One of the "most important weeks" in National Rugby League side Wests Tigers’ history has begun with club Chair Marina Go insisting the club must prioritize its "own financial sustainability over the game’s desire to find a compromise on the future of Sydney stadiums," according to Brent Read of THE AUSTRALIAN. The team is among four whose "future scheduling of home games could prove the difference" between the state government devoting the lion’s share of its A$1.6B ($1.2B) stadium funding to ANZ Stadium, or "instead directing it" toward a new ground adjacent to Allianz Stadium. The NRL "has until Friday to lock in 65 games" necessary to ensure the funding is forthcoming -- the same day a 50% share in the Tigers is "expected to hit the open market." The Tigers currently play four games apiece at Leichhardt Oval, Campbelltown Stadium and ANZ Stadium, "but it is believed the NRL would like the club to commit at least eight games to one of the city’s major grounds" as part of the new agreement. Go "declined to reveal the Tigers' plans." She said, "We are going to make a decision that is based on the future financial sustainability of this organization. That has to be a priority. ... We're not going to put our club in a position where we’re worse off because of a whole-of-game decision." Go confirmed the club had spoken to the NRL about helping fund a Centre of Excellence "as part of the negotiations." The Tigers "lag behind some of the NRL's superpowers" in terms of spending on their football department -- the gap is believed to be as much as A$10M ($7.5M) between the biggest and smallest spenders. Go also rejected suggestions the club would "fall into line with the game’s governing body" because the Balmain side of the joint venture had been propped up by the NRL. That A$5M ($3.8M) debt is "due to be paid by close of business on Thursday," meaning 50% of the Tigers "is likely to hit the market come Friday morning unless Balmain can find the funds." Go: "They don't own our club. They certainly can’t tell us what to do and we’re certainly not going to do what they want purely because they have given one of our shareholders a lifeline" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 3/29).
