Adelaide
Adelaide Oval is a stadium in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the city centre and North Adelaide. The stadium is mostly used for cricket andAustralian rules football, but also plays host to rugby league, rugby union, soccer, tennis [3], and concerts. Its record crowd for cricket was 52,633 during the 2014–15 Big Bash League season semi final between the Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Sixers, and its record crowd for Australian rules football was 62,543 at the 1965 SANFL Grand Final between thePort Adelaide and Sturt.
Adelaide Oval has been headquarters to theSouth Australian Cricket Association (SACA) since 1871 and South Australian National Football League (SANFL) since 2014.[4] The stadium is managed by the Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority (AOSMA). Redevelopments between 2008 and 2014, costing $575 million, increased the stadium's seating capacity from 34,000[5] to 53,583 (including standing room).[6][7] The Adelaideand Port Adelaide Football Clubs also returned to the stadium, leaving Football Park.[8]
In 2010, Austadiums.com called the Adelaide Oval "one of the most picturesque Test cricketgrounds in Australia, if not the world".[9]
In December 2009 the Rann Labor government announced a $450 million government commitment to redevelop Adelaide Oval to enable AFL Football to be played there.[10] In May 2011 the Rann Labor government announced an increase in government funding to $535 million.[11] After the redevelopment, sports journalist Gerard Whateley described it as "the most perfect piece of modern architecture because it's a thoroughly contemporary stadium with all the character that it's had in the past".[12]
History
Oval layout
The oval dimensions were originally 190m x 125m,[33] both unusually long and unusually narrow for an Australian cricket/football ground. The arrangement was highly favourable for batsmen who played square of the wicket, and heavily penalised bowlers who delivered the ball short or wide so that the batsman could play cut, hook or pull shots. Before the far ends in front of and behind the wicket were roped off, making the playing area shorter, it was not uncommon for batsmen to hit an all-run four or even occasionally a five.[34]
Historically, the Adelaide Oval's integral pitch was generally very good for batting, and offering little assistance to bowlers until the last day of a match. Since the redevelopment in 2013, a drop-in pitch has been used at the venue.[35]
- The playing area is surrounded by a white picket fence and advertising billboards.
- The Hill was created in 1898 with earth from the banks of the River Torrens.
- The scoreboard was first used in 1911 and still shows its original Edwardian architecture.
- The scoreboard is listed on the City of Adelaide Heritage Register, helping to maintain the charm of the ground.
- With the 2011–2014 redevelopment completed, the oval dimensions changed to 183m x 134m, making it more suitable for Australian Rules Football, for which the playing field dimensions will be 167m x 124m.
Redevelopment
The George Giffen stand on the western side of the oval prior to redevelopment.
Looking NE from the new Western Stand in December 2010 during The Ashes
New western stand being used for the 2013 Ashes.
Riverbank end prior to redevelopment.
Current riverbank end.
View of the Oval in 2006, prior to the stadium's redevelopment
Western stand redevelopment
In August 2008 the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) announced that it had approved plans to redevelop the ground, involving expanding its capacity to 40,000. Development plans showed a reconfiguration of the playing surface and a remodelled western stand. The redevelopment would make the ground a viable option for hostingAustralian Football League games as well as international soccer and rugby. The state and federal Governments each pledged $25m to the project, leaving the SACA to raise at least $45m. The SACA planned for the new stand to be ready in time for the 2010–11 Ashes series.[36] The Western grandstands were torn down in June 2009[37] and a single Western stand was developed in its place ahead of the2010-11 Ashes series.[38] The new Western stand incorporates 14,000 individual seats and features improved shading conditions and amenities for SACA members.[39]
2010 state election proposals
In the lead up to the 2010 state election, the opposition SA Liberals announced that, if elected, it would build with a new stadium with a roof, located at Riverside West at the site of the state government's new hospital location.[40][41] The incumbent SA Laborgovernment subsequently announced it would fund a $450 million upgrade and redevelopment of the whole of Adelaide Oval, rather than just the Western Grand Stand.[42]Labor narrowly won re-election in 2010, resulting in its Adelaide Oval upgrade policy going ahead though eventually for a steeper $535 million, of which this deal included the State Government clearing the SACA's (South Australian Cricket Association) $85 million debt.
SACA and SANFL joint redevelopment
The Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority (AOSMA), a joint venture of SACA and the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), was registered as a company on 23 December 2009 following the re-announcement of the plan.[43] The AOSMA has eight directors, four associated with SACA (Ian McLachlan-Chair, John Harnden, Creagh O’Connor & John Bannon) and four with SANFL (Leigh Whicker-CEO, Rod Payze, Philip Gallagher & Jamie Coppins).[44]
However, in early-mid-2010, prior to the election, it became clear that $450m would be inadequate. Following the 2010 state election, the Rann Labor government capped the State Government's commitment, stating: "It's $450 million – and not a penny more", and set a deadline for the parties to agree.[45] In May, Treasurer Kevin Foley announced that "the Government's final offer to the SANFL and SACA for the redevelopment" was $535 million, and the deadline was extended to August 2010.[46] Simultaneously, the SACA and the SANFL were in the process of negotiating an agreement that would enable Australian Rules Football (AFL) to use Adelaide Oval during the AFL season as their home ground.[47][48][49][50] In August 2010, SANFL and SACA representatives signed letters of intent committing to the project, including the capped $535 million offer from the state government.[51]
The redevelopment included a $40 million pedestrian bridge across the River Torrens to link the Adelaide railway station precinct with the Adelaide Oval precinct, which was partially completed for the Ashes cricket series in December 2013 and fully completed ahead of the 2014 AFL season.[52][53]
In early 2011, the AFL, SANFL, SACA, the SA Government and the Australian Government reached an agreement to upgrade Adelaide Oval. The SACA and the SANFL proposed, if SACA members vote yes on the upgrade in early May, that the whole Stadium will undergo redevelopment, except for the Northern Mound, the Moreton Bay Fig trees and the scoreboard, which will stay as it is because of it being under heritage listing. A three-quarters majority of SACA members were required to vote in favour of the proposed upgrade for it to ahead, with a successful vote resulting in the SANFL and AFL having control over the stadium for 7 months of the year and SACA having control for 5 months of the year.
SACA members had the choice of voting online on 28 April 2011 or attending in person an Extraordinary Meeting at the Adelaide Showgrounds on 2 May 2011. At 6pm, 28 April 2011, It was announced that 60% of SACA members that voted online voted yes, 15% short of the Majority vote needed for the upgrade to go ahead. At 10.15pm, on 2 May 2011, at the Adelaide Showgrounds, the final result was announced. 80.37% of total votes cast were in favour of Adelaide Oval being redeveloped, resulting in the upgrade and stadium reconfiguration being approved.[54]The upgrade commenced in April 2012, and was finished in time for the 2014 AFL season.[55]
All stands of the Oval were redeveloped and upgraded except for the already rebuilt Western grandstand (SACA and SANFL members only stand), the Northern Mound, the Historic Scoreboard and the Moreton Bay fig trees. The Northern Mound, the Moreton Bay fig trees and the Scoreboard are all heritage listed and will likely never be demolished unless damaged beyond repair.[56]
† Note that a 75% threshold was required in order for approval to be granted
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