EVERY cloud, they say, has a silver lining.
But the one that hung above Cronulla this season was black and threatening.
However, Sharks chief executive Steve Noyce and the club’s general manager of marketing and commercial, Steve McGee, reckon the sun will still start shining soon.
Injuries, retirements and the seemingly never-ending ASADA investigation, which saw five current players accept bans for the supplements scandal that was in place at the club in 2011, hammered the club, on and off the field.
They secured a major sponsor, Labour Health, for the rest of the season, but that deal expires on November 1.
‘‘The Labour Health sponsorship was only for this season and they will be involved as a sponsor on the jersey next year,’’ McGee said.
McGee, who lives in the shire, comes from a senior management and marketing background, in the corporate world and also worked at the Wests Tigers and Sydney Roosters.
The search is now on for the new major sponsor.
McGee is confident he can lure a new one and reel them in.
Major jersey sponsors fetch between $800,000 to $1 million a season.
‘‘I am working on the major sponsor for 2015,’’ McGee said.
But McGee said now the ASADA ‘‘black cloud’’ is lifting he can get back to explaining to the corporate world the Sharks are a viable concern.
He said with recent events resolved it ‘‘clears the air’’ with the corporate world and will help convince the community the Sharks are viable.
‘‘Last year was a record year commercially getting $7.8 million in revenue aside from the NRL grants,’’ McGee said.
‘‘This season we are on target to get more than $10 million in revenue and next season our planning is to reach $12 million.
‘‘By 2020, our goal is over $23 million in revenue commercially that year and to have 50,000 members.’’
Sharks chief executive Steve Noyce said the ‘‘glass is half full’’.
‘‘There’s a strong foundation here and we look ahead,’’ Noyce said.
Who do you think should be a Sharks sponsor?