Manly Sea Eagles in talks to rename Brookvale Oval as Lottoland for seven-figure sum

EXCLUSIVE: A deal was this afternoon described as ‘imminent’ to change the Sea Eagles homeground name from Brookvale Oval to that of a gambling company.

Brookvale Oval set to be remaned to Lottoland.

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THE iconic fortress of the Manly Sea Eagles may be renamed Lottoland in an exchange for a seven-figure sum.

A proposal was this afternoon being finalised between the club and newcomer to the online lottery game Lottoland for naming rights to Brookvale Oval.

Proposed signage for Brookvale Oval.

The Sea Eagles are expected to announce more details in the coming days.

The Lottoland sign would be erected before the club’s first NRL home game on March 5.

Sea Eagles chief financial officer Neil Bare was confident fans would supportive the name change as it would “save rugby league on the northern beaches”.

Late Thursday a seven-figure three-year deal was “imminent”.

Mr Bare said the deal would help the club’s planned upgrade of the stadium, inclusing a 4000-seat grandstand.

“This is the first step towards the upgrades,at the moment we are in the submission stages of an upgrade for Brookvale Oval. This sort of support form a key corporate partner we need to move forward with those plans,” he said.

“One of the main reasons we partnered with them is they are very keen to support an upgrade of Brookvale Oval.”

A development application put before Northern Beaches Council shows plans for the NRL club to build a $325,000, 85.5 long metre sign on the Pittwater Rd side of the oval.

Lottoland is nearing a deal with the SeaEagles for naming rights of the venue. Picture: Braden Fastier.

Northern Beaches Council administrator Dick Persson said he had concerns, but had been made powerless to stop the club choosing whichever branding it likes.

“I expressed my view to the Sea Eagles that I didn’t think it was a good name, unfortunately the previous council did not include any veto right over the naming rights and I don’t have the ability to influence it apart from expressing opinion,” he said.

Northern Beaches Council owns the stadium, but the former Warringah Council gave the club stadium naming rights during contract negotiations last year.

At the time, a number of councillors expressed concerns that gambling, alcohol or offensive websites could get naming rights. But a majority of councillors voted down an amendment put forward to give the council vetoing powers over the oval’s name was by

New Sea Eagles CEO Tim Cleary at Brookvale Oval.

Matt Brinckley, marketing director at Lottoland said it was “all about ensuring Manly’s future on the northern beaches”.

“What is important to both of us is we see this as a long-term partnership, ensuring NRL can remain on the northern beaches on a suburban ground.”

A packed day at Brookvale Oval last year. Picture: Mark Evans

Mr Bare said the two sides had similar community values making Lottoland “the only group we wanted to work with.”

“We are a family-run company and it was important to the Penn family to have like-values and like-goals,” he said. And despite the name change, Mr Bare said it would still be known as the Sea Eagles’ Fortress.

Jean Hay at a parade for the Manly Sea Eagles after they won the NRL Premiership in 2011.

Despite negative connotations around gambling and sport, Mr Brinckley said Lottoland was far-removed from live betting.

“Very rarely do we have any anti-gambling or gambling problems with this product … it is a dollar for a dream.”

Former Manly mayor and Eagles Angel Jean Hay criticised Warringah Councillors for not keeping some control, and expressed concerns over the potential new name.

“Obviously because I am a great Sea Eagles fan I like to see them get the sponsorship dollars, but my personal opinion is I would not be all that enamoured with seeing Lottoland at the front of Brookvale Oval,” she said.

“It doesn’t ring with me at all. I can assure you it doesn’t ring my bells.

“There is just so much advertising for gambling everywhere you go. I don’t think we need to be adding to the proliferation of gambling advertising.”

The council said it had notified neighbouring residents and the Brookvale Valley Community Group of the planned signage.