The AFL has purchased Waverley Park from the Hawthorn Football Club, in a strategic deal that gives the league multiple options for using the oval and buildings when the Hawks leave.
The sale was completed on Tuesday for an undisclosed sum, which had been forecast as eight figures but well below the $20 million mooted.
Hawthorn Football Club has sold Waverley Park to the AFL.Credit: Pat Scala
The Hawks, who moved into Waverley in 2004 and plan to relocate their training and administrative base to Dingley (the Kennedy Community Centre) later this year, will further strengthen their finances with the sale, as they fund their new $100 million new home.
A private school was also among the parties interested in buying Waverley Park, which was known as VFL Park when it was the league’s “home” ground throughout the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s.
The last AFL game was played there in 1999, as the league sold the surrounding land to developer Mirvac and used the proceeds to fund the new Docklands stadium (now known as Marvel Stadium). The Hawks then purchased the freehold to the oval and administration building at Waverley for just $1.
The AFL confirmed their purchase – or buy back – of Waverley Park, which houses a gymnasium and the buildings that Hawthorn constructed for their base. There is heritage listing on the site.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said Waverley would help with areas such as talent pathways, umpiring and community footy.
It has also been suggested the facility could be a short-term stopgap any time an AFL club is temporarily without a home, such as Melbourne, who are hoping to establish a base at Caulfield Racecourse.
“Waverley Park has had a long history in footy, being the first venue to be designed and built specifically for Australian rules football” Dillon said.
“The purchase of the ground and facilities is a rare and timely solution that will help with our talent pathways programs, community footy, and umpire development and programs, all of which will now be worked through with the relevant stakeholders.
Waverley Park was once league headquarters for the VFL/AFL. When the MCG’s Great Southern Stand was being built in 1991, the AFL moved its grand final to Waverley, where Angry Anderson memorably performed pre-game alongside a Batmobile.Credit: The Age
“The AFL has targeted having 10 million attendees at AFL/AFLW games, events, and festivals, two million AFL club members and one million participants, and in order to achieve the target for participation we need two ovals a week every week for the next five years.
“We are always looking for green space so we can continue to expand the playing fields we need to accommodate the strong national growth in people playing our game.
“I would like to thank … (AFL executive general manager of finance, clubs and infrastructure) Matthew Chun, Hawthorn’s Ash Klein and Jacob Attwood and the team at Colliers for facilitating this deal that keeps an iconic footy venue in our ecosystem.”
Waverley Park was put on the market in February.
The Hawks said the purchase followed an extensive process “with several parties interested,” adding “the AFL emerged as the best buyer, ensuring that Waverley Park remains in the hands of the footy community.”
“A lot of work has been done to ensure the best possible outcome for both the club and the future of Waverley Park,” Hawthorn’s chief operating officer Jacob Attwood said.
“With the facility changing hands to the AFL, we are confident that its historical significance of Waverley Park will be preserved.
“Looking forward for our club, the sale of this facility puts us in a very strong position to make the move to the Kennedy Community Centre later this year.”
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