Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine

Students Experiences

SPORTS MANAGEMENT - Chris Knell

Witnessing the birth of a rugby league team has been an extraordinarily challenging and positive experience for Bond graduate Chris Knell.

Chris landed a plum role with the NRL’s Gold Coast Titans the moment he graduated from his Masters in Sports Management at Bond. It was a case of being in the right place at the right time. One of Chris’ professors recommended him for an internship with Titans boss Michael Searle at International Sports Australia while he was still studying. When he graduated, Michael offered him a full time role with the newest NRL club on the block.

Having spent the past three years as the Titans’ Marketing Services Coordinator, Chris is now moving into his fourth year with the club as Memberships Coordinator. His role involves memberships, the website, the database and general marketing support.

After two years of preparatory work, the Titans’ opening year presented a string of different challenges for Chris.

“From an administration point of view, it was new for all of us because we had been working for an organisation that was planning for a football club, not one that was in the middle of a season,” he said.

“Going through this and sorting out actual operations, ticketing and promotions last year really added a whole new dimension to what we had been doing.”

For Chris, the highlight of 2007 was the Titans’ first game at Suncorp Stadium.

“It was what all the work for the previous two and a half years had been all about – everything had been leading up to that day,” he explained.

“To be there and see the team run out and see the members in full force and the sea of blue on the western side of the ground, to see it all come to fruition, was just amazing.

“You just play your small part in it and when you get to a day like that you see the work everybody else has been doing.”

This year, the opening of Skilled Park, the new stadium, will be a bonus highlight.

“We get two bites at the cherry,” Chris explained.

“Last year was our inaugural year but this year we’ve got the stadium and it’s another shot in the arm. People have been seeing this behemoth of a structure come out of the ground and now they’re thinking: ‘Well I’d better reserve my seat there’!”

As Rugby League celebrates its 100th year in 2008, the Titans’ support base continues to increase.

Chris said there has been a surge in memberships as a result of the stadium’s completion.

“The Titans arrived at a time when the Gold Coast had really matured as a city from a corporate perspective. Also, the general population was crying out for a team to support and as soon as they got that opportunity, they all jumped on board.

Chris expects he will stay with the Titans for some years yet.

“I’m on such a good wicket here and there’s plenty to get my teeth into so I’m not planning to move on at this point,” he said.