Telstra Stadium have their say

Austadiums • Monday 11th July 2005

"The NSW Rugby Union is being held to ransom by the SCG Trust over the hosting of Super 14 matches and it's time Rugby fans were told the full story," according to Telstra Stadium CEO, Mr Ken Edwards.

Mr Edwards was referring to ongoing negotiations over the hosting of Waratahs matches in Sydney. Telstra Stadium has made a submission to host two or three Super 14 matches, plus finals, from 2007 onwards.

"Super 14 is all about expansion, and Telstra Stadium wants to support NSW Rugby and help the game grow," said Mr Edwards. "It makes sense to have the big Super 14 games at Sydney's biggest stadium in the geographical heart of the city.

"It's not just about revenue for NSW Rugby. This is about giving thousands of extra fans the chance to watch the Waratahs at a venue easily accessible from all parts of Sydney.

"We understand that the NSW Government's SCG Trust has issued an 'all or nothing' ultimatum to NSW Rugby - in other words, do business on our terms and play every match where we say or we'll shut out the Waratahs from Aussie Stadium," said Mr Edwards.

"For all intents and purposes, NSW Rugby is being held to ransom. They clearly want to continue to play matches at Aussie Stadium into the future, and at the same time have the option of taking some matches elsewhere for the good of the Waratahs and the game of Rugby.

"But the SCG Trust obviously doesn't want NSW Rugby to have that choice.

"I find it quite unbelievable that a NSW Government owned body such as the SCG Trust, which is supposed to be the guardian of publicly owned sports facilities in this city, would be allowed to act in this manner."

Mr Edwards said the example of the Sydney Swans sets the template for the Waratahs. "The Swans play their biggest AFL matches at Telstra Stadium and the rest at the SCG and the arrangements work perfectly," said Mr Edwards.

"If the SCG Trust blocks this sort of commonsense outcome for the Waratahs, Telstra Stadium can provide NSW Rugby with an all-game option.

"But I have to say that a Swans-type model seems to provide NSW Rugby with the best overall outcome. Any reasonable assessment of the situation would find that big Super 14 matches should be played at Telstra Stadium, because the Waratahs have simply outgrown Aussie Stadium. The game against the Brumbies in 2004 sold out four weeks in advance, and thousands were denied the chance of seeing the match."

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"The NSW Rugby Union is being held to ransom by the SCG Trust over the hosting of Super 14 matches and it's time Rugby fans were told the full story," according to Telstra Stadium CEO, Mr Ken Edwards.
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