THE Sydney Football Stadium Trust hopes to raise “tens of millions of dollars” over the next 10 years after selling the naming rights to the venue to German insurance giant, Allianz. The German insurance company, which has strong ties to the Bayern Munich football club, yesterday signed a 10-year deal for naming rights to the Sydney Football Stadium as the company moves to raise its profile. SCG Trust chairman Rodney Cavalier described the sponsorship deal as one of the biggest in Australian sport…. Certainly the smallest in Australian injured workers!
Allianz signs naming rights deal at Sydney Football Stadium
“It is certainly true, it is with a German company. They’re vigorous who think everything through,” Cavalier said.
“They think in the long term. They’ve made a solid analysis of the value of this stadium in associating their name with it, only the second place in the world after Munich, the company’s headquarters.
“It’s a good indication of their confidence about the future of this stadium and the future of sport in Sydney.”
Cavalier said the deal in securing Allianz was done “with impressive speed”.
“The timing of this announcement is perfect as it comes towards the end of the cricket season and the beginning of the football season.”
The sports facility next door to the Sydney Cricket Ground in the harbour city’s eastern fringe, will be known as Allianz Stadium.
SCG Trust chief executive Jamie Barkley said the partnership would assist in the continuing upgrade of venue facilities.
“Part of the Trust’s vision is to install stadium exterior lighting as well as modifying the roof,” Barkley said.
“Once the Allianz Stadium is refurbished, it will stand out on Sydney’s skyline.”
The idea to “light-up” the Moore Park facility comes from the Allianz Arena in Germany which is lit up in red when Bayern Munich plays, in blue when 1860 Munich plays, and in white when in use by the German national team.
Already well advanced is a new dining level and food court on level three on the western side, while facilities and amentities are to be upgraded in the Nick Shehadie Stand on the eastern side of the stadium.
NRL chief executive David Gallop said the sponsorship should be seen as a great investment in an important ground.
“Our fans will benefit from the injection of cash and a clear sign of the health of sport,” he said.
News of the name change caught Sydney Roosters chief executive Steve Noyce, a co-tennant of the stadium, by surprise.
“This is not just a great boost for our club, but for the game of rugby league and the city of Sydney.
“When you can get that trifecta up, who wouldn’t be happy?
“I think people see this facility as the real pinnacle of sport in Sydney. The dollars are a real expression of how big they see this stadium and how important they see this stadium as a link to sport in this city,” Noyce said.
“I think there’s just blue skies for the stadium and blue skies for all the teams that play here.”
Allianz Stadium is also the home venue for the Waratahs in Super Rugby, Sydney FC in the A-League while the Wests Tigers are slated to play four games at the venue and one next door at the SCG this season.
[source: via @grathom with thanks 
: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/allianz-signs-naming-rights-deal-at-sydney-football-stadium/story-e6frg7mf-1226285088675]
Reminds us of the way WorkSafe Vic throws millions at footy clubs! 
“I think there’s just blue skies for the stadium and blue skies for all the teams that play here.”…well
“I think there’s just BLACK THUNDER SKIES for all the injured workers that live here”…
Perhaps Allianz could plaster across the large illuminated signs all of the workers compensation case managers across Australia who bully and intimidate injured workers into submission? Yes, I think that this would be a great idea!
Does anyone know a bullying Allianz case mananger? Please provide details here.
i have one and she’s trying my patience which is something that is in short quantotes these days.
I have one: J [name censored by admin], Team Leader and Allianz bully, [location censored by Admin] NSW).
Good on you for sharing and publicly naming such wrongdoers! May I suggest you urgently put together a written complaint detailing all the things the case manager has done to you (i.e. denials, delays, inappropriate language etc) and send it to the “complaints service” of Allianz (your workcover insurer). You may be delighted at the response you will receive – by express post.
Whilst the internet defamation laws in Australia are still in their infancy, and a potential lawsuit therefore would be extremely difficult to prove and would also cost a fortune (usually reserved for the rich and famous only), this blog does not wish to attract any undue “attention” from snooping workcover agents. This is “our place” (injured workers). Besides do we really want to go that low? At their low level? I think we’re better than that. However if you’d like to name and shame an individual you must provide evidence, otherwise the names will be censored.
Excerpt from a magic complaint letter you may use: This was you written by a lawyer, however you could adapt it to suit your needs
We refer to the above matter.[specify what]
We have received a copy of the exchanges between {our client} and {case manager} at your office dated {date 2012} (copy of complaint / exchange /whatever enclosed for your ease of reference).
We were disappointed to note the content of [insurer] response to [our client’s] request for [payment of overdue expenses including the following:- “ “once again he is becoming demanding with his emails and I will not be responding”.] [substitute with your main issue(s)]
We understand that on the foot of previous problems [fill in], there was an arrangement made that all communication be made via the treating practitioner/ whatever [fill in/replace]. Our client instructs us that this agreement was contravened, as a result of which he lodged a complaint with [insurer] expressing his desire that a new Case Manager be appointed. We do not believe his complaint has yet been acknowledged.
It would seem that there is now an administrative block on [case manager] receiving emails directly from our client. [fill in/replace with your onw issue] Consequently our client has been sending his correspondence to [X} who is the RTW at [company]
Against this backdrop, with respect, we consider the relationship between our client and [case manager] has broken down and this is affecting our client in a very negative way.
We consider that the best course of action in this situation would be for the file to be re-allocated to a new Case Manager.
Yours faithfully
“Our fans will benefit from the injection of cash and a clear sign of the health of sport”
Oooh dear, how misleading!!!! It should read ” our injured fans will AGAIN NOT benefit from the injection of excessive cash and a POOR sign of the unhealthy practices of Allianz’s workcover and TAC insurance business”
Maybe you lot could actually think outside the narrow minded brain of yours. Allianz is a global insurance company, they deal in more than just Workers Comp. Its not WorkCover $$$ being spent on a naming rights to a stadium. Maybe if you stopped claiming to be so hard done by, get off your arse and stop milking the system, and actually helped yourself to get off your “pitiful” benefits as you so call it, maybe you could actually return to employment and get paid the big bucks you were supposedly earning before. If you were some big exec before, what did you get? a paper-cut? pull your head in you twats!