Now in its "strongest position yet" to take control of Etihad Stadium, the Australian Football League "has held a series of talks with tenant clubs, broadcast partners and sponsors with a view to transforming its Docklands home into a wider sporting and entertainment precinct," according to Caroline Wilson of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Still in negotiations with current owner Melbourne Stadiums Ltd. over the proposed early buy-out of Etihad, the league "is also preparing a submission to the Victorian Government regarding a joint funding venture which would include community infrastructure around the stadium." The push "comes as the state of the stadium has become an increasing concern for the competition with a potential showdown looming over the Docklands' management's contractual undertaking to keep Etihad in a condition comparable to Australia's best stadiums." While the AFL takes automatic ownership of Etihad for a one dollar handover in the pre-season of '25, the league "has wanted for some years to buy the stadium earlier in a bid to improve the poor financial returns to its tenant clubs." AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said this week that "the AFL remained steadfast in that ambition" and had several proposals in place to "sexy up" Etihad (SMH, 8/19).
