It seems to be the $750 million question holding back the AFL from officially confirming that its 19th licence will be heading to the Apple Isle.
The AFL has made it clear that the Tasmanian government must build a new stadium in Hobart to secure their long-awaited entry to the competition. There has been much debate within the AFL and general sporting community about whether this project should go ahead since its announcement in 2021.
A decision is unlikely to be made until the federal budget is delivered in May to determine how much funding will be given, if at all, to the Macquarie Point project. Is it the necessity that it’s made out to be by the Tasmanian government or are there other alternatives that would work better for Tasmania and other Australian sporting leagues?
In its current existence, Bellerive Oval doesn’t appear to be able to expand its seating capacity. Its proximity to nearby streets particularly towards the Church Rd standing area makes it incredibly unlikely that they could expand the David Boon Stand further around the wing or build a completely new stand. With the lack of space to expand the stadium, it does make sense that if Tasmania wants to keep up with other states in terms of attracting sporting events, particularly within its capital city of Hobart, investing in building a stadium would help that cause immensely.
There have been various examples of smaller cities in Australia being able to hold sporting events. The T20 Cricket World Cup in 2022 was held in Geelong’s Kardinia Park and so to will the upcoming Commonwealth Games in 2026, while Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium has been able to host a State of Origin game in 2021 and will be an included venue of the 2032 Olympics. This shows the drawing effect that stadiums such as these can have which is particularly important for its surrounding regions.
The Tasmanian government will hope that the proposed Macquarie Point stadium will have a similar effect.
Building a new stadium would also undoubtedly make other sporting codes give some consideration to having games played at the new stadium or even the potential to include a Tasmanian team in their competition. The most likely avenue for expansion within the sporting codes for a Tasmanian team outside of the AFL would be soccer. Given that the A-League is likely to expand to 16 teams by 2025/26, having the ability to play in a 23,000-seater state-of-the-art stadium within the Hobart CBD certainly has the potential to help bolster any Tasmanian bid to have a team in the A-League or at the very least make Danny Townsend and the APL take a closer look into the potential of a Tasmanian team entering the competition.
Gillon McLachlan (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
However, its ability to be used for other sports has been called into question in recent weeks, in particular for cricket. The CEO of Cricket Tasmania Dominic Baker said in regards to the stadium and its roof that “The current (International Cricket Council) conditions are that you can’t play Test cricket under a fixed roof, that’s the current conditions, it’s pretty clearly outlined”.
This certainly narrows the scope of usage given the reliance within its business case to have nine cricket matches out of the 44 events that they predict to have at the venue annually. It certainly makes it harder to justify building it if international cricket and potentially domestic cricket are unable to play at the proposed Macquarie Point stadium.
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While the exact requirement of a newly built/heavily redeveloped stadium was expected (or heavily implied) of both the Gold Coast Suns and GWS Giants before they entered the competition, Tasmania’s situation is completely different from what the previous expansion teams faced and thus requires a different solution. Tasmania already has two stadiums that are of AFL/AFLW standard in both Bellerive Oval and the UTAS Stadium having a capacity of approximately 20,000 – neither Gold Coast nor GWS had anything similar.
This unique opportunity for using both stadiums should be maximized as much as possible from the perspective of the AFL and the Tasmanian government. For instance, they should look to split the 11/12 home games that a Tasmainian team would get between both Bellerive (Hobart) and UTAS (Launceston).
Given the bid’s unique position as being a team of the state and not a particular city, why not play into it and split games between the north and south regions of Tasmania and demonstrate the uniqueness of a state-based team by representing all of Tasmania? Not only does this save some of the $375 million that the Tasmanian government had set aside for Macquarie Point, but these funds can be redirected to other aspects of the AFL bid such as building training facilities. It can also be an investment in grassroots football and development which will help improve the longevity of the team within the competition by having the ability to produce players ready for the AFL/AFLW.
It should be also noted that UTAS Stadium is about to go through a $208 million redevelopment that would see it seat a capacity of 27,500 which should be complete before the proposed team would start competing in the AFL. Over the last 22 years, with its partnerships with both Hawthorn and St Kilda, it has shown to be capable to host AFL games including hosting the two elimination finals games in 2021 over its big brother in Hobart.
(Photo by Rob Blakers/Getty Images)
It further reinforces that the idea of using both stadiums would be beneficial for the side considering that UTAS averaged a higher attendance (15,210) compared to Bellerive (11,323) although there are probably other factors that played into that such as the quality of matches and teams playing amongst other factors.
Perhaps it would be smarter for the collective to inject an extra $100 million to place a roof over UTAS as there is far greater room to expand there compared to Bellerive and thus takes care of the AFL’s concern about being able to play football in any conditions with the roof in place.
Whether Tasmania does or doesn’t get a new stadium at Macquarie Point to be able to house its long-awaited AFL/AFLW team, it shouldn’t be the final hurdle regarding their bid for the 19th license. Considering that they have shown to be able to host AFL games using two high-quality stadiums over the last 22 years, surely it would have been better to have used the current infrastructure and upgraded what was already there before going into plans for a completely brand-new stadium.
But alas, all shall be revealed in the coming weeks.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
A stadium should not be a requirement, and as it is a requirement the government should find the balls to withdraw the bid. A state which does not have a single functional public hospital can’t afford to spend half a year’s gross state product on a stadium. [edit: “half” is an overstatement, I think the state government’s share is just under 40% of GSP] But even leaving that aside, just from a club viewpoint if a new state of the art stadium is built in Hobart that means all the big games will be in Hobart. Launceston would very quickly be left with a worse set of fixtures than they get under the Hawthorn deal, and the risk is the team would have to survive on Hobart support only. The sensible option is to continue using Bellerive and York Park for the time being, and if demand makes it necessary (not judged on year one, but year five or six once the novelty factor has gone away) look at upgrading KG5 – maybe with a light rail line running to Glenorchy by then. Less city traffic congestion, straight up the highway from the CBD probably quicker than parking in the CBD on game day, lots of nearby parking (even if it does mean park and then a shuttle-bus from the racecourse, the showgrounds and maybe even the DEC). The surface is already the right dimensions, and doesn’t waste valuable land at Macquarie Point on something that might get used 12 times a year – and that only after all AFL games are moved to the south. Seven or eight H&A games and the club abse in Hobart, the balance of home game plus finals in Launceston. People will travel for finals, so the more central location of the three population makes sense. They are unliekly to travel for H&A games after the first year or or two, so more games in the largest centre makes sense. And make it so the visiting teams split accordingly, more or less every third game by every team – regardless of drawing power – is in Launceston. The AFL seem to have no problems playing GWS at night in Canberra, Hobart (even Glenorchy) doesn’t get that cold until you get well into the mountain foothills. Launceston does drop below zero, it still doesn’t reach Canberra levels – and any games from May onwards can be day games if necessary. The roof is really a wind protection thing and is not needed as much at Glenorchy as at Bellerive or Macquarie Point. All that said, I don’t think it makes financial sense to have a Tasmanian team. It certainly makes sense from a historical and “deserving” and sporting viewpoint. So, I hope it happens with the AFL (not state government) underwriting things as they are prepared to do with GWS and GC.
George Apps
Roar Rookie
Are they any good at playing football, the Rangers? Good name for a new team.
Micko
Roar Rookie
When are those new clubs going to be "doing well"??? By your logic you'd delay a Tassie team forever!
Martin
Roar Rookie
Fair enough, I went over the top with my last sentence.
Knackaz
Roar Rookie
Just like with GWS and to a lesser extent, Gold Coast, hey? A very bad look, soul destroying for players and a business model that will lead to bankruptcy ...
Tassie.
Roar Rookie
There are cows in a paddock about 1 1/2 klm from UTAS but that does not mean that UTAS stadium is a cow paddock. As for it being windy, on the West coast you definitely need to hold your hat on. :stoked: Launceston is surrounded by mountain rangers which keeps the weather mild. I can remember those biting south westerly freezing winds in Melbourne. Nothing in Launceston can compare to those.
G money
Roar Rookie
But I've seen cows in the vision on tv, hence : cow paddock.. and nobody would deny that tassie is quite windy.
Matt Simpson
Roar Guru
AFL have put this on the government so they don't have to be the ones who reject the Tasmanian bid. Gil should have put Tasmania out of its misery last year,
Tassie.
Roar Rookie
G money, illinformed biased statement. :thumbdown:
Tassie.
Roar Rookie
Rubbish! i have never seen any scaffold seating at UTAS stadium. As for a couple of small stands, The entire circumference ( apart from 50m) is covered by roofed grandstands including a three tiered concrete building. Jack you have obviously never been to UTAS Stadium or have a personal vendetta against UTAS Stadium.
G money
Roar Rookie
Disgusting misuse of money when so many in our community are doing it tough.. if the stadium is essential, build it yourself parasites
Martin
Roar Rookie
A stadium halfway between Hobart and Launceston would be the dream location. I agree it would open up the middle of the island and have a knock on affect to drive other surrounding developments.
Martin
Roar Rookie
But at least by funding infrastructure taxpayers have something to show for your money that will be there for one hundred years. A stadium with comfortable seats is for the benefit of spectators and not the players. After all, the AFL could always play their matches without a crowd - for television viewing only.
Knackaz
Roar Rookie
Pure in$anity. Just shows how out of touch McLachlan and his AFL big wigs are with society where so many people are struggling just to keep their heads above water, and these elites want to waste $750 million of the people's money on an unnecessary new stadium. They're as bad as the ALP with the proposed stage 3 tax cuts for the wealthy. Tasmanian scheduled AFL games can't even fill their current main stadiums, so why build another much bigger stadium apart from massive ego, greed and hubris? These are the same fool$ who spend tens of millions of AFL $ propping up the unsustainable, low supported GWS and Gold Coast. Nero fiddled whilst Rome burned, and we have exactly the same mentality here. The sooner McLachlan goes the better ...
Jack Russell
Roar Guru
A couple of small stands plus a bunch of scaffold seating. On what basis is that acceptable for a full time team?
G money
Roar Rookie
I hat the idea of using taxpayer funds so the AFL can profit even more, but they should build it smack bang in between Hobart and Launceston.. would do wonders for that area and no fighting between the cities
G money
Roar Rookie
Windswept hole in a cow paddock
Gyfox
Roar Rookie
Bellerive is a stadium designed for cricket, not AFL, & is terrible for footy spectators. And for visitors it is difficult to get to. As Adelaide & Perth have shown, Hobart will benefit from a city stadium. An AFL team is essential for Tasmania - the recent decline in participation for football will grow with an AFL team & Tassie will become a footy state again. This should not be a "stadium v housing" either/or argument......that's a political argument, as evident by those who oppose the stadium. Tassie needs both & footy fans are worthy of support like others in the community, not to forget the economic benefits.
Tassie.
Roar Rookie
Love to know where you get your info from. Have you been to UTAS Stadium? It has one of the best playing surfaces in the AFL. The surface is like a carpet!.
Sam Branigan
Roar Rookie
I hadn't realised that it would be a fixed roof, but is fixed cheaper than retractable? Probably? Hawthorn will sell a home game to Launceston and that will be an away game for the Tasmanian team. They'll play nine home games at Hobart with two or three in Launceston, and gather round will start on Wednesday and end on Monday bookended by Tassie team home games (shamelessly stolen from someone on Twitter).