AFl v Etihad Stadium

In 2009 Docklands changed its name to Etihad Stadium, this was believed by the AFL to be a breach of the contract it had with the Stadium whereby it could not have a naming rights sponsor that conflicted with the AFL.

The Age reported on March 12, 2009 –

The court heard that in a letter to stadium boss Ian Collins last October, AFL  chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the naming agreement with a Qantas  competitor would be a breach of a user agreement between the league and stadium

The AFL also sought information on Melbourne Victorys deal at the stadium believing that the Victory were shown preferential treatment over the AFL, the stadiums major tenant. This information was denied to the AFL, although they were allowed to get the documentation on the stadium naming arrangment.

The Age reported on June 26,2009 that there was a partial success –

The Supreme Court has ordered the operator of Etihad Stadium to provide the AFL with details of its naming-rights agreement with the Abu Dhabi-based airline.

The stadium operator must also provide to the AFL details of its agreements with Coca Cola and Carlton and United Breweries, which have access to the stadium to provide beverages, to investigate any breaches of the league’s pouring rights.

The AFL failed, however, in a bid to obtain details of the stadium’s agreement with soccer club Melbourne Victory, which it argued might have received favourable terms at the stadium in breach of the AFL’s user agreement.