The Sydney Swans will play all home games and finals at the Sydney Cricket Ground from the 2017 season.
Swans Chairman Andrew Pridham announced on Monday that the club would not be renewing it’s contract with ANZ Stadium in Homebush, and had instead agreed to a monster 30-year agreement with the SCG Trust to keep the Swans at their spiritual home full-time.
The decision to abandon ANZ Stadium comes just days after the NSW government announced a $250 million overhaul to install a roof over the playing surface among other upgrades.
“We have received a lot of feedback on the current stadium arrangements, and it was clear our members and fans located in Sydney, broader New South Wales and in fact Australia, wanted the SCG to be our one and only home,” Pridham said in an email to club members.
ANZ Stadium has been widely criticised for being unsuitable for AFL fixtures due to the condition of the ground, as well as its distance from the Sydney CBD.
Under the current deal, which expires at the end of 2016, the Swans would play three home and away games at the venue each season as well as any finals games unless the ground was unavailable.
While the GWS Giants have the option of playing games at ANZ Stadium should their home Sydney Showground be unavailable, it is now unlikely that ANZ Stadium will see regular AFL football when the Swans contract runs out.
Without the Swans, the ground will be predominantly used by Rugby League sides Canterbury, Wests Tigers and South Sydney along with the NSW State of Origin side and Super Rugby side the Waratahs during the winter months.
CEO Andrew Ireland believes the ground served his club well, but is now of far greater use for the western-based Giants, who will play finals at the ground.
“We believe playing a number of matches at ANZ Stadium has been important for the growth of the code and helped paved the way for a new team in Sydney’s west,” Ireland said on the Swans website.
“Having a single home ground for our Club is important to us and gives us the opportunity to better work with the SCG on delivering the best possible fan experience.”
Occasional fixtures were held at ANZ Stadium following its construction for the 2000 Olympic Games, yet failed to produce any sentimental value with fans.
2014 fixtures against Carlton, Geelong and Essendon drew crowds in the high 30 000’s, with the Swans v Geelong game in Round 13 cracking 41 000 at the recently renovated SCG.
“We had a number of sell-out matches in 2014 and with a fixture full of big matches in 2015 we are likely to see the same. At the moment fewer than 5000 reserved seat memberships remain for next year,” Ireland said.
“We understand that under this new agreement, there will be more sold-out games than ever before, which means the need to secure seats as a member will be more important than ever before.”
The Swans first played at the SCG in 1980 before their permanent relocation in 1982.
MJ
Guest
They did get a boost from the 50K that turned up on Easter Monday and the fact that Souths went well. As for the AFL leaving the Olympic Stadium, Good Riddance. I went once in 2012 (Swans vs Collingwood, was in Sydney for the City2Surf and figured that could inspire me), it just didn't feel like an AFL ground, particularly as you could see where the stands were moved back. It also didn't help that I had better views of the 2011 Grand Final sitting about 10 rows from the back of the Great Southern Stand than I did there. Perhaps this could be a good thing for the redevelopment given that now they can make it permanently rectangular (why make it an oval for a few meaningless 20 over games?) and perhaps even save some coin in the process.
slane
Guest
Yes. GWS average attendance is the same as CCM or Canberra Raiders...
John Ryan
Guest
I think that will depend on the Swans keep winning give em a few years of ordinary results no graft form the AFL no top eight appearances,then we will see how many stick around,I think you may be disappointed. As for GWS they will either go live in Canberra or shift to Tassie they will get more at the ground to watch them in Tassie,cause they aint doing real well at the showground
melbourneterrace
Guest
Swans Fans and everyone else*
Tom
Guest
Will be happy to never have to go to ANZ stadium though. Shit surface, shit location, shit facilities. It's like Sydney's modern version of Waverley or West Lakes. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Tom
Guest
My understanding is the AFL chooses the location of finals and not the clubs. I also find the above talk of GWS "blockbusters" highly amusing. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Averaged over 24k in 2014 actually. In other words, no other ground in Sydney could offer that, apart from Allianz.
H.E. Pennypacker
Guest
Homebush now officially heading to being a white elephant. What does an NRL game get out there, 10 to 15k in an 82k stadium.
melbourneterrace
Guest
Good for Scans Fans and Evernote Else. Make it permanently rectangular now
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
Thank God for this!! ANZ is closer to me in the west, but the atmosphere sucks. Don't mind going to the SCG every game. winder what this will do for potential government funding coming in for ANZ Stadium's proposed renovation.
Cam Reddin
Roar Rookie
Bang on about the Port Adelaide game mate. Typo, my mistake.
Avatar
Roar Guru
"...with the Swans v Geelong game in Round 13 cracking 41 000 at the recently renovated SCG." I'm pretty sure you meant it was against Port Adelaide, not Geelong. Anyway, about time that the Swans moved out of ANZ Stadium, which is only a few minutes' walk from Spotless Stadium (the home ground of the Giants). ANZ could now be used by the Giants in a similar arrangement to what the Swans have had since 2002, using the ground to host blockbusters, but only when the team starts building results. However, I see this as being unlikely as the Giants would have three regular home grounds (including Manuka Oval in Canberra) and crowds for the ANZ matches would not be very high unless they were against the Swans.
HarryHP
Guest
And the GWS president is also chairman of the SCG Trust :)
Mister Football
Roar Guru
I imagine this will be a very popular decision amongst Swans fans, helping them to retain a very healthy 40k membership. Interesting that the AFL Commissioner also has an ownership interest in ANZ.
frank garrity
Guest
I think it will be difficult for any stadium to move in any direction
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Surprising news - I was expecting a continuation of the current system of the having some games out at ANZ - but very welcome! This is a significant blow for ANZ, and would seem to remove the need to have moveable stands that formed such an integral part of the proposed redevelopment. Will be interesting to see whether there is any renewed enthusiasm for a permanently rectangular ANZ Stadium moving forward...
Whiskers
Guest
sanity prevails. Let's hope the rectangle people can make a go of that joint. Worst surface in Australia for Australian football. Might make it a bit easier for GWS with the swans playing only out of the eastern suburbs.