Worst stadium you have ever been to watch the footy and why?

[Kram]

I've only been to the Gabba, Metricon, MCG, and Etihad - all of which have been great. I keep reading horror stories about Subi, and it's really putting me off heading over to Perth for a GC game any time soon... Surely it's got to be a good 'once off' experience, right?!

A lot of people complain about silly stuff on this site but trust me they aren't exaggerating when the say how bad the old parts of Subiaco in particular are.

 

[Beetlebum]

Only a few more years and Emperor Col has promised us a palace.

 

[Teagueeee15]

Is anybody able to post some pictures of the concourse/amenities at Subi? Particularly inside that three tier stand. Judging by what I've read on here they must be worse than the old suburban grounds.

 

[Rob]

Is anybody able to post some pictures of the concourse/amenities at Subi? Particularly inside that three tier stand. Judging by what I've read on here they must be worse than the old suburban grounds.

There are no amenities inside the 3 tier stand. If you want to go to the toilet or get a beer or a pie, you have to leave the stand.

The new(er) Eastern stand is by far the best in that regard, but it's still horribly crowded.

 

[Silent Alarm]

I've only been to the Gabba, Metricon, MCG, and Etihad - all of which have been great. I keep reading horror stories about Subi, and it's really putting me off heading over to Perth for a GC game any time soon... Surely it's got to be a good 'once off' experience, right?!

Probably good for a masochistic experience. As bad as the ground is, Subiaco as a suburb is pretty nice. It's probably the best area around a ground, really, especially on a warm day. I miss it a bit.

Is anybody able to post some pictures of the concourse/amenities at Subi? Particularly inside that three tier stand. Judging by what I've read on here they must be worse than the old suburban grounds.

I genuinely can't even remember anything about it. The last time I went there was in 2012, I think the WAFL Granny was my last game. I usually sat in the three tier stand which is the absolute worst of the lot, you walked in this entrance that was all botched together, there was a fence with a bunch of Chicken Treat stalls and I think the toilets were all the way down there too. The stairs snaked up and from memory, you just walked into the seated bit... I don't even recall much of a concourse. It was always really packed, dark and wet feeling even in the summer, and the back of the first level there was permanently freezing.

I never buy anything at the footy, the nice thing about Subi is going to a cafe for something before the game, but the only time I ever bought something was a beer. I was at uni and lived with a Swedish guy who was on exchange and he wanted one. Poor prick regretted that at $8... Anyway, that was up at the city end, the section that's near the wing and about in line with the 50, at the second tier. Probably the best view I've ever had there, it was great actually, so if you ever go to Subi try and snag some tickets in that bit. Probably not the authentic, representative Subiaco Oval experience though...

 

[Rainfall]

TIO / Traegar Park

 

[The_Reaper]

Probably good for a masochistic experience. As bad as the ground is, Subiaco as a suburb is pretty nice. It's probably the best area around a ground, really, especially on a warm day. I miss it a bit.


I genuinely can't even remember anything about it. The last time I went there was in 2012, I think the WAFL Granny was my last game. I usually sat in the three tier stand which is the absolute worst of the lot, you walked in this entrance that was all botched together, there was a fence with a bunch of Chicken Treat stalls and I think the toilets were all the way down there too. The stairs snaked up and from memory, you just walked into the seated bit... I don't even recall much of a concourse. It was always really packed, dark and wet feeling even in the summer, and the back of the first level there was permanently freezing.

I never buy anything at the footy, the nice thing about Subi is going to a cafe for something before the game, but the only time I ever bought something was a beer. I was at uni and lived with a Swedish guy who was on exchange and he wanted one. Poor prick regretted that at $8... Anyway, that was up at the city end, the section that's near the wing and about in line with the 50, at the second tier. Probably the best view I've ever had there, it was great actually, so if you ever go to Subi try and snag some tickets in that bit. Probably not the authentic, representative Subiaco Oval experience though...

Cheap for Scandinavia from what I have heard.

 

[The_Reaper]

Clearly most WA fans have never crossed the country to watch a game of footy if Subi and the WACA make the list.

Waverley was awful, out in the middle of downtown nowhere Mulgrave. Cold. Hideous. Needed binoculars from just about any seat in the place and you were at serious risk of losing a finger to the elements.
Vic Park - shithole and the crowd .... yeah.
Moorabbin - shithole
Arden Street - positively ancient looking, tiny and as a stadium (not the oval), and I use that loosely, was a weird shape. I'd have liked to see the elephant tho'.
Western Oval - every single game was a wind and rain affected schamozzle, the ground was a dumb shape - ugly and third world, had atmosphere but it needed it to distract you from how god awful the place and game was. You'd actually turn to drugs.

The Inverarity Stand at the WACA doesn't even face the centre of the ground and has ****ed up numbering (the seats are labeled 1-whatever in one direction whilst the numbers on the floor go 1 to whatever in the opposite direction).
You also get the demountable toilets. No shade cover in frequent 35 degree days. Food and drink expensive as ****.

unfair to compare a stadium to old surbaban ground.

Subi is one of those old suburban grounds.

With stands from the 70s, wooden seats with worn out cushions and splinters up your arse.

The lard arse next to you also takes up half your seat. It costs over $40. The piss is expensive as ****.

The toilets are out of the way and sometimes you have to leave the stand for it.

 

[Silent Alarm]

The Inverarity Stand at the WACA doesn't even face the centre of the ground and has ****** up numbering (the seats are labeled 1-whatever in one direction whilst the numbers on the floor go 1 to whatever in the opposite direction).

How hard is it to fix that, seriously? You could do the whole stand for about $200. Just paint over the concrete. I'm sure some old digger would shout the paint and do it himself too. I'm looking forward to going to the WACA in summer, actually, just to see how these issues in person.

You also get the demountable toilets. No shade cover in frequent 35 degree days. Food and drink expensive as ****.

They should get rid of everything but the Members facade and then refit that end completely.

The only thing you have to do with the hills is build facilities at the top of them. It wouldn't be that expensive in comparison to a proper stand. You could do it like Metricon. Just have a wall that runs across the top with rooms for mens and womens. You could literally just throw in out-coming walls for things like bars and food, most just work out of little demountable set-ups anyway. If you have them evenly across the hill, surely the lines won't be too appalling? Then just build glorified poles atop the concrete and fit them with a roof.

Then, with the other end, just fill in the banks with seating and create another tier or two for corporates and TV. You could do it reasonably cheaply and it'd fill the need. Of course this is operating under the premise of a cashed up WACA...

 

[aneale]

The Inverarity Stand at the WACA doesn't even face the centre of the ground and has ****** up numbering (the seats are labeled 1-whatever in one direction whilst the numbers on the floor go 1 to whatever in the opposite direction).
You also get the demountable toilets. No shade cover in frequent 35 degree days. Food and drink expensive as ****.

And still a million times better than Western Oval which pretty much had 2 toilets for the entire place. In fact you just didn't go. The WACA is't flash but it's not in the top 7 of rubbish around the country.

 

[The_Reaper]

And still a million times better than Western Oval which pretty much had 2 toilets for the entire place. In fact you just didn't go. The WACA is't flash but it's not in the top 7 of rubbish around the country.

The WACA and Subi are the two worst stadiums in terms of spectator comfort in the country that regularly host professional sports.

How hard is it to fix that, seriously? You could do the whole stand for about $200. Just paint over the concrete. I'm sure some old digger would shout the paint and do it himself too. I'm looking forward to going to the WACA in summer, actually, just to see how these issues in person.

You can fix the numbers issue but I have no idea how they can fix the problem of the stand not actually facing the centre of the ground.

They should get rid of everything but the Members facade and then refit that end completely.

The only thing you have to do with the hills is build facilities at the top of them. It wouldn't be that expensive in comparison to a proper stand. You could do it like Metricon. Just have a wall that runs across the top with rooms for mens and womens. You could literally just throw in out-coming walls for things like bars and food, most just work out of little demountable set-ups anyway. If you have them evenly across the hill, surely the lines won't be too appalling? Then just build glorified poles atop the concrete and fit them with a roof.

Then, with the other end, just fill in the banks with seating and create another tier or two for corporates and TV. You could do it reasonably cheaply and it'd fill the need. Of course this is operating under the premise of a cashed up WACA...

The WACA doesn't have the cash

 

[aneale]

The WACA and Subi are the two worst stadiums in terms of spectator comfort in the country that regularly host professional sports.

now, but that isn't the question put by the OP is it? I stand by my original post, most WA's clearly never ventured past their own border if the grand sum of their total football experience lands them on the WACA or Subi as being the 'worst stadium you have been to watch footy'. That would suggest they have been to the WACA, Subi, MCG and maybe the Dome.

 

[Kickpuncher]

Ive been to 5 different stadiums.

AAMI Stadium
Adelaide Oval
Etihad Stadium
MCG
Simmonds Stadium

and I'd have to say Etihad was the worst, even over AAMI. Went for the first time this year in round 1 against Carlton and it was just very muggy and I found it weird to breath with the roof closed.

Simmonds is actually a great ground. Loved it.

 

[Damon_3388]

The WACA and Subi are the two worst stadiums in terms of spectator comfort in the country that regularly host professional sports.

Those grassed areas at the WACA look like a f*cking health hazard every summer I see them on tele. How someone hasn't died from exposure there yet I do not know.

 

[The_Reaper]

Those grassed areas at the WACA look like a f*cking health hazard every summer I see them on tele. How someone hasn't died from exposure there yet I do not know.

At every test match at the WACA I end up with a dark tan that lasts me until the next test

 

[zachary]

I remember at Princes Park long ago there was a urinal in the outer which was in a long tin shed open at both ends. It was like a conveyor belt - you went in one end and got pushed along the length of the urinal by a queue of blokes coming along behind you and the trick was you had to finish before you got pushed out the other end. Some blokes didn't finish in time and they tumbled out the other end, d**ks in hand, still pi** ing.
The good old days.

 

[Teagueeee15]

I remember at Princes Park long ago there was a urinal in the outer which was in a long tin shed open at both ends. It was like a conveyor belt - you went in one end and got pushed along the length of the urinal by a queue of blokes coming along behind you and the trick was you had to finish before you got pushed out the other end. Some blokes didn't finish in time and they tumbled out the other end, d**ks in hand, still pi** ing.
The good old days.

Ha Ha is this the one? Silent Alarm posted a picture once of a toilet at Princes Park like you've described and it didn't even have a roof.

 

[Kingpin]

North Hobart Oval (1991) - Went down for one of the Fitzroy games there, whilst viewing was good there was a reason the expirement ended, the ground wasn't much bigger than a postage stamp.

Yeah it was the same width as Geelong's ground and about 15 metres shorter and hemmed in by houses and a large heritage listed building beside it.
Had a cracking atmosphere and was the site of so much Tasmanian football history but it has sadly fallen away to look like a shabby version of what it once was.
Only hosts state league home matches for Hobart City (formerly North Hobart) these days and the Old Scholars FA Grand Final.
The size of the ground has basically seen it discarded as a premier venue, also the small stand on the outer wing, the Ryde Street Stand was burnt down a couple of years ago and still hadn't been rebuilt.
There's been one Australian football crowd of more than 10,000 at the ground in the past 18 years.

 

[Silent Alarm]

North Hobart Oval just looks beautiful, love that old stand in the footage I've seen of the place. Unfortunately it's suffered the fate of most of England's pretty, ugly, or meaningful soccer grounds – too boxed in, too small. Imagine if it was bigger and could hold 15,000 – I could imagine the town buzzing after cricket and North games and it'd be a great away trip.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Subiaco Oval is awful

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Clearly most WA fans have never crossed the country to watch a game of footy if Subi and the WACA make the list.

Waverley was awful, out in the middle of downtown nowhere Mulgrave. Cold. Hideous. Needed binoculars from just about any seat in the place and you were at serious risk of losing a finger to the elements.
Vic Park - shithole and the crowd .... yeah.
Moorabbin - shithole
Arden Street - positively ancient looking, tiny and as a stadium (not the oval), and I use that loosely, was a weird shape. I'd have liked to see the elephant tho'.
Western Oval - every single game was a wind and rain affected schamozzle, the ground was a dumb shape - ugly and third world, had atmosphere but it needed it to distract you from how god awful the place and game was. You'd actually turn to drugs.

Those stadiums are all dead. Subiaco Oval is not.

 

[tigesFTW_2014]

Mainly watch on Fox Sports, so I have only been to MCG & Etihad. Out of those two, I can't pick. I'll have to say the Charger's Ground @ Warrawee Park.

 

[madmug]

Yeah it was the same width as Geelong's ground and about 15 metres shorter and hemmed in by houses and a large heritage listed building beside it.
Had a cracking atmosphere and was the site of so much Tasmanian football history but it has sadly fallen away to look like a shabby version of what it once was.
Only hosts state league home matches for Hobart City (formerly North Hobart) these days and the Old Scholars FA Grand Final.

That old building may have been heritage listed, But It was up for sale & could have been purchased for SFA in the 1980s by the City Council. It ended up as a hotel. Its been done up very nicely actually & has a great view of the ground & the city beyond. The ground could have been expanded further towards that side & lengthened when they had the opportunity before the Eastern end stand was built in the 1980s, & still maintained the great natural amphitheatre effect it has. The Council were clearly anti-sport & didnt care about VFL footy or cricket, so we ended up with Bellerive. A prick of a place to to & from.

What a wasted opportunity that was.

North Hobart Oval just looks beautiful, love that old stand in the footage I've seen of the place. Unfortunately it's suffered the fate of most of England's pretty, ugly, or meaningful soccer grounds – too boxed in, too small. Imagine if it was bigger and could hold 15,000 – I could imagine the town buzzing after cricket and North games and it'd be a great away trip.

Its hard to imagine now but they got 24,968 at the 1979 Grand Final which was Peter Hudson's last game. It wouldnt be legal now. We were squashed in like the proverbial sardines!

 

[Kingpin]

North Hobart Oval just looks beautiful, love that old stand in the footage I've seen of the place. Unfortunately it's suffered the fate of most of England's pretty, ugly, or meaningful soccer grounds – too boxed in, too small. Imagine if it was bigger and could hold 15,000 – I could imagine the town buzzing after cricket and North games and it'd be a great away trip.

Yeah it held about 23,000 until the early 80s when the capacity was cut to under 20,000 (the record was almost 25k) and from about 1991 the capacity was cut to around 18,000.
It's a shame nothing can really be done for the ground but it would cost an absolute fortune to transform it into a current day AFL standard venue. Most likely houses would have to be demolished as would the bowls club, some stands etc. The Ryde Street Stand has just been rebuilt after the fire and parking problems have long been an issue there.
Apart from North Melbourne matches at Bellerive and maybe the SFL Grand Final at KGV each year, the crowds that attend football in Greater Hobart are so minimal now that it's really not much point spending much money on North Hobart sadly.
I'll be surprised if it isn't turned into a rectangular stadium within 20 years.

 

[madmug]

Yeah it held about 23,000 until the early 80s when the capacity was cut to under 20,000 (the record was almost 25k) and from about 1991 the capacity was cut to around 18,000.
It's a shame nothing can really be done for the ground but it would cost an absolute fortune to transform it into a current day AFL standard venue. Most likely houses would have to be demolished as would the bowls club, some stands etc. The Ryde Street Stand has just been rebuilt after the fire and parking problems have long been an issue there.
Apart from North Melbourne matches at Bellerive and maybe the SFL Grand Final at KGV each year, the crowds that attend football in Greater Hobart are so minimal now that it's really not much point spending much money on North Hobart sadly.
I'll be surprised if it isn't turned into a rectangular stadium within 20 years.

For what reason?, no NRL, no A-league. North Hobart (Hobart City now) have played their since 1920. I dont see why they'd want to go anywhere else.