West is best for Bunnies under stadium deal, says sports minister

3 months ago 24

The NSW government has doubled down on its refusal to let South Sydney out of its long-term deal at Accor Stadium and return to Moore Park, citing data detailing the Rabbitohs’ vast fan base in the city’s west.

Souths will complete their season on Friday night against fierce rivals the Sydney Roosters at the $828 million Allianz Stadium, which the club wants to move to after two decades at Sydney Olympic Park.

South Sydney’s Cody Walker walks out onto Allianz Stadium ahead of the Rabbitohs’ round 24 match against Parramatta.

The Rabbitohs have had supporters such as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese advocate for the relocation of their home games to their traditional territory and City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has campaigned on their behalf.

But the state government rejected their request to get out of their contract to play at Accor Stadium, which runs until 2030, saying it would cost between $20 million and $70 million over the remainder of the deal in commercial revenue.

In a letter sent to Moore by Sports Minister Steve Kamper seen by this masthead, he also quotes Souths’ supporter numbers beyond their local catchment area.

“I am aware of the strong support the Rabbitohs have in Sydney’s south-east. I’m also aware that the team’s popularity extends far beyond as a result of nearly 20 years of home matches at Accor Stadium, the site of their 2014 NRL grand final win. Indeed, the club’s own membership data shows that as matches were moved west, fans followed,” Kamper wrote in the letter in August .

“Publicly available Rabbitohs membership demographic data shows that in 2015, more than 20 per cent of the club’s membership lived west of Accor Stadium. Further, 22 per cent of Rabbitohs fans lived from Strathfield through to Liverpool and Campbelltown, 16 per cent in the Hills District, Parramatta and Greater West, 20 per cent in the inner-west or south-east such as Hurstville or Menai, 16 per cent from the Central Coast, Illawarra or other regional areas, and 10 per cent in Sydney’s eastern suburbs including Randwick, Coogee, Maroubra and Botany.”

The Rabbitohs have called Accor Stadium home for nearly 20 years.

Kamper told Moore the fan information helped explain why Souths in 2014 signed a venue hire agreement at the 83,500-capacity Accor Stadium, which they extended in 2016.

Souths’ contract to play nine games a year there runs for the next five seasons, but they have sought to go back to their heartland.

The club says the rebuilt 42,500-seat Allianz Stadium is a far better fit for its regular season NRL games due to its premium facilities and game-day experience as well as its central location, access to transport and capacity for engagement with sponsors.

A proposed $810 million development of Accor Stadium into a 70,000 rectangular arena was scrapped.

Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly declined to comment on Sunday except to say they were “very grateful for the support of the City of Sydney Council” and its relationship with the club.

Souths have declared they would continue to press for a shift to Allianz Stadium, requesting details breaking down the financial impact of their departure from Accor Stadium.

Kamper wrote to Moore in the August 4 letter that Venues NSW could not release such commercially sensitive information.

Venues NSW chief executive Kerrie Mather told a NSW parliamentary committee hearing on August 20 that Souths were on “very attractive terms” at Homebush under an amended agreement signed four years ago and that they were an important part of the ecosystem there.

She said “the Rabbitohs were offered highly compensatory terms in 2021 to compensate them for the fact that the redevelopment of Accor didn’t proceed”.

Solly told News Corp in 2022 that Souths had to sign the amended deal “because we didn’t have anywhere else to go”.

Kamper said he had a soft spot for the Rabbitohs and that he had a great connection with the club but he said their proposed move was not economically viable.

“It’s just one of those decisions,” he told the parliamentary hearing. “As a minister, you’ve got to make the right decision for the state asset base.”

The Roosters opposed Souths’ bid to join them as tenants at the Allianz Stadium and Friday’s final round match between the long-term adversaries comes amid an off-field scandal that has ensnared both clubs.

Rabbitohs hooker Brandon Smith was charged last week with drug and betting offences and Roosters back-rower Victor Radley was named in a Queensland police summons.

Smith, who spent more than two years with Roosters before a mid-season switch to Souths, is accused of contacting an alleged drug dealer to supply cocaine to his former teammate during a golf trip.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Radley, 27, and Smith’s lawyer has indicated the 29-year-old New Zealand international will contest the charges.

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