The Game Future NRL Stadiums part II

[The Great Dane]

I think Auckland FC are being very smart here.
They've had a cracking first season with oversized (even unpredicted success) crowds but at some stage they won't be drawing similar attendances when they have less successful seasons. That's just what happens. Their record crowd this season has been over 27 000. Larger than the Warriors have had.
Playing in a smaller stadium and creating demand is where it's at.
They can always take larger games back to Mt Smart if they need to.
It's a nice treat to be owned by an American billionaire who can afford to build his own stadium.
Also, that picture looks as though that the stadium could be easily expanded to a much larger capacity if needed.

It'll never happen, but I really wish the Raiders would seriously look into the possibility of doing something similar.

The government isn't going to build the SOTA 30k stadium they want any time in the foreseeable future, and they're not going to be voted out any time soon either. Yes it'd be great for the city, but continuing to flog that horse is a waste of energy. The Civic Stadium is dead, has been for years, move on.

The Raiders highest average attendance in a year was 17.3k in 94, so they could easily get away with building a boutique 15k-20k stadium and continuing to use Bruce for bigger games and finals. If anything it'd make for a better atmosphere and experience anyway, and scarcity would likely increase demand for season tickets.

They wouldn't need anything fancy either, just something like one of those comparatively cheap European style flatpack stadiums with decent coverage over the stands. I'd even be open to having a safe standing end if it saved a bit of money. It'd make for good general admission, and the soccer types would love it.

Talk to some developers, get some estimates and plans. Find a couple of plots of land in the city centres, doesn't matter which as long as they've got a bus terminal and are one of the destinations for the tramline. Then go to the government and NRL and try and knock out a funding deal. Maybe try and get some quality of life upgrades to Bruce as part of the deal as well, but whatever, don't die on that hill.

If they can't make it work then who cares, nothing lost, nothing gained, and all that. But at least they would have tried something instead of just continuing to incessantly whinge about the state of Bruce for another 15 years.

 

[i0Nic]

But watch if and when a Canberra afl team rolls around, big upgrades to the oval or a new stadium will be easy to come by for them.

If our rectangular code cousins were stronger it would actually have allowed so much more bargaining power in places like Canberra.

 

[T-Boon]

Bruce (Canberra stadium) needs to be rebuilt in parts like Newcastle stadium was. Get one great 10 k side built for $100m. Then in 10 years build the next side.

 

[Jamberoo]

Bruce (Canberra stadium) needs to be rebuilt in parts like Newcastle stadium was. Get one great 10 k side built for $100m. Then in 10 years build the next side.

Seems the obvious solution. Raiders can keep playing there.
Stage 1 - new SE stand fully covered, new sheds 10k $150m
Stage 2 - new NW stand 10k $150m
Stage 3/4 - bring the ends in 10m. 5k $50m each.

 

[T-Boon]

Seems the obvious solution. Raiders can keep playing there.
Stage 1 - new SE stand fully covered, new sheds 10k $150m
Stage 2 - new NW stand 10k $150m
Stage 3/4 - bring the ends in 10m. 5k $50m each.

Ge the real step rake like the stadiums have at Parra and Newcastle. That is the way.

 

[The Great Dane]

But watch if and when a Canberra afl team rolls around, big upgrades to the oval or a new stadium will be easy to come by for them.

They've already gone to tender to build a new eastern grandstand at Manuka, which will lift the capacity to 20k.

They want a BBL and Sheffield Shield team and a 20k capacity is a bare minimum requirement.

It also opens up the possibility of hosting GWS matches against some of the bigger sides, which they'll still comfortably sell-out with a 20k capacity, and it sets the city up to make a run at the 20th AFL license, which is probably the ultimate goal in reality.

And can you really blame them either?

• Manuka is an asset the ACT owns. Bruce isn't.
• The upgrades to Manuka are cheaper.
• Upgrades to Manuka come with the promise of larger and more various events. Upgrades to Bruce don't.
• The AFL and CA have been pretty actively involved in discussion with the government about upgrades at Manuka for over a decade now. The NRL has utterly refused to participate in discussions of any significance about the new stadium, or make any commitments.
• A bigger Manuka makes Canberra a more desirable destination for expansion sides in at least two major national competitions. Changes at Bruce or a new stadium simply don't.

As things stand you can see why the government considers it a better investment.

If our rectangular code cousins were stronger it would actually have allowed so much more bargaining power in places like Canberra.

In the past both the ARU and FA have done more to lobby for a new stadium in Canberra than the NRL. Neither are really in a position to help lobby anymore, but that just is what it is.

On the other hand, the NRL couldn't have been less helpful. The reality is that they simply don't give a f**k.

 

[The Great Dane]

Bruce (Canberra stadium) needs to be rebuilt in parts like Newcastle stadium was. Get one great 10 k side built for $100m. Then in 10 years build the next side.

Seems the obvious solution. Raiders can keep playing there.
Stage 1 - new SE stand fully covered, new sheds 10k $150m
Stage 2 - new NW stand 10k $150m
Stage 3/4 - bring the ends in 10m. 5k $50m each.

Ge the real step rake like the stadiums have at Parra and Newcastle. That is the way.

It's not the obvious solution for 2 reasons-

1. The Sports Commission (i.e. Federal) owns Bruce stadium, and the ACT has made it clear that they're not going to continue to invest those kinds resources into an asset they don't own.

Can't blame them for that really, but it means any plans for major changes at Bruce assume either A. Federal support, which won't happen and would lead to the stadium being done up for the AIS's purposes anyway, or B. the ASC agreeing to sell Bruce and the land it's on to the ACT as part of a sweetheart deal, which won't happen now that the Brisbane Olympics and upgrades to the AIS are happening.

2. Being a converted athletics stadium, Bruce is a sunken bowl design with an oval shape. Doing the kinds of upgrades you're talking about; like closing off the ends, bringing the sides in closer to the ground and converting the stadium into a proper rectangle, steeper rakes on the stands, etc, all require changes to the foundations.

Basically, to do what needs to be done at Bruce you'd have no choice but to knock the prick down and rebuild it from the ground up. Anything else would end up being a half-arsed job like the last major referb 25 years ago was, that wouldn't address any of the big issues with the stadium.

On top of that, the Raiders and Brumbies should fiercely oppose any major rebuilds or upgrades at Bruce because the location of the stadium is as big an issue, if not a bigger issue, than the stadium itself.

Any new stadium needs to be built in a location with amenities and better public transport links, otherwise it's just a waste of money.

 

[League Unlimited News]

 

[Wb1234]

Beautiful

 

[Perth Red]

Whose paying for it?

 

[Wb1234]

Whose paying for it?

Council / state govt / feds

Good to see some state govts think investing into rugby league grounds is a good idea

Albo is a champ

 

[Ozzi_78]

Looks better then Penrith’s 350M job.

 

[Perth Red]

Council / state govt / feds

Good to see some state govts think investing into rugby league grounds is a good idea

Albo is a champ

What are they actually changing for just $40mill? One end stand?
Our State Govt has pumped $155mill into HBF park already.

 

[Perth Red]

Seeing Commbanks switch to safe standing areas (same as happening in some all seater stadiums in UK now) surely this is a cheaper way to create end stands and then use the big bucks for the side stands?

Are they really saying they can replace the main stand and build a new end stand for $40mill?

 

[Wb1234]

What are they actually changing for just $40mill? One end stand?
Our State Govt has pumped $155mill into HBF park already.

Stand on the right hand side got condemned (there was a schoolboy’s union game and it collapsed when they were on it lol) so that’s the new stand

Rest is old yellow bucket seats and wooden benches being replaced with new seats in wests tigers colours

This is purely for a rugby league team. What was spent five years ago at hbf isn’t relevant now

 

[RedVee]

A stand like that at the Northern end of Jubilee would be appreciated. Minns?? Albo?? Bueller??

 

[Perth Red]

Stand on the right hand side got condemned (there was a schoolboy’s union game and it collapsed when they were on it lol) so that’s the new stand

Rest is old yellow bucket seats and wooden benches being replaced with new seats in wests tigers colours

This is purely for a rugby league team. What was spent five years ago at hbf isn’t relevant now

That picture suggests a brand new main side stand and a new end stand and the seats replaced in tigers colours around the rest of the lower bowl. Unless its fudged to make it look like a new main stand when in reality all there doing is building an end stand and replacing the old seats?

 

[Perth Red]

Stand on the right hand side got condemned (there was a schoolboy’s union game and it collapsed when they were on it lol) so that’s the new stand

Rest is old yellow bucket seats and wooden benches being replaced with new seats in wests tigers colours

This is purely for a rugby league team. What was spent five years ago at hbf isn’t relevant now

Is it? pretty sure Union and football gets played there as well?

Yeh of course it doesn't, in your little biased brain lol.
HBF has had $155mill spent on it in it's first two phases of upgrades. That's the reality.

 

[Wb1234]

That picture suggests a brand new main side stand and a new end stand and the seats replaced in tigers colours around the rest of the lower bowl. Unless its fudged to make it look like a new main stand when in reality all there doing is building an end stand and replacing the old seats?

Nah doubt it it’s just the current one tarted up

Don’t know what they’ve put behind it though that’s new

A new stand on the side won’t fit in the budget

Design of Leichhardt Oval upgrade progressing well - Inner West Council

Edit : added link above @perthred

“a brand-new northern grandstand as well as upgrades to the existing western grandstand including, upgraded seating, a new rear mezzanine level, upgraded female-friendly player facilities as well as new corporate and media amenities.”

Maybe a function area and members bar is being added behind the latchem Robinson stand

 

[Wb1234]

Is it? pretty sure Union and football gets played there as well?

Yeh of course it doesn't, in your little biased brain lol.
HBF has had $155mill spent on it in it's first two phases of upgrades. That's the reality.

It was upgraded solely because the tigers wanted it

The seats have been literally done in the clubs colours