AFL great Kevin Sheedy weighs in on Sydney’s bid to dethrone Melbourne as sporting capital of Australia
An AFL legend has laughed off Sydney’s bid to dethrone Melbourne as the sporting capital of Australia, declaring Victoria has even ‘got the best rugby league team’. Have your say.
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Australian football Legend Kevin Sheedy has laughed off suggestions Sydney could replace Melbourne as the sporting capital of Australia.
It comes as Sydney‘s new stadium boss and GWS Giants chairman Tony Shepherd plans to bring global sports and entertainment superstars to the Harbour City.
“The boy from Murrumbeena, who barracks for Geelong and is the chairman of the Giants, wants to shake up Sydney. I like that,” Sheedy quipped to the Sunday Herald Sun.
“Isn’t it great to see Victorian people wanting to shake up Sydney.
“Sydney will never get the passion of the Melbourne sporting public.
“It’s going to be very hard to catch up (passion), but events wise, smart people can create a boiler on Melbourne’s backside.”
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Shepherd has a licence to deliver world class events and entertainment to the Sydney Football Stadium, Bankwest and ANZ Stadium to justify the NSW Government’s billion dollar spend on the venues.
Shepherd wants to open negotiations with the NFL to bring two teams to Sydney for a competition game as part of a spectacular launch on the world stage for the new $750 million Sydney Football Stadium.
A possible calendar would include EPL giants Manchester United or Liverpool, Ed Sheeran or Taylor Swift concerts and a world heavyweight boxing contest at Bankwest Stadium in December.
Victorian Tourism, Sport and Major Events Minister Martin Pakula bit back yesterday.
“We know other states covet our events,” Pakula said.
“That’s why we spend money on sporting infrastructure and lock those events away.
“Nobody will be getting the Australian Open, the AFL Grand Final, the Melbourne Cup, the Grand Prix or the Boxing Day Test.
“We have the best sporting infrastructure, the best events and the best sports fans.
“They turn up like nowhere else in the country.
“2020 is a really difficult year but if anyone thinks that matters in the longer term, they’re dreaming.”
Sheedy welcomed Sydney’s appetite as a nice reminder to Melbourne’s sports and major events bosses.
“It’s great to have the two cities compete because we’re going to get a good lift from both,” Sheedy said.
“They won’t beat the Melbourne Cup, so forget about that. They won’t beat our Grand Final.
“Certain things they won’t get hold of, the tennis (Australian Open), they never got that, can’t get that.
“We’ve got the best rugby league team in Melbourne so we’re going OK.
“One of their best (events), which doesn’t last a long time because they’re always leaving, is the Sydney to Hobart.
“If that’s a great (Sydney) event I’m stuffed, all we do is see them sail out the heads.
“I like it when somebody puts their hand up to have a go.
“It makes Melbourne want to not be too lackadaisical … not to just sit there and think you’ve had it for a long time and you’re going to keep having it.”
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