Gold Coast Suns admit they will not survive unless Stadium Queensland reduces fees
AFL’s embattled Gold Coast Suns have admitted they will not survive unless the Queensland government slashes the exorbitant stadium fees that are crippling the state’s biggest sporting clubs.
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AFL’s embattled Gold Coast Suns have admitted they will not survive unless the Queensland government slashes the exorbitant stadium fees that are crippling the state’s biggest sporting clubs.
The Suns’ stunning admission comes as the LNP launched an attack on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, claiming fans were being ripped off and labelling Labor’s treatment of AFL, NRL, A-League and rugby clubs as a “debacle”.
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As revealed by The Courier-Mail, the Gold Coast Titans are weighing-up their long-term tenancy at Robina due to Stadiums Queensland hiring fees which soared to $1.3 million last year.
The shockwaves have been felt by the Titans’ major competitor on the Gold Coast, with Suns chairman Tony Cochrane conceding for the first time that the cost of playing at Metricon Stadium could bankrupt the club.
A Sunday Mail and The Courier-Mail investigation revealed the Suns’ perilous financial position and Cochrane fears expensive SQ hiring fees could drive the final nail into the club’s coffin.
“Certainly we as a club take our responsibility to the community seriously and these (stadium) costs are a massive burden to our club which are not sustainable,” Cochrane said.
“The Gold Coast Suns welcomes the Premier’s initiative to find real solutions to this ongoing issue which is the heart of problems facing professional sport in Queensland.
“We are very pleased to hear the Premier announce a major shake-up of the SQ Board.”
The Courier-Mail can reveal Queensland attendances across the major football codes last year was 3.99 million.
In the LNP’s last full year in power in 2013-14, that figure was 4.46 million.
It means almost half-a-million fans have collectively deserted Queensland sporting outfits the Broncos, Titans, Cowboys, Lions, Suns, Reds and Roar in the past five years.
The clubs are particularly concerned at the rising cost of ticket prices because of the Queensland Government imposing a ticketing levy for game-day public transport services.
Incredibly, Suns research shows almost 50 per cent of their supporters are paying a levy on a government public-transport service they don’t use.
LNP Leader Deb Frecklington fired a broadside at the Premier and Stadiums Queensland.
“The Premier and her Ministers are trying to dodge the blame for this debacle. Who are they kidding?” she said.
“What on Earth has the Sports Minister been discussing with Stadiums Queensland if not this (the hiring-fees issue)?
“The buck stops with Annastacia Palaszczuk and her Ministers.
“Queensland fans are paying more for tickets and clubs are being bled dry because of this Government’s negligence.
“Our stadiums are not fan-friendly and we are falling behind the other states.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk needs to ensure these stadiums are run more efficiently or we risk losing our major teams and more major sporting fixtures.”
Palaszczuk on Monday vowed heads would roll on the Stadiums Queensland board.
“We’re going to be having a really good look at that issue,’’ Palaszczuk she said.
“I’ve been discussing that with Mick de Brenni and Kate Jones ... there will be a shake-up of the (SQ) board, that’s step No.1.
“And step No.2, we will be doing a thorough review, because what we have seen is that the Queensland public want to come out and support our sports in this state.’’
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Originally published as Gold Coast Suns admit they will not survive unless Stadium Queensland reduces fees
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