Lol, this is politics. The media is the battle field where political wars are won and lost.
Actually all politics is about popularity. Get the media fired up by the NRL about the need for a new stadium, get the fans disgruntled at the lack of political will to support their game, watch the pollies find the money. The Govt will spend money where they think it will earn them votes, that agenda is often driven by the media. Good luck getting the nsw govt to spend $350mill without this.
I wouldn't say this statement smacks of pragmatism, more lack of strategy or clear lobbying agenda
NRL chief executive Dave Smith said a world-class rugby league stadium was needed in Western Sydney but said the NRL had not yet ?landed on a preferred option?.
No Pennies fan will travel to Penrith Park (or whatever it is named) either.
If it is ever built it will be in Blacktown (Eastern Creek) or Liverpool/Fairfield.
What benefit do those serve, particularly servicing by railway lines, that Clyde or Parramatta doesn't?
No one is saying the stadium has to be a certain distance away from Homebush, this is about a 35k+ purpose built stadium that is concentrating the funding that 4-5 other stadiums get as band aid fixes.
What that looks like is getting fans from Campbelltown, Parra, Bulldogs, Penrith and WSW in a location they can all access in an equitable manner.
The locks out the peripheries such as Penrith and Campbelltown, and more centralised would tend it around Parra, or slightly south.
I came from Liverpool, the walk from the station to woodward park is the same or longer than the walk to Parra stadium from parra station. It's also too much of a dterant for Tigers and Penrith fans distance wise.
Fairfield park is the only thing resembling a location in Fairfield, and not really suitable.
Parra would only needed expanded (I know that means rebuilt) top decks on the east and west stands, fitting in 7,000 more seats each.
you know the one guarenteed way to get better stadiums...
Sell out the ground for like 20 straight weeks...
Millions will flow from govt ...... i promosie