Acting NSW Sports Minister Geoff Lee announced on Tuesday the SCG Trust and Venues NSW will merge.
No matter who comes onto the board, the merger effectively ends NSW’s ugly “stadium wars”, which saw the two bodies competing for “content” with codes, clubs and entertainment promoters for decades.Credit:It also means the new body will control the state's network of stadiums, meaning the right teams can play at the right venues at the right time.
Quite arrogantly, the Trust’s chief executive at the time, Jamie Barkley, didn’t think Souths would relocate the foundation club to Homebush. He thought they were bluffing. Had the pandemic not occurred, the second State of Origin match would have been played at the Olympic stadium last Sunday night and an NRL match between Souths and the Bulldogs this Saturday would’ve been the last before demolition work started.
Some believe it will never happen. Mr V'landys will likely threaten to take the grand final to other states unless his demands are met.
SMHsport Good practical decision about an irrelevant matter. How about making some tough decisions on population, property speculation, water, congestion, productive jobs and the economy?
SMHsport Webster is as ever the optimist. Tony Shepherd, GWS Chairman now running ANZ Stadium means it will never be reconfigured and rest assured all NRL premier games will be concentrated in Moore Park. The anachronism of the SCG Trust now perpetuated...
SMHsport Merger or monopoly?