The NSW government has again refused to let the South Sydney Rabbitohs walk away from its rich deal to play at Accor Stadium through to 2030, leaning on membership data in its ongoing arguments.
South Sydney has been eager to break away from their multimillion-dollar Homebush bargain for some NRL seasons now, with the club eager to play closer to its cultural home at the newly refurbished Allianz Stadium.
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The movement has had support from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – a diehard Bunnies fan – and City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, but the state government remains resolute that the deal will be honoured.
The crux of the concerns comes around the $20 million-$70 million the gov’t thinks it will lose.
Sports Minister Steve Kamper also turned to membership arguments in a letter to Mayor Moore recently.
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“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, 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.
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Souths are currently contracted to play nine games there through the next five years.
But, the club sees the 42,000-seater Allianz Stadium as a much better fit right in the middle of their heartland; the re-design at the inner city arena is also helping things, with the rebuild much nicer than Accor Stadium.
The state gov’t also backflipped on an $810M redevelopment, which the Rabbitohs tried to use (unsuccessfully) to break the deal.
Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly on Sunday said they were “very grateful for the support of the City of Sydney Council”– meaning Ms Moore. And, speaking quietly, the Rabbitohs have confirmed they would still push to leave the deal early.
