News Gabba Upgrade & Olympics News

[Bjo187]

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/perths-optus-stadium-eyes-first-india-test-in-fresh-brisbane-blow-amid-gabba-funding-drama/news-story/77ad536098cd26dc095ccb4264dacc34?amp

Articles like this are helpful to the cause.

 

[Maboo]

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/perths-optus-stadium-eyes-first-india-test-in-fresh-brisbane-blow-amid-gabba-funding-drama/news-story/77ad536098cd26dc095ccb4264dacc34?amp

Articles like this are helpful to the cause.

yeah, CA have been threatening this for a couple of years.

 

[Grasshopper17]

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/perths-optus-stadium-eyes-first-india-test-in-fresh-brisbane-blow-amid-gabba-funding-drama/news-story/77ad536098cd26dc095ccb4264dacc34?amp

Articles like this are helpful to the cause.

Anyone got a link to the full text?

 

[Dalions]

Anyone got a link to the full text?

Yeah I can’t read it either

 

[PattyKwasagun]

Anyone got a link to the full text?

As a dark cloud looms over the redevelopment of the Gabba, Brisbane looks set to be shunted down the pecking order for this summer’s Indian Test extravaganza.

No final decisions have been made on the schedule for the epic five-Test series, but this masthead understands Perth is poised to win the battle for the coveted first Test.

The Queensland Government is still yet to make its submission to Cricket Australia and will be going in hard for the first Test it has been synonymous with for most big home summers.

However, all indications suggest Perth is the new home of the summer opener.

One of the biggest factors in a likely schedule of Perth hosting the first Test, Adelaide the second as a day-nighter, Brisbane third, and then the traditional Melbourne and Sydney Tests to wrap up the summer is the Big Bash League.

By starting with Perth and an Adelaide day-nighter, Cricket Australia can play the two ‘prime time’ Tests before the Big Bash gets underway in mid-late December.

It gives CA prime time, night-time cricket all the way through the summer.

With the third Test being in Brisbane rather than Perth, it allows it to double as the launch of the BBL, with season-opening matches to start in the evenings immediately following close of play at the Gabba.

This wouldn’t be possible if the third Test was in Perth, due to the time difference which means day-time Tests in the West finish late at night on the east coast.

A third Test for the Gabba isn’t necessarily a disaster, given the third Test would be in prime school holiday time just before Christmas and the Indian series will still be live.

However, it’s undeniably a blow to the overall stature of the Gabba as a Test cricket venue.

Former International Olympic Committee vice-President John Coates has already declared plans for the $2.7 billion Gabba rebuild should be abandoned and Cricket Australia’s inclination to go with Perth for the first Test only reinforce the message that the home of Queensland cricket is no longer regarded as one of the top Test grounds in the country.

That said, it’s still a massive call to be backing in Perth over Brisbane for the first Test given the unreliability of Western Australian crowds compared to the numbers who flock to the showpiece in Queensland.

Numbers were still mediocre for last summer’s first Test against Pakistan in Perth, whereas the Gabba pulled big day one and two crowds in excess of 23,000 against the low-ranking West Indies.

However, the Western Australian Government has poured huge money into the Optus Stadium facility which is state of the art compared to the ageing Gabba.

Players have traditionally strongly preferred to start big summers against England and India at the Gabba, because of its reputation as The Fortress.

However, Australia has had its colours lowered by India and West Indies in recent Tests.

Cricket Australia has made a concerted effort to try and create an established event around the Perth Test and build-up attendances.

The certainty of being the first Test of the summer should help that cause, although being the first Test often makes it harder to market matches, because there is no cricket before it.

 

[Section 5]

As a dark cloud looms over the redevelopment of the Gabba, Brisbane looks set to be shunted down the pecking order for this summer’s Indian Test extravaganza.

No final decisions have been made on the schedule for the epic five-Test series, but this masthead understands Perth is poised to win the battle for the coveted first Test.

The Queensland Government is still yet to make its submission to Cricket Australia and will be going in hard for the first Test it has been synonymous with for most big home summers.

However, all indications suggest Perth is the new home of the summer opener.

One of the biggest factors in a likely schedule of Perth hosting the first Test, Adelaide the second as a day-nighter, Brisbane third, and then the traditional Melbourne and Sydney Tests to wrap up the summer is the Big Bash League.

By starting with Perth and an Adelaide day-nighter, Cricket Australia can play the two ‘prime time’ Tests before the Big Bash gets underway in mid-late December.

It gives CA prime time, night-time cricket all the way through the summer.

With the third Test being in Brisbane rather than Perth, it allows it to double as the launch of the BBL, with season-opening matches to start in the evenings immediately following close of play at the Gabba.

This wouldn’t be possible if the third Test was in Perth, due to the time difference which means day-time Tests in the West finish late at night on the east coast.

A third Test for the Gabba isn’t necessarily a disaster, given the third Test would be in prime school holiday time just before Christmas and the Indian series will still be live.

However, it’s undeniably a blow to the overall stature of the Gabba as a Test cricket venue.

Former International Olympic Committee vice-President John Coates has already declared plans for the $2.7 billion Gabba rebuild should be abandoned and Cricket Australia’s inclination to go with Perth for the first Test only reinforce the message that the home of Queensland cricket is no longer regarded as one of the top Test grounds in the country.

That said, it’s still a massive call to be backing in Perth over Brisbane for the first Test given the unreliability of Western Australian crowds compared to the numbers who flock to the showpiece in Queensland.

Numbers were still mediocre for last summer’s first Test against Pakistan in Perth, whereas the Gabba pulled big day one and two crowds in excess of 23,000 against the low-ranking West Indies.

However, the Western Australian Government has poured huge money into the Optus Stadium facility which is state of the art compared to the ageing Gabba.

Players have traditionally strongly preferred to start big summers against England and India at the Gabba, because of its reputation as The Fortress.

However, Australia has had its colours lowered by India and West Indies in recent Tests.

Cricket Australia has made a concerted effort to try and create an established event around the Perth Test and build-up attendances.

The certainty of being the first Test of the summer should help that cause, although being the first Test often makes it harder to market matches, because there is no cricket before it.

Not sure why the Qld. Gov. will need to go hard for the first test if they are getting the 3rd.
Series still alive by the 3rd and i doubt the difference in crowd numbers would be much.
The weather more likely to affect crowd numbers.
Now missing out on a test altogether that would be an issue and a possible one in the future if Perth is successful.

 

[dlanod]

Not sure why the Qld. Gov. will need to go hard for the first test if they are getting the 3rd.
Series still alive by the 3rd and i doubt the difference in crowd numbers would be much.
The weather more likely to affect crowd numbers.
Now missing out on a test altogether that would be an issue and a possible one in the future if Perth is successful.

If the Gabba could have held on to a "traditional" first Test position, it has a leg to stand on when the Test season starts with a three Test series. If it's a three/two Test summer, then the three will finish at the MCG and SCG - the first Test against the good opponent is up for grabs, and the Gabba still wants a claim on that.

If we're moved out of that spot Queensland basically has no argument to make over Perth (brand new stadium) or Adelaide (redeveloped, strong first claim on any day/night Tests). They'll just get the scraps of what's left once CA has filled the rest of the schedule, a bit above Bellerieve.

It's what's been warned about for about five years at this point.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

If the Gabba could have held on to a "traditional" first Test position, it has a leg to stand on when the Test season starts with a three Test series. If it's a three/two Test summer, then the three will finish at the MCG and SCG - the first Test against the good opponent is up for grabs, and the Gabba still wants a claim on that.

If we're moved out of that spot Queensland basically has no argument to make over Perth (brand new stadium) or Adelaide (redeveloped, strong first claim on any day/night Tests). They'll just get the scraps of what's left once CA has filled the rest of the schedule, a bit above Bellerieve.

It's what's been warned about for about five years at this point.

I'm guessing the vast majority of the public won't give a rats arse about any of this, they will see that Brisbane still has a Test and be satisfied. And still opposed to the cost of a full knock down and rebuild.

 

[dlanod]

I'm guessing the vast majority of the public won't give a rats arse about any of this, they will see that Brisbane still has a Test and be satisfied. And still opposed to the cost of a full knock down and rebuild.

I'm guessing they'll care either when the Gabba gets Bangladesh instead of South Africa (for example) or the Gabba misses out completely. Given the average member of the public, they'll probably just jump on to the "why wasn't this already done" bandwagon if that's what is getting pushed on the front page of the newspaper when that comes around.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I'm guessing they'll care either when the Gabba gets Bangladesh instead of South Africa (for example) or the Gabba misses out completely. Given the average member of the public, they'll probably just jump on to the "why wasn't this already done" bandwagon if that's what is getting pushed on the front page of the newspaper when that comes around.

I don't think the average person cares about Test cricket at all.

 

[M Malice]

I don't think the average person cares about Test cricket at all.

I always thought of myself as above average, people on average are overrated.

">#testcricket

 

[Bjo187]

I saw this article from a few weeks back. Surprise, surprise, I knew the nrl would be involved in the background. NRL Commissioner beattie getting involved. Sorry i can't post the full article, the title says enough. Also were the courier mail pro or anti stadium? Overall they seem more anti stadium now, but I've only taken notice the past couple of months.

 

[Section 5]

I am not a cricket person but realize it is a big Australian sport played internationally.
From an outsider just reading a few articles here and there test cricket has been overtaken by the shortest version of the game.
Personally, i can see why this has happened. Fans want to see a result the day/night they attend.
Test matches have always been long and boring to me starting from my youth in the 70's when i followed everything in sport.
However, when Packer changed the game, myself and a lot of my football friends actually started watching the game.
But cricket was just not my thing so have not bothered to watch much the last 15/20 years.

Now with 20/20 being the game most cricket fans want to watch i see a further decline in test cricket interest.
Even the 50 over game is lacking crowd support amongst fans from what i can see.
I noticed the Windies only had a two-test series? strange and Pakastan just the 3.
I have not looked further afield to see how many 5 tests series were played worldwide in the 2023/4.
I guess the 5 test Ashes series will survive and tests v India and maybe some others.
Looking at the test rankings i noticed only 12 countries are ranked.
Sure, it is an international game, but you have West Indies (rank 7), Sri Lanka (8), Bangladesh (9), Zimbabwe (10), Afghanistan (11) & Ireland ranked last.
The Windies had horrible crowds so the countries below them i imaging would be worse.
Does Australia even play some of these other sides?

Whether 5 tests survive or are eventually reduced to 3 tests The Gabba needs to be at least in the running to hold one of the tests each summer.
To reduce Perths chances of holding test matches, the Gabba needs to be a 50k plus stadium. I would settle for 52K.
No way the Gabba will be able to get to Perths 60k costs wise.

 

[M Malice]

I am not a cricket person but realize it is a big Australian sport played internationally.
From an outsider just reading a few articles here and there test cricket has been overtaken by the shortest version of the game.
Personally, i can see why this has happened. Fans want to see a result the day/night they attend.
Test matches have always been long and boring to me starting from my youth in the 70's when i followed everything in sport.
However, when Packer changed the game, myself and a lot of my football friends actually started watching the game.
But cricket was just not my thing so have not bothered to watch much the last 15/20 years.

Now with 20/20 being the game most cricket fans want to watch i see a further decline in test cricket interest.
Even the 50 over game is lacking crowd support amongst fans from what i can see.
I noticed the Windies only had a two-test series? strange and Pakastan just the 3.
I have not looked further afield to see how many 5 tests series were played worldwide in the 2023/4.
I guess the 5 test Ashes series will survive and tests v India and maybe some others.
Looking at the test rankings i noticed only 12 countries are ranked.
Sure, it is an international game, but you have West Indies (rank 7), Sri Lanka (8), Bangladesh (9), Zimbabwe (10), Afghanistan (11) & Ireland ranked last.
The Windies had horrible crowds so the countries below them i imaging would be worse.
Does Australia even play some of these other sides?

Whether 5 tests survive or are eventually reduced to 3 tests The Gabba needs to be at least in the running to hold one of the tests each summer.
To reduce Perths chances of holding test matches, the Gabba needs to be a 50k plus stadium. I would settle for 52K.
No way the Gabba will be able to get to Perths 60k costs wise.

I am a traditional Test Cricket fan, yes generally it is on the decline sadly, the 3 major Test playing nations can still draw crowds when they compete against each other though ie. Australia, India and England.

Long term Test Cricket will probably go the way of the Dinosaur in the next few decades like me, the general public just don't have a long enough attention span for it any longer, + lots of competing forms of entertainment.

I expect by 2050 AFL will be down to 10 minute quarters + time on.

 

[Mighty Lions]

Finally we hear some Lions announcements Can’t believe they’ve bitten their tongues so long, it’s common sense they need a bigger ground and asap! Both to show their support of members & supporters but also them financially as they are already at a disadvantage to Melbourne clubs with their 100,000 capacity ticket revenue.

They should have shown their support earlier imo, and stuff this progressive rebuild rubbish just do the thing once & properly!

Who wants huge stands at eastern & western ends - the eastern end will be rubbish all summer with the afternoon sun they don’t even open that stand in some tests for that reason.

And not to mention the poorer viewing - an extra 20,000 or so seats with 1/2 of them up in nose bleed section that would have been spaced all around the ground at a lower level instead under a rebuild.
Anyone who’s sat at the back of the mcg top level knows what awful viewing that is, may as well watch on tv than up there with binoculars!

Hopefully they can bargain with the Govt to expand RNA for the interim - 30,000 there would be close to Gabba current capacity anyway and means the Gabba is done properly & faster.

Interestingly I got so frustrated at the garbage playing out that I shot off a few emails - to Miles, to Cisafulli & to the venuereviewfeedback dsdilgp address….Crisafulli said they don’t support it bc they want an independent infrastructure delivery authority….so thankfully they don’t seem to be as silly & short sighted as I had expected & perhaps persuadable. The other replies aren’t worth mentioning though.

Interesting how your opinion of a re-build is so strong and how critical & closed minded you are of any other option other than total destruction of what we have now and then re-bulid.
Our club management are smart in not getting heavily involved in this sh** fight with the Govt &/or The Olympics Committee Officials. At some time there will be a decision made with what is going to happen and if Cricket QLD &/or The Lions are actively against whatever they decide to do, it wont help us in any way....The old saying of you catch more bees with honey rather than vinegar seriously applies in this situation. An agressive stance doesn't help us at all.

So...that said, this is close to the decision that will be made next month (in my opinion) :

The total rebuild (as in destroy what we have now and start from scratch) will be scrapped. (already has from what I am hearing)
A structured re-build of The Gabba will be commissioned (With The Olympic Committee's guidance regarding what they will agree to as an acceptable standard.)

I'm pretty confident thats what we will be told in more detail soon.

 

[Viceregal]

If we could get an equivalent-to-new stadium through a staged rebuilding process with the requisite expanded seating in helpful places and improved access etc then (wearning my Lions fan glasses) I am happy for it to cost a bit more (which is sounds like it would) as it would be offset against the negative effect on us where we lose our ground and have no where decent to play and haemorrhage fans/corporate support and damage our 'destination club' patina.

We really do not need to have a second sustained period of success wasted through making supporting the Lions to be a difficult to navigate chore rather than embedding fans for life.

Now ... if we can only accidently lose/misplace/fail to renew the O'Brien's contract in the process ...

 

[Mighty Lions]

I am not a cricket person but realize it is a big Australian sport played internationally.
From an outsider just reading a few articles here and there test cricket has been overtaken by the shortest version of the game.
Personally, i can see why this has happened. Fans want to see a result the day/night they attend.
Test matches have always been long and boring to me starting from my youth in the 70's when i followed everything in sport.
However, when Packer changed the game, myself and a lot of my football friends actually started watching the game.
But cricket was just not my thing so have not bothered to watch much the last 15/20 years.

Now with 20/20 being the game most cricket fans want to watch i see a further decline in test cricket interest.
Even the 50 over game is lacking crowd support amongst fans from what i can see.
I noticed the Windies only had a two-test series? strange and Pakastan just the 3.
I have not looked further afield to see how many 5 tests series were played worldwide in the 2023/4.
I guess the 5 test Ashes series will survive and tests v India and maybe some others.
Looking at the test rankings i noticed only 12 countries are ranked.
Sure, it is an international game, but you have West Indies (rank 7), Sri Lanka (8), Bangladesh (9), Zimbabwe (10), Afghanistan (11) & Ireland ranked last.
The Windies had horrible crowds so the countries below them i imaging would be worse.
Does Australia even play some of these other sides?

Whether 5 tests survive or are eventually reduced to 3 tests The Gabba needs to be at least in the running to hold one of the tests each summer.
To reduce Perths chances of holding test matches, the Gabba needs to be a 50k plus stadium. I would settle for 52K.
No way the Gabba will be able to get to Perths 60k costs wise.

Test cricket has and will always be my favourite form of the game. I do love Twenty/20 cricket but I much prefer to enjoy a 5 day test with all the twists & turns a game gives you. I think if you talk to past cricketers and people involved in the game, most prefer the test format however introducing Twenty/20 has injected a very new follower of cricket which has been fantastic for the sport.

That said, has Perth ever packed out their staduim for a test match?

The last test there had an overall attendance figure of just over 59,000 peeps with the biggest attendance being on Day 2 with just under 18,000 peeps. A test match held at The Gabba would easily trump those numbers that Perth produced in my opinion (even with seating capacities we currently have now) and I think Cricket Australia would have been very disapointed in the Perth Tests numbers. I believe a structured re-build will give us a definite advantage over Perth once completed, even without a 50K seating capacity.

 

[mighty_lions]

Test cricket has and will always be my favourite form of the game. I do love Twenty/20 cricket but I much prefer to enjoy a 5 day test with all the twists & turns a game gives you. I think if you talk to past cricketers and people involved in the game, most prefer the test format however introducing Twenty/20 has injected a very new follower of cricket which has been fantastic for the sport.

That said, has Perth ever packed out their staduim for a test match?

The last test there had an overall attendance figure of just over 59,000 peeps with the biggest attendance being on Day 2 with just under 18,000 peeps. A test match held at The Gabba would easily trump those numbers that Perth produced in my opinion (even with seating capacities we currently have now) and I think Cricket Australia would have been very disapointed in the Perth Tests numbers. I believe a structured re-build will give us a definite advantage over Perth once completed, even without a 50K seating capacity.

give them the first ashes test and see if it sells out, bet it does, the last Gabba test against the West Indies had a decent crowd because it was Australia day weekend

 

[Mighty Lions]

give them the first ashes test and see if it sells out, bet it does, the last Gabba test against the West Indies had a decent crowd because it was Australia day weekend

Probably right but thats hard to prove unless they give them the fist test which I highly doubt they will. I think any city that get the first ashes test in any state would sell out Day 1 at the very least.

 

[Section 5]

Probably right but thats hard to prove unless they give them the fist test which I highly doubt they will. I think any city that get the first ashes test in any state would sell out Day 1 at the very least.

If that is the case than Perth is already 24,000 up on any full Gabba attendance day 1 of the test.
Surely CA would go with that in a heartbeat.

 

[Mighty Lions]

If that is the case than Perth is already 24,000 up on any full Gabba attendance day 1 of the test.
Surely CA would go with that in a heartbeat.

Why havent they then?

 

[Section 5]

Why havent they then?

Mighty Lions i am just quoting your words not mine.
You said, "I think any city that get the first ashes test in any state would sell out Day 1 at the very least".

I was not talking about crowd numbers in the 4 tests already played at Optus since Dec 2018.

 

[Section 5]

At least i got a reply from the Independent Review Panel.
Public submissions now closed.

 

[On the quiet]

Interesting how your opinion of a re-build is so strong and how critical & closed minded you are of any other option other than total destruction of what we have now and then re-bulid.
Our club management are smart in not getting heavily involved in this sh** fight with the Govt &/or The Olympics Committee Officials. At some time there will be a decision made with what is going to happen and if Cricket QLD &/or The Lions are actively against whatever they decide to do, it wont help us in any way....The old saying of you catch more bees with honey rather than vinegar seriously applies in this situation. An agressive stance doesn't help us at all.

So...that said, this is close to the decision that will be made next month (in my opinion) :

The total rebuild (as in destroy what we have now and start from scratch) will be scrapped. (already has from what I am hearing)
A structured re-build of The Gabba will be commissioned (With The Olympic Committee's guidance regarding what they will agree to as an acceptable standard.)

I'm pretty confident thats what we will be told in more detail soon.

I am no engineer, but is it feasible to raise the height of probably the eastern and western side of the stadium with the purpose to increase seating capacity above 50,000. Build a tunnel or overpass (tunnel more aesthetically pleasing) linking the newly built athletic 'warm up' track to the GABBA and Brissy has arguably a decent facility that is close to Southbank and reasonably close to the city as opposed to Mt Gravatt

 

[Mighty Lions]

Mighty Lions i am just quoting your words not mine.
You said, "I think any city that get the first ashes test in any state would sell out Day 1 at the very least".

I was not talking about crowd numbers in the 4 tests already played at Optus since Dec 2018.

I get what you are saying 100%....Perth do not have great numbers for attendances in test cricket. Given the 1st test of an ashes series would be the exception for sure as an ashes series is the pinacle of test cricket...and the 1st test is the ultimate.