THE Sydney Swans have cashed in on Sydney’s stadium wars by securing a groundbreaking 30-year deal to play games exclusively at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The 2014 AFL runners-up will play all their home games at the SCG and will make provisions to play finals matches at their spiritual home as well starting from 2017.

“This is a really good deal,” Swans CEO Andrew Ireland told The Daily Telegraph.

BLUEPRINT: SWANS 0-1 IN BUDDY BIG GAMBLE

“My view is it would sit at the top quartile of deals (Venue) in the AFL.”

With ANZ Stadium and the SCG Trust both competing for Government funding for proposed redevelopments the Swans commitment to the SCG is a significant win for the Trust at a crucial time.

media_camera Lance Franklin’s Swans will play all their home matches at the SCG starting from 2017 for 30 years. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Since 2002, when the Olympic stadium was reconfigured to an oval shape to accommodate both AFL and cricket, the Swans have played a minimum of three games per year and a total of nine finals at ANZ Stadium.

Swans Chairman Andrew Pridham said the move was in response to members and fans who wanted all their games to be played at the SCG.

“We have received a lot of feedback on the current stadium arrangements,” Pridham said.

“It was clear our members and fans located in Sydney, broader New South Wales and in fact Australia, wanted the SCG to be our one and only home.

“The SCG was our home when we first arrived in Sydney, we train every day at the ground and there is no doubt it remains the spiritual home for our club in Sydney.”

While the term of the deal is for 30 years the Swans have the option to get out of the deal after 10 years and again after 20 years.

The Swans have become specialists at long-term deals. The 30-year agreement with the SCG comes just 12 months after Sydney secured the game’s biggest name Lance Franklin on a nine-year contract.

“The best chance of getting the best commercial terms was by committing for a long term,” Ireland said.

“It comes down to how many dollars you can drive out of the venue. It needs to be a partnership, there needs to be things the trust get out of the deal and things we get out of it. It was a smooth negotiation.

“That was for week to week commercial terms also long term around facilities.”

media_camera The Swans had an average attendance of 32,558 fans to their SCG matches during the 2014 season. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The Swans generational commitment to the SCG is also likely to see them establish a Centre of Excellence for players and members of the Academy at the venue or nearby.

The South Melbourne Swans began playing games at the SCG in 1980 before moving there permanently in 1982.

“The SCG truly is the home of the Sydney Swans,” SCG Trust Deputy Chairman Rod McGeoch said.

“The Sydney Swans attracted an average of 32,558 fans to their SCG matches during the 2014 season, their second highest SCG average on record.

“Against Port Adelaide, 41,317 fans turned out — the Swans’ biggest crowd at the SCG since 1999. Sydney Swans fans have been supporting their club in record numbers at

the SCG.”

The Swans’ move away from ANZ Stadium and commitment to the SCG could effect funding for the proposed redevelopment of the Olympic venue.

The Swans will play three games at ANZ Stadium next year plus finals, Essendon (Round 1), Geelong (Round 7) and Hawthorn (Round 16).

Originally published as Swans to call SCG home for good