Footy seeks stadium opener
WA Football Commission chief executive Gary Walton and West Coast Eagles chairman Alan Cransberg say a western derby deserves to be the match to launch Perth's new stadium given the State's two AFL clubs will be the $1 billion venue's main tenants.
Senior football industry figures responded yesterday to a bold proposal for the Socceroos to play the first game at the Burs-wood ground against a world powerhouse such as England, Germany or Brazil when the stadium opens in about three years time. Cricket reserved judgment, with a WACA spokesman saying the association's stadium position would not be known until later this year.
Soccer's plan, led by Football West, has the backing of Football Federation Australia and comes with a potential price tag of up to $5 million. Perth has not hosted a soccer international since Australia played Indonesia at nib Stadium in March 2005.
An Ashes cricket Test or a Twenty20 international have also been floated as options to launch the Burswood stadium.
Mr Cransberg said it was a government decision but as the main provider of events, AFL football deserved primary consideration.
"We would be very keen to play the first game there and hopefully it is a derby," he said.
"That would be a great way to kick it off given that AFL football will be the main financial backers of the stadium."
Mr Walton said a derby was the most appropriate and cost-effective choice.
"The main content for the new stadium that keeps its viability - on a basis all these user agreements are sorted out properly - is going to be the week-in, week-out content of our two AFL clubs playing," he said.
"International events come with a pretty significant up-front investment where a derby will, in my view, guarantee a capacity crowd and it'll come at no cost to the State."
Mr Walton stated football's case after announcing that Subiaco Oval would be called Domain Stadium for the final three years of its operation as an AFL venue.
Domain succeeds Patersons Securities in a deal worth an estimated $600,000 a year.
