- Apr 12, 2012
- 46,167
- 41,966
- AFL Club
- GWS
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/n...e/news-story/cda975376f4bdc65924992262b54d86a
AFL team GWS Giants to open day care centres as alternative to gambling revenue
EXCLUSIVE, Rose Brennan, The Daily Telegraph
THE Greater Western Sydney Giants are kicking off a family friendly funding approach with the AFL heavyweights launching their own childcare centres as an alternative to the gambling revenue used to sustain other clubs.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal GWS Giants have partnered with Oxanda Education to run ‘Little Giants’ centres in Auburn and Killara with at least three more in the pipeline.
GWS Giants’ chief executive David Matthews said the partnership is a “win-win” as it raises funds for the club while supporting fans by providing in-demand quality child care.
“When this club first started we were very sincere about making sure it was part of the community — we don’t want it just to be a footy club that puts teams out of a weekly basis,” he said.
“We wanted to make sure that particularly in Western Sydney and broader Sydney we act as part of the fabric of the community. To do this through childcare is a unique opportunity.”
Mr Matthews said the club chose to open childcares as they did not want to rely on revenue from pokies given the damage gambling can wreak on communities.
Many AFL clubs, particularly in Victoria, rely on revenue generated from gaming machines.
“We don’t subscribe to that — we haven’t been in gaming we don’t intend to,” he said.
“We have noted as a board and as a club the drastic effects that gaming has, we know a lot of sporting clubs are reliant on gaming but it has very negative impacts, at times, on families.”
“That’s not to say there’s not a balanced approach to that but we think this childcare model is something that is of great community benefit and of great benefit for the club.”
Man sporting clubs rely on revenue from poker machines but GWS Giants believe day care centres is a “win-win” situation for both sides. Picture: Chris Pavlich
Mr Matthews said it was hoped the childcare centres would also boost support for the Giants.
“It’s a great thing for a lot of these families, their engagement with the Giants as a brand will be through the provision of something that’s so important to so many families — which is childcare.”
In January next year a centre is expected to open at Fern Bay, in the Hunter Region, and at Oran Park, in south west Sydney. In March 2019 another centre is slated to open in St Mary’s, in Western Sydney.
GWS Giants forward Phoebe McWilliams said she welcomed the club’s move into the childcare sector.
“It’s good for us to get fans involved with the club at such an early stage in their life, hopefully it’s something that will stick with them for the rest of their life.”
GWS Giants co-captain Callan Ward said the childcare centre’s reinforced the “community and family culture” of the club, especially in their heartland.
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
AFL team GWS Giants to open day care centres as alternative to gambling revenue
EXCLUSIVE, Rose Brennan, The Daily Telegraph
THE Greater Western Sydney Giants are kicking off a family friendly funding approach with the AFL heavyweights launching their own childcare centres as an alternative to the gambling revenue used to sustain other clubs.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal GWS Giants have partnered with Oxanda Education to run ‘Little Giants’ centres in Auburn and Killara with at least three more in the pipeline.
GWS Giants’ chief executive David Matthews said the partnership is a “win-win” as it raises funds for the club while supporting fans by providing in-demand quality child care.
“When this club first started we were very sincere about making sure it was part of the community — we don’t want it just to be a footy club that puts teams out of a weekly basis,” he said.
“We wanted to make sure that particularly in Western Sydney and broader Sydney we act as part of the fabric of the community. To do this through childcare is a unique opportunity.”
Mr Matthews said the club chose to open childcares as they did not want to rely on revenue from pokies given the damage gambling can wreak on communities.
Many AFL clubs, particularly in Victoria, rely on revenue generated from gaming machines.
“We don’t subscribe to that — we haven’t been in gaming we don’t intend to,” he said.
“We have noted as a board and as a club the drastic effects that gaming has, we know a lot of sporting clubs are reliant on gaming but it has very negative impacts, at times, on families.”
“That’s not to say there’s not a balanced approach to that but we think this childcare model is something that is of great community benefit and of great benefit for the club.”
Man sporting clubs rely on revenue from poker machines but GWS Giants believe day care centres is a “win-win” situation for both sides. Picture: Chris Pavlich
Mr Matthews said it was hoped the childcare centres would also boost support for the Giants.
“It’s a great thing for a lot of these families, their engagement with the Giants as a brand will be through the provision of something that’s so important to so many families — which is childcare.”
In January next year a centre is expected to open at Fern Bay, in the Hunter Region, and at Oran Park, in south west Sydney. In March 2019 another centre is slated to open in St Mary’s, in Western Sydney.
GWS Giants forward Phoebe McWilliams said she welcomed the club’s move into the childcare sector.
“It’s good for us to get fans involved with the club at such an early stage in their life, hopefully it’s something that will stick with them for the rest of their life.”
GWS Giants co-captain Callan Ward said the childcare centre’s reinforced the “community and family culture” of the club, especially in their heartland.
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk