Stadium sponsors await Otago's fate
Six years of deficits hang over Union
Final cost of Dunedin stadium unknown
Ellis made a name for himself while playing for the province and earned an All Black selection in 1992.
The 40-year-old said yesterday he was among the many people who were disappointed to see the ORFU in trouble.
"Undoubtedly I'd like to see a situation where both the rugby community and the wider community down there [could enjoy] what I guess we had the good fortune of enjoying in the 90s.
"It's sad to see but I'm sure there's a number of people that have the same strong emotional ties that I do and want to see the union dig themselves out of it."
The union will cease trading on Friday, saddled with debts of more than $2.2 million. To starve off liquidation, it needs a $1 million lifeline at the end of the working week.
When asked if it had crossed his mind to step in and help, Ellis said: "I think everyone who's had a relationship with rugby in Dunedin would want to do their bit ... but until such time that I understand more about it, it's pretty difficult to make any calls. I've had a couple of brief discussions today so I'll learn a little bit more in the pending days ..."
In 1999, Ellis founded juice company Charlie's with two friends and after a bid in July last year by Japanese beverage company Asahi to take controlling ownership, it was reported that the former All Black's shareholdings were worth about $18 million.
Meanwhile, former Otago player and coach Laurie Mains said he was willing to put money into the project.
"I've already pledged a very significant amount of money towards this and along with Eoin Edgar we have made ourselves available to the board of Otago Rugby to go to the business community to be part of trying to get the funds," he told Newstalk ZB.
Mains said they can't simply pack their bags and leave Otago rugby to die.
