Venues NSW boss Rod McGeoch warns we could lose big events to other states

The new Venues NSW supremo says the state is at risk of losing major events like the Rugby World Cup Final unless the government stumps up more money. He’s also called for the concert limit at Allianz Stadium to be raised.

New sports supremo Rod McGeoch has warned NSW is at risk of losing major events like the Rugby World Cup Final to other states unless the government is prepared to stump up more cash.

On his first day as the interim chairman of Venues NSW today Mr McGeoch also called for an increase in the six concerts a year limit at Allianz Stadium saying: “I want Beyonce here”.

Mr McGeoch said it was “going to take every bit of effort” from government and venues to keep big events in NSW.

“The capacity of our stadiums don’t compete with other places,” Mr McGeoch said. “The government’s got to decide, ‘are we prepared to meet the market?’.

“Securing events today you need a budget and, while the government has been supportive, we have noticed a bit of a tightening and we hope it is only temporary.”

Sporting codes and promoters keep the ticket money from events making stadiums with bigger capacity such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground more profitable. Mr McGeoch said the NSW Government has to offer bigger cash incentives to keep major games in the state.

Rod McGeoch wants Beyonce at Allianz Stadium.(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The Bledisloe Cup is being played in Melbourne this year but Sydney retains the FIFA Womens’ World Cup final and is battling to ink a deal for the 2027 Rugby World Cup Final.

“I think the community gets quite anxious when we are not the event capital of Australia. I just know that if we see all these games march off there will be trouble,” he said.

Meanwhile the sporting bodies are happy to play states against each other.

“We don’t know where this year’s NRL Grand Final is because Peter V’landys hasn’t signed,” he said.

Mr McGeoch stepped up from deputy chairman into the top job running the state’s major stadiums including Allianz at Moore Park and Accor at Homebush when inaugural chairman Tony Shepherd announced his resignation this week.

Sydney may miss out on moments like this. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)

Mr McGeoch, who ran Sydney’s successful Olympic campaign, will stay in the top job until the term expires in November and then wants to be reappointed.

He is happy to work with whichever party takes power in the forthcoming election and will not be telling them publicly what they need to do. “There is nothing to be gained by taking these people on in the public arena. You have got much more chance if you quietly respect their position and try to persuade them because, at the end of the day, it is their call,” he said.

There are a number of things he wants to get fixed. First up is a roof for the stadium at Olympic Park.

“We‘ve accepted that it won’t be a rectangle. And so can we get on with some sort of roof? Because we think that’s the key to more content,” he said.

He also wants the deadline to remove on grass parking at Moore Park by 2025 extended until a replacement for all 2600 car spots has been found.

“They could have pushed the date back a bit because, after years and years you could hardly say we have buggered the grass,” he said.

Mr McGeoch also wants the number of major concerts to be staged at the new $800 million stadium increased from the current average of four a year over four years.

“We’re in discussion now,” he said. “I want Beyonce here.”

And he would also like to see the Entertainment Quarter opened up and turned into a bustling precinct for fans attending Allianz Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Originally published as Venues NSW boss Rod McGeoch warns we could lose big events to other states