2018 New Perth Stadium Opening - Double-Header
30th August 2017
The South Sydney Rabbitohs have been selected by the NRL to be one of the headline Clubs for their round one double header at the new Perth Stadium to be played on Saturday 10 March, 2018. The Rabbitohs will feature as one of the home teams in the double header, alongside the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, continuing the Club’s commitment to the sporting community of Western Australia which will enter its tenth consecutive year in 2018. The Rabbitohs cannot announce their opponent until the release of the NRL Draw later this year, however the men in red and green will play an out-of-Sydney team. The NRL are looking to sell out the brand new Perth Stadium which has capacity for up to 60,000 people. This will be the Rabbitohs’ only game in Perth in 2018. The NRL double header will be the first rectangular sport to compete at the state-of-the-art new stadium, while the double header is the first confirmed sporting event at the venue. Members will be able to see first-hand the reconfiguration ability of the new stadium. Spectators will also get the chance to experience Perth Stadium’s fan-first approach to design and technology.
Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly is excited about this unique start to the 2018 season. “To be one of the two clubs approached by the NRL to kick off the season in this way speaks volumes for the wide-spread support there is for our Club and for the efforts we’ve made alongside the team at NRLWA over the past ten years to build a strong family of Rabbitohs Members in the west,” Mr Solly said. “We have over 1,000 Members based in WA which is absolutely fantastic. “We always aim to play a team that is likely to draw a bigger crowd in Perth than it will in Sydney and that is the case again in 2018. The games we take to centres such as Perth are winners for the Club financially, making up about half of our match day revenue each year. “The financial gains allow the Club to invest in projects such as the Heffron Park Community and High Performance Centre; helps put the best team on the field and provide players, coaches and staff with quality football facilities; and also allows us to service our Members across the country as best we can with Memberships at affordable prices. “As we spoke about last week, we’re also working on more reciprocal rights matches with Sydney-based teams, so our Ticketed Members get more value for their Membership as well. “The new Perth Stadium looks amazing and to be part of the first sporting event at the new stadium is wonderful for our Club. “As always we are looking forward to getting out into the community in Perth and WA, to supporting our Members on the west coast, and to playing a great brand of footy in the first round next season.”
NRL Chief Executive Todd Greenberg said: “This will be a spectacular way to help kick off the new NRL season – a Saturday double header at a brand new stadium in Perth. “Fans will get two Premiership matches in a blockbuster event at incredible value. “I’d like to thank both the Government of Western Australia and Tourism WA for their strong desire to showcase Rugby League on this stage, as well as the two Clubs for embracing the concept.”