Sport and politics "are set to collide again this week amid suggestions the state government is ready to end more than a year of painful deliberating" and hand down a decision on its stadiums strategy, according to Brent Read of THE AUSTRALIAN. The stadiums issue "has been politicking at its best, with sports forced to bide their time as lobbying behind the scenes slowed a process that appeared relatively straightforward" when then-NSW Premier Mike Baird pledged A$1.6B to renovate and refurbish Sydney’s major venues in April '16. What "should have been a formality has turned into calamity." The matter "is likely to go before cabinet within days" and "the fear among many" is that NSW Sports Minister Stuart Ayres will make a submission that Allianz Stadium "should be the priority." The sporting codes that "supply the majority of content to Sydney’s venues" have made it clear they want ANZ Stadium "to be addressed first." They want Allianz Stadium updated as well, "but only after the former Olympic venue is given a significant and radical overhaul." National Rugby League CEO Todd Greenberg "addressed the matter personally" with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian recently, "pushing the cause of his code, and by extension ANZ Stadium." Greenberg and Football Federation Australia CEO David Gallop wrote to Berejiklian requesting her government honor its commitment and "turn ANZ Stadium into a world-class rectangular stadium," with work to begin by March '19. The timing "was important from two perspectives." The NRL "has grand finals up for grabs and it wants to go to market." The league's clubs "are also crying out for better facilities." The FFA wants to host the women’s World Cup in '23. It "needs ANZ Stadium in shape to bid for the event." Against that backdrop, "there are genuine fears that lobbying behind the scenes could lead to Allianz Stadium jumping to the front of the queue" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 10/9).
