GWS sign landmark deal for home games to be played at Giants Stadium

GWS Giants have signed a landmark deal — a virtual first in Australian sport — to secure the naming-rights for their home ground, which from Sunday, will be called ‘Giants Stadium.’

GWS Giants home ground will be known as Giants Stadium from Sunday.

The Yankees have Yankee Stadium. The Dodgers have Dodger Stadium. And now the Giants have Giants Stadium.

In one of the most significant developments in the eight-year history of the GWS Giants, the club has broken new ground in Australian sport by landing a multimillion-dollar deal for their own brand to take on the naming-rights for their home ground at Sydney Olympic Park.

AFL 2019: HOW CAN THE TIGERS COVER MASSIVE LOSS OF RANCE?

MCGUANE: WHY GIANTS, SWANS WILL STRUGGLE TO MAKE FINALS

GIANT BLOW: WHY JOSH KELLY WON’T FEATURE IN ROUND 1

SWANS SET TO THROW TALL ORDER AT BULLDOGS DEFENCE

The landmark deal with the Royal Agricultural Society has been financed by a number of anonymous private backers who have allowed the club to invest in growing and solidifying the Giants footprint in Western Sydney, rather than simply sign away the ground to a sponsor like previous naming rights holders, Spotless.

From the orange army’s opening-round clash tomorrow against Essendon, Giants Stadium in Sydney’s west will now become instantly recognisable as GWS headquarters, and even for Sydney Thunder Big Bash League matches, the rugby world 7s and The Royal Easter Show — the powerful Giants trademark is set in stone for several years to come.

Condescendingly dubbed ‘The Graveyard’ by Essendon star Devon Smith earlier this week, the Giants fortress has suddenly left the rest of the AFL for dead.

GWS Giants home ground will be known as Giants Stadium from Sunday.

No other Australian sporting franchise has ever played out of a stadium named after its own brand in such a way that the exposure doubles as an empire-building initiative, with the only comparison being Penrith’s NRL ground, Panthers Stadium which has been taken over by its Leagues Club.

Rather than sacrificing money to put the Giants moniker up in lights, GWS chief executive David Matthews claims the club closed the door on prospective corporate sponsors to score a financial windfall through its secret benefactors that is set to prove a marketing sensation.

“It’s an idea we generated internally and we actually workshopped it and said that the brand that could benefit most from the naming rights of our stadium was in fact, our own brand,” Matthews told The Daily Telegraph.

“This is for the fans, our players and our partners. WE don’t want to just build our identity in western Sydney and in Canberra, we want to build our identity across Sydney and across Australia and for that matter, globally.

Callan Ward celebrates a win with fans at Spotless Stadium. Picture. Phil Hillyard

“When you look at it, Giants Stadium is such a terrific platform to working towards all those ambitions. We generated it internally and then it was a matter of selling our proposition and seeking the funding to support it.”

The biggest AFL clubs turn over $90 million a year, and a significant gap exists to the Giants who as an effective start-up in rugby league heartland, turn over about half that amount.

Matthews said the backers didn’t want public recognition for an investment which has given the club an enormous boost on the eve of their season-opener against the Bombers.

“They don’t seek fanfare, they don’t want any recognition. We have a very significant network (of backers) in Canberra, Sydney and in fact, internationally, and it enables us to close the gap that exists (with other clubs),” he said.

“They’re doing it because they’re invested in the Giants and that’s what they’ve invested in here.

“We’re really excited about the momentum it gives us heading into this season and the platform it gives us to grow over the next few years.”

Originally published as GWS sign landmark deal for home games to be played at Giants Stadium