The Parramatta Eels will not only call Western Sydney Stadium home in 2019, but they will be the first side to run on to the state-of-the-art stadium when they take to the field during the Easter long weekend.
Minister for Sport and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres joined Parramatta Eels CEO Bernie Gurr to announce the Eels had agreed with Venues Live to play nine games at their brand new home in 2019 and 11 games a season across the next 15 years.
The Eels original home, the infamous Cumberland Oval was burnt to the ground by celebrating fans in the 1980s when they won their first premiership.
The next facility was built into a modern ground which served them for three decades, but the new stadium will be world's apart.
“Western Sydney Stadium is a game changer for sport and entertainment in NSW,” Mr Ayres said.
“Eels fans should be counting down the days to the opening of Western Sydney Stadium which will revolutionise the visitor experience by bringing fans closer to the action than any other sporting precinct in Australia.
“The Eels are one of the great sporting clubs with one of the biggest supporter bases in the NRL and they will be the first to experience game day at the brand new 30,000-seat stadium which will be the best in the country when it opens.
“Venues Live, on behalf of Venues NSW, has now negotiated agreements with sporting teams including the Eels, the West’s Tigers and the NSW Waratahs and continues to secure a blockbuster line-up of exciting events for Western Sydney Stadium.”
Parramatta Eels CEO Bernie Gurr said: “We are extremely pleased to have reached this stage and announce Western Sydney Stadium as our new home.
“We believe that Western Sydney Stadium will provide our Members and commercial partners with an outstanding game day experience and will also contribute to the Club’s financial stability.
Western Sydney Stadium is set to open to fans in the first quarter of 2019.
