Sydney Olympic Park Seeks To Cash In On Women's Sports

The Sydney Olympic Park Authority "is seeking a naming rights sponsor for the home of the NSW Swifts, as women's sport continues its march towards professionalism," according to Kirsty Needham of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. While ANZ Stadium at Olympic Park "is rated as Australia's most valuable naming rights sports venue, with a reach of 48.3 million people," after a A$31.5M deal signed in '08, the neighboring Olympic Park Sports Centre "is untested." The authority "has called for expressions of interest for the first time from commercial sponsors for naming rights for the venue, which is the home of the NSW Swifts netball team." Another Sydney team, AFL side Great Western Sydney Giants, "will play at the venue." NSW Sports Minister Stuart Ayres: "In a country that idolizes its sporting heroes, women are finally receiving the recognition they deserve with significant gains made across several codes recently" (SMH, 10/9).