The NRL are licking their lips following the A-League's Grand Final deal, leaving the competition with a royal flush at the negotiating table.
'Destinations NSW' recently forked out $15 million to guarantee the next three A-League Grand Finals would be held and played in Sydney, angering soccer fans around the country, and helping the NRL realise what a good position they're in.
Rugby league is a ratings juggernaut in comparison to their round-ball rivals, with the NSW Government opening their chequebook to the tune of $8 million just to keep the decider in Homebush for 2022 alone.
ARLC chairman Peter V'landys has no fear in moving the Grand Final, threatening to relocate last year's big dance to Brisbane before the NSW Government paid up, andย The Dailyย Telegraphย even suggests 61 year-old has considered a SuperBowl method.
While the Grand Final itself is a moneymaker, being played over the October long weekend means attracting tourists to the city's restaurants, attractions, nightlife, taxis, hotels and more, delivering uncapped revenue, and a more than solid reason for rival governments to bid on the attraction.
Peter V'landys knows how valuable the Grand Final is.
โLooking at what they've (government) paid for much inferior events they are going to have to get the chequebook out," V'landys toldย The Dailyย Telegraph.
โWe're in a good position. We could sell the grand final interstate tomorrow. There is enormous interest. Every state in Australia would love to have it.
โIt's a major, major event. Outside of the AFL grand final, the Melbourne Cup, State of Origin and The Everest what else is there for national events. It is going to bring far more to Sydney's economy than A-League grand finals.โ
While the NSW Government and the NRL had previously agreed to a 25-year deal, the government's decision to backflip on planned renovations to Accor Stadium left the agreement null and void.
Suncorp Stadium hosted the big game in 2021, however the move was due to COVID restrictions with Sydney plunged in a lockdown from June to mid-October that year.
It's believed the competition could make as much as $500 million over a 25 year span.
As much as V'landys loves Sydney, he loves making the game some money more.
โOur job is to maximise revenue,โ he said.
โWe have to future proof the game with strong investments.
โPersonally I want the game to stay in Sydney but you've got to do what's best for the game.โ
The twist in it all is the future of the NSW Government, with opposition leader Chris Minns heavily tipped to take over from Dominic Perrottet in a months time.
Minns is a massive Bulldogs fan, and won't allow the decider to slip away elsewhere.
โWe've got to keep the grand final in Sydney,โ Minns said.
โWe're committed to that. It's the centrepiece event on the NSW sporting calendar.
โMelbourne has the Australian Open, the Grand Prix, the AFL grand final, the Melbourne Cup and the Boxing Day Test.
โThey have all this activity locked in and know how many tourists are going to come in every 12 months.
โSydney gets complacent because we've got the harbour, the Opera House, the bridge and think it's all going to come naturally.โ
V'landys is expected to hold off the next negotiation until after the election results are in.
