Today Parramatta made a decision that was right for its plans, for the football team and for the club.
It has put football results ahead of money and the wishes of the NRL to keep the upcoming Souths match at Pirtek Stadium.
When this issue was first raised earlier in the year, I wrote:
"This is a massive test for the club. In the past you can guarantee this match would have been switched. We have been a club that has taken the easy option. Shift the game, have the NRL give us a pat on the head and say "good boys" and not have to deal with opposition fans whinging on talkback that they can't get in.
This is a chance for us to stand up and say we are a Rugby League club. We're serious about this premiership and we are going to do everything we humanly possible can to get where we want to go, and certainly we're not about to give up what is statistically our biggest competitive advantage so we can give the opposition a reverse home game.
To my mind, this will be a decision that will define what the new Parra is all about. Do we take a cheap buck like we did at every opportunity in the 3P days or do we have balls, vision and smarts to stand up to everyone and do what's right for this club."
It may not seem such a big deal. But this is massive for me. It says that the cultural change we've seen on the field is also taking place in our management and administration. Well done, Parra. You've done the right thing by your members and your players.
Replies
The Dyldam Parramatta Eels have today declined an NRL request to relocate the club's Round 19 NRL Telstra Premiership match against the South Sydney Rabbitohs from Pirtek Stadium to ANZ Stadium.
This decision has been made with consideration to Members and fans, commercial partners, and football operations.
The Eels would like to thank the NRL for its openness in discussing its preference to relocate the game, but believe the best outcome for all stakeholders is for it to remain at Parramatta’s Pirtek Stadium.
“Pirtek Stadium has been a fortress for the Eels this year, and after promising our Members and fans the game would be played there, we fully intend to honour that commitment,” Eels CEO Scott Seward said.
“The Eels have played at this venue since 1947, and a situation like this is why the club is campaigning for an upgrade to Pirtek Stadium, to allow more Blue and Gold Members and fans to watch the Eels play at our spiritual home.”
That's a great call by the club. Well done! We are going to need all the help we can get - and maximising our number of games at Parra is a huge help - now lets pack the joint out!
If anyone is wanting to catch this game, I'd suggest book tickets early!
In other positive Parra news because I'm just so proud of this club right now:
I don't think it was mentioned between the Election scandal and the Penrith game last week, but Parramatta broke its 2014 membership tally last week to hit 17,205 members and hopefully they can keep climbing up towards that 20k.
There is a pretty cool 3 Game Membership option available right now.
http://www.parraeels.com.au/news/2014/05/30/eels_3_game_membership....
It's just $70 - so only $20 more than a normal membership and you get guaranteed seats to three out of four next home games (and of course start down the path to being able to vote in FC elections).
Can we shift the Darwin "Home" game v. Raiders back to Parra too???? Yeah Yeah...in my dreams!
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