NEWCASTLE Jets supporters are expected to join other disgruntled fans around the country and stage a walkout during the A-League fixture at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night in protest of the sale of the grand final to Sydney.
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The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) announced on Monday a three- year deal, reportedly worth more than $15 million, with Destination NSW (DNSW) for the game's showpiece to be held in Sydney as part of a festival of football.
APL CEO Danny Townsend defended the move saying it was taken to help grow the game and create financial sustainability for the League.
Traditionally the highest-ranked ALM or ALW team earns the right to host the decider.
A full house of 29,410 packed McDonald Jones Stadium for the 2018 grand final in which the Jets lost a controversial decider 1-0 to Melbourne Victory.
The change in hosting rights has been met with widespread criticism from fans and administrators alike.
Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City plan to stage a walkout in the 20th minute of their derby this weekend.
The Newcastle Herald has been told that a section of fans will join the protest and leave McDonald Jones Stadium early in the second half of the Jets' clash against Brisbane Roar.
The club is conducting a charity event, a Teddy Bear toss, to raise funds and toys for the John Hunter Hospital at half-time.
Melbourne Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro resigned from the APL board on Tuesday and called for the decision to be reversed.
Jets executive chairman Shane Mattiske attended a meeting of the A-league chairman on Tuesday, after which they released a statement reaffirming the the decision.
"The Australian Professional League club chairs met today to reaffirm their support for the partnership with Destination New South Wales," the statement said.
"As a result of the consensus achieved in this meeting, APL is committed to this new and significant partnership and the resulting generation of important new funds for football - all of which will be invested into the growth of the game.
"We believe in the potential for Australian football to close the gap on professional football in other parts of the world. We thank DNSW for sharing in that belief and our strategy to continue to grow the Australian professional game.
"Our immediate focus will be to work with partners to ensure accessible travel and accommodation for all travelling fans and to build a festival of finals football worthy of our game."
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
