Adelaide Oval’s long serving curator and the artist behind many a summer masterpiece has suggested that drop-in pitches might have to be looked at as a pay-off for the redevelopment of the Adelaide Oval.
Many of you will be familiar with Burdett’s work, he nearly always produces the same pitch; beautiful to bat on for the first two-three days but as the cracks start to appear the quick’s get a bit of assistance and the spinners get a lot of turn. One could say, it is perfect for cricket, indeed Adelaide has only seen two drawn Test’s since 1991.
His suggestion of a drop-in pitch mightn’t sound so terrible, the MCG uses one for example, but after seeing the track in Delhi in the recent ODI game between India – Australia, the ICC should consider scrapping them altogether until there is a guarantee of their quality.
However, what really irks is the reasoning; the city’s two AFL clubs Port and the Crows who mightn’t approve of such a hard centre area. Two teams who have never played there and yet they might get to make such a fuss that the pristine Adelaide wicket will be no more?
Now let me make this clear. I have nothing against the sport of Aussie Rules, I am a South Australian, an avid Crows fan and a cricket lover, so I feel I’m certainly in a position to call this one and quite simply.
This has to be the worst thing that has happened to South Australian cricket and football in, well, ever.
That the SACA and the SANFL – South Australia’s administrative bodies for cricket and Aussie Rules – have never been best friends is no secret, indeed they have quite happily co-existed and not spoken for decades since the SANFL built Football Park – capacity 50,000+ – in West Adelaide as a home for football.
Now, apparently Footy Park is crumbling and Adelaide Oval is in need of a major overhaul and we need a multi-purpose-draw-card stadium RIGHT NOW. Says who?
My last time at Footy Park was two years ago and unless they’ve since ceased all maintenance it’s hard to see the basis of the argument, it wasn’t falling apart then, surely it’s not now?
One must keep in mind that Adelaide isn’t like Melbourne (where the chief driving force behind this redevelopment, AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou sits on his throne), or Sydney, it is for all intents and purposes a big country town. Public transport is useless, everyone drives and the highways and roads do a pretty good job of getting people to their destinations.
So having Footy Park in West Adelaide, a short distance off Port Road is no problem, indeed getting to the Adelaide Oval has always proved more challenging as its location, just north of the CBD, doesn’t exactly offer a plethora of parking spaces.
Another advantage for Footy Park is that it could certainly be redeveloped and better parking facilities could easily be erected, again this will prove all the more difficult at the Adelaide Oval which does have space surrounding the ground but no real transport infrastructure.
My last trip to the cricket in Adelaide was about three years ago and while I realise that the ground is old and redevelopment was always going to be necessary, it can’t come at the expense of its history and beauty.
The Adelaide Oval is a cricket ground first and foremost. That means having a centre square that is suited for cricket. It means a big old scoreboard. It means the Members stand and the hill where thousands spent their summers growing up.
So why change what has been working for decades? Why bring together a couple who can’t stand each other?
Easy; this way Mr Demetriou gets to keep his hands in his very deep pockets and look the peacemaker, Mr Rann gets some media attention that isn’t about his adulterous behaviour and Adelaide gets a possible World Cup stadium for the 2018-22 bid.
Instead of Demetriou bringing the SACA and SANFL together, he should realise this problem should have been solved by the AFL.
Football Park was built by the SANFL back in the 70s when it was the state’s dominant league. When the battles between Sturt and Port were epic, when Glenelg were a good, consistent team and Woodville-West Torrens were still Woodville and West Torrens.
Now, 18 years after the Adelaide Crows into the AFL and the league is poor, the games are all about the juniors coming through for the next AFL draft or the Crows and Power players not picked in the senior side – it’s slow death cause by the AFL.
The SANFL cannot afford the expansion that Footy Park so desperately needs. Were it not for the AFL it surely would yet Demetriou doesn’t care, as long as the SANFL keeps turning out players for his league, provides the two clubs with a place to play their reserves and he doesn’t have to open the AFL coffers – he’s a happy man.
Rann’s situation is a joke, announcing this less than two weeks after public allegations against the SA Premier of having an affair and just a few months before the next election.
The money has only been made available to put the state on the map with some sick hybrid idea that will never work, it is in part a bitter reaction to losing the Grand Prix to Melbourne, and in part the greed and guile of two powerful men.
Had half of the $450 million gone to the SANFL, expanding Footy Park to 65,000 would have been easy and the initial modest plans of the SACA to improve the Adelaide Oval to a capacity of 36,000 would have been achievable with just $100 million.
Instead, South Australian’s have had a deal shoved down their throats, engineered by a Victorian and rubber-stamped by a Premier in crisis.
It’s a sad, sad day for South Australia.
Dave1
Guest
This is a classic http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,1,26508128-5006301,00.html "A MEMO from the AFL instructed SANFL officials how to behave at the Adelaide Oval redevelopment announcement, including directions to "smile" and act "upbeat"......."
Dave1
Guest
last Annual report showed the SANFL making a profit of nearly $1.5 million and a group profit of $7.36 million, it seems to be doing ok http://sanflannualreport.realviewtechnologies.com/#
Dave1
Guest
not quite as big as rugby league crowds at Adelaide Oval http://stats.rleague.com/rl/crowds/adelaide_vn.html Best Crowds 1991-1998 28884 St George v Balmain Adelaide 28-Jun-1991 27435 Adelaide v Hunter Adelaide 14-Mar-1997
bever fever
Guest
Oh come on Freud, what was the SANFL to do, should they have just ignored the AFL and still played a suburban comp. On one hand you bemoan Adelaide still being stuck in the 50,s and on the other attack it for not catching up with the times. Freud would really have a field day with you. BTW the SANFL is probably the 2nd best football comp in Australia, thats pretty good for a supposed backwater.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
I fail to see how laying the blame at Demetriou's feet or those of the AFL is harsh. The SACA and SANFL haven't gotten on for decades but they have lived in silent harmony, there were no constant stoushes in the media or verbal sprays, the SACA have had Adelaide Oval and the SANFL Footy Park and it worked just fine. The AFL on the other hand are the single reason for the death or malicious wounding of the SANFL, they can no longer compete financially due to the AFL for if they could they would surely have funded any redevelopments themselves and not set foot in the same room with the SACA. You have obviously been to Footy Park more recently than myself but we also know your a Melbournite who has the pleasure of sitting under the roof at Etihad and one of the most impressive stadiums I've ever been to in the MCG. One simply cannot begin to draw comparisons, yes Footy Park is exposed to the elements and it needs an upgrade, I don't think anyone is hiding from that fact but it isn't in a state of disrepair, it needs the upgrades so the AFL clubs in particular can maximise their profits and as I've noted, half of the $450 Million would suffice for expansion and roofing, I'm not sure about parking but I think that might cost a bit more. The Adelaide Oval doesn't need to be a major stadium. It's one of the few remainining quaint cricket grounds, many Adelaidians don't want it to become some major attraction, they'd rather see it protected in its current state as a reminder of it's history, it's fine the way it is so why does it need fixing? Locationwise - here you've really shown you're a gumsucker. Even if you don't know Adelaide, go look on Google maps, you don't have to be a city planner to note the lack of transport infrastructure around the Adelaide Oval, to see the difficulties any huge redevelopment will pose, how it will stress the city no end etc etc. Many of Adelaide's best restaurants and bars (taste dependent of course) are found out in Glenelg or in Brighton, it's easier to get there from Footy Park than it is from the CBD. The casino - well the joke that is Adelaide Casino - is hardly some major drawcard for the city and all-in-all, Adelaide doesn't function around it's CBD like Melbourne or Sydney, that's something that yourself and Mr Demetriou have failed to understand, Adelaide doesn't need a stadium at its heart for Adelaidians, they happily commute by car, it is a foreign concept that doesn't fit in the South Australian landscape and it shouldn't be forced on the residents of Adelaide just so the travelling support of some Victorian teams can stay in a hotel near the casino and still be within walking distance of the stadium.
Brett McKay
Guest
it would certainly make for interesting discussion between the bodies if these points went through AND the Redbacks snared a home Shield final down the track....
Redb
Roar Guru
The real culprit is the antipathy between the SANFL and SACA as you alluded to in your article. Blaming the AFL for brokering a compromise that should have been reached 30 years ago is a bit harsh. The MCC and VFL/AFL share the MCG. Sure Waverley Park was built (like footy Park) to remove the difficulties of season timing but ultimately 95% of Melbournians would much rather travel to the MCG than to Waverley. History has borne this out. I was at AAMI stadium 3 months ago, it is a run down out of date stadium. Poor catering options, parking, public transport, no doubt corporates faciltiies are below par and it is 75% exposed to rain. This was my second experience after seeing a Showdown in 2008. Have also been to the Adelaide Oval, no question it is a lovely ground to watch cricket. But a major stadium it is not. Location wise this is a no brainer for Adelaide and it will reap the rewards of building a satte of the art stadium in the heart of town. Once the locals get the expereince of a new stadium close to bars, the casino, restuarants,etc, they will never look back. Redb
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
SACA should have such a huge say because everyone is identifying their asset, the Adelaide Oval, as the best solution for this "problem". The Politicians want a drawcard stadium and one of the criteria for this is location, obviously the Adelaide Oval is more centrally located than Footy Park but this could only possibly begin to matter in 25+ years when the city has expanded and public transport becomes a genuine reality, currently Footy Park is better to reach but they want to have a stadium in the heart of the city (like Melbourne) that acts as a Sports Mecca (like Melbourne) for the state. My suggestion is give half the funding to the SANFL, you'll have a 65,000 seat stadium in no time and that would put it second (in terms of capacity) behind the MCG (ANZ Stadium excluded). 65,000 seats in Adelaide and money to spend on the surrounding infrastructure would be a drawcard stadium. Give the SACA their $100 Million and let them keep the historic ground, that's what most cricket supporters want and funds are left over for an expansion of Hindmarsh...All for just $450 Million, you can improve three stadiums, make three sports happy, genuinely improve the appeal of all three and encourage further investment in South Australian sports (teams with larger capactiy grounds are always more attractive) or they can go and destroy the best of them all...
Mattay
Guest
Freud - forgive me regarding my SACA comments, I may not have been as clear with what I wrote. My query is, why does SACA and cricket in general need to play such a big part in the city stadium debate? I would have thought that the SACA would be the last sporting organisation that needs this to happen, as they have their iconic oval. Let SACA have Adelaide Oval, leave it for cricket and the odd concert and Rugby 7's event. And build a completely new stadium. Obviously they should have a huge say in the redevelopment of Adelaide Oval. But the 2 key groups who need something developed for them in the city are AFL and FFA. If nothing comes of this, SACA will just keep on keeping on, whereas Aami Stadium will always be where it is and will continue to have its own issues and FFA will lose Adelaide as a possible host city for a World Cup,
Bay35Pablo
Roar Guru
I am concerned at talk of redeveloping Adelaide Oval. As far as I am concerned it is the best looking cricket ground in Australia. I have never been there, but I love watching games there. It is just a beautiful oval. The MCG and SCG have becomes meccas to "big" sport. Lost their hills, huge stands, no soul. Adelaide should go the other way, stay true to what it is, much like Lords etc in the UK. Yes they can't handle huge crowds, but that's the point. I used to follow AFL, but I am increasingly growing to hate it (or rather the way it is being run). Demetriou seems to have an attitude that his sh!t doesn't stink, the sun shines out of the AFL's ass, and what they want they should get. They are about to become a billion dollar sport, and they want everything their way. Tell you what, given you are a billion dollar industry, you can fund your own grounds and everything else, and stop using government funding as a step up to keep growing your business. I find the comment that ths SAFL has faded since the Crows and Port came in very telling. As they say, keep churning out the recruits for the draft and stay in your box SA!! The VFL, sorry AFL, is sitting pretty in Melbourne, with Docklands, and the MCG, and propping up its overpopulated Melbourne teams, and signing Karmichael, etc. Feeling taken for granted yet SA? :)
bever fever
Guest
The list of demands may be long, but i guess that if you dont ask you wont recieve, i am sure they will find common ground eventually. Cricket and footy are in most places good bedfellows, but in the vast majority of grounds it is football paying the way. The SANFL will not let cricket have the whip hand, a independant government body should run the new stadium.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Yes, I did read it, and obviously I already knew you were a Crows supporter.
tifosi
Guest
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/comments/0,22638,26446860-5006301,00.html Loved the first comment from that article from a reader named taxpayer "I think the SANFL forgot the kitchen sink!"
Pippinu
Roar Guru
So the Adelaide redevelopment is about rejuvenating the city - sounds like a good idea - that's basically an influx of 50,000 extra people to the edge of the city every weekend for 7 months of the year.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
You didn't read the article did you Pip? Yes I am and that pesky Port simply don't fit into the South Australian landscape. Crows supporters love that they have a team to have a rivalry with but Port are economically not a viable club.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
Well Mattay, Footy Park is about 15500 km away - that's the main reason I haven't been for two years. Your comment about the SACA is quite disrespectful. They get such a big say because cricket, in the state of SA is run by them. The Adelaide Oval is theirs, it's the home of a sport for an entire state, it's the beacon for cricket in SA, it's a beautiful ground etc etc etc. - that's why they get such a big say. You are correct in saying this is as much about the city as it is any stadium. Adelaide has been left behind for decades, the jokes by the other states do have some basis. It must grow and by growth I mean grow like a city, not expand and sprawl further. I mean economically, culturally. It is stuck in a bit of a time-warp if I'm honest. Re The Footy Express. I've never taken public transport to the ground so I can't make any judgements on the service itself but it is simply impossible that buses service the city, it's too big, too wide and the population too spread. Adelaide's lack of real public transport shows just how far behind it is.
tifosi
Guest
The two times Adelaide Utd played at Adelaide Oval they had excellent 20000+ crowds. Dec 28, 2007 Adelaide v Sydney FC at Adelaide Oval = 25,000 Nov 22, 2008 Adelaide Utd v Sydney FC at Hindmarsh = 9,509 Jan 3, 2009 Adelaide Utd v Sydney FC at Adelaide Oval = 23,002 I think that tells you the benefit of having an inner city location that is easily accessible to the public.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
Well for starters, we can't assume that the list is real but if the points were true... "CRICKET pitches must be removed during football season. " - That will be a huge issue. The SACA will never want this and I fail to see what bargaining chip could be used to make them give in. They'll know what they have with their centre square and I can't see any reason why they'd want to compromise it. "THE SANFL has total control of Adelaide Oval from March 1 to October 14 each year. " - Again, hard to see that one. Cricketers won't want to be coming back in mid-October to find their stadium a shambles. One must also consider the requirements for the outfield are completely different, whether that is something that Burdett could overcome? Probably pretty difficult if he has to give up the ground (assuming the SANFL will want to bring Butterfield over from Footy Park) for more than half the year.
Mattay
Guest
I doubt this thing will go through either, and then the Liberal party's vision will go ahead, regardless of who is in power. As Geoff Roach wrote in yesterday's article (he's a nob, but he makes a point with this): Michelle Chantelois is the best thing to happen to SA politics in a long time. All of a sudden, Rann and his arrogant government are listening to the people, be it on water restrictions and now the city-stadium debate. Freud - you say you haven't been to Aami Stadium for 2 years? I would say that's part of the reason why they want a city stadium. There are many people like you who haven't been to Aami Stadium for a long time and for the majority of those people, it's just because it is too far out of the way. Often people argue against this saying that Waverley/ANZ stadium are just as far, but we are talking about Adelaide folks, not Sydney or Melbourne. The public transport issue is interesting. In this day and age of ETS, CPRS, recycling, water restrictions, etc we all still want to drive our car to the footy. Why? I've never driven to the footy ... ever. The public transport Aami Stadium at the moment is pretty good too. The Footy Express is a FREE service that will pick you up almost from your doorstep. What more do the Adelaide people want? Under this plan, there will be a walkway from the train station right to the front gates of the new stadium. And yet all I keep hearing is "where will I park my car??" The answer is leave your car at home. I hope they charge $20 minimum for car parking and continue to offer free public transport in the beginning. And therein lies the crux of the issue. Adelaide at the moment is a big country town. You have all sporting facitilities except Adelaide Oval (our only real gem in the sporting landscape) outside the city limits. You have suburban shopping centres with greater patronage than the city precinct. And you have pockets of dining areas that have grown organically which owe more to the great work of local chefs and restauranteurs than city planners. The city-stadium debate is bigger than the AFL, bigger than SANFL and much much bigger than the SACA (cricket's a dead game anyway, why do they get such a big say?). It's about the city - about public transport, about rejuvenating a dead city that has gone backwards and about attracting tourism and business to the city of Adelaide. Which is why I think the Liberal party's vision is better. The stadium needs to be built, owned and controlled by the government, ergo the people of SA. Graham Cornes will tell you that the SANFL will never move to a new stadium if it doesn't have control of it. Well let's see how long the Crows and Port stay at Aami once the government pulls ALL funding to the game and the clubs while they continue to play at West Lakes. Who runs this State anyway??
Pippinu
Roar Guru
So if the AFL would only dissolve that pesky Port - all would be well in the world! :) You're not a Crows supporter by chance?