Match promoters and the FA of Singapore "are in advanced stages of a deal" that would see Spain and Italian Serie A side Juventus "play a match at the new National Stadium this year," according to May Chen of the STRAITS TIMES.
Football "is seen as one of the few sports that can fill the 55,000-seat National Stadium on a regular basis." Yet, even as one of the Sports Hub's key goals "will be to attract big-name football teams for one-off matches," the long-term strategy for the S$1.33B ($1.05B) facility "is to develop events that are anchored in Singapore."
For example, the Women's Tennis Association Championships "will call Singapore home for the next five years." Likewise, the Singapore Swim Stars event "is set for a minimum five-year deal."
Such longer-term contracts "are being sought in the hope that these events, which will also see top athletes conducting clinics for young people here, will leave an impact on the local sporting landscape." Singapore Sports Council CEO Lim Teck Yin said,
"Our event strategy is aimed at ensuring that the event portfolio contributes to the sporting ecosystem by having a social, sporting and industry impact" (STRAITS TIMES, 3/2).
