Home and away
JASON AVEDISSIAN
09feb05
MANLY boss Paul Cummings has revealed the Sea Eagles have rejected several offers to move games away from Brookvale Oval this year.
Cummings said the football club board is still considering "a lot of approaches" to play games away from their spiritual home at Brookvale in 2006.
Manly is scheduled to play 12 games at Brookvale Oval in the NRL this year, starting with their annual grudge match with Cronulla in round two on March 20.
Cummings said the opportunity of increasing revenue through gate-takings and promoting the club and game interstate and in New Zealand were appealing attractions in moving fixtures away from the peninsula.
However, Cummings was adamant that it would take a significant financial incentive to move games away from Brookvale.
"The board will make a decision later this year if it wants to look at any possibilities of playing elsewhere (in 2006)," Cummings said yesterday as the Sea Eagles squad posed for their official team photo at Warriewood Beach.
"The board has flatly rejected approaches and is committed to our 12 games at Brookvale in 2005.
"Unless it's a substantial increase in gate takings we probably wouldn't play anywhere else next year.
"But there's a chance of making a lot more money than at our own oval."
Cummings said Manly had fielded offers from grounds in Wellington, Christchurch, and interstate in Western Australia, South Australia and Cairns.
Cummings said it's not unusual for cities that do not have an NRL team to offer clubs the opportunity to host one-off games.
"The NRL can ask us to play a game away to try and develop football in those areas," he said.
The Sea Eagles only host four teams this year at Brookvale that can be considered big crowd drawcards.
Newcastle, defending champions the Bulldogs, St George-Illawarra and the Broncos all have strong support away from home.
Cummings and head coach Des Hasler inspected Waikato Stadium in Hamilton last May following the Sea Eagles win over the Warriors.
JASON AVEDISSIAN
09feb05
MANLY boss Paul Cummings has revealed the Sea Eagles have rejected several offers to move games away from Brookvale Oval this year.
Cummings said the football club board is still considering "a lot of approaches" to play games away from their spiritual home at Brookvale in 2006.
Manly is scheduled to play 12 games at Brookvale Oval in the NRL this year, starting with their annual grudge match with Cronulla in round two on March 20.
Cummings said the opportunity of increasing revenue through gate-takings and promoting the club and game interstate and in New Zealand were appealing attractions in moving fixtures away from the peninsula.
However, Cummings was adamant that it would take a significant financial incentive to move games away from Brookvale.
"The board will make a decision later this year if it wants to look at any possibilities of playing elsewhere (in 2006)," Cummings said yesterday as the Sea Eagles squad posed for their official team photo at Warriewood Beach.
"The board has flatly rejected approaches and is committed to our 12 games at Brookvale in 2005.
"Unless it's a substantial increase in gate takings we probably wouldn't play anywhere else next year.
"But there's a chance of making a lot more money than at our own oval."
Cummings said Manly had fielded offers from grounds in Wellington, Christchurch, and interstate in Western Australia, South Australia and Cairns.
Cummings said it's not unusual for cities that do not have an NRL team to offer clubs the opportunity to host one-off games.
"The NRL can ask us to play a game away to try and develop football in those areas," he said.
The Sea Eagles only host four teams this year at Brookvale that can be considered big crowd drawcards.
Newcastle, defending champions the Bulldogs, St George-Illawarra and the Broncos all have strong support away from home.
Cummings and head coach Des Hasler inspected Waikato Stadium in Hamilton last May following the Sea Eagles win over the Warriors.
