NRL bosses meet minister to learn how to sell building new stadiums to fans
NRL bosses Todd Greenberg and Peter Beattie met privately with Sports Minister Stuart Ayres yesterday over how to sell the government’s policy to tear down and rebuild the state’s two biggest stadiums.
NSW
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NRL bosses Todd Greenberg and Peter Beattie met privately with Sports Minister Stuart Ayres yesterday over how to sell the government’s policy to tear down and rebuild the state’s two biggest stadiums.
As the Berejiklian government stares down political pressure over its $2.3 billion scheme, The Daily Telegraph can reveal it is doubling down on how to communicate its economic benefits to voters.
It is understood the NRL believes its Origin and grand final content alone at the new Allianz and ANZ stadiums will deliver $1.7 billion in economic value to the state over the course of the agreement to play at the new venues.
New Australian Rugby League chair Beattie and NRL boss Greenberg were seen leaving state parliament yesterday.
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It is understood the NRL has raised with the government that it wants to do more to communicate to fans the benefits of both stadiums.
“They want to be on the front foot to communicate that the new benefits would be great for the game,” a source said. It is understood the NRL has been privately concerned the government could back away from the ANZ portion of the rebuild plan.
A spokesman said the NRL believed the government would deliver the stadiums deal it set out last year.
“That will see three world-class stadiums built in Sydney and our content alone will deliver about $1.7 billion in economic benefits for the state,” he said.
That figure relates to 25 years of the memorandum of understanding agreed to last year, in which the NRL will guarantee delivery of a string of major grand finals to the city.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian delivered a fiery performance in Question Time yesterday, saying while the government had put its stadiums policy on the record, the opposition was yet to reveal its own. She stated repeatedly that the government would back its building record in the state, which stood in stark contrast with Labor’s.