News Simonds Stadium Stage 4 Redevelopment

[Braydos242424]

It was weird that they called the bowling ends the 'Gary Ablett Terrace end' & 'Players Stand end'. I was assuming the were going to go with 'City End' & 'River End'. It was really sad seeing all the tape they used to cover all of the Footy clubs sponsors and signage (I sat in the Players Stand). But I was satisfied with crowd figures due to weather, because geez it was chilly. The Sri Lankans sure know how to turn up to games, one guy was even screaming in the isle I was sitting in and was going nuts at the end running up and down. One thing we never get right in these non-AFL events is catering at the ground. I remember back 2-3 years back I attended the A-League and it was 30+ degrees and they ran out of cold beverages. Today they ran out of hot food. Getting international T20s every 2-3 years would be a great result for Geelong, as well as after Stage 5 having our own BBL team. Hopefully in the near future.

 

[Boxhead_31]

This may be a totally stupid question, but do we have a naming rights partner for the stadium this year or is it KP this year?

I know that GMHBA takes over the naming rights next year and that the Simonds rights finished last year, though the it was announced they hoped they would extend their partnership by a year to cover 2017.

Reason I ask is that I'm at the cricket and noticed the Simonds name has been removed from the top of the Reg Hickey stand - not sure if a requirement from Cricket Australia (other sponsors have their names covered over) or we have no stadium naming partner this year

Also the Grounds Twitter handle has changed from Simonds Stadium to Kardinia Park

 

[Tyzza_07_09_11]

Just heard that they sold 18,000 tickets for the game last night... so given a better evening with a lot more walk ups and more people buying tickets on the day, 20,000 would be easily acheivable.

 

[thegerman]

With the ground costs involved, wonder if it's cheaper to run than the bigger grounds, therefore you don't need 25k there.

I know that's the case for footy, but if they do get cricket down there long term, wonder what the break even figures are regarding attendance.

Anyone know if they are still on track?

 

[samtheman1979]

Official crowd last night was 13,672. Crowd at the MCG on Friday night was 42,511.

The ground's sponsorship was covered up/removed due to sponsorship commitments with CA, similar to when a-League, NRL & ARU games are played at the ground. As far as I'm aware and I'm happy to be correct the ground naming rights are for AFL only and the majority if not all of the sponsor adverts around the ground are tied to the Geelong Cats and not the ground itself.

I agree that the catering really needs to be looked at. We got beer from an outlet in the Premiership Stand before the game and it had been frozen! Luckily we went to another outlet in the Players Stand where they replaced it for free. The hot food ran out during the change of innings which is not ideal.

Last night was a great spectacle. I watched the women's game on TV and went to the men's.

I hope that we do at least get a couple of Big Bash games next season with the expanded scheduled going from 8 games per side to 9. Given good weather I really think Geelong could get 25-30k to a Big Bash game.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

 

[samtheman1979]

 

[speedybundy]

From memory it was 40k ish at the g on Friday.


Agree completely with what you say about the crowd figure. Sat in just about the same spot as you, awesome (surprisingly) ground to watch cricket at.

The combination of the weather that would even have turned away supporters from AFL games (showers all day long, and 10 degrees by the end of the game), the high price of tickets (close to $150 for a platinum ticket in the premiership stand) and the timing all make for a lower crowd than they would have hoped for. I also heard on ABC radio that they nearly sold the ground out, so only 13,600 there shows you how bad the weather was.

Awesome atmosphere where I sat, and I reckon given better circumstances (say a big bash game on a warm Sunday evening in the school holidays) and it would have just about sold out and got over 20,000, which would be a great achievement.

Couldn't agree more about the 'surprisingly', I was expecting it to very ordinary.

I think the KP trust or whoevers in charge will take a big lesson from that re pricing. Barely anyone in the platinum seats @ premiership stand shows for mine that they overestimated the difference in supply/demand. When capacity is back to 36,000 I doubt they'll make that mistake so dramatically again

 

[Meow]

The Sri Lankans sure know how to turn up to games, one guy was even screaming in the isle I was sitting in and was going nuts at the end running up and down.

You'd have fun at Pakistan matches in England - 15,000 vuvuzelas in one stadium threatening to cause permanent hearing loss. Then there's matches in India.

 

[dazbroncos]

There is massive potential here. There will be hiccups along the way - but its enormously important to get regular non footy use of the facility. We need it for the future developments, the region and the local community as a whole.

The more events at the place, the more the turnstiles click, the better for everyone - and that includes GFC when they are not even there.

Go Catters

 

[lionbear]

I think a big factor in the crowd last night was also it was a second string Australia side being put out on the park, at least 5 of the best T20 eleven are in India at the moment.

Asking $150 a seat for an Australian A side was always going to affect numbers.

 

[speedybundy]

Can't remember if it was in this thread or not, but I had a fairly lengthy discussion with someone re the economics of these stadium redevelopments

Last night apparently was between 1-3mil in economic benefit to the city. Big Bash would match that and an extra AFL match or two courtesy of the increased stadium capacity would be more towards the 3mil side you'd have to think. With a BBL that's $10mil of benefit to the city without even counting jobs, increased crowd numbers at the other 7-8 AFL games etc. Next time someone on the addy website complains about the funding its safe to say the redevelopment stacks up economically, COGG can certainly justify the spending they've put towards it.

It becomes imperative we get a tenant during the summer though. One T20 every year or two helps but it needs Big Bash and/or A-League during the summer months to make the numbers impossible to ignore. Without it I doubt the economics can justify the next stage, which means will rely on a Labor win to get it done (stirring a little with that comment, it's true though).

 

[Willo_]

Have to say from a viewer perspective ... sitting in the Hickey stand (a7) last night was brilliant.

So close to the action. Was good to have a good look at the new stand as well, not a great deal of seating up the top level there but a large deep bay on the ground level.

Is going to look fantastic from the outside as well

 

[patience]

I think a big factor in the crowd last night was also it was a second string Australia side being put out on the park, at least 5 of the best T20 eleven are in India at the moment.

Asking $150 a seat for an Australian A side was always going to affect numbers.

It stopped us going.

 

[Boxhead_31]

Have to say from a viewer perspective ... sitting in the Hickey stand (a7) last night was brilliant.

So close to the action. Was good to have a good look at the new stand as well, not a great deal of seating up the top level there but a large deep bay on the ground level.

Is going to look fantastic from the outside as well

Top level would be for media?

 

[The rabbi]

Top level would be for media?

And maybe some Silvertails.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

You still in the Hickey Stand The rabbi?

 

[The rabbi]

You still in the Hickey Stand The rabbi?

Yep, with the other peasants.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Yep, with the other peasants.

Went into the club today and moved from the players behind the goal to Hickey on centre wing. I'll be filthy if they move the Kransky stand BotsMaster

 

[The rabbi]

Went into the club today and moved from the players behind the goal to Hickey on centre wing. I'll be filthy if they move the Kransky stand BotsMaster

Yep, I would get pretty Kransky too.

 

[BotsMaster]

Went into the club today and moved from the players behind the goal to Hickey on centre wing. I'll be filthy if they move the Kransky stand BotsMaster

Yeah I'll go full old man at the stadium management if they move it.

 

[aCunningPlan]

Yeah I'll go full old man at the stadium management if they move it.

Did you tell the club that when they sent out the KP food survey?

 

[BotsMaster]

Did you tell the club that when they sent out the KP food survey?

There was a food survey?

 

[aCunningPlan]

There was a food survey?

Yeah, sent out Valentine's Day.

 

[Willo_]

Yeah I'll go full old man at the stadium management if they move it.

I swear they had the red tent at each end of the ground at one point

The German bratwurst is fantastic though... had 1 sunday night at the cricket