Football Federation Australia has moved to lock in ANZ Stadium for this year's A-League grand final should the Western Sydney Wanderers continue their "impressive run and earn the right to host the decider," according to Michael Chammas of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. It is a move that would "almost certainly smash the record" for the largest crowd at a domestic football game in Australia (55,436), with the FFA deep in discussions with ANZ Stadium about hosting the grand final on May 1, as well as a "potential blockbuster semifinal a week earlier." With Pirtek Stadium to be demolished in September, the Wanderers are "on the lookout for a new home for at least the next two seasons and are believed to be eyeing a move to Sydney Olympic Park" for the club's big-drawing matches. It is understood ANZ Stadium is the favored venue among Wanderers members, who were sent a survey to help decide between Pepper Stadium (Penrith), Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Belmore Sportsground, Leichhardt Oval, Spotless Stadium and ANZ Stadium "as the temporary home ground." A Sydney derby match that attracts a crowd in excess of 70,000 could be worth up to A$1M ($720,000) a match for the Wanderers, "while other venues don't have enough seats to accommodate the club's 18,000 members let alone provide the corporate facilities available at ANZ Stadium" (SMH, 2/3).
