100m Football Park Upgrade

[smac]

I think my points are a little unclear - group Z was meant to depict "shit games" rather than an actual group and setting Adelaide alight refers to any lasting effect on the town. 10 minutes after the olympic soccer, it was forgotten. AFL footy sets Adelaide alight every week (whether we like that or not, it does).

I don't have an opinion on stadiums either, build it/don't build it - whatever. Just get its spot right in the priorities list.

[evans01]

if and when we get the World Cup....it would be as big if not bigger than the Olympics..........it would definitely sell out every stadium in Australia with enormous support right across the wider Aussie community........it would be one of the greatest sporting events Australia would have ever seen......and all this coming from a definite Aussie Rules Fan.........

I would love to see it come to Australia........

[Dirko]

I think my points are a little unclear - group Z was meant to depict "s***t games" rather than an actual group and setting Adelaide alight refers to any lasting effect on the town. 10 minutes after the olympic soccer, it was forgotten. AFL footy sets Adelaide alight every week (whether we like that or not, it does).

I don't have an opinion on stadiums either, build it/don't build it - whatever. Just get its spot right in the priorities list.

It's not just Soccer either smac. We need to ensure the stadium can hold the Commonwealth Games, any other World class events such as Rugby both League and Union, concerts, Olympics , etc.

The thing also is the MCG, hosts World Class Soccer, AFL, Cricket, Rugby of both codes, Comm games, had an Olympics etc, This is what we should be striving for in a stadium. The Docklands hosts AFL, Rugby of both codes, has had Cricket, Soccer regularly etc .

The only place where we hold different sporting events at this stage is Adelaide Oval...

P.S Not 5hite games in World Cup finals...

[ca]

[quote="smac"]I think my points are a little unclear - group Z was meant to depict "s***t games" rather than an actual group and setting Adelaide alight refers to any lasting effect on the town. 10 minutes after the olympic soccer, it was forgotten. AFL footy sets Adelaide alight every week (whether we like that or not, it does).

quote]

I understood what you meant but don't agree that there are s**t games in the World Cup. Its much more competitive than the Rugby Union or Cricket World Cup

[evans01]

I think my points are a little unclear - group Z was meant to depict "s***t games" rather than an actual group and setting Adelaide alight refers to any lasting effect on the town. 10 minutes after the olympic soccer, it was forgotten. AFL footy sets Adelaide alight every week (whether we like that or not, it does).

quote]

I understood what you meant but don't agree that there are s**t games inthe World Cup. Its much more competitive than the Rugby Union or Cricket World Cup

i think the same could be said about any form of World Cup no matter wot the sport..............

the thought of watch Upper Mongolia v Lituania in tiddley winks hardly gets the blood flowing.........

[doggies4eva]

Why should taxpayers dollars be spent on this?

If there is a strong business case then the extra revenue will repay the loan that the SANFL have taken out for the building, if not then it shouldn't happen.

[Wedgie]

Why are people talking about Perth missing out on World Cup games when their new 60,000 seat stadium in Kitchener Park will be completed well before the time of either proposed world cup here?

[Dirko]

Why are people talking about Perth missing out on World Cup games when their new 60,000 seat stadium in Kitchener Park will be completed well before the time of either proposed world cup here?

No way would Melbourne & Sydney be able to co-host it. Brisbane, Adelaide & Perth would all need to be involved...

Wasn't me...but good point at hand..Perth moving forward...

[Psyber]

World Cup matches, if they come to Australia at all, will be in Melbourne or Sydney, nowhere else. Not that it would matter much.
I can't imagine a big percentage of the Oz population caring much one way or the other, but the big Greek community in Melbourne may support it.

Absolute CRAP. The 100 odd thousand of travelling supporters may support it as would a hell of a lot of Australians. The Greek comment is short sighted and a blight to the Soccer loving supporters/players in Australia which there are a hell of a lot of. IIRC FIFA's mandate is too have a minimum of 8 - 10 stadiums available to host the World Cup, which is the BIGGEST sporting event held in the WORLD. No way would Melbourne & Sydney be able to co-host it. Brisbane, Adelaide & Perth would all need to be involved...

OK we'll put it on the wait and see list. Although I played some Soccer [as a Goalkeeper] in High School, it really doesn't appeal to me much as a spectator sport, any more than Hockey does and I played more of that. Do you think that many would excited enough by it to travel this far?

I always assumed the action in Soccer was in the crowd because it wasn't happening on the field!

[StrayDog]

The one thing I don't like about Footy Park is the rake of the seating. Feels like you're miles away from the action compared to Docklands, where you feel as if you're sitting close to the Oval...

Which, interestingly, was one of the reasons the ageing VFL (another arctic) Park, opened four years earlier, is now an 80 hectare, $700 million housing development. Proceeds of the sale went towards funding the Docklands facility, which itself sold for $330 million in 2006. What that actually equates to for building a brand new Adelaide stadium post 2010 , I'm not sure. The plan is for the AFL to have full equity of the Docklands by 2025 (see also here.)

Footy Park has hosted soccer before and, IIRC, viewing was a problem. Those seating angle issues just become accentuated due to the comparative field sizes and extra distance.

A likely sight for an inner city (ie, tourist hub), multi purpose stadium would be walking distance from so many ammenities (hotels, convention centre, casino, etc, etc) that are already in place. West Lakes is about 12 kilometres out from Adelaide's CBD (around half as far a Waverley was to Melbourne.) Waverley was 15 to 20 minutes road time from the Melbourne CBD via the (now) Monash Freeway. Time wise alone, how does a "light rail" to West Lakes compare?

If I were a visitor to Adelaide from interstate or overseas, instead of travelling between West Lakes and the City (also remembering the '80s catching a bus from Currie Street), I might prefer to spend that time putting money into the local economy.

I think it's become trendy to bag Footy Park. Especially through SANFL circles because the teams only use it 1 day per year these days.

Or is is that the majority (95% +) of the state that don't use the stadium regularly - including us in "SANFL circles" (hard wearing bike wheels these days by comparison) - may, generally, be affording themselves a touch more perspective than some that do use it 10 to 20 odd times every 365 days? Maybe it's this, as well as a touch more time induced 'maturity' (or cynicism, take your pick) that might lean me more towards the side of those horrible, "trendy" nay-sayers.

On the 'plus' side of upgrading West Lakes, it can already be considered to be adjacent the 'heartland' of an existing AFL side. That short term $100 million equates to around $200 per SA household. Do those sums on the true cost of a new facility (whatever that is). Yes, I acknowledge that revenue comes from varying sources.

As a former employee of the Australian Trade Commission , The SA Treasurer, the Honourable Kevin Foley (Member for Port Adelaide - SA Lower House) will well understand the long and short term cost / benefit of respective capital works. Whichever way it goes, it's alot of our money per SA household.

Our pollies - one in particular - quite regularly (and rightly) speak of our "hospitals, schools, ploice (sic) " - things we, and likely visitors, directly or indirectly benefit from. How would that whole $100 million look in terms of improving these facilities, or dare I say it, bringing our existing rail infrastructure past the 1980's. Maybe that could include a light rail system from the airport to the CBD?

.... Just get its spot right in the priorities list.

Couldn't agree more.

[leftlegger]

I guess when everything was laid on the table this was the best option financially.
But it sure would have been nice to have a great stadium in a central location.

...having said that, I'd rather a decent hospital and decent public transport systems to all suburbs anyday.

[Killa]

What would SANFL do when they can not use the ground for 10 weeks. (4 weeks prior, 4weeks for the cup and 2 weeks after event). And also FFA will never give WC matches when they will benefit other codes. Also there is a rumour going around Suncorp will miss out on next round of qualifiers because of government interference on ground arrangements. If SA government think they can play at AAMI your kidding me. Another example, AU make the final of asian champions league, there game may be paid in melbourne because lack of quality facilities for soccer. AAMI would be the worst ground to watch soccer when the stands are not eelevated. Adelaide dosen't need a new multipurpose stadium but only needs a rectanglur stadium. This would cost nearly half of 1 billion they are talking about.

[therisingblues]

And also FFA will never give WC matches when they will benefit other codes. Also there is a rumour going around Suncorp will miss out on next round of qualifiers because of government interference on ground arrangements. If SA government think they can play at AAMI your kidding me. Another example, AU make the final of asian champions league, there game may be paid in melbourne because lack of quality facilities for soccer. AAMI would be the worst ground to watch soccer when the stands are not eelevated. Adelaide dosen't need a new multipurpose stadium but only needs a rectanglur stadium. This would cost nearly half of 1 billion they are talking about.

Not sure what soccer's attitude to Footy Park is now days, but some English Premier League sides played an (some?) Australian representative side at Footy Park back in the mid 80's.
International Hybrid Footy is played there, correct me if I am wrong but isn't that played on a similar sized pitch to soccer?

[Wedgie]

It doesn't matter what happened in the past, the fact is FIFA now have rules that have to be covered before World Cup Games can be played. I watched an NSL final there in the early 90s but the pitch was tiny on the park so they moved it towards the members wing and everyone sat in the members.
Footy Parks has several issues major issue is the huge camber in the ground which would need to be flattened out to have FIFA games there. Other issues such as the distance away from the pitch, etc may need to be looked at too but Im not sure how they could fix that.
Building a purpose built rectangle stadium is crazy talk when Adelaide United can't even sell out Hindmarsh Stadium, they talk about Football Park being a white elephant but imagine a ground only used to its capacity once every few years?
Maybe if we got a NRL team here it might be viable.

Id be lucky to go to 1 AFL game every 2 years at the moment.
If we had a Telstra Dome sort stadium in town you could up that to about 10 a year, and with a family of 4 and probably thousands of others out there who would do similar think of the extra $$$s turning over, would probably go out to dinner beforehand and catch public transport too. If I didn't have the family would meet some mates there and go out afterwards.
It would finally take the city forward, something it hasn't done in my lifetime.

[Zelezny Chucks]

I think both sides make some good points in that argument, but we are in Adelaide and the 'world game' is a minor sport - and the possibility of hosting a couple of finals matches (let's face it, we'll get group Z matches between countries we don't give a frog's about) is hardly something that will set Adelaide alight.

And if the TV figures are inflated for the final, almost doubled as it turns out - then perhaps we should halve the rest of the TV figures as well?

And jabber, it is a carp game.

I think you'll find that the world cup finals draw uses a seeding system so the top 8 teams are spread across all of the groups. With this in mind you would gaurantee seeing one of the top 8 sides in the world play if Adelaide was to be a main base for one or more of the groups.

[Wedgie]

Media Release:
WEST LAKES RAIL LINK MAJOR COUP FOR AAMI STADIUM

The SANFL today applauded the South Australian Government’s announcement for a new rail plan to service Port Adelaide and the north-west suburbs taking in West Lakes shopping precinct and AAMI Stadium.

The Executive Commissioner of the SANFL, Mr Leigh Whicker said today’s announcement following on from the Rann Government’s decision to commit $100 million towards the redevelopment of AAMI Stadium, should put paid to any further negative debate regarding AAMI Stadium’s future.

“Our redevelopment plans, underpinned by a philosophy of enhancing the total match day experience at AAMI Stadium, encompass the surrounds as well as inside the venue. This new transport link provides the perfect accompaniment to those plans and we urge all South Australian football supporters to now get behind these exciting plans,” he said.

Earlier this year in partnership with the Department of Transport, the Australian Football League and the two AFL Clubs, the SANFL introduced a new free bus service. Mr Whicker said the service now has been a resounding success.

“Up to 20% of match day patrons are using the free SA Lotteries Footy Express which is equates to an average of 1,500 less vehicles travelling to and from AAMI Stadium each week,” he said.

“There is no doubt this new light rail plan will greatly enhance AAMI Stadium’s transport plan in complementing the successful SA Lotteries Footy Express and the existing 10,000 car spaces. The true beneficiaries will be the South Australian footy public who will have greater choice than ever before in how they travel to and from the football.”

[Tassie Blues]

I'd imagine New Zealand would put its hand up as well...

I don't think they can as I am pretty sure you can't have different associations hosting it i.e Australia is AFC, New Zealand is Oceania.

Rann said it's be at a World Cup level, so just hope he's right, as one day it will be inevitable that we'll host a World Cup.

Excuse me how teh F*** can it be the biggest sporting event in the world when the Olympics includes teh equiavlent of teh FIFA U/23 world championship - similar Qualifying as World Cup. Whree as the Soccer World Cup excludes half the worlds population, is limited to ~700 particpants (the Finals) and is merely one Sport.

**** in management participation and size teh Olympics dwarfs the Soccer World Cup. Just some SBS bias to try and justify are carp sport to teh rest of Australia.

Yes they might say its big in terms of 30 days of action comapred to 16. But in size of logistics, number of sports participants and people world wide who participate in the sports included in the Olympics (i.e who can potentially qualify for them) the Olympics dwarfs the Soccer World Cup.

Your right Olympics is the biggest multi sports event in the world and the Football World Cup the biggest single sports event. Football people/FIFA like to think there bigger than the Olympics but they are just the little brother.

[therisingblues]

It doesn't matter what happened in the past, the fact is FIFA now have rules that have to be covered before World Cup Games can be played. I watched an NSL final there in the early 90s but the pitch was tiny on the park so they moved it towards the members wing and everyone sat in the members.

I guess this pretty much knocks it on the head. Even if the first part of the above is somehow fulfilled, it would look ridiculous bringing the pitch over to the members side when the ground could possibly be sold out.
So why doesn't the MCG have these problems? Angle of seating perhaps?
Or does the MCG have similar problems also?

[Wedgie]

MCG doesnt have as bad an issue as its a cricket ground and is virtually circular unlike Footy Park which is a football ground and is oval.
Also the MCG is virtuallu a new stadium having been completely rebuilt in the last 18 years and has terracing that goes almost straight up where Footy Pk similar to the old Waverley is like a dish and has very shallow terracing.

[SimonH]

The rail link, in my opinion, is more important than the $100m upgrade. Really, the stuff that they're planning to do with the $100m falls into 2 categories:
a) convention centre, Port Adelaide offices, SANFL offices, lots more corporate boxes and entertainment facilities
b) better roof, better lighting, nicer ("highly impressionable"-- so don't swear around them!) entry points, more/better bars and cafes.

Everything in the first category will cost heavily but make no difference whatever to the average punter going to a game. Everything in the second category will provoke the response 'nice, but doesn't fundamentally change my experience of going there'. So those that hate it now will still hate it; those who tolerate or even like it, will feel the same way.

Australia are no chance (that's right, absolutely no chance) of getting the 2018 World Cup, and if there were a book on it we would be rank outsiders to get 2022. Even if we were successful, a projected announcement in 2011 (or 3 or 4 years after that at worst) would be heaps of time to do any work required. How much of Sydney's Olympics infrastructure was built in 1993?

The bottom line: spending this money in anticipation of FP hosting games at an Aussie world cup is a crock. It's an electoral fig-leaf to avoid accusations from other sports that the Gumment is giving huge dollops of cash to Aussie rules, so why don't we get anything? Other sports will use FP after this $100m has been spent, exactly as much as they do now.

Being able to get there on rapid-transit public transport, rather than sitting in traffic in some hideously ill-designed roads, is the real improvement. However, firstly it won't be until 2015 (work beginning 2013) and most importantly: how many people will the system be able to move, how quickly? Light rail/trams are relatively cheap; but they don't touch heavy rail/subway systems for moving mass numbers quickly.