Tennis NSW and Football NSW will share existing facilities within Sydney and regional NSW in a new partnership between the two bodies.
The new initiative will be piloted in 2019 and aims to increase the number of opportunities for tennis clubs, members and tennis associations across the state.
With space at an all time premium especially in greater Sydney due to increased population size, the opportunity to share facilities between tennis and football is paramount.
In conjunction with community stakeholders, new and existing tennis facilities could be made available for multi-purpose community use and suitable for small sided football competitions or general training.
It is hoped a shared model is developed with football players and teams sharing access to tennis courts and contributing to the sustainability of these facilities in the long term.
Tennis NSW CEO Lawrence Robertson said the partnership is a big win for both sports.
“We believe that this partnership can create some advantages for both sports. We know that the revenue derived from a single small-sided football facility can be significantly more than that of a single tennis court,” Robertson said.
“Our research suggests there are some venues in NSW that could benefit from partnering with football to ultimately help fund their club and the growth of tennis in their local community.
“This is about tennis thinking smarter to explore how we can maximise the use of facilities to add greater value to our sport.
“The message from the State Government is clear. Sporting bodies need to work together closely in order to maximise the use of valuable community assets, particularly in metropolitan Sydney and large regional centres.”
Football NSW CEO Stuart Hodge added, “This is a great example of two sports collaborating for the benefit of the community and demonstrating to government at all levels how sport can contribute to the local community.”
“This pilot program is intended to help existing tennis facilities become more sustainable at the local level and increase their capacity.
Tennis NSW and Football NSW will work together to identify potential pilot venues over the coming months.
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