NSW Stadium Plans

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Lyonstomenzies

Bencher
Premium Member
SMH

The NSW Government has set an April 1 deadline for the NRL to gain a 65-game commitment from eight Sydney-based NRL clubs to play at the proposed three major venues.

The $1.6 billion funding hinges on the NRL's ability to convince the Wests Tigers, St George Illawarra Dragons, Manly Sea Eagles and Cronulla Sharks to commit to a combined 23 home games at either the new Parramatta Stadium, ANZ Stadium and Allianz Stadium (or a new Moore Park stadium).

The NRL, which scheduled urgent meetings with each club during the past week, has earmarked the Sydney Roosters (11 games), Parramatta (11), South Sydney (10) and Canterbury (10), but are still in negotiations with the other clubs over moving from their respective suburban grounds.

Cronulla and Manly will meet ARLC chairman John Grant on Wednesday and are likely to be asked to commit to at least seven games between them - that is if the NRL is successful in convincing the Dragons and Tigers to commit to eight games each.

However, given the cash-strapped Dragons and Tigers rely on NRL funding to operate, it is believed the two joint-venture clubs, who currently play four matches each at the major venues, will be willing to co-operate to ensure the funding proposal isn't taken off the table.

As reported by Fairfax Media last Sunday, Sports Minister Stuart Ayres wants the NRL to commit two out of three Sydney NRL games to be played at the "network" of major venues to justify its investment.

However Penrith hasn't been included in calculations given the state government has highlighted the potential for a new stadium in greater western Sydney.

Grant held a meeting with Ayres, who is a major backer of the SCG Trust's plans for a new stadium at Moore Park, at the minister's Sydney office on Monday.

While the NRL is confident of gaining a 65-game commitment from the eight clubs, it remains at loggerheads with some of the city's biggest clubs over the funding allocation.

It is understood once the NRL pledges to play 65 matches at the network of major venues, they will be given until May 31 to decide on how to split the remaining billion dollars between Allianz Stadium and ANZ Stadium.

The NRL is continuing to back the Dave Smith-proposed 55,000-seat new stadium at Moore Park, however five major clubs - including the Allianz Stadium-based Roosters - remain opposed to it.

The Smith model would likely see Allianz Stadium receive $800 million while ANZ Stadium would be left with a $200 million facelift.

However the clubs are keen to switch the funding model to see the Olympic venue gain most of the allocation to turn it into a permanent rectangular facility.

It is unclear what role new chief executive Todd Greenberg will play given he wasn't previously included in the two-year consultation.

The clubs believe it will benefit their cause if the former ANZ Stadium general manager was to be given a seat at the table, however there is a fear among key stakeholders that the new NRL boss is being kept at arm's length from discussions.

Grant has entrusted the NRL's head of government relations, Jaymes Boland-Rudder, formerly the right-hand man to Barry O'Farrell, and former Queensland treasurer Andrew Fraser to head up the consultation with the clubs and government.

The clubs and NRL have been invited to attend a design briefing at ANZ Stadium on Thursday, with plans to be unveiled that show how the stadium would look if it was to receive most of the funding ($600-$700 million).

The SCG Trust held a similar meeting with the clubs earlier in the month in regards to the proposal of a new stadium at Moore Park.

HOW THE HOME GAMES COULD BE SPLIT AT MAJOR VENUES

South Sydney Rabbitohs: 10 games

The Rabbitohs are likely to play 10 home matches at ANZ Stadium. They currently take two games away to Cairns and Perth.

Sydney Roosters: 11 games

The Roosters will play 11 home games at Allianz Stadium or a potential new stadium at Moore Park. They currently take one game away to Gosford.

Canterbury Bulldogs: 10 games

The Bulldogs will play 10 home games at ANZ Stadium. They currently play two matches at their traditional home in Belmore.

Parramatta Eels: 11 games

The Eels will play all their home matches out of the new Parramatta stadium but could explore the possibility of two blockbuster games (likely Bulldogs and Tigers) at ANZ Stadium. They also take a game to the Northern Territory each year.

St George Illawarra Dragons: 8 games

The Dragons currently play four games out of the major venues and four out of both Wollongong and Kogarah respectively. They could be forced into eight at the major venues and two each at the suburban grounds.

Wests Tigers: 8 games

The Tigers currently play four games out of ANZ Stadium and four out of both Leichhardt and Campbelltown respectively. They could be forced into eight at the major venues and two each at the suburban grounds.

Cronulla Sharks and Manly Sea Eagles: Combined 7 games

The Sharks and Sea Eagles play exclusively out of their respective Cronulla and Brookvale grounds. However they could alternate each year and play three or four games out of Allianz Stadium (or new Moore Park Stadium).
 
We all want to hang on to the past and Brookvale has years of memories for most of us. I am concerned that in spite of all the talk that the ground will be re developed and bought up to speed, the timeline to get this done is shrinking very fast now.

The NRL have to ensure that the clubs in the comp are sustainable and to be honest they cant ignore the money that the government is going to provide.

I have said consistently that Manly need to keep Brookvale as its base but we also must be sensible and play up to 4 games at a stadium like the SFS so the club can generate revenue especially for a big Sydney derby game.

I know my view of this will not be popular but I think the club has to really consider this and work with the NRL.
 
I agree with you because I don't think the club has a choice @sheridanstand78.

The sad part is that when the governments were offering us money decades were wasted drawing up plan after plan, which nobody had any intention of building.

Now the NSW government and NRL are both very clear on their plans, and they don't include spending anything meaningful on Brookie.
 
So Penrith will get forced to play games out of the Parra stadium.?
To be consistent the NRL would do this but they'll bring in a "Riff Rule" where they can play all home games at Penrith until a shiny new stadium can be built just for them.
 
To be consistent the NRL would do this but they'll bring in a "Riff Rule" where they can play all home games at Penrith until a shiny new stadium can be built just for them.
Well to be fair, Sydney could do with about 200,000 seats worth of stadiums about half an hour from each other...
 
We are in no position to argue against this after that appalling 5000 crowd. I think it's better if we argue to play the 3 or 4 games at Gosford instead of Allianz
 
**** weather and time slot was the reason for poor crowd. How big would the crowd have been at the SFS? No weather protection there either. Take away the locals that live close to brookie who don't want a trip into the city on a work night and there'd probably be less than 5k.

That Cowboys semi final a few years back when like 14k turned up is a sign of what's to come with this big stadium plan. Games played between local and out of town teams will be a dud.

The only positive is the government money. Apart from that, it's all negative for the fans of clubs forced out of their homes. And another backward step for tribalism.
 
Kills footy for families, as kids have no grass left to play on and make new friends.
It's cruel to watch the kiddies in those cement stadiums, dodging beer puddles and restricted by the narrow aisles:(

Clover Moore is on record as blocking any SFS upgrade.

This could take decades to complete or do the Politicians want to upgrade all three Stadiums in one year ?:cool:
 
we should play hard ball - commit to 3 games a year but only if we can have $30M guaranteed for brookie
And the hard ball needs to include guaranteed favourable treatment in scheduling of games. Especially Sunday afternoons at Brookie rather than the current Thursday/Monday style rubbish.

The NRL can already meet it's games at major stadiums requirement by simply requiring the teams it currently bails out to play there. And those teams are not even greatly disadvantaged because location and transport-wise, ANZ works pretty well for them.
 
We all want to hang on to the past and Brookvale has years of memories for most of us. I am concerned that in spite of all the talk that the ground will be re developed and bought up to speed, the timeline to get this done is shrinking very fast now.

The NRL have to ensure that the clubs in the comp are sustainable and to be honest they cant ignore the money that the government is going to provide.

I have said consistently that Manly need to keep Brookvale as its base but we also must be sensible and play up to 4 games at a stadium like the SFS so the club can generate revenue especially for a big Sydney derby game.

I know my view of this will not be popular but I think the club has to really consider this and work with the NRL.
I agree. It's better to have part of something, than have nothing at all. Hopefully playing 3-4 games at Allianz (or wherever) boosts the bottom line and encourages the Penn's and a newly enlarged Northern Beaches council to work together to improve Brookvale. Rather than sniping at each other, as we have all witnessed recently.
 
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And the hard ball needs to include guaranteed favourable treatment in scheduling of games. Especially Sunday afternoons at Brookie rather than the current Thursday/Monday style rubbish.

The NRL can already meet it's games at major stadiums requirement by simply requiring the teams it currently bails out to play there. And those teams are not even greatly disadvantaged because location and transport-wise, ANZ works pretty well for them.
The Liverpool Council is already building a State Of Art Stadium and Sports Precinct. The Wests Tigers are in the promos for it.
 
I don't see the problem, take a few games like v Raiders, Gold Coast, Wests Tigers etc to these venues and keep the blockbusters at Brookie. Agree to co-operate but then throw back that Manly gets to pick the games it takes to these venues and stick to it so that the club has control of the games that will generate the biggest income for Brookie ie Sunday/Saturday games.

In the end the club gets some financial compensation and doesn't make losses like the one on Monday which would have surely been a negative return.
 
WE better do something after seeing 5000 at our beloved Brookie the other night. Another big loss.

Do what though?

The stands were less than half full so its not undercover seating that is the issue or we would have had more than 7000.

Its easy to sit there and take pot shots without offering a solution. A few years ago we had a bigger crowd than the roosters, both playing 7:30 Sat night in wet conditions and going well so its not the facilities that cause a 5K crowd.

I think picking better team from round 1 and looking competitive would have been the only way to push that crowd up on a wet Monday night.

PS we also get 40K compensation which covers the ground hire costs so everything is profit anyway
 

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