Former star Ben Ikin throws his hat into ring as Broncos new CEO
Former Broncos player and sports commentator Ben Ikin says he has “officially” put in his resume to become Brisbane Broncos CEO, adding that the priority for the struggling Brisbane NRL club was to get the football side of the business firing again.
Broncos CEO candidate Ben Ikin. (Photo: Supplied, Fox NRL 360)
If successful, Ikin will replace existing chief executive Paul White as head of the ASX-listed club.
“The resume has gone in officially,” Ikin told ABC Radio Brisbane.
“The core business of a rugby league club is rugby league.
“While the Broncos are getting a hell of a lot right … at the moment the core business isn’t firing.”
He said getting that right should be the priority of whoever gets the top job.
“At the end of the day, when you buy into the Broncos, you’re sort of almost buying hope, aren’t you?” Ikin said.
“You’re buying hope that that football team can win a premiership, which they’ve been very good at.”
What Ikin’s potential appointment could mean for coach Anthony Seibold, who has been placed on a 14-day “COVID hold”, is unclear.
“There are conversations that need to had, tough conversations,” he said.
“There’s no doubting that if you don’t believe that [Anthony Seibold] can solve the problems that have emerged this year then the tough call needs to be made.
“But off the back of that conversation, you may very well decided that, you know what, the coach that the Broncos thought they were getting on the way in, is absolutely the coach to lead the club into the future.”
– ABC / Edwina Seselja
