Sydney’s Bankwest Stadium is to be rebranded as CommBank Stadium as part of a new multi-year partnership between the financial services company and Venues NSW.
Bankwest, which has held naming rights to Western Sydney Stadium since it opened in April 2019, operates as a division of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA). Bankwest had signed a seven-year deal to sponsor the stadium but it will now transfer the rights to CBA.
The move forms part of CBA’s decision to expand its support for the Western Sydney region, including local small businesses. The venue will officially rebrand from Bankwest Stadium to CommBank Stadium on October 1.
The 30,000-seat stadium is located in Parramatta and serves as the home of NRL rugby league team the Parramatta Eels and A-League football club Western Sydney Wanderers.
CommBank has also announced an A$120,000 (£64,000/€74,000/$87,000) investment to help small businesses in the 12 Western Sydney local government areas that have been subjected to harder COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.
The company will work with the Chamber of Alliance of Western Sydney to help small businesses in these areas to market their activities as the region moves out of lockdown.
Matt Comyn, chief executive of Commonwealth Bank, said: “Western Sydney is one of fastest growing regions in the country, and a key engine room for the national economy. We know the area has been hit hard by the recent COVID-19 restrictions and we’re committed to investing in Western Sydney to help businesses get back on their feet and rebuild after an incredibly challenging 2021.
“We are committed to their long-term success and we want to reconnect small businesses with their communities, because these businesses are the lifeline of our economy. We’re also excited to continue backing the stadium within the CBA Group – it has been a valuable facility in providing economic opportunities to the area and will continue to be an important part of the community, particularly through recovery as the local areas and New South Wales starts to reopen.”
CBA is also a partner of Football Australia and serves as the naming-rights partner of the national women’s team.
Image: Philip Terry Graham/CC BY 2.0/Edited for size
