The Parramatta Chamber of Commerce has called on the Parramatta Eels not to consider playing home games outside the local area in 2019 after the club rejected a commercial terms agreement from the operator of Western Sydney Stadium.
Eels management deemed the commercial proposal from Western Sydney Stadium operator VenuesLive to be “unacceptable” after weighing it against similar offerings around the country.
“The current proposal … would adversely affect the ability of our club to invest in our football department including our NRL team and our junior elite football programs,” chief executive Bernie Gurr said.
“We are not prepared to accept a new agreement that will continue to impact the club negatively for the next 25 years.”
As a result the club is currently without a home ground for the 2019 NRL season.
“The Chamber is dismayed at the prospect of an expensive stadium not hosting the local football teams and events,” Parramatta Chamber of Commerce said in a media release.
Parramatta Chamber of Commerce president Schon Condon.“Parramatta Chamber of Commerce suggests that both parties reach a speedy resolution which puts families and fans in Greater Sydney at the top of the game.
“It would be bitterly disappointing to see the Eels find a new home ground outside Parramatta.”
Despite the Eels’ decision not to accept the commercial proposal, the Western Sydney Wanderers, Wests Tigers and NSW Waratahs have all agreed to terms to play games at Western Sydney Stadium next year.
“Our fear is that our local residents will pay an excessive cost of supporting their beloved Eels,” chamber president Schon Condon said.
“Those with strength and power should not put a costly noose around the neck of these communities as a way of profiteering.
Replies
thats the first i have seen about the wanderers have accepted the teams .would not surprise me. they wanted it for them selves in the first place as when it was first mooted as they said they were the senior tenant . plus look at all of the previous advertising for the new stadium what colours was always shown Red and Black so its not going to surprise me that this all will get turned around to paint us as the bad guys
I only hope that Bernie Gurr's decision not to accept the offer doesn't come back and bite him where it hurts! The 2018 year has been a total disaster for the Eels supporters and the last thing we need is another disastrous start to 2019 without the Eels having a suitable home ground venue! I don't understand why Gurr has refused the offer and yet the other teams have accepted it and that alone is cause for some concern.
I wouldn't worry too much Mont. The govt will be (as they always are these days) worried about saving face and making sure the stadium wasn't a waste of taxpayers money. They will play ball.
Because the other teams have agreed to play only 4 games there. We're negotiating a contract for 25 YEARS!
Imagine if we fuck it up, 25 years of pain. Ticket prices are already ridiculous.
Well Chamber of Commerce, why don't you support your local team then with sponsorship and marketing? Where were you when the club was searching for partners? There could be a massive win-win for both parties, but don't expect the Eels to do all the heavy lifting.
Good call Longy. If the Wanderers have accepted a deal, then the eels need to know what that so called senior tenant is paying for it. 2 or 3 more games there than the eels and if they get a better deal, especially as they play in the summer months the eels should get the same deal owing to being the longest term user of the site, that being in all its incarnations and brands.
The WSS trust should also be careful with the knowledge of how their fans have performed in the past with flares and the like, I know some will come back with the eels burning the grandstand and scoreboard after the premiership win, but different to the amount of problems the Wanderers fans have shown over the years.
It’s the off season and parra sells newspapers too. I would like to know the terms of Wests and the Wanderers if they’ve both agreed. As for union the coat pocket brigade and red bandana man and co can sort themselves out. As Gurr said this deal is for a longtime and we would have been mad to agree to the reported costs per game.
I see this manipulation as all part of the big picture privatisation scam and if the Eels were to vacate WSS, then what is stopping a private group of big money players to create a new RL team in Parramatta and be licensed by the NRL?????
Whether Bernie and co are in on it or not I have no idea, but you can clearly see the possible scenario of many, of a disbanded RL team playing in the country, NT, Leichhardt, Belmore, Campbelltown, etc, etc.
Sure, the LC gets to make lots of dosh but where is the prized exhibit the LC lives for?????