Dolphin Stadium has secured a naming rights sponsor for the next three years in a deal that will help the Dolphins take the club to the next level.
CEO Tony Murphy has today confirmed the sponsorship deal with not-for-profit group Moreton Bay Region Industry and Tourism (MBRIT), which will see the venue called Moreton Daily Stadium.
Moreton Daily is a free community news website for the Moreton Bay Region, which also publishes a community newspaper called Dolphins News in partnership with the club.
“Our business plan was to secure a naming rights sponsor and we have been looking for opportunities for the last three years,” Mr Murphy explains.
“We had interest from numerous online betting companies, beverage companies and even multinational firms scrambling to win naming rights. We’re excited it’s a local organisation from our region that’s come on board.
“We aim to enter the NRL and we need to be a financially-viable organisation first and foremost and the naming rights is a part of the strategy we are following to be the successful bidder to make sure the Dolphins are a success on the national stage.
“We also think of the Dolphins being the sole Queensland Cup team of the Moreton Bay Regional Council area and the name Moreton should resonate with us all.”
In response to concerns about how late Chairman Des Webb would have viewed the change, Mr Murphy says:
“Our board, which includes the son of Des Webb Terry, was unanimous in agreeing to the naming rights commercial agreement. For us to achieve this goal of competing in the NRL we must first and foremost be commercially and financially solid.
“The opportunity to compete at the highest level of our game only presents itself maybe once every 30 years, if that, unfortunately sentiment alone won’t get you there. However, stands such as the ‘Des Webb Stand’ will always remain as such.”
Mr Murphy says the club’s number one goal is to play rugby league at the highest level
“It has been for as long as I can remember. We now have an opportunity to turn this dream into a reality and commercial soundness is the NRL’s number one requirement,” he says.
“One of the most important aspects of our club is our sponsors. If you’re a supporter of our club, you need to be a supporter of our sponsors because without them, we wouldn’t exist.”
As one fan put it: the Broncos don’t play at Broncos Stadium and the Cowboys don’t play at Cowboy Stadium. All the big teams play at venues with naming partners. It’s a coming of age.
MBRIT Chairman Shane Newcombe is excited about the partnership, saying it not only secures the venue’s future for the next three years but also presents new opportunities for event attraction and engaging with new audiences through the Moreton Daily platform.
“We have been working with the Dolphins to secure events for the stadium and that hard work is already starting to pay off, with the Brisbane Roar playing all their A-League and W-League home games there,” Mr Newcombe says.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg. This stadium has the potential to host events all-year-round, not just home games during the footy season.
“Naming the venue Moreton Daily Stadium makes sense. It is the new, free, independent and trusted local news source for the region and a big supporter of the Moreton Bay Region’s only Queensland Cup team. In an era of supporting local businesses and organisations, it’s the perfect fit.
“We are already planning to expand our print edition, Dolphins News, to reach a broader audience in the Moreton Bay Region.”