Veteran rugby league journalist Phil Rothfield has revealed Sydney could potentially lose the hosting rights to the NRL grand final if the state government doesn’t invest in the game.
The NRL has taken notice of the New South Wales government’s $15 million dollar deal to secure the A-League grand final in Sydney for the next three years.
The substantial investment has reportedly fired up NRL powerbrokers, who could take the end-of-year showcase interstate after a last-minute investment from Dominic Perrottet confirmed the game would be played in Sydney in 2022.
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Rothfield revealed he sat down with Chris Minns, leader of the NSW Labor Party, to discuss the investment that was at the centre of last year’s grand final debacle.
The ARLC and the NSW government had a deal in place to secure an $800 million investment into stadiums across the competition including Brookvale Oval, Leichhardt Oval, Penrith Stadium and Shark Park.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys said that deal was still in negotiations in August last year, and Minns believes those funds will be allocated elsewhere, while the state election could play a big part in the decision.
“I don’t think we’ll find out until after the state election,” Rothfield told the Big Sports Breakfast.
“I had the opportunity to have breakfast with Chris Minns last week and just to get his views on sport in Sydney and New South Wales and the elections in mid-March.
“I think both leaders at this stage with nurses, teachers and education, flood victims needing more immediate funding, will not be announcing $500 million spends on suburban grounds or roofs over Accor Stadium.
“What has lit the NRL up is that the A-League marched in last December and got $15 million off Destination NSW to host grand finals in Sydney for the next three years.
“I’ve written this morning outside of the dwindling numbers of A-League soccer fans, I don’t think there’s a huge interest in the grand final, I don’t think it’s going to stir up the economy, I don’t think it’s going to fill up hotel rooms, restaurants, bars, taxis.
“An NRL grand final brings in tens of thousands of fans from the bush, from interstate and it’s a huge tourism boost.”
Following last year’s scare, Rothfield believes if the NSW government doesn’t table a lucrative offer then there’s a good chance that the grand final could end up elsewhere.
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“Chris Minns is of the opinion that we’re too reluctant just to rely on the Opera House, the harbour, Taronga Zoo and the new Barangaroo to get our tourism into Sydney,” Rothfield said.
“Peter V’landys is very very strong in his views that the government have got to pay up and anything if the A League get five million a year the NRL’s worth four times that.
“Whether this $500 million, 25-year deal comes to the NRL via cash which I very much doubt or a guarantee to fund suburban grounds, fix Brookvale, fix Shark Park, fix Leichhardt, Campbelltown, Belmore I have serious concerns as to whether the game will stay in Sydney.
“We could get a Super Bowl type situation where the game will be put up to bids from various states to take our showpiece match out of Sydney.
“It would be an absolute disaster if it happened, Melbourne are actually destroying us with the sports that they have, the Australian Open, Grand Prix, AFL grand final, Boxing Day Test, Melbourne Cup, but we’ve got three A-League grand finals…. please.”
The success of interstate State of Origin games has shown that the NRL could achieve similar outcomes if they were to move the grand final outside of Sydney.
“It’s too early to determine, I think once the election’s over and either leader is put into power for three or four years,” Rothfield said.
“I think they will then be in a position not this year but the year after to do a deal with the NRL.
“Last year a deal was done at the very last minute for eight million dollars from the government to the NRL.
“This player dispute is showing us the game needs to make more investments and they’ve got to get commercial with their major events.
“In the old days, Origin was New South Wales gets two games Queensland gets one, next year Queensland gets two and New South Wales gets one.
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“Then Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne started throwing huge, huge bucks and it became a national event.
“Huge TV ratings around the country, huge sellouts from around the country.
“Rugby league has grown up a lot in the last decade as a national sport and we could even get a Perth team next as the 18th side.
“To answer your question, I can see it going, as I said like the Super Bowl and played in various states at different times.”
While Rothfield is eager for the grand final to stay put in Sydney, he believes upgrades to major and suburban stadiums need to be made.
Rothfield also made it clear the New South Wales government will have to give the NRL an incentive to keep the game in Sydney – otherwise the competition could potentially look elsewhere.
“I don’t want it to happen, Peter V’landys says in the column this morning that he favours keeping the match in its traditional home but they’ve got to do something in return, you can’t just have it,” Rothfield added.
“I don’t think it’s right that 100,000 or 83,000 fans pay $500 for a ticket and get rained on at Accor like at the Elton John concert the other night at Allianz.
“I think that venue needs a roof, I think Brookvale needs to be refurbished and I think the leaders have got to put it higher up on their priorities.
“I understand teachers are overworked, nurses are overworked, they’re funding plans at the moment that are understandable but if they want to keep the grand final here given the benefit from the tourism it brings to the city they’ve got to do something about it.”
