In 1979, 53,000 people attended the WAFL grand final at Subiaco Oval. Now, 27 years on, the state’s population has grown by around 800,000, WA is in the middle of an economic boom, and the same venue holds nearly 10,000 less.
In 1979, 53,000 people attended the WAFL grand final at Subiaco Oval. Now, 27 years on, the state’s population has grown by around 800,000, WA is in the middle of an economic boom, and the same venue holds nearly 10,000 less.
Has Western Australia dropped the ball?
Prominent WA sports journalist Glenn Mitchell certainly believes so.
“We have seen band-aid measures applied for the past 30 years, and the state is in danger of becoming a sporting backwater,” he told WA Business News.
Debate on a new sports stadium has been a hot topic recently but before deciding on a venue, costings and timeframes for a new arena, it needs to be determined if WA actually needs a new state-of-the-art 60,000-seat stadium.
Major Stadia Taskforce chairman John Langoulant will present his group’s final recommendations on the issue to government in October and, as he points out, the government may decide to do nothing.
“I certainly don’t see any major stadium happening in the next two or three years,” he said.
For those committed to sport in the state, this is not the news they want to hear.
Mr Mitchell believes the state’s current economic boom makes it an opportune time to commit to a new stadium, saying if the state is unable to fund such a development now, it is unlikely to be able to do so in the future.
There is a view that the sporting market in WA is not large enough to sustain a 60,000-seat venue.
The continued success of the West Coast Eagles has led to the full-house signs going up at Subiaco Oval and precipitated calls for a larger venue, but even so it is debatable that the Eagles could fill a 60,000 seat arena week-in week-out in the medium-term.
Those supporting this point of view draw comparisons with the experience of the purpose built 50,000-seat Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, which is regularly only part-full.
What a new stadium does, aside from cater for week-to-week fixtures in a modern environment, is enable WA to bid for international sporting events, and cater for long-term population growth.
Mr Mitchell sited the World Track and Field Championships as a prime example.
“This type of event is one level down from the Olympics and soccer’s World Cup, and has 170 nations participating,” he said.
“The International Association of Athletics Federations has a stipulation of a minimum stadium capacity of 50,000, so at present we can’t bid for the event.
“WA has previously put forward a proposal to host the championships, which was rejected, but we were given a first right of acceptance to submit a future bid and we are still unable to do so.”
A spokesperson for the Cockburn Central stadium submission also sees a need for a new stadium, saying it would attract events and people to WA.
“Sport is no longer just sport, it is competing with the comfort of peoples’ lounge-rooms, so the venue and facilities are important,” the spokesperson said.
Melbourne has just announced plans for a $180 million redevelopment of Olympic Park, of which $149 million is to be government funded.
This is on top of the $600 million recently spent on upgrading the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and is hard evidence of its commitment to sport and what it can bring to a city.
