This week’s Roar and Against debate is on the enormous popularity of the Adelaide Oval since its redevelopment and whether it should now be considered the country’s premier sporting venue.
Each week two writers will go head-to-head, and will only have 250 words to get their point across in the debate.
It will be up to you, in the comments section, to decide the winner. That winner will stay on and take on a new challenger and new topic. That challenger can be anyone, including any commenters who throw their hat in the ring.
To debate this week’s topic, Roar editor Josh Elliott is the challenger to take on Roar guru Riley Pettigrew, who won last week’s debate.
The Adelaide Oval is now the best sporting venue in Australia
AGREE
Riley Pettigrew (Roar Guru)
She may not be located in the sporting capital of the world like her Melbourne cousin the MCG, but the crown jewel of the ‘City of Churches’ is notorious for hosting a good event and since her recent redevelopment, has become the best sporting venue in Australia.
You only have to look back to last year’s day-night Test match when Australia took on New Zealand to see why. The nation was captivated by the match with non-cricket fans even taking interest as Australia recorded a three-wicket win.
More than 120,000 fans turned out over three days making the pink-ball test one of the most memorable sporting events held on our shores in 2015.
50,119 turned out for this year’s A-League grand final leaving the Western Sydney Wanderers quaking in their boots earlier this month as Isaías helped Adelaide United climb to a 3-1 victory, their first ever premiership.
Since moving over from Football Park in 2014, the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide Power have highlighted the ground’s brilliance with average crowds of around 45,000 turning up week in, week out and providing incredible atmosphere.
The Adelaide Strikers have done much the same breaking the record for highest attendance at a non-finals Big Bash League match with 49,115 fans showing up against the Hurricanes last year.
The ground provides the perfect mixture of old and new as Gerard Whateley nicely sums up, “[it’s] the most perfect piece of modern architecture because it’s a thoroughly contemporary stadium with all the character that it’s had in the past.”
Adelaide Oval is the premier sporting venue in Australia and there is no denying it.
DISAGREE
Josh Elliott (Roar Editor)
Don’t get me wrong, the Adelaide Oval is a fantastic sporting venue. It’s both visually stunning and produces a reliably good atmosphere. But it’s not Australia’s best sporting venue, and I need only one word to tell you why: capacity.
In a credit to the good people of Adelaide, one can usually rely on a solid crowd at Adelaide Oval, such is the city’s passion for sport. The 53,500-seat stadium is regularly filled up to at least 80 or 90 per cent of its capacity.
This means a good time is close to guaranteed at the venue regardless of what you came to see, whether it’s Test cricket, AFL, or anything between, and that reliability is to be commended.
However, a crowd that tops out not far past the 50,000 mark simply cannot compare to the experience of being packed in at the MCG, part of a six-digit swarm of humanity, enjoying the very best there that sport has to offer.
MCG crowds can be a bit less reliable without a doubt – I’ve sat through AFL games at the ground that would feel empty if you had them in your living room. But I’ve also been to capacity crowds in September, and simply put, it’s an atmosphere that can’t be beat.
Adelaide Oval is a fine stadium, and a very fitting No.2. But some times in life bigger really is better, and that’s why the MCG has to be the winner here.
mattyb
Guest
Gyfox,I have only recently become aware of the reuniting of the Port Adelaide Football Club but was never aware of the significance of the song,naively I thought it was a little silly not being an Adelaide person so thank you for sharing that post. I now look forward to the next time I hear it with a better educated understanding.
Gyfox
Guest
Most people don't understand the significance of Never Tear Us Apart being played before Port games start........ When Port Adel were admitted into the AFL 20 years ago, the SANFL (the other 9 clubs hating Port for 145 years!) insisted that the SANFL club be renamed Port Magpies & be separate from the AFL club. They even had to train at Ethelton Oval. A campaign by 2 Port players saw the 2 separate clubs reunited a few years ago. There is now, once again, 1 PAFC.....& thanks to Port's brilliant administration, Never Tear Us Apart became a new theme song when the Club moved from the hated Footy Park to Adel Oval. Without Port Adel supporting the rebuilding of Adel Oval, the new Adel Oval may never have happened.
Michael
Guest
I've been to an AFL grand final at the MCG, and to the A-League grand final at the Adelaide Oval. The atmosphere at the Adelaide Oval for that A-League game smashed the MCG. The Oval wins no contest.
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
Be good to see Port up and about just to see them go off, tried very hard last night against the eagles but just couldn't get there. Port were very lucky to get that INXS song for the start of their games, the Farris boys are actually old East Fremantle boys.
rasty
Guest
Go ahead mate, knock yourself out. :)
Gyfox
Guest
Can see the amazing sunset at Adelaide Oval on TV right now! The thing about all the other grounds mentioned above is that they don't have the hill with the 100 year old scoreboard & moreton bay fig trees that Adelaide Oval has. That makes it unique amongst all the major stadia in Australia. It also evokes the Aussie football experience that most of us grew up with. As for game experience, Port Adelaide leaves all other clubs for dead.....it is rightly called The Portress!
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
I have heard Cable beach is OK, in fact they are, decent footy ground back in town as well. The big bonus is Broome has no traffic lights, zero, zilch, none.
Mitcher
Guest
Yes. They lost 3-1. I'd be happy to google a match report for you if you'd like to know more about the game. Just give me a shout. Cheers.
BigAl
Guest
The Adelaide Oval does get the best sunsets ever, anywhere in the world. It truly does add to the experience.
rasty
Guest
They did lose though didn't they?
rasty
Guest
Attended 3 games at football park. It was a pain to get there and back out again. Only been to the one game so far at AO and it was awesome... Incredible atmosphere and sight lines and just a short walk back to the hotel room. Hope to get back again soon.
mattyb
Guest
Punter,I think you need to write an article rather than comment on this one though,that doesn't make ANZ Stadium the best in Australia which is what the article is about. If you wrote an article on what is the greatest sporting event ever held in our country that one would certainly be up there.
Mitcher
Guest
There were 3 *Adelaide clap clap claps* and 2 "Uniiiiiiteds". Nobody was quaking. Wonderful ground tho.
Punter
Guest
ANZ stadium 2005, Australia v Uruguay, nothing comes close to the atmosphere that night!!!!
mattyb
Guest
Griffin,I'm glad you like the upper tier seats but I certainly don't,I find them terrible. You make an excellent point about the museum though. I'm not sure if you can include it but then again a part of me thinks why not,it's part of the stadium. The museum at the MCG is absolutely brilliant and I'm glad you bought it up,a must visit for any genuine sports fan.
Boban Fett
Guest
It can only be Suncorp (I'm from Perth, so there's no bias). Oh sure, it's rarely full, and the crowds at Roar games are pathetic when you consider the success they've had, but when it's full it's like the Bernabeu or the San Siro. I also have a soft spot for Central Coast Stadium - gotta love the sauce bottles!
me too
Guest
Pffft - not one of the stadiums mentioned above allow you to park your car behind the goals!
Griffo
Guest
If the Melbourne sporting precinct setup wasn't a clear indication as to where you put your stadiums then this is. Crowds to Football Park were woeful. I used to think it was an Adelaide thing but it's clear now, these things work so much better close to the city centre. UP THE TOWNSVILLE SUPER STADIUM!!!
Griffo
Guest
I'll disagree with you on that point about the last 40,000 because having sat right at the back of the top deck of the MCG a few times I have been pleasantly surprised by the view I got. Don't get me wrong, to be closer is better but with the slope of the upper deck and the unimpeded view from almost all parts (being adjacent to scoreboards the exception) it serves spectators pretty well. Having said all this, I happen to know someone working in the upper management of the MCG who believes that from a stadium features point of view that Adelaide has gone number 1. He and others have payed trips to the Adealiade Oval to check out their features and see how the MCG can improve. On balance though, from a utilitarian perspective of the greatest good for the greatest number I would have to say the MCG comes out on top. Add to this the history of the MCG, the NSM and the MCC Museum and I think the MCG gets over the line.
mattq
Roar Rookie
I vote Etihad ;)