Talking Footy

Giant leap: GWS fans clinch deal to buy stadium naming rights
By Vince Rugari
March 22, 2019

The Sydney Showground Stadium has a new naming rights sponsor - the Greater Western Sydney Giants themselves.

In what is believed to be an Australian first, the venue will now be known as 'Giants Stadium' after a group of cashed-up supporters bought the rights themselves on behalf of the club.



Previously known as Skoda Stadium and, until last month, Spotless Stadium, the new branding takes immediate affect ahead of GWS's season opener at home against Essendon on Sunday.

The multi-million dollar agreement is open-ended and actually leaves the Giants in a financially stronger position in comparison to past deals, CEO David Matthews said.

"We've been working through various alternatives and we actually recognised internally that the brand that could benefit most from the naming rights for the stadium was in fact our own," Matthews told the Herald.

The Giants took the idea to their coterie groups, who dipped into their own pockets to make it become a reality. Matthews said there were between 50 to 60 people involved, some of whom live in Canberra and Sydney, some overseas. None of them want to be publicly identified.

"They don't want any fanfare ... they want the Giants brand to be the key thing that's acknowledged and that's the beauty of it," Matthews said.

"The thing is for us, we've got a fair gap to make up because we're only seven, eight years old playing against teams that have had 150 years to build their fanbase, some of them have gaming revenue.

"There's no doubt over time the coterie groups from day one of this club have been instrumental in developing a financial backing that's enabled us to compete and to pay things like up to the limit of the salary cap, up to the soft cap (on football department spending) and other things.

"This is just an extension of that in a lot of ways - a group of guys emotionally connected to the club who say, 'well, if this is the strategy that you want to pursue we're willing to help support it and fund it'."

While the Western Sydney Wanderers are due to finish up at Olympic Park at the end of the A-League season, the Giants Stadium name will stick all year round - even when the Sydney Thunder are playing Big Bash League matches.

Former GWS midfielder Devon Smith, now with the Bombers, had another name for the ground which has ruffled some feathers at his old club this week - 'the graveyard'.

"It didn't go unnoticed," Matthews said of Smith's sledge. "Essendon will know they're walking into Giants Stadium. And I hope they walk out upset."

Coach Leon Cameron declared on Thursday his hope for a crowd around 16-17,000 to greet Smith, Dylan Shiel and the Bombers - the club's first round one game at home since 2014. Given the favourable weather forecast for Sunday, it's an achievable target, although it would be their biggest non-derby attendance in the club's short history.

But Matthews believes it's time GWS starts aiming high when it comes to off-field matters. Having notched 27,000 members last season, Matthews wants them to hit the 30,000 mark this year.

"I'd see it as something we've got to aspire to," he said. "We haven't played a Sunday afternoon game for quite some time but against a big opponent we're hoping for a sizeable crowd and hopefully a win that gives us some momentum going into a home game against Richmond in round three."

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/AFL/giant- ... 516ou.html

AFLcrap1 wrote: Sat Mar 23, 2019 8:44 am

Lol
How irrelevant

AFLcrap1 wrote: Sat Mar 23, 2019 8:44 am

Lol
How irrelevant

Beaussie wrote: Sat Mar 23, 2019 7:19 am

Nice strategy Giants. Australian first and great marketing for the young football club.

Giant leap: GWS fans clinch deal to buy stadium naming rights
By Vince Rugari
March 22, 2019

The Sydney Showground Stadium has a new naming rights sponsor - the Greater Western Sydney Giants themselves.

In what is believed to be an Australian first, the venue will now be known as 'Giants Stadium' after a group of cashed-up supporters bought the rights themselves on behalf of the club.



Previously known as Skoda Stadium and, until last month, Spotless Stadium, the new branding takes immediate affect ahead of GWS's season opener at home against Essendon on Sunday.

The multi-million dollar agreement is open-ended and actually leaves the Giants in a financially stronger position in comparison to past deals, CEO David Matthews said.

"We've been working through various alternatives and we actually recognised internally that the brand that could benefit most from the naming rights for the stadium was in fact our own," Matthews told the Herald.

The Giants took the idea to their coterie groups, who dipped into their own pockets to make it become a reality. Matthews said there were between 50 to 60 people involved, some of whom live in Canberra and Sydney, some overseas. None of them want to be publicly identified.

"They don't want any fanfare ... they want the Giants brand to be the key thing that's acknowledged and that's the beauty of it," Matthews said.

"The thing is for us, we've got a fair gap to make up because we're only seven, eight years old playing against teams that have had 150 years to build their fanbase, some of them have gaming revenue.

"There's no doubt over time the coterie groups from day one of this club have been instrumental in developing a financial backing that's enabled us to compete and to pay things like up to the limit of the salary cap, up to the soft cap (on football department spending) and other things.

"This is just an extension of that in a lot of ways - a group of guys emotionally connected to the club who say, 'well, if this is the strategy that you want to pursue we're willing to help support it and fund it'."

While the Western Sydney Wanderers are due to finish up at Olympic Park at the end of the A-League season, the Giants Stadium name will stick all year round - even when the Sydney Thunder are playing Big Bash League matches.

Former GWS midfielder Devon Smith, now with the Bombers, had another name for the ground which has ruffled some feathers at his old club this week - 'the graveyard'.

"It didn't go unnoticed," Matthews said of Smith's sledge. "Essendon will know they're walking into Giants Stadium. And I hope they walk out upset."

Coach Leon Cameron declared on Thursday his hope for a crowd around 16-17,000 to greet Smith, Dylan Shiel and the Bombers - the club's first round one game at home since 2014. Given the favourable weather forecast for Sunday, it's an achievable target, although it would be their biggest non-derby attendance in the club's short history.

But Matthews believes it's time GWS starts aiming high when it comes to off-field matters. Having notched 27,000 members last season, Matthews wants them to hit the 30,000 mark this year.

"I'd see it as something we've got to aspire to," he said. "We haven't played a Sunday afternoon game for quite some time but against a big opponent we're hoping for a sizeable crowd and hopefully a win that gives us some momentum going into a home game against Richmond in round three."

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/AFL/giant- ... 516ou.html

AFLcrap1 wrote: Sat Mar 23, 2019 8:44 am

Lol
How irrelevant

King-Eliagh wrote: Sat Mar 23, 2019 10:56 pm

Not too shabby. I also wonder how much was forked out for this. It would also be nice to know who did the forking out. Quite possibly it was the AFL just tryin to keep their desperate desperate push for gdubbya to be relevant on the low down.

AFLcrap1 wrote: Sun Mar 24, 2019 9:48 am

Not triggered . We laugh at the attempts to keep AFL in the news .
Look at us look at us