Manly sell Brookvale Oval naming rights to online betting company

Brookvale Oval, the home ground of the NRL’s Manly Sea Eagles, will be renamed Lottoland in a naming rights deal with the global betting agency.

The club, which has been struggling financially over recent years, expects that the sponsorship, believed to be worth more than $1 million, will help their plans to upgrade the stadium, as well as providing the financial support the team needs to remain playing home fixtures on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

The sponsorship includes a three-year deal that will see an 80-metre long Lottoland sign on Brookvale Oval’s main street frontage, advertising on the ground and social media and a two-year agreement for Lottoland to be Manly’s top-of-back jersey sponsor.

Announcing the deal, Manly’s Chief Financial Officer, Neil Bare stated “one of the main reasons we partnered with them is they are very keen to support an upgrade of Brookvale Oval.

“This sort of support forms a key corporate partner we need to move forward with those plans.”

Despite the local Northern Beaches Council expressing concerns over the team being associated with a gambling company, Bare expressed confidence that Sea Eagles fans will eventually support the deal because it will “save rugby league” in the region.

Federal Senator Nick Xenophon said with the increasing popularity of sports betting, saturation advertising of gambling set a dangerous precedent, commenting “the Manly Sea Eagles and Lottoland are in a race to the bottom, this goes even further than other brazen sponsorship deals just to rebadge an entire stadium.”

Brookvale Oval is the Manly Sea Eagles homeground and is owned by the Northern Beaches Council.

In another significant boost for the club, the Supreme Court dispute with FAL Healthy Beverages, the parent company of former major sponsor Coco Joy, has been settled.

While the terms remain confidential, it's understood the outcome has resulted in a significant settlement for the Sea Eagles.

Image: Sea Eagles and Lottoland executives at the announcement of the sponsorship deal, from left: Sea Eagles Head of Football Bob Fulton; Lottoland, Marketing Director Australia Matthew Brinckley; Sea Eagles Chief Operating Officer Neil Bare; and Lottoland Managing Director, Luke Brill.

5th August 2016 - NSW POLICE INVESTIGATE FURTHER NRL MATCH-FIXING ALLEGATIONS

14th April 2016 - SUBURBAN SYDNEY STADIA TO BENEFIT UNDER $40 MILLION NRL CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE PLAN

17th February 2016 - MANLY SEA EAGLES REACH AGREEMENT WITH WARRINGAH COUNCIL TO STAY AT BROOKVALE OVAL

12th January 2016 - WARRINGAH COUNCIL TEAM PREPARES BROOKVALE OVAL FOR 2016 NRL SEASON

24th April 2014 - FUNDING BOOST FOR GRASSROOTS RUGBY LEAGUE IN NSW 

22 May 2013 - AFL DEFENDS BETTING RELATIONSHIPS

20th February 2013 - 1300SMILES TAKES ON TOWNSVILLE STADIUM NAMING RIGHTS

27th November 2012 - NSW GOVERNMENT TO END FINANCIAL BACKING FOR STADIA IN SYDNEY’S SUBURBS 

8th November 2012 - NEW UNIT TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF AUSTRALIA SPORT  

Asking a small favour

We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

The news we publish at www.ausleisure.com.au is independent, credible (we hope) and free for you to access, with no pay walls and no annoying pop-up ads.

However, as an independent publisher, can we ask for you to support us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine - if you don't already do so.

Published bi-monthly since 1997, the printed Australasian Leisure Management differs from this website in that it publishes longer, in-depth and analytical features covering aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues management.

Subscriptions cost just $90 a year.

Click here to subscribe.