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Cronulla Sharks have announced a major three-year naming rights deal for their stadium, which is set to be rebranded as the Ocean Protect Stadium.
The new deal will be implemented at the start of 2026, bringing an end to the Sharks' deal with Australian betting firm, PointsBet, which has held the club's naming rights since 2019.
It comes as the Sharks have been anticipating plans by the Australian Federal Government to implement stricter legislation on gambling advertisements.
Aussie Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing increased pressure from parties across the political divide to implement the new laws, with Macarthur MP Mike Freelander stating this week that a new bill would pass parliament with a ‘conscience vote’.
Rugby league clubs across the NRL have been assessing the impact of the proposed legislation and how it could impact their sponsorships.
The Woolooware-based ground, which has previously been named the Toyota Stadium, Shark Park and Caltex Field, will still be called the PointsBet Stadium until the end of the year.
Cronulla Sharks have announced a major three-year naming rights deal for their stadium, which will be known as the Ocean Protect Stadium from 2026
The Sharks announced the landmark deal with Ocean Protect by publishing a Photoshopped image of their stadium with a series of waves flowing over the pitch. Some fans joked that the club was installing a 'wave pool'
It comes as the Australian government could be set to impose stricter laws on gambling advertisements
The Sharks expressed their delight at their new partnership with Ocean Protect, stating the deal was a ‘natural fit given Ocean Protect's commitment to safeguarding Australia's coastal environments, including the iconic shores that are central to the Sharks community.’
‘A new wave is coming,’ the Sharks wrote on their social media accounts on Thursday, announcing the deal. As part of the promotion, the club published a Photoshopped image of a series of waves flowing their way across the field at the stadium.
Some fans joked that the club was set to install a new wave pool on the pitch.
‘A wave pool at Shark Park. There’s something in that,’ one fan joked on X. Another wrote: ‘Wave pool at Shark Park?’
For the past 20 years, Ocean Protect has been producing stormwater infrastructure systems that prevent pollution from entering Australian waterways and the ocean.
‘This is a significant and meaningful milestone in Ocean Protect's journey, bringing our love for healthy waterways together with the spirit of sport,’ Ocean Protect CEO, Michael Wicks, said at the launch of the partnership at Cronulla Beach on Thursday.
Sharks Group CEO Dino Mezzatesta added: ‘It's a significant day as we join forces with Ocean Protect, emphasising our commitment to collaborating with impactful and innovative organisations.
‘Our stadium is surrounded by iconic waterways, so we feel strongly about Ocean Protect's incredible work to ensure our beaches, bays and rivers are kept clean for all to enjoy.’
Fans were left divided by the move, with some adamant that the stadium 'will always be called Shark Park'
Sharks Group CEO Dino Mezzatesta added: ‘It's a significant day as we join forces with Ocean Protect, emphasising our commitment to collaborating with impactful and innovative organisations'
It comes as the NRL club announced in 2025 that the Sharks' Leagues Club will undergo major refurbishment works, with Cronulla hopeful the club can be reopened in mid-to-late 2026.
But while there has been a largely positive reaction to the new deal, some fans on social media were left divided.
‘It will always be Shark Park for me,’ many wrote on Facebook.
‘Just put signage around the ground for goodness sake. Shark Park should remain as the generic name related to the ground, and team sponsors come and go. Are you seriously telling me that if we have 10 different sponsors, we’ll have 10 new ground names? Wake up to yourselves,’ another wrote.
Others were happy about the new naming rights deal, noting the decision to move away from acquiring another betting sponsor: ‘To the fans it will always be Shark Park… however, for the official stadium name, it’s nice to see a sponsor not from the betting or finance industries.’
Others were hopeful that the new deal would bring with it some renovations.
‘Brilliant get by the club,’ one wrote. ‘Yes the stadium needs a massive upgrade but look back to the days when the club nearly went bust...several times. At least Dino & team are trying.’
‘Stadium upgrades?’ another wrote on X, while one added: ‘
‘Well done Ocean Protect for supporting the Sharks, desperately needed.’
