Baseball and Gridiron Could Come to Sydney with Proposed $123m Funding Boost

A NATIONAL Football League (NFL) game could soon be headed to Sydney with NSW Premier Mike Baird to inflate the state’s major events budget to a record $643 million should the Coalition be re-elected in March.

A Major League Baseball game featuring the Yankees or Red Sox, a National Basketball Association (NBA) game, the President’s Cup golf tournament and stealing Formula One from Melbourne are among other big ticket items on the Baird government major events wish list.

Mr Baird, who will today announce details of a $123 million funding boost to the events budget at the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing event at Manly Beach, will also use the extra funding to bid for world premier concert tours of major artists such as Madonna while extending already successful events such as Vivid Sydney.

The premier said the funding boost would help NSW to secure the state’s reputation as the “undisputed home” of major events in Australia.

“We have the track record that shows when we put on a show, we do it well,” Mr Baird said.

“Since 2011, we have successfully hosted the Major League Baseball Opening Series, friendly matches with football giants Manchester United and Juventus, the British and Irish Lions Rugby Tour, the Sydney International Art Series: Pop to Popism, the first Pop Art exhibition to be showcased in Australia since 1985, and the hugely successful Vivid Sydney.

“More major events will attract more tourists to NSW who will provide a boost to the State economy when they stay at local hotels, eat out at local restaurants and take cabs home.”

The announcement follows a last-minute pitch by the government to organisers of the America’s Cup for races to be held on the Harbour.

The government is evaluating whether to make a multimillion-dollar bid for the qualifier races in February 2017.

Premier Mike Baird wants to increase the state’s events budget.

It is understood an NFL game would top the list of events sought by the government should former NRL star Jarryd Hayne win a spot on a team.

The priority of other event bids is to be kept secret so as not to corrupt the tender process.

The government calculates the increased events budget would increase visitor expenditure by $481 million.

Of the extra $123 million in funding, $73.25 million will be dedicated towards the goal of making Sydney the number one destination for major events in Australia with $22 million set aside for Western Sydney.

Another $40.6 million will go towards growing regional tourism while $9.5 million would be focused on targeting overseas visitors from priority international markets.

Tourism and Major Events Minister Troy Grant said the lower Australian dollar and oil prices would help create economic conditions to boost jobs and growth in the sector.

He said the increased funding would help in moves to encourage tourists to stay longer and visit regional NSW.

“One in five visitors to Sydney also visit regional NSW,” he said.

“Our aim is to encourage more tourists to extend their stay and visit regional NSW and today’s announcement helps achieve this.”