NRL plans to build a new Western Sydney stadium

The National Rugby League is in the initial stages of planning to construct a new stadium in Sydney’s southwest. The code is looking to own a stadium similar to its counterpart’s, the AFL, who have owned Marvel Stadium since 2016.

If the plans succeed, the NRL plans to purchase land and build a new stadium to call their own. They will then use the stadium to generate revenue by renting it out to sports organisations and others in the entertainment industry. 

The idea is to construct a world-class stadium in the southwest, either in Liverpool or in Rossmore, next to the new Western Sydney airport. Their eyes are on two properties:

• A vacant property next to the airport in Rossmore or, 
• The 26,000sqm Oasis site in Liverpool that Canterbury Leagues own.

However, according to sources, the Oasis site is not big enough to build a stadium that can hold more than 20,000 people, unless the Liverpool City Council is willing to give up the property next to the site.  

Approached the Bulldogs and the Tigers for Partnership

According to reports by The Sydney Morning Herald, NRL boss Andrew Abdo and the ARLC chairman Peter V'landys have recently commenced talks with the Canterbury Bulldogs and Wests Tigers bosses to gauge if they would be keen on playing home games at a new stadium.

While no official agreements have been made yet, the Wests Tigers are expected to seriously consider the proposal.

The team is desperate to find a permanent solution to the complex situation they have had in the past two decades – they currently do not have one permanent home and split their home games between three venues:

• Leichhardt Oval 
• Campbelltown Stadium 
• CommBank Stadium

Currently, the Wests Tigers are believed to be in favour of a major refurbishment of Campbelltown Stadium, so they can use it to play at least ten games a year, and the remaining two at their spiritual home, Leichhardt Oval. However, the club would be open to the idea of having a home in Liverpool or Badgerys Creek, which is close to the new International Airport and an area with better roads and railway infrastructure.

According to the Tigers boss Lee Hagipantelis, “I've made it very well known that I believe the greatest challenge facing the Wests Tigers is securing a permanent home in the short to medium term.”

He also said that the club is very excited by the prospects of having a home in Liverpool or Campbelltown and are very ready to support the idea. 

On the other hand, the Bulldogs are all for the idea. The Bulldogs chairman, John Khoury, has been quoted saying, “The Bulldogs are open to hearing proposals and have the good of the game in our thinking. But at the moment, we have not received any formal proposals.”

Project Funding

The NRL approached the NSW state government for potential funding to fund the project. However, the code was met with strong resistance as the $800 million investment pledge into Sydney stadia was already set to benefit other stadium projects in the city, in an effort to retain the NRL Grand Final in NSW.

The investment beneficiaries are expected to be:

• Sydney Olympic Park, 
• Penrith, and
• Manly

However, despite that, the code seems to be doing well this year. Reports show that the NRL is close to closing a new free-to-air broadcast contract with Nine Entertainment Co, amounting to around $550-$600 million. This is after they just announced an $80 million profit for the year 2021. 

Distribution of the $800 million

Earlier this year, V'landys, while on an interview with 2GB's Ben Fordham, mentioned that the $800 million that was formerly set aside to upgrade Stadium Australia, should instead be spent on other suburban stadiums.

According to the latest news from the BetPokies website, the NSW government has committed part of the $800 million into renovating Stadium Australia. On the remaining balance, $300 million goes into a 25,000-seat stadium in Penrith and around $200 million into upgrading the Brookvale Oval.

In the same breath, the government has now decided against the $200 million initially set aside for the redevelopment of Kogarah Oval.