Redcliffe’s Dolphin Stadium to be renamed as part of new sponsorship deal
A new sponsorship deal will see one of southeast Queensland’s most-loved footy heartlands renamed, and a lot of fans are unhappy about it.
Moreton
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Redcliffe’s Dolphin Stadium is to be renamed Moreton Daily Stadium – a move that has left many fans seeing red.
Redcliffe Leagues Football Club has been a part of the community for more than 70 years.
The stadium has undergone a major redevelopment over the past five years and now has a capacity of 11,500.
Those upgrades were funded with significant contributions from Moreton Bay Regional Council and the State and Federal Governments.
Hayley Webb, the granddaughter of legendary clubman and player Des Webb, who has a stand named after him at the stadium, said she was shocked by the move.
“I remember being a little kid and granddad saying how every kid should be able to play sport and he always called it Redcliffe Dolphins Oval – if I had my pick, I’d pick that,” she said.
“But maybe I am just being nostalgic.”
Redcliffe Dolphins have also launched a bid to be the next team to join the NRL competition.
In September last year Redcliffe Dolphins CEO Tony Murphy hinted that if that where to happen the club would most likely drop the Redcliffe from its name and changed to something that encompassed the whole Moreton Bay region.
Dolphins last year also announced a new partnership with the NZ Warriors NRL club.
The club has posted an update on its website stating an announcement would be “coming soon” regarding the stadium being named Moreton Daily Stadium.
Mr Murphy said The Dolphins have entered into a naming rights sponsorship with Moreton Daily.
“After the Naming Rights Sponsorship launch the stadium will become Moreton Daily stadium for the next three years,” Mr Murphy said.
“We had interest from numerous Online betting companies, beverage companies to multinational firms scrambling to win naming rights but we chose a local as the appropriate name.
“The stadium will always revert back to Dolphin Stadium at the end of any sponsorship and if no other sponsorship is forthcoming.”
Mr Murphy said if the club is to be successful in its NRL bid it needs to remain financially stable.
“The naming rights is a part of the strategy we are following to be the successful bidder to make sure the Dolphins are a success on the national stage,” he said.
“We also think of the Dolphins being the sole Queensland Cup team of the Moreton Bay Regional Council area and the name Moreton should resonate with us all.”
Mr Murphy said all members of the board, including Des Webb’s son Terry, agreed to the naming rights commercial agreement.
“The opportunity to compete at the highest level of our game only presents itself maybe once every 30 years if that, unfortunately sentiment alone won’t get you there. However stands such as the ‘Des Webb Stand’ will always remain as such,” he said.
“Our Dolphins strategic plan’s number one goal is to play rugby league at the highest level, it has been for as long as I can remember. We now have an opportunity to turn this dream into a reality and commercial soundness is the NRLs number one requirement.”
Moreton Daily is a website run by Moreton Bay Region Industry and Tourism (MBRIT), who also recently launched a free community newspaper named Dolphins News.
MBRIT have a Service Level Agreement with Moreton Bay Regional Council and run and organise major events and work to promote tourism.
The news of the renaming caused uproar among fans on social media with many labelling the move “stupid” and disrespectful to the club’s history.
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Some said it was no different to Lang Park being named Suncorp Stadium, ANZ Stadium or Allianz Stadium.
Redcliffe Old Boy Denis Brennan said regardless of its official name it will always be Dolphin Stadium to him.
The stadium also plays host to A-League and W-League matches.
Both MBRIT and Redcliffe Leagues Football Club have been contacted for comment.
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