AFL refuses to acknowledge Etihad Stadium

Austadiums • Sunday 1st March 2009

Melbourne's Docklands Stadium has official been renamed Etihad Stadium as of March, however the AFL is refusing to call the stadium by its new moniker, due to ongoing disputes with pourage rights, sponsorship and club stadium deals.

The league is set to sue Etihad Stadium management because the name conflicts with AFL sponsor Qantas, although no court date has been set.

The five-year deal with United Arab Emirates-based airline Etihad, worth an estimated $25 million, commenced on Sunday 1st March 2009 with the Carlton-Hawthorn NAB Cup game the first at the renamed venue. The A-League Grand Final in which Melbourne defeated Adelaide in front of over 53,000 fans on the last day of February was the final event under the venue's previous name, Telstra Dome. Docklands originally opened as Colonial Stadium in 2000 before Telstra purchased the rights in late 2002.

AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan confirmed recently the league would not recognise the new name.

"From our perspective, we will call it Telstra Dome or Docklands Stadium until this issue is resolved."

But McLachlan said the league was willing to negotiate over the issues, as it works hard on a new deal for its clubs.

"We would be very keen to reach an agreement but the ball is in their court.

"I think we are very keen to seek a resolution, and to keen to progress any discussion."

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Melbourne's Docklands Stadium has official been renamed Etihad Stadium as of March, however the AFL is refusing to call the stadium by its new moniker, due to ongoing disputes with pourage rights, sponsorship and club stadium deals.
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