JCK98 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 27, 2022 5:35 pm
ChillyPhilly wrote: ↑Thu Oct 27, 2022 2:46 pm
abc wrote: ↑Fri Oct 21, 2022 8:15 pm
I don't see the use case for an upgraded/expanded Hindmarsh. The current facility serves primarily one tenant whose base isn't growing but dwindling, plus the odd outdoor concert.
A large centralised indoor facility would have far wider usability.
An indoor facility is a no-go for football.
The Riverbank Arena plan would have gained more traction if it was completely flexible (i.e. able to convert to a grass pitch for AUFC). Even less justifiable than this use is for basketball, which was the main anchor point of the proposal.
A new rectangular stadium will be a must in the future - this is inevitable - and the best inner city site is immediately west of Adelaide Oval.
An outdoor soccer stadium would be a no-go for basketball/netball/some concerts that could be hosted at an Entertainment Centre replacement, whereas major soccer games could be hosted at Adelaide Oval (same for Rugby League and Union).
Adelaide United games could stay at Hindmarsh (might pay to keep upgrading it), which would be better suited for those size crowds, which seems to be a model other A-League teams are copying right now (like Victory leaving Docklands, Roar mostly moving away from Suncorp and Western United eventually moving into a boutique stadium in Western Melbourne).
The only problem is if a Soccer World Cup comes to Australia which can't happen until 2034 anyway (or maybe an Asian Cup before hand).
Can't see this government doing either anyway, more likely to spend money getting a SANFL ground up to AFL standard for 3 matches during "Magic Round".
Adelaide Oval is dreadful for any sport played on a rectangle pitch, and ground-level stands are not technically AFC- or FIFA-compliant, meaning that the venue would be unable to host Asian Cup fixtures. This is also a factor in Melbourne Victory cancelling any further games at Docklands, despite the positive impact this had on their membership base and attendances. It will soon be up to Brisbane Roar to find a more atmospheric ground.
Regarding declining attendances, this is mostly due to multiple factors and not a fault of the club itself. At an AUFC-only level, past ownership burnt many bridges, many of whom have not opted to return. Declining attendances are across the board throughout the league. Keep in mind that for much of the 2020-21 season, Hindmarsh had a maximum capacity of 50%, then this was lifted to 75%. Capacity was reduced even less for 2021-22 as the Eastern Stand was closed for the upgrade.
Now that league operation is a vastly better model, once this is truly settled I think we can see some uptick.
Investment in the code is critical, because it is far and out more watched than any other sport on earth. The AFL Grand Final can pull 3-4m viewers on TV, but a 2012 Asian Champions League match in Adelaide saw over 120m+ viewers in Japan. Demographically, as the traditional 'Australian Rules followers' age brackets move on and pass away, and Australia's immigrant population grows and start families here, the sport will only grow further.
However, this will be negated by the following factors:
- Ridiculous pricing of grassroots participation and exorbitant junior football club fees, which means the richest players take the pathways toward national teams, rather than the best players. This affects player development and the quality of players;
- Overpolicing and poor treatment of fans and past unnecessary bans;
- Poor refereeing, VAR included;
- Negative and incorrect tainting by News Corp media;
- Past bowing down to Foxtel, resulting in pointless franchises in Western United and Macarthur;
- and East Coast Bias.