Parramatta chief executive Scott Seward says the Eels’ second-half performance in beating Manly on Friday demonstrates the importance of the club remaining at Pirtek Stadium.
At a time when NRL clubs are struggling to get fans through the gates more than 17,000 fans packed into the stadium creating an atmosphere that’s been all too rare at many games this year as the Eels came from 12-0 down to beat the Sea Eagles 22-12.
It’s the second time in a week the stadium has been almost full to capacity with A-League outfit Western Sydney Wanderers attracting over 18,000 for their Asian Champions League quarter-final first-leg win against holders Guangzhou Evergrande.
The two clubs share the venue and between them have almost 40,000 members and Seward said it’s vital plans to redevelop the stadium into a state-of-the-art 32,000 venue become a reality.
“This game was close to a sell out and the crowd was worth six points tonight,” Seward told AAP.
“A 17,000 crowd here feels like there’s 35,000.
“They were fantastic, especially in the second half and it showed why we want to play games here. We just need to get the stadium extended.”
A $120 million proposal to build new grandstands at the southern and northern ends of the ground linking the Mick Cronin and Ken Thornett Stands was submitted by the Eels and Wanderers in April to Venues NSW and Parramatta City Council but discussions have yet to advance.
Work will start in October to add 3500 new seats to the ground raising capacity to 24,000 with the changing facilities and corporate hospitality getting a makeover.
The Eels have one year remaining on an agreement with ANZ Stadium to play at least two games at the venue, in addition to one match in Darwin, but the club are keen to use their spiritual home as much as possible.
Just last month they refused to buckle to pressure from the NRL to switch their game against South Sydney to ANZ Stadium and Seward said the the area should have a stadium to cater to the needs of two well supported clubs.
“We’ve got current contracts that we will of course honour and playing here with 17,000 is great but we have a membership base now of 20,000 and the ground seriously needs to expand,” he said.
“We’re going to get to a stage where we’re locking people out.
“We’re on course to hit 24,000 members and a 20,000-capacity stadium is not big enough.
“Parramatta is the capital of western Sydney and deserves a proper stadium.
“Our understanding is work will start here in October to extend the capacity to 24,000, which is a start but it’s still not enough.
“Parramatta City Council want to expand, we want to expand, Western Sydney Wanderers want to expand. Let’s just get on with it and make it happen.
“The stadium was originally built 30 years ago with the plan to one day fully enclose it – let’s finish the job.”
Matthew Edwards
Roar Pro
The soccer fans would love to have you think so… Seriously i try hard to love all sports. deep down we are all just fans. But these guys really are intolerable… On topic now: I live in Parramatta. Any improvement to this stadium is definitely a good thing. Sydney needs a top notch rectangle stadium. Lets knock it down and build a suncorp clone
Scrubbit
Guest
Didn't you hear? WSW are the greatest team in australian sporting history.
Ranga
Guest
Naaa, Parramatta eels should just tell them what they want, if they don't get it, they can move to ANZ, I'm sure the world beating WSW with their sold out 14k crowds will manage to get all the upgrades needed by themselves. LOL Go the eels, even when losing, at least the fans still turn up week after week with some of the biggest ratings on TV still out of all the clubs n ocdes, but meh, it's all WSW now.
81paling
Roar Rookie
Why not? if there are votes for them in it they will, and we know the wanderer's are not moving. Turbo you assume this debate comes down to common sense and economics but, there is politics involved, doesn't that introduce another factor to the equation?
paul craggie
Guest
Why did you delete my comments regarding the irresponsible immigration program that a is causing so much pain to our city. Are you Stalin !
Ranga
Guest
AR, there is no reason for you to be in this Rugby League thread when no mention of afl is mentioned, the stadium is not an oval and it never will be again as it once was decades ago. Why should the Parramatta eels or WSW put any money into Parramatta stadium, it's Government owned just as ANZ, SFS and Newcastle are. They are the main stadiums the Government has used over the decades where they have spruiked when club/state and National teams have played. They are also the ones that have left them to get to the standards they are at now.
AR
Guest
Eels CEO: "Parramatta City Council want to expand, we want to expand, Western Sydney Wanderers want to expand. Let’s just get on with it and make it happen." That's not really the full picture. What Seward *didn't* mention was that not only did the Government/s already grant $30M for upgrades...but...during discussions about how the money would be used, the Wanderers voted for more seating and the Eels voted for upgraded training facilities/amenities. Now the Eels say they want more goverment money for extra seating...but have said they'll continue to move home games to Parra once the club reaches its target of 40k members. I'm not criticising Seward - every CEO should lobby for more money - but when you're not providing any money yourself, it looks like an exercise in having your cake and eating it too.
turbodewd
Guest
The govt will not fund a 35,000 stadium if another one is nearby that can hold 35,000+ ie Homebush. The NRL should be striving for games which regularly pull 40,000+ Parra stadium is too small! ONly a fool would upgrade Parra stadium when Homebush is not far away.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
I dont think anyone but the builders know the details yet AZ -and about revamping the stadium -looks like it will have to cost a new state election for that to happen lol but what do you expect from the LNP anyways ?
AZ_RBB
Guest
Does anybody know the details of the 3,500 seat expansion set to start in October? How long will it take? How will it look once it's done? I really want the ends to be single tier like AAMI Park. I think 24k is a good size for both major tenants at the moment. If both continue to get good numbers, then maybe look at 30k. WSW have a season ticket waiting list of 3000 people. Eels will experience an influx if they make the finals and light up the league like they did in 09.
Andrew
Guest
Yes, FULL HOUSE means full house, though with your limited brain power - In 10-15 years time Parramatta & the outer suburbs will grow 2 fold. Half of my family are from Newcastle & the outer territories (Morisset) You would know about Morisset wouldn't you!!?? hahahaha
Andrew
Guest
As I wrote beforehand - Parramatta & the outer suburbs with increase 2 fold in 10-15 years time. 25-30,000 stadium will be beneficial in the long term. Why for 10-15 years there is havoc on Sydney roads? Lack of Infrastructure. I'm a Labour Man, though Bob Carr is a wanker ..FULLY!
Knightblues
Guest
well, there were plenty of empty seats at the game, so why would expansion help, if they cant fill that? Sorry but FULL HOUSE means ALL SEATS filled, standing room only and people turned away at the gate, understand?
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Nah, 50k but have the upper level cordoned off (as happens at Suncorp) for lower crowd numbers.
Ranga
Guest
18,000 for the soccer, sorry, it was lower than the Parra game, but that's ok, you people keep reporting miss truths. go the eels, just remember, no eels, no Parra stadium. To the noobies who have just jumped on the latest bandwagon in the area, hang on for as long as possible, it'll burst as it usually does soon enough. Just remember the eels will always be there no matter how many lies are stated.
MAX
Guest
Spot on thinking SVB, For Parra it would be a positive pointicle. 8 x 2 = 16 points (or part thereof) per season in a purpose built or modified arena to attract maximum attendance with resultant support benefits for the home team. Given a reasonable team it almost guarantees F8 each year. We Bulldogs can only wish what might have been at Belmore. Eels are bloody lucky.
SVB
Guest
"Parra Stadium is too small!" Umm yeah..that's the whole reason they are expanding it. "We've seen some 50,000 crowds" Keyword being 'some', as in very, very few. A 30,000 seat stadium would be perfect in Parramatta. That is what Sydney needs. Not a big white elephant.
SVB
Guest
Because with more seats both Wanderers and Eels will be able to sell more memberships (which they are both easily capable of doing). Parramatta Stadium is the only stadium in Sydney that looks pretty much 'nearly full' most of the time. Add another 5-10,000 seats and you will still have the same feel. That is a win-win. Meanwhile we have other stadiums in Sydney where we are constantly seeing empty seats and the atmosphere is as flat as a pancake. No wonder so many Sydneysiders are getting turned off sport.
Parrafan
Guest
because more than one code use the stadium. There is already funding for an upgrade but that is to either add more seats or add more corporate boxes and facilities. Considering the original proposal for parra stadium was a 40,000 seat stadium it is about time it was upgraded. If it had been done right the first time, like many other projects in NSW, we wouldn't even be having this discussion.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Remind me again why the stadium needs to be bigger when it's 'almost' a sell out, yet again?