This new stadium for Sydney better not be multi-purpose

[hutch]

I think Liverpool is a horrible place for a stadium in Sydney. Not close to any team, hard to get to and a dodgy area. Can't see how a stadium there would work.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Hence my comment about going back to 50/50 LO and Cambo. They get paid to play there, so I assume that the new stadium would have to come up with the cash....

The problem with a 50/50 split is the lack of government funding.

Leichhardt isn't in great shape. Awesome on a sunny arvo , but the lack of toilets , seats and corporate seating is a real problem for the future.

And seeing as the government own Allianz I don't think it would be a bg stretch to say they'd get a similar deal at a new government owned stadium.

Yeah, only about 25kms from Campbelltown to Liverpool & 29Kms from Leichhardt to Liverpool...its not exactly "down the road" for either base to attend...

The base is scattered.

Old balmain fans don't live in the area anymore. Although they do have plenty of new ones around there.

Wests were once based at lidcombe. Then moved to Campbeltown.


IMO a central spot would be best for everyone.

 

[GAZF]

Im 99% sure its owned by the council.

And there isnt really anything to scale back. Leichhardt is already pretty much a shell.

Just keep the main grandstand and get rid of the awkward one at the southern end to reduce maintenance costs I guess. The main point is that it isn't really feasible to keep the stadium outside of nostalgia value, its just not up to standard.

 

[herbert henry1908]

I think Liverpool is a horrible place for a stadium in Sydney. Not close to any team, hard to get to and a dodgy area. Can't see how a stadium there would work.

You don't want a stadium too close to any one team if you want multiple tenants.

 

[BuffaloRules]

The base is scattered.

Old balmain fans don't live in the area anymore. Although they do have plenty of new ones around there.

Wests were once based at lidcombe. Then moved to Campbeltown.


IMO a central spot would be best for everyone.

Yes, all good points, and eventually LO will have to go...

As a Tigers fan though, I would prefer that they upgrade Parramatta ,and the Tigers play games there split with Campbelltown...

I think this is a better option to Liverpool...

 

[herbert henry1908]

Just keep the main grandstand and get rid of the awkward one at the southern end to reduce maintenance costs I guess. The main point is that it isn't really feasible to keep the stadium outside of nostalgia value, its just not up to standard.

The awkward one at the end is a heritage stand.

Been there since 1934 when the ground used to run east/west and it was the side stand.

It isn't going anywhere.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Yes, all good points, and eventually LO will have to go...

As a Tigers fan though, I would prefer that they upgrade Parramatta ,and the Tigers play games there split with Campbelltown...

I think this is a better option to Liverpool...

Fair enough.

I would think parra would need to be completely rebuilt though.


I also think other clubs would want a sweet deal to play there. Their fans would be pumping a lot of money into parra leagues.

 

[GAZF]

The awkward one at the end is a heritage stand.

Been there since 1934 when the ground used to run east/west and it was the side stand.

It isn't going anywhere.

Rock and a hard place, huh? I suppose the stadium will fall into a state of disrepair unless someone else is willing to foot the bill.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Rock and a hard place, huh? I suppose the stadium will fall into a state of disrepair unless someone else is willing to foot the bill.

More likely long term will see the side stand knocked down and a hill put in its place.

Would still make a great community ground.

And I'm sure the council will pay for the maintenance of the heritage stand. It's pretty small.

 

[GAZF]

More likely long term will see the side stand knocked down and a hill put in its place.

Would still make a great community ground.

And I'm sure the council will pay for the maintenance of the heritage stand. It's pretty small.

Depends on how they plan to use it I suppose. I think we can agree it is nearing the end of its life as an NRL ground though.

 

[big hit!]

I think Liverpool is a horrible place for a stadium in Sydney. Not close to any team, hard to get to and a dodgy area. Can't see how a stadium there would work.

It's practically smack-bang in the middle of the Canterbury & Wests Tigers (Western Suburbs) district. It would get used by these two clubs for at least 2/3 of both clubs home matches.

 

[big hit!]

Just keep the main grandstand and get rid of the awkward one at the southern end to reduce maintenance costs I guess. The main point is that it isn't really feasible to keep the stadium outside of nostalgia value, its just not up to standard.

Pretty much.

If Wests Tigers played something like 10 games there like Manly do at Brookvale, then the calls for abandoning the joint would be deafening.

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

Depends on how they plan to use it I suppose. I think we can agree it is nearing the end of its life as an NRL ground though.

In terms of Rugby League, I think Leichhardt's future could be as a wholesale venue for the NSWRL, with Reserve Grade, SG Ball, and Harold Matthews all seeing major game time there. They already run the occasional Reserve Grade double header out of there, so it is feasable.

 

[big hit!]

At the end of ground rationalisation its likely we'll see only 3-4 grounds used across Sydney, as oposed to the 8 or so now. Campbelltown and Leichhardt seem obvious choices for eventually getting demoted once a new stadium is finished, but it'll be a long process.

However, Liverpool is a lot easier to get to from Campbelltown than from Balmain currently.

I just can't see the supporters of clubs such as Cronulla, Manly & Penrith regularly travelling to a centralised stadium - whether that be SFS or SOS - for their home games. Even St George tried it and it failed so you could imagine how those 3 would fare.

It might work in Melbourne. Sydney ain't Melbourne. This metropolitan is much bigger, and much more regional. The CBD (and hence public transport routes and destinations) is not geographically centralised as it is in Mexico. Furthermore, folks don't like travelling out of their local regions on the weekend when they crawl out and back the other 5 days of the week on congested arterials. Weekend traffic is even worse anyway because clearways aren't operating.

SOS works for Canterbury & Souths because it is practically on the border of the Bulldogs district, and Bunnies fans are all over the place not just the inner city and the South-Eastern area. Their support is generational and there are lots of them because all the success they once had. Cronulla & Penrith are very much district clubs unlike Melbourne AFL clubs where support for individual teams is largely sourced from all over the Melbourne metropolitan area.

 

[Gibbo]

Maybe just re-build Concord Oval ;-) ?

 

[applesauce]

I just can't see the supporters of clubs such as Cronulla, Manly & Penrith regularly travelling to a centralised stadium - whether that be SFS or SOS - for their home games. Even St George tried it and it failed so you could imagine how those 3 would fare.

It might work in Melbourne. Sydney ain't Melbourne. This metropolitan is much bigger, and much more regional. The CBD (and hence public transport routes and destinations) is not geographically centralised as it is in Mexico. Furthermore, folks don't like travelling out of their local regions on the weekend when they crawl out and back the other 5 days of the week on congested arterials. Weekend traffic is even worse anyway because clearways aren't operating.

SOS works for Canterbury & Souths because it is practically on the border of the Bulldogs district, and Bunnies fans are all over the place not just the inner city and the South-Eastern area. Their support is generational and there are lots of them because all the success they once had. Cronulla & Penrith are very much district clubs unlike Melbourne AFL clubs where support for individual teams is largely sourced from all over the Melbourne metropolitan area.

Souths started with a sub 11k average at ANZ. It could be argued conditioning of their fans has seen their crowds rise when you compare the trends from other clubs and the success of the Rabbitohs.

OPEN IMAGE IN NEW TAB.

Symbol Legend:
* = made the finals
GF = made the Grand Final
WS = wooden spoon

Succes in graphed period:
1st) Bulldogs = 7/13 (54%) Finals appearances; 2GF appearances; 1GF win
2nd) Eels = 6/12 (50%) Finals appearances; 2GF appearances
3rd) Tigers = 3/8 (37.5%) Finals appearances; 1GF appearance; 1GF win
4th) Rabbitohs = 2/7 (28.5%) Finals appearances; 0 GFappearances

 

[flamin]

I just can't see the supporters of clubs such as Cronulla, Manly & Penrith regularly travelling to a centralised stadium - whether that be SFS or SOS - for their home games. Even St George tried it and it failed so you could imagine how those 3 would fare.

It might work in Melbourne. Sydney ain't Melbourne. This metropolitan is much bigger, and much more regional. The CBD (and hence public transport routes and destinations) is not geographically centralised as it is in Mexico. Furthermore, folks don't like travelling out of their local regions on the weekend when they crawl out and back the other 5 days of the week on congested arterials. Weekend traffic is even worse anyway because clearways aren't operating.

SOS works for Canterbury & Souths because it is practically on the border of the Bulldogs district, and Bunnies fans are all over the place not just the inner city and the South-Eastern area. Their support is generational and there are lots of them because all the success they once had. Cronulla & Penrith are very much district clubs unlike Melbourne AFL clubs where support for individual teams is largely sourced from all over the Melbourne metropolitan area.

I understand what you are saying and actually completely agree with your points, I just don't see how in the long term how teams that are playing all their home games at small venues will be able to compete on a national level. The NRL already has as its target a 20,000 crowd average for 2017 which would put most suburban grounds at their limit. You can imagine by 2027 that could very well be a target of 28-30000. There is no way even half of the grounds currently being used in Sydney would receive funds to make that happen, or even physically support such upgrades.

Ground rationalisation is inevitable, but of course it will take a long time and we can't even say for certain where teams like Manly or Cronulla should play since there are no stadia that make sense for them currently and any new stadia would have to be dependant on large-scale infrastructure development. One would hope that in 20 years time Sydney's public transportation issues will be well on the way to being sorted out and a trip from the suburbs to the CBD or Homebush/parramatta/Liverpool/wherever would not be the 2 hour ordeal it is now.

Yes Sydney's infrastructure and culture make such changes impossible now, but that can change over time and most likely will have to change if Sydney clubs want to stay in Sydney.

 

[The Great Dane]

I'm hoping the lights and renovations at Manuka have put to bed the idea of a new Canberra Stadium being multipurpose.

30,000 in Civic would be ideal for us and the Brumbies.

It really shits me how much the ACT Government is fawning over the Giants whilst ignoring both the Raiders and the Brumbies who are local teams who contribute to the community.

May as well get Canberra United's help as well, I mean at least most Canberrans would enjoy having their own A-League team.

It really shits me how much the ACT Government is fawning over the Giants whilst ignoring both the Raiders and the Brumbies who are local teams who contribute to the community.

I'd have no problem with it if it was what the majority wanted, but the vast majority don't want Canberra to have anything to do with the Giants so it is wasted money that could have gone to more important things.

Just another case of a government not knowing what it's people want and thus not acting on their wishes, just like that f#^king boob whale.

 

[LJC]

I understand what you are saying and actually completely agree with your points, I just don't see how in the long term how teams that are playing all their home games at small venues will be able to compete on a national level. The NRL already has as its target a 20,000 crowd average for 2017 which would put most suburban grounds at their limit. You can imagine by 2027 that could very well be a target of 28-30000. There is no way even half of the grounds currently being used in Sydney would receive funds to make that happen, or even physically support such upgrades.

Ground rationalisation is inevitable, but of course it will take a long time and we can't even say for certain where teams like Manly or Cronulla should play since there are no stadia that make sense for them currently and any new stadia would have to be dependant on large-scale infrastructure development. One would hope that in 20 years time Sydney's public transportation issues will be well on the way to being sorted out and a trip from the suburbs to the CBD or Homebush/parramatta/Liverpool/wherever would not be the 2 hour ordeal it is now.

Yes Sydney's infrastructure and culture make such changes impossible now, but that can change over time and most likely will have to change if Sydney clubs want to stay in Sydney.

You underestimate the tribal effect of suburban footy grounds. It is very significant and parochial! If you tamper with this tribalism by avoiding the use of suburban grounds then you are well on the way to diluting traditional support of the game! This is shear suicide for the game as its strength (Sydney TV ratings etc) is still based in the greater Sydney area.

Don't tamper with traditional support and rivalry. It is the extra advantage this great game of RL have over the other codes in the market!

Mind you the game is a great product but their are a number of codes waiting for the NRL to make the same mistake made from the Super league war! (the merging of clubs and the kicking out of the Bears has done the strength of the game in Sydney and elsewhere no favours whatsoever!) Diluting the games presence in the largest city in Australasia is what other codes want the NRL to do!

 

[Perth Red]

Tribal effect? Reality is some clubs are just not that well supported and have a small fanbase. Moving to a centralised ground won't help that, staying where they are won't make much difference either. Over saturation and a culture of refusing to support your club unless it is winning every week are the real problems IMO.