Interim Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson has revealed his clubâs plans to continue to expand the brand in the southwest region of Sydney as they fight a seemingly losing battle with the NSW Government over Leichhardt Oval.
Leichhardt Oval, one of the two spiritual homes of the merger club, has faced heavy criticism as the run-down and unsafe facilities at the venue look set to force the Tigers out of the ground from 2025 and beyond.
The Tigers and Inner West Council urged the NSW Government to help fund some re-development of the ground, but the calls were rejected, leaving the 89-year-old stadium in a dire state.
With a potential full-time move to Campbelltown Stadium firming as the likely outcome for the 2025 season, Richardson shed plenty of light on the Tigersâ strategic plan to grow revenue and brand exposure in Sydneyâs
âThe financial side of going to Leichhardt⌠itâs better than Campbelltown but weâve always taken the crap games to Campbelltown,â Richardson told
SEN 1170 Sportsday.
âWith all due respect and Iâm not having a go at the Titans but theyâre not going to draw a lot of people at Campbelltown but this year weâre taking Souths, weâre taking St. George, weâre taking Brisbane (to Campbelltown Stadium), so weâll get a chance to see how (well) that Campbelltown district does.â
The Campbelltown-Narellan area is forecasted to see a 54 per cent population growth over the next 20 years, making it one of the more lucrative areas across the greater Sydney region.
âIt is the biggest growth area in Australia, the population is going to go up by half a million people in the next ten years, itâs a magnificent industrial area (and) weâre opening an office there, which is part of the strategic plan, which weâve never done before,â Richardson added.
âCertainly, itâs a strategic plan to grow, weâve got 9,286 juniors, (only) Penrith have the same, weâll go to ten thousand juniors next year, thatâs our aim, weâll have more juniors than anyone else.
âItâs a licence to print money and itâs a licence to grow a club and hopefully weâll work with the council, but theyâve got to step up too and improve facilities as well.
âBut their facilities are certainly far better and far safer than the ones at Leichhardt.â
When discussing the future of the Tigers staying at Leichhardt Oval beyond the end of this season, Richardson boldly claimed: âWe pushed the barrel on Leichhardt, (the NSW government) said no, thatâs their decision, itâs not ours, so weâll have to go somewhere else.â
âTheir facilities are certainly far better and far safer than the ones at Leichhardt.â
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