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Round one stays at Parra

Media Release from the club:

The Pirtek Parramatta Eels will be playing their Round 1 blockbuster against the St George Illawarra Dragons at Parramatta Stadium after the club and Stadium Trust failed to reach an agreement to move the match to ANZ Stadium.

A huge crowd is anticipated for the game and Eels CEO Paul Osborne expects a sell-out for the season opener.

“The board has listened to our members and fans and decided to play our first match of the NRL season at Parramatta Stadium,” Osborne said.

“The penalty was too great to move the game, since Parramatta Stadium were going to impose a $100,000 penalty, on top of the hirers’ fee we were already contracted to pay. To move the match would have cost us almost $200,000.

“Clearly the current arrangement with Parramatta Stadium is onerous and it is difficult to make decisions like this that could benefit the club and its fans.

“Now we hope the fans support our players and pack out all our games throughout the season and make them sell-outs.”

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ezzz on February 26, 2010 at 9:43pm: Love it!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Teena Leanne Beckett on February 26, 2010 at 10:42pm: I Am Over The Moon our game will remain where it should Parramatta Stadium
for Round 1 Can't Wait to see Jarryd and our boys play for the first time
and am so Excited about seeing Parramatta Stadium for the first time; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by stevo on February 27, 2010 at 9:09am: common sense prevails bring it on; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bourbon Man on February 27, 2010 at 12:20pm: It's got nothing to do with being a smart decision or a dumb decision. Paul Osborne was committed to 'attempting' to move the game to ANZ after all the fuss he kicked up during last year's semi at Kogarah. He'd look the fool if he didn't 'try' to move our game. The reality is the club is contracted to the Parramatta Stadium Trust to play a certain number of games at the ground per year and had we moved this game, we would be in breach of contract and penalised $100k - on top of the $100k rent we pay for the ground for that one game as well - costing the club $200k.

Now despite the bigger gate that ANZ would bring, it would prove to be a false economy considering the penalties we'd have to pay. In the end, the game was never going to be moved but Osborne has come out looking fantastic!

Smart CEO we have!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by eels_brad on February 27, 2010 at 12:26pm: Anyone thinking we were going to get 50,000 to ANZ needs to lay off the drugs. Maybe 35,000 MAX

I appreciate what Osborne was attempting but think the right decision has been made!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by EeLmatiC on February 27, 2010 at 1:19pm: Very smart CEO indeed - He said last year that Rd 1 was always going to be at Parramatta Stadium and it was never going to be moved to ANZ.

I think this has been a strategy of his all along, to get some media attention and put the onus back on the fans to make sure the ground is full for Rd 1, and for every home game of the season.

By declaring his intentions to move the opening match of the season to ANZ, he not only created attention from the media, but also got a mixed reaction from the fans. I think this worked in his favour, as for now, it may seem like 30 odd thousand are going to miss out (and lost revenue), but in the end he will get bums on seats.

"Now we hope the fans support our players and pack out all our games throughout the season and make them sell-outs."

Thats what the chief said and he probably just used ANZ as a lure..

Either way, im fine with it.. I'll be there wether they play at Parra or the bloody moon...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joey on February 27, 2010 at 1:13pm: So disappointed that I will be in WA for the first home game of the year. Just recently moved to Sydney and bought my first ever season tickets. So annoyed, looks like i will have to give em to my brother. Lucky guy.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Brett on February 27, 2010 at 1:30pm: Sorry "iamnot" but they have put the fans first (real fans) you find out who they are when parra is traveling bad & they turn up week in week out to the games, not the ones who only want to be a part when were travelling well.; ▶ Reply to This