The Gold Coast SUNS have been given a wonderful opportunity to launch its inaugural AFL season and new stadium following the release of the 2011 Toyota AFL Premiership season fixture today.

Blockbuster home games against powerful AFL clubs including Collingwood, Geelong, St Kilda, Carlton and Hawthorn are locked in for the clubs first AFL season.

Gold Coast SUNS CEO Travis Auld said the local fans have been rewarded for supporting the expansion of the AFL and the creation of their own team in the competition.

“We're extremely pleased with our draw in our very first season in the AFL. In essence we've got exactly what we would have liked,” he said.

"Our request to the AFL centred around the ability to bring some of the big Melbourne clubs up to the Gold Coast to reward all those people who've come on board and supported us on our journey.

"We now have a wonderful opportunity to fill our new stadium on a number of occasions and to reward those who've been with us from the very beginning. It also gives us the opportunity to build something special around our home games for the fans.”

The Gold Coast SUNS will have eight games at the new Carrara stadium including fixtures against the big drawing clubs like Collingwood, Geelong, Hawthorn and the Saints with five of the games played on a Saturday night.

“We've got the opportunity to sell out the stadium on a number of occasions. You'd want to get a ticket early for our games against the Blues, Pies, Cats and the Saints. And you'd probably want to do the same for both our South-East Queensland rivalry games against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba,” said Auld.

“We would expect big crowds for games against Adelaide and the Swans whose fans like to travel. And the game against Richmond up in Cairns is in our academy zone which carries with it fantastic community spirit.

"We have opportunities to play in Perth, Adelaide, Tasmania and Cairns. It's a fair bit of travel but that's not an issue for us. Our players are in the big league now and they have to learn quickly how to win games on the road. It also gives a great opportunity to showcase our club and what we stand for all over Australia."

Gold Coast SUNS Membership and Corporate packages will go on sale on Friday November 12.