The Game Future NRL Stadiums part II

[Timbo]

Cricket in NZ has been moving to boutique venues in the last few years (see Christchurch and Dunedin).

I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what they wanted to do in Auckland.

 

[flippikat]

Cricket in NZ has been moving to boutique venues in the last few years (see Christchurch and Dunedin).

I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what they wanted to do in Auckland.

Yep, there was a draft stadium strategy (a few years back) that had

* Cricket moving from Eden Park to Western Springs (where they currently hold Speedway races) in a new 'boutique' ground.
* Speedway moving from Western Springs to Mount Smart (Warriors leave Mt Smart)
* Warriors moving their games to North Harbour Stadium (yeah right). Utterly stupid, as the Warriors biggest fanbase is South Auckland, not the North Shore.
* Eden Park being kept for large attendance footy games (Rugby tests, NRL playoffs, Super Rugby etc)

That didn't go down so well, so they've had a re-think. From what I can gather, the plan seems to be

* New rectangular stadium downtown (60,000, probably covered, close to public transport, for Warriors, Blues & All Black tests) - apparently 6 sites have been shortlisted, but the shortlist is top secret. All we know for sure is the leading contender is spare railway land next to Spark Arena
* Moving cricket to it's own boutique ground (Whether that's a redeveloped Eden Park, or Western Springs, or Victoria Park, who knows)
* No word on speedway's future home. If Cricket moves to Western Springs (which I understand is still the leading option), they will need to find a new home.

I personally would be tempted to build the new stadium for Union/League/the odd Soccer match, put cricket at Victoria Park, leave speedway where it is at Western Springs, and make Mount Smart an mostly athletics venue (restore the running track, maybe use it for the odd soccer game for low-crowds club footy). Demolish Eden Park and sell all that land to developers for housing.

 

[jim_57]

Yep, there was a draft stadium strategy (a few years back) that had

* Cricket moving from Eden Park to Western Springs (where they currently hold Speedway races) in a new 'boutique' ground.
* Speedway moving from Western Springs to Mount Smart (Warriors leave Mt Smart)
* Warriors moving their games to North Harbour Stadium (yeah right). Utterly stupid, as the Warriors biggest fanbase is South Auckland, not the North Shore.
* Eden Park being kept for large attendance footy games (Rugby tests, NRL playoffs, Super Rugby etc)

That didn't go down so well, so they've had a re-think. From what I can gather, the plan seems to be

* New rectangular stadium downtown (60,000, probably covered, close to public transport, for Warriors, Blues & All Black tests) - apparently 6 sites have been shortlisted, but the shortlist is top secret. All we know for sure is the leading contender is spare railway land next to Spark Arena
* Moving cricket to it's own boutique ground (Whether that's a redeveloped Eden Park, or Western Springs, or Victoria Park, who knows)
* No word on speedway's future home. If Cricket moves to Western Springs (which I understand is still the leading option), they will need to find a new home.

I personally would be tempted to build the new stadium for Union/League/the odd Soccer match, put cricket at Victoria Park, leave speedway where it is at Western Springs, and make Mount Smart an mostly athletics venue (restore the running track, maybe use it for the odd soccer game for low-crowds club footy). Demolish Eden Park and sell all that land to developers for housing.

So Warriors would be looking at playing at the new 50k+ venue for all home games or may not have a choice? Interesting, hopefully such a stadium would have an intimate mode of 30k.

 

[El Diablo]

i see Fitzf**kwit is still at it

no mention of being critical of his fellow Labor mate Foley's comm games splurge though

 

[Perth Red]

Seems a bit overkill for the odd all blacks games. Blues rarely crack 30k.

 

[jim_57]

Seems a bit overkill for the odd all blacks games. Blues rarely crack 30k.

For 1.5billion surely they can get a club mode built in with the top tier/s covered like the Allianz concept.

 

[Timbo]

Seems a bit overkill for the odd all blacks games. Blues rarely crack 30k.

Since the All-Blacks sell out every game they play there it’s worth it.

That’s like saying ANZ is overkill above 15,000 for the odd Origin and Grand Final.

 

[Suitman]

Yesterday.

 

[Timbo]

Etihad Stadium in Melbourne is getting a new name - Marvel Stadium.

Sponsorship deal with the film studio.

 

[siv]

Stadiums need a 20m x 30m grass zone within the enclosures for kids to play 30 v 30 touch footy during halftime etc breaks

 

[Perth Red]

Etihad Stadium in Melbourne is getting a new name - Marvel Stadium.

Sponsorship deal with the film studio.

That could be a very cool sports venue if it gets themed as well!

 

[flippikat]

So Warriors would be looking at playing at the new 50k+ venue for all home games or may not have a choice? Interesting, hopefully such a stadium would have an intimate mode of 30k.

Yeah, I think having a "club mode" is the idea.. from what I gather, that's what the council is looking at.

As for the Warriors, the Auckland Council owns Mt Smart stadium.. so if they demolish, or downsize it or convert it back to an athletics venue only - then the Warriors will HAVE to look for a new home. If the new stadium is built, they'd be nuts to go anywhere else.

The only other footy stadiums are Eden Park & North Harbour Stadium. Eden Park has enough problems, but North Harbour would be next-level insane - the completely opposite side of the city to their main supporter base!

 

[The Great Dane]

Etihad Stadium in Melbourne is getting a new name - Marvel Stadium.

Sponsorship deal with the film studio.

If they do it right that could be marketing genius, there'll be a lot of people that travel to games there just so they can go to Marvel stadium and to experience the superhero stuff.

 

[El Diablo]

a lot of people that travel to games there just so they can go to Marvel stadium and to experience the superhero stuff.

only complete dick flops would feel the need to do that

 

[The Great Dane]

only complete dick flops would feel the need to do that

Only complete dick flops feel the need to go to Disney land, the Pokemon Center in Tokyo, etc, etc, yet millions do it every year.

Just cause it's not your thing or you don't understand it doesn't mean it's bad or wrong, and I'm sure that plenty of said dick flops think that plenty of the things that you do or take an interest in makes you a dick flop.

I wouldn't be interested in going to Marvel stadium for the Marvel stuff (or the AFL stuff for that matter), but you'll see no judgment from me if it's your thing though.

 

[t-ba]

Yeah I had a ball at Lego Land tbh, and I did make a note to go to Universal Studios in Singapore once I finally timed my trip at a time when the Battlestar Galactica was actually operating.

It's clever, it gets people who wouldn't otherwise interested in their game to the ground. Whether it does anything to grow their brand will be a test of the times.

 

[El Diablo]

Only complete dick flops feel the need to go to Disney land

you're comparing Etihad stadium to Dineyland lol

 

[The Great Dane]

you're comparing Etihad stadium to Dineyland lol

Actually I didn't, but whatever man...

 

[Diesel]

So Warriors would be looking at playing at the new 50k+ venue for all home games or may not have a choice? Interesting, hopefully such a stadium would have an intimate mode of 30k.

An article I saw on Tuesday mentioned the stadium have a curtain for regular club games to drop the capacity to 25-30k and opening it up to 50k+ for AB games.

 

[TheRam]

I hope this new stadium is not ten years away though. What a ridiculously long time to wait for the premier city of New Zealand to at last get a decent stadium that will bring them into the 21st century in this regard.

Boy what is it with NSW and New Zealand when it come to Quality rectangular all weather stadiums. We just don't seem to have a clue. This one size fits all approach is just laughable. Well anyway, I hope that it is no more then 5 years away otherwise who give a shit and who knows if it will ever get off the ground as a rectangular stadium. Also those arse wipes from Victoria given enough time will pollute the pollies enough to probably make it a big fat round fumble-dome to play their crap in again.