PERTH - Perth Stadium (60,000)

[Citystyle]

The City Of Cockburn (co burn) has put forward its proposal for the new West Australian Stadium. They came out with all the guns; it has the ability to re-configure the stadium seating for AFL/ Cricket and Soccer and Rugby and will have a capacity of 70,000 seats making it Australia’s third largest Stadium.

The state government has put forward 500million dollars for a new 55,000 Seat stadium in WA. The task force set up has wanted it, near the CBD but land is hard to find and the PCC council is yet to put forward a opposing stadium, and Subiaco CC a (suburb near the city) were our current largest stadium (42,000) has limited room to expand, strict controls on times that events can be held and it yet to put forward a opposing plan.

http://www.stadiumwa.com

Unless there is a opposing stadium in the city. With 70,000 seats I want this to be built.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showth...2&page=5&pp=20

[bubomb]

Cockburn might end up with some erection problems regarding this new stadium!!

[BobDaBuilder]

You would have to say a decent football stadium(as opposed to a soccer stadium) is long overdue in Perth. Considering they get 35,000 on average every weekend for 22 weeks of the year. Old Subiaco is more like a showground in comparison to modern grounds.

[CharlieP]

I'm yet to be convinced that anybody can come up with a stadium to do a decent job of hosting cricket/Aussie Rules as well as the codes of football that use a rectangular pitch. Telstra Dome was supposed to do this, but as far as I know the lower tier has never been moved, and Telstra Stadium is apparently far from optimal...

[Mephisto]

Telstra stadium works pretty well for all codes, but isn't optimal for any of them.
It's definately the best all-purpose stadium in Australia though, possibly the world.

[BobDaBuilder]

^

It is all down to the engineers and architects. If they ever bothered to move in the stadium concourse at Docklands in Melbourne it would be superb for your rectangular sports as well as football and cricket. I was looking at the movable stands on Saturday and you would be no further from the action for soccer or rugby than at the new Wembley. Unfortunately it costs $60,000 just to move those 4 pieces. Where the 60,000 comes in I have no idea. The pieces are relatively light and if you get enough people jumping up and down can feel like a see-saw.

[kingdomca]

Originally Posted by CharlieP

I'm yet to be convinced that anybody can come up with a stadium to do a decent job of hosting cricket/Aussie Rules as well as the codes of football that use a rectangular pitch. Telstra Dome was supposed to do this, but as far as I know the lower tier has never been moved, and Telstra Stadium is apparently far from optimal...

Its not possible to do properly with football and athletics but just for football and cricket, it could actually be interesting.

I think may just about be possible with new stadiums where UEFA demand increased gaps between pitch and stands anyway
Also if its only to be used for big cricket games you dont need dozens of pitch positions, just put one portable pitch right in the middle with no ropes but boundaries being the stands on all sides.

Wembley cant be far from being able to stage cricket depending on what exactly the minimum cricket boundaries are?

Given that Wembleys roof can be moved back allowing light into the place, it might actually be an excellent cricket ground!

[MoreOrLess]

Originally Posted by kingdomca

Its not possible to do properly with football and athletics but just for football and cricket, it could actually be interesting.

I think may just about be possible with new stadiums where UEFA demand increased gaps between pitch and stands anyway
Also if its only to be used for big cricket games you dont need dozens of pitch positions, just put one portable pitch right in the middle with no ropes but boundaries being the stands on all sides.

Wembley cant be far from being able to stage cricket depending on what exactly the minimum cricket boundaries are?

Given that Wembleys roof can be moved back allowing light into the place, it might actually be an excellent cricket ground!

Indeed, the best comparason is between the the Telstra stadium and the Stade De France....





The gap between the pitch and the stands at the sides of the Telstra in soccer/rugby mode is perfectly ok if you ask me, its only behind the goals you have much distance between the two and even then that is I'd guess a biproduct of its former athletics use. I know cricket doesnt require a rounded playing surface, what about ozzie rules?

[CharlieP]

I heard that Aussie Rules fans aren't very impressed with the width of the Telstra Stadium pitch, calling it "cigar-shaped". The end stands aren't where they are because of the athletics (they were rebuilt after the Olympics) but to leave enough space for AFL games...

[MoreOrLess]

Originally Posted by CharlieP

I heard that Aussie Rules fans aren't very impressed with the width of the Telstra Stadium pitch, calling it "cigar-shaped". The end stands aren't where they are because of the athletics (they were rebuilt after the Olympics) but to leave enough space for AFL games...

Where the entire ends rebuilt or just the upper sections removed and the pitch lowered? Either way I'd say that Telstra is one of the better multiuse stadiums around.

[BaronVonChickenpants]

Originally Posted by MoreOrLess

Where the entire ends rebuilt or just the upper sections removed and the pitch lowered? Either way I'd say that Telstra is one of the better multiuse stadiums around.

Telstra may be one of the better multi purpose staduims around,but i don't think its a good staduim.Too much of a compromise,a jack of all trades,master of none
Sydney was better off keeping the SCG as the home of Aussie rules(and as tradition,share with cricket)
Melbourne is better off keeping the MCG for the same,
and both cities would have been better off building purpose built large rectangular staduims for Football(soccer)and rugby
instead of the compromise they have now with the Telstra dome and Staduim
Build a staduim for the sport its meant for

[CharlieP]

I totally agree. The situation is worse in New Zealand, where the main stadia all have huge distances from the stands to the touchline when rugby is played, and block out the sun by about 4pm when cricket is played... I know the argument is that the size of the population doesn't justify building two separate stadia in the major cities, but it would be so much better if that happened.

[kingdomca]

Originally Posted by CharlieP

I totally agree. The situation is worse in New Zealand, where the main stadia all have huge distances from the stands to the touchline when rugby is played, and block out the sun by about 4pm when cricket is played... I know the argument is that the size of the population doesn't justify building two separate stadia in the major cities, but it would be so much better if that happened.

the population is small and scattered.
Realistically they should focus on building them better.

Side stands should have their front sections made removable. this is a very simple thing, much easier and cheaper than retractable seating, no real extra cost.
This would create a baseball-like wall for cricket but actually also create superb views of the middle even if you cant see the near boundary.
They do need a wembley-style roof to let in the sun but thats the only real extra cost involved in making it excellent for both sports.

Could be interesting to see Wembley tested for a cricket game at some point. Its very different from other football stadiums as it eliminates most or all of the reasons why cricket cant normally be played in football stadiums.

[victory]

I'm yet to be convinced that anybody can come up with a stadium to do a decent job of hosting cricket/Aussie Rules as well as the codes of football that use a rectangular pitch. Telstra Dome was supposed to do this, but as far as I know the lower tier has never been moved, and Telstra Stadium is apparently far from optimal...

The Dome's seating has been configured for Rugby League on a few occasions, and it works alright. However the AFL doesn't want it's precious turf to be damaged and so uses its control over the Telstra Dome to ensure it doesn't happen. But the Grass on the wings is terrible anyway, so the seating doesn't really do any extra damage, i just think its another case of the AFL acting like a spoilt brat.

Telstra stadium doesn;t pull it off too well. The sidelines work well for rectangle config, but in the oval shape that provide horrible field dimensions. And the end areas when in rectangle mode are further away than the MCG. Though with so little seating at the ends, it hardly matters, thats another pet hate i have for TS. Still an alright venue, but far from great.

[MoreOrLess]

Originally Posted by kingdomca

the population is small and scattered.
Realistically they should focus on building them better.

Side stands should have their front sections made removable. this is a very simple thing, much easier and cheaper than retractable seating, no real extra cost.
This would create a baseball-like wall for cricket but actually also create superb views of the middle even if you cant see the near boundary.
They do need a wembley-style roof to let in the sun but thats the only real extra cost involved in making it excellent for both sports.

Could be interesting to see Wembley tested for a cricket game at some point. Its very different from other football stadiums as it eliminates most or all of the reasons why cricket cant normally be played in football stadiums.

Cricket was I believe played a few times at the old Wembley stadium although there was a bit more space at the sides of the pitch then(the much larger gaps at the ends would I'd guess have made little difference).

Personally I'd like to see the new Olympic stadium retain at least a 50,000 capacity and be used for cricket(plus be big enough for decent sized athletics events). England one day internationals would I'd guess fill that fairly often if priced well as would Ashes tests plus the current open airy design of the stadium with the tall roof strikes me as more of a cricket venue than a football one.

[highburysouljah]

the only reason they want AFL is because that the only way they are gonna get approved. They cant get a 70k for a rugby and football alone. cause western force and the A league are new so it would be a massive risk but with west coast there its a sure thing.

any way cricket should not be played at the WACA

[invincible]

Originally Posted by kingdomca

the population is small and scattered.
Realistically they should focus on building them better.

Side stands should have their front sections made removable. this is a very simple thing, much easier and cheaper than retractable seating, no real extra cost.
This would create a baseball-like wall for cricket but actually also create superb views of the middle even if you cant see the near boundary.
They do need a wembley-style roof to let in the sun but thats the only real extra cost involved in making it excellent for both sports.

Could be interesting to see Wembley tested for a cricket game at some point. Its very different from other football stadiums as it eliminates most or all of the reasons why cricket cant normally be played in football stadiums.

Past experience with using a football stadium for cricket (Telstra Dome) has shown that light towers are essential since lights mounted under the roof makes it very hard for players to catch a white ball in the air.

Maybe Melbourne should have just sent Waverley Park (replaced by Telstra Dome) to Perth. But instead, we decided to turn a 75,000 seater stadium into a residential development.

[Tancred]

Originally Posted by CharlieP

I'm yet to be convinced that anybody can come up with a stadium to do a decent job of hosting cricket/Aussie Rules as well as the codes of football that use a rectangular pitch. Telstra Dome was supposed to do this, but as far as I know the lower tier has never been moved, and Telstra Stadium is apparently far from optimal...

I agree - it just done not work that well.

[BobDaBuilder]

^

They have moved the lower sections at Telstra Dome once apparently. For a Broncos/Storm NRL game. No pictures of it however. They do work fine I am led to believe. You can guarentee the AFL doesn't allow it to occur because of the turf problems they are having up there. They should look at putting in Astro Turf which is much better now than in the 70's and 80's.

From the rugby matches I have been to Docklands, if you are on level 2 or 3 it is fantastic. No ifs, buts or maybes there. Went with a bunch of English to World Cup in 2003 and they were very impressed with the place. The ground level needs to be moved in and it would be good too. For union in particular, lengthwise there is very little space after the ingoal area anyhow. Twickenham is further away to give you an idea. It is only the wings where there is a sizeable distance.

If I was Perth I would model the new stadium design on Melbourne with more care on allowing in light and possibly flattening the wings ala Football Park in Adelaide which then could be moved inwards to create a closer environment for rectangular sports. 70k is far too big for your city. 45 to 50k at the most.

[Bigmac1212]

I was looking at on of the PDF's of the new stadium. They have these 3 pictures of sporting venues. The left and middle I don't know, but the right picture looks too much like Giants Stadium here in the U.S. It's on page 6 on the top link in the downloads page.

It looks good. I wonder if it's big enough to hold (American) football.

P.S. Over at Wikipedia, those in Australia and New Zeland refere to (American) football as gridiron. Are they correct?