Perth Stadium will be renamed Optus Stadium in a 10-year, A$50M ($38.4M) deal, according to Daniel Emerson of the WEST AUSTRALIAN. The telecom and the state government reached an agreement on a historic 10-year naming rights deal rumored to be "an Australian record." The exact sum of the sponsorship is "tied up in commercial confidentiality" but sources indicated it was worth more than A$50M over the decade. The amount is "well over the mooted" A$10.5M ($8M) over three years for naming rights to both the stadium and Perth Arena "touted" by Labor at the March election. Selling the name to WA’s A$1.45B ($1.11B) taxpayer-funded stadium in the name of Budget repair was "hotly contested" by former Premier Colin Barnett, who said that the venue belonged to West Australians, "not corporate interests." Sports Minister Mick Murray said that the state of the finances meant the government did not have "the luxury of squandering potential income" and the sponsorship would go toward "continuing running costs." He said, "The alternative is to borrow even more money or increase the burden of Budget repair on the shoulders of WA households and businesses" (WA, 11/7). FOX SPORTS' Ben Waterworth reported Bankwest was reportedly one of Optus' "major competitors for the naming rights but missed out." Perth Stadium CEO Mike McKenna said that he was "glad to secure the sponsorship." In a statement, McKenna said, "We will work closely with the Optus team to create and deliver outstanding, leading-edge fan engagement experiences for every visitor to this world-class venue. A key focus will be the development and delivery of the Stadium App, providing fans with the latest information on all aspects of the Stadium including how to access and circulate the new venue" (FOX SPORTS, 11/7). The ABC's Tom Wildie reported public backlash has been "swift on social media and from the Opposition," with calls for the "Perth" aspect of the name to be retained in line with the likes of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Sydney Cricket Ground and Adelaide Oval -- venues synonymous with their home cities. Barnett said, "Yes, there will be some money in the short term, but it is this small-minded pedestrian thinking." But the government is "standing its ground." Murray: "There's a lot of things in the world we'd like, but unfortunately we have to sell the naming rights to be able to balance some of the budget. That'll go back into hospitals, that'll go back into sport even." Western Australia's debt is forecast to hit A$42B ($32B) by '20. Murray said, "The Treasurer said it's going straight into his coffers, so the Treasurer is very adamant that it should go to general revenue" (ABC, 11/8).
