The Australian Turf Club has signed a major partnership with the AFL with the two investigating the feasibility of building a football oval in the middle of Randwick Racecourse.
The oval would provide new spaces and facilities for the local AFL Sydney community, and would be used as pre-season training venue for the Sydney Swans senior side, the Swans NEAFL side and the Swans Academy, along with fan and junior participation days.
Fan and family days at Randwick and Rosehill, aligned with the Sydney Swans and Greater Western Sydney teams, will be held across racing and football seasons.
ATC vice chair Trish Egan said ATC and AFL shared common values and strategies and the partnership was a successful commercial outcome for racing.
“ATC is very pleased to join with one of Australian sport’s most successful organisations which can only benefit racing participants and our Members,” she said.
“At both organisations, we value our most loyal fans in our members and recognise the need to grow by encouraging new customers to our sports.
“Two of ATC’s biggest venues in Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens are geographically aligned with the Swans and GWS home bases.
“ATC continues to look for new opportunities with our sporting and business partners for the future growth of our sport.”
AFL NSW/ACT chief executive Sam Graham said the partnership between the ATC and AFL represented a key opportunity for growth for both organisations.
“This new commercial partnership with the ATC represents an exciting new chapter for the AFL, the Sydney Swans and GWS Giants, and we are looking forward to working together to grow our collective sports,” Graham said.
