Cockburn shift windfall for Dockers
Fremantle will be on the hunt for a naming-rights sponsor for their new training base in Cockburn.
The club is allowed to secure a commercial partner in a deal that could reap the Dockers up to $2 million a year.
The heads of agreement signed with the City of Cockburn allows the Dockers to sign a company name for their new headquarters at the $106 million sport and recreation facility.
The training base, which will include three swimming pools, a full-length oval and sports medicine studios, is due to open for the start of the 2017 season.
Fremantle are yet to approach any potential sponsors, instead concentrating on the planning and development of their new home to guarantee that the big relocation away from Fremantle Oval proceeds on schedule.
But naming rights will become a priority next year when construction starts in March.
Fremantle hope to follow the lead of Collingwood, Carlton and Hawthorn by signing up a lucrative global brand.
Luxury-car company Lexus was the original sponsor of the Magpies' head office in the Olympic Park precinct in a deal worth an estimated $2 million a year to the club. Collingwood's training and administration base is now known as the Westpac Centre.
Carlton and Hawthorn attracted major sponsors for their training facilities at Princes Park and Waverley - packaging giant Visy and electronics company Ricoh.
The original three-year Visy deal was worth about $5 million to Carlton.
The City of Cockburn plans to separately name the wider recreation centre and must consent to the name secured for Fremantle's headquarters.
_The Weekend West _understands any move to appoint a sponsor which sells alcohol, cigarettes or any other smoking merchandise will be blocked. Companies will be considered on individual merits.
The deal will help the Dockers recoup the $14 million they are contributing to their new base.
The revenue-raising opportunity came to light with Fremantle in separate discussions with fast- food giant McDonald's about becoming a club sponsor. A McDonald's spokesman confirmed the talks were around a "mid-level sponsorship", but a deal had not been reached.
The AFL would need to approve any Dockers deal, given rival food chain Hungry Jack's is already an official league partner.
Hungry Jack's was a long-time sponsor of West Coast until the partnership ended in 2011.
Fremantle strategic projects general manager Brad Paatsch said the club had called for expressions of interest from companies to tender for the construction of the training base.
"Development approvals have also been submitted to the relevant authorities for planning approval," Paatsch said.
"We anticipate a builder being approved by early next year, with construction due to start in March."
