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After touching on the proposed redevelopment of Allianz Stadium in Part I of this article, today we look at the stadium situation in Sydney’s north, south and west.
If a new stadium is to be built in Sydney’s west, it may need to be built in a neutral location to suit all of the area’s interests. Badgerys Creek is currently the most appealing location given the potential for growth in this region.
One major downside is that it is a further way from Parramatta than ANZ Stadium is and quite a fair way away from Sydney’s east, meaning that eastern Sydney fans will be very unlikely to travel to matches in Badgerys Creek to watch their team play in away games.
However, it is about equidistant from the three Western Sydney clubs. The NRL could more easily convince the clubs to move to this stadium, while still maintaining training facilities at their spiritual home as the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs currently do.
With a marquee stadium at Badgerys Creek, the western Sydney clubs could still use their traditional suburban homes for one or two games a year against out of Sydney teams. This would ensure that the teams are still maintaining their spiritual base, while also ensuring large crowds for matches against rival Sydney clubs at a stadium that is designed specifically for watching rugby league, rugby union and soccer.
The second solution is not so much a solution, but another case of smart planning.
The NSW government should direct funding towards the new Sydney Football Stadium, with the help of the SCG Trust, while allowing the NRL to build the new stadium in Sydney’s west.
The benefits of this are twofold: Sydney gets a large stadium to rival ANZ Stadium which is close to the CBD, and the NRL gets a long-term, permanent source of revenue. Yes, the NRL might have to borrow some money, but you have to spend money to make money.
The AFL has made this investment with Etihad Stadium in Melbourne. They will take ownership of the stadium following the expiration of the lease agreement in 2025, and not only will the stadium be a year-round source of revenue, but it looks great as an asset on the balance sheet.
If the NRL was to own the new western Sydney stadium, they would have three NRL clubs playing the majority of their matches at the stadium, providing revenue during the winter. The Western Sydney Wanderers would provide revenue during the summer, with the very real possibility that they will sell out every single home match.
It will cost a lot of money, but the NRL recently signed a $1 billion TV rights deal and locked away $100 million in a war chest to help battle the threat of AFL in Sydney’s west. What better way to spend it than on a stadium which has the potential to inspire a generation of future stars if created and managed correctly?
An NRL accountant suggested this to a fellow NRL employee who is now a very high-ranking official more than five years ago and he was merely brushed off. In the past 12 months, that now high-ranking official has realised that this was actually a very wise suggestion.
Thankfully he has finally come around to the idea, but it is five years too late and just proof that many of the employees at League Central don’t think ahead. This stadium could shore up the NRL for the next 20, 30, 40 years if done right, but I haven’t heard even the slightest peep out of the NRL about owning their own stadium.
With western and eastern Sydney sorted, it’s now time to discuss northern Sydney.
The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles are very problematic. They are currently the only professional football franchise playing north of the Harbour Bridge in Sydney, and they are playing in a dilapidated stadium in desperate need of renovations or a complete rebuild.
Add to this the fact that fans refuse to travel to any other stadium and we have a major problem.
Unfortunately for the Sea Eagles, the region is one of the safest electorates in the state and the country. They might have the Prime Minister as their local member, but they don’t have any competition for him. Governments like to direct money towards the key swing electorates, which is why the state government is so keen for a large multi-purpose rectangular stadium in Sydney’s west.
The west is the biggest political battleground in the country – state and federal elections are won and lost there. With the Northern Beaches being Liberal locks, Manly is unlikely to receive much, if any, funding for upgrades to Brookvale Oval.
Manly, however, might have one last saving grace, the North Harbour Rays. The North Harbour Rays are one of nine teams slated to line-up in the new rugby union National Rugby Championships when it commences later this season. The Rays are a merger of Northern Sydney rugby clubs, Northern Suburbs, Manly, Gordon and Warringah. Though they have not yet announced a home ground, there is a very strong possibility that the Rays will call Brookvale Oval home. If they do so, the Sea Eagles’ chances of government funding to redevelop their stadium will improve considerably.
Moving south, things are much less complicated.
The Cronulla Sharks own Remondis Stadium and are unlikely to relocate to another stadium in Sydney’s eastern or western suburbs. The only thing likely to draw the Sharks away from their home is money. Assuming the Sharks remain in Cronulla long term, this is not exactly a great option for both the Sharks and the NRL, given how far those other regions are from The Shire.
As for the Dragons, they have already implemented a stadium strategy of their own in recent months that does not need much tinkering. They will play the Roosters and Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium and SCG respectively and the Bulldogs and Tigers at ANZ Stadium, along with four matches at Kogarah and another four in Wollongong.
This strategy adequately and appropriately leaves the largest match-ups for the largest stadiums while also ensuring that matches are still played in Wollongong and at St George’s spiritual home. As long as they remain in a merger with Illawarra, the Dragons should never stop playing matches in Wollongong.
I’ve saved the best for last, and will talk about ANZ Stadium in the final part of this series.
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