimated them. It represents to him what is best about Australia: egalitarianism, acceptance, encouragement of talent. Andrew Demetriou is the CEO of the AFL Commission (which runs the AFL competition) and, like Lindsay Lohan, he's a consistent performer. "Demetriou had a cup of tea with David Gallop [head of the NRL] on the Tuesday morning," says rugby league sage Roy Masters, "and that afternoon he had Karmichael Hunt over to his Toorak home. And we're just going to give them an option to get involved in another game. We take these people and put them into a club environment and we expect them all to behave exactly the same. I want that for all who work for the AFL. The AFL chief executive, whose successor could be named as early as May, has declared a wish to serve out the 2014 football season, demanded and received great loyalty from his staff who became emboldened themselves by a leader they regarded as fearless. "Along with my wife, we used to go away as a foursome on holidays," recalls Unglik. In his role as head of the AFL Commission, he was responsible for a number of changes, including the expansion of the league from 16 to 18 teams, the restructuring of the tribunal system, and the brokering of two new television rights deals. Bit like Lindsay Lohan.". "Definitely. Credit: The high-profile Melbourne identity, who has been a director of the casino giant since 2015 and is chairman of Crown . He always puts the family first. This is what we do. You've got to invest in the things you care about.". The commission has not guaranteed McLachlan the job and appointed an executive search team to test the market for Demetrious successor long before he told Fitzpatrick at the 2014 Super Bowl that he would officially resign in early March. Folau was paid a reported $3 million for three years; Hunt was persuaded to switch to AFL by Demetriou himself. "I'm never going into politics," he insists now, almost stamping a foot. "Clearly, we've had great opportunities because of what our parents did for us," says Demetriou. Join 1.7 Million Subscribers Were working to restore it. " Red Symons recalls. Chief executive Andrew Demetriou is kissed by his wife Symone as his daughters Francesca and Alexandra look on during an AFL press conference at AFL. Demetriou's negotiating skills have gained almost mythological status. He is not dating anyone. Demetriou's tastes are eclectic if nothing else. In those days it was quite humorous, and in a bizarre way acceptable: 'Oh well, wog, dago, they don't really know what they're talking about.' I just know it won't be politics." There, above the Norm Smith medals and behind the gang of administration girls admiring a new engagement ring ("Show me that rock!" ', he would say things like, 'You know, I don't know what the right way to feel is, but at the moment I don't feel comfortable doing that.' Andrew . "We grew up in an area where you just laughed at those things," he says. More importantly, they're great institutions for the community and economy in this state.". "I've said continuously that it's not going to be easy," says Demetriou calmly. The Kim Williams appointment to the commission would seem good for McLachlan who does not yet boast its unanimous support. What he lacks in celebrity style, however, he makes up for in knowledge. Demetriou insists that the policy, which forces two-time offenders into rehabilitation before any suspension, is working. For Demetriou, Australian rules will always be the game that embraced him and gave him social and professional status; that supported him during a great tragedy in his life. Some ex-footballers move with the grace of movie stars. "Footy wasn't a career path for me," Demetriou acknowledges. People credit Bassett and her circle with helping form Demetriou culturally: there's a famous story, told by several people, of a memorable day when he astounded everyone by leaving an AFL game early to attend an Andrea Bocelli concert. James Hird's wife Tania says Andrew Demetriou knew about payments to suspended coach UPDATE: James Hird says he will fight to protect his right to his $1 million salary while serving his 12-month suspension. [9], In the first half of 2005, Demetriou criticised the Sydney Swans and then-coach Paul Roos, labelling the team's play as "unattractive" and "ugly". His parents, whose fathers were both dead, had left Cyprus in 1951 and didn't return until 1983, until after their sons had completed their university studies. Calls, '' he insists now, almost stamping a foot expansion ''! Be a part of identity, who has been a director of the jarring interruption of news... The pairing - cheeky young footy player, independent older woman - seemed unlikely, played! 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