Parramatta Eels looking at shift to ANZ Stadium

[Jodeci]

Parramatta Eels looking at shift to ANZ Stadium

• by: Josh Massoud
• From: The Daily Telegraph
• June 07, 2013 12:00AM

EXCLUSIVE: THE new Eels board is entertaining the option of moving more games away from Parramatta Stadium, with ANZ Stadium in line to host a greater number of fixtures from 2014.


The Daily Telegraph can reveal Eels CEO Ken Edwards sought legal clarification on the club's tenancy at Parramatta Stadium, before the issue of transferring more games to Olympic Park was raised at a meeting of the newly-elected board late last month.

The development has emerged amid the biggest clean-out in the club's 66-year history, which began on Wednesday when Edwards and coach Ricky Stuart told 12 players - including co-captain Reni Maitua - they weren't in the club's plans beyond this season.


Fellow co-captain Jarryd Hayne yesterday slammed the manner in which the news was delivered, accusing the club of putting his teammates "on show" in front of "their peers and staff" at the extraordinary meeting.

Under their current agreement with Parramatta Stadium, which runs until the end of 2015, the Eels are permitted to move four of their 12 games away from their spiritual home.

But The Daily Telegraph can reveal the deal is yet to be signed off, with both parties currently respecting a Heads of Agreement based on a Memorandum of Understanding that was drawn up last November.

The agreement allows the Eels to transfer further games to ANZ Stadium should their ticket and membership sales forecast a crowd in excess of 20,000.

However, the club must compensate Parramatta Stadium Trust $70,000 for any further fixtures that are moved to Olympic Park.


With Parramatta targeting 20,000 members by the end of 2013, Edwards, the former ANZ Stadium CEO, sought advice about playing more games there from club solicitor Brian Belling - who yesterday declined to comment - in April.


The club has scheduled three matches - against Canterbury, South Sydney and St George Illawarra - at ANZ Stadium this year.
Edwards last night said he regarded the Heads of Agreement with Parramatta Stadium as "binding", but vowed: "It will depend on how our membership sales go.

"There is a possibility that we will play more games at ANZ Stadium.
"We've got a new board in place and we're reviewing all those things at the moment.
"We have every intention of honouring our agreement with Parramatta Stadium."

New chairman Steve Sharp vowed that Parramatta Stadium would remain home of the Eels during his successful election campaign last month. He did not return calls.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...t-to-anz-stadium/story-fni3ga7r-1226658949837

 

[Twizzle]

so..................................a one liner about the fact they are thinking about a move and the rest is all about Hayne and Sticky

And people wonder why I hate journos.

 

[Mickyd39]

Why is the club giving info or even talking to that grub Massoud.

 

[born an eel]

Why is the club giving info or even talking to that grub Massoud.

welcome to the new era of 3P and Josh trying to undermine the new board.

I think this quote says it all "Edwards, the former ANZ Stadium CEO, sought advice about playing more games there from club solicitor Brian Belling - who yesterday declined to comment - in April."

 

[IFR33K]

I hope bongo is sitting down when he reads this article.

 

[jimmy77au]

I don't give a turd about the politics behind the scenes - but to me it seems like they are doing due diligence - if they club can pull over the 20k Members mark, then it may well lead to pressure on the Govt to upgrade Parra Stadium - if they threaten to pull out of there.

 

[Jodeci]

I hope bongo is sitting down when he reads this article.

I hope Bongo makes some serious contact within his group to find out what's going on.

 

[Jodeci]

"There is a possibility that we will play more games at ANZ Stadium.
"We've got a new board in place and we're reviewing all those things at the moment.

This is a concern if Edwards said this

 

[born an eel]

20k members is hollow when only 9000 turned up for our last match.

I would be interested in the breakdown of memberships, how many season ticket, mudgee, brisbane, melbourne, baby holders before saying parra stadium is to small for our member numbers

 

[Gary Gutful]

Yeah I'd be very concerned about someone doing proper due diligence and reviewing all of the available options.

That was my take on the article.

 

[born an eel]

"There is a possibility that we will play more games at ANZ Stadium.
"We've got a new board in place and we're reviewing all those things at the moment.

This is a concern if Edwards said this

I would expect Edwards to be up on all the contracts signed that are still current,

the agreement would run to the end of 2015 and they are expecting to reach 20K members before then, they should be aware of the implications of any decisions made.

 

[Gronk]

Might be a ploy to pressure Venues NSW into an upgrade commitment.

 

[Twizzle]

I hope bongo is sitting down when he reads this article.

why ?

it doesn't say anything

Edwards is CEO, its his job to explore all options but no decision has been made

slow news day !!

 

[oldmancraigy]

20k members is hollow when only 9000 turned up for our last match.

I would be interested in the breakdown of memberships, how many season ticket, mudgee, brisbane, melbourne, baby holders before saying parra stadium is to small for our member numbers

That knife cuts both ways though?

If we look at the numbers, and we're only averaging a low number at Parra, compared to a much higher number at ANZ (which is also cheaper) one has to wonder if the issue is that we're incapable of drawing a crowd, or if a crowd doesn't want to go to a certain place?


Hopefully it's like Gronk said: a ploy to pressure a decision on upgrading Parra

 

[born an eel]

That knife cuts both ways though?

If we look at the numbers, and we're only averaging a low number at Parra, compared to a much higher number at ANZ (which is also cheaper) one has to wonder if the issue is that we're incapable of drawing a crowd, or if a crowd doesn't want to go to a certain place?


Hopefully it's like Gronk said: a ploy to pressure a decision on upgrading Parra

a larger crowd doesn't necessarily relate to an increased presence of eels supporters. I am sick of playing 2 away games against the dogs each year.

Most polls seem to indicate season ticket holders would prefer to go to Parra stadium, the casual support base probably has a slight leaning towards ANZ. If they really want to test the market they should divide the season tickets into 3 categories, both grounds, parra stadium or ANZ.


we should also consider our win/loss ratio at each ground otherwise using the logic of crowd numbers to venues we would play both bronco games in QLD

 

[hineyrulz]

Reading comments on some other site apparently it cost us 70k to play a game at Parra while when we play at ANZ we finish 150k ahead. At those numbers you would we mad not too look at all options. Ken has said we are looking at 40k members by 2017, by then Parra Stadium will we over 30 years old i really think we should be pushing either for a refurb or a new Stadium out Parra way altogether. We really as a club should be looking ahead not backwards, i know this will upset plenty on here but the game now with a new TV deal and a whole new management in place is going ahead in leaps and bounds and we as a club should be looking to do the same.

 

[mickdo]

Oh great

 

[Parramatta1947]

Yeah and our winning record at ANZ Stadium is outstanding.............:roll:

I am sick of us playing home games at ANZ stadium. The fact the opposition fans are more than we have at the game says it all. You won't increase member numbers by moving there.

And we aren't exactly packing out the stadium now. It will be cricket noises in the Olympic stadium with even more empty seats.

Hopefully this is just a ploy to get money from the state government for an upgrade.

 

[Jake the snake]

If they move they lose 8 memberships from my mates and I. ANZ IS A SHITHOLE.

 

[Jake the snake]

Where are these leaks coming from???