Perth Voice Interactive

AFTER many years of being unprofitably named “Leederville Oval”, a new corporate sponsorship deal is 

on the horizon for the sporting venue.

WA transport company Sullivan Logistics has expressed interested in buying naming rights.

Leederville Oval, which hosts East Perth and Subiaco WAFL clubs, hasn’t had a corporate name since 2016 when a 10-year deal with Medibank expired. 

A Vincent council report says “the City and clubs have since tried, unsuccessfully, to attract sponsors”. A tender in 2017 attracted no submissions.

Last year the clubs hired Playbookx to find a sponsor, and they came across footy-mad Sullivans Logistics, who also sponsor WAFL and WAFL-women’s finals.

The deal with Sullivan is worth about $120,000 over three years and it’d buy their name on signage, branding, and any promo materials for events at the oval. 

Playbookx gets 20 per cent commission for setting up the deal, and remaining cash is split three ways between East Perth and Subiaco football clubs and Vincent council. 

Only one councillor objected to the deal going ahead. Cr Ashley Wallace said at the May 16 ordinary meeting: “I just strongly object to selling the naming rights to Leederville Oval for such a paltry sum.”

Paltry

He said the oval was a significant piece of community infrastructure and the name “gives us a strong sense of place and ownership to the local community. I know we’re not the richest council… but I don’t see that as a reason to give that up for this sum of money here”.

But the oval costs the council a lot to maintain and the clubs are in need of cash, so a majority of councillors voted to put the idea out for public comment for at least two weeks.

If there are any submissions it goes back to council for another vote, otherwise the deal will go ahead.

by DAVID BELL