CRICKET BOSS CALLS FOR A ROOFED STADIUM

A ROOFED multipurpose stadium at Macquarie Point would be the “showcase” for Tasmania and drive the state’s AFL push and further propel cricket, says outgoing Cricket Tasmania chief executive Nick Cummins.

Cummins announced he would be returning to Victoria as Cricket Victoria’s commercial and marketing manager and Big Bash general manager after less than three years at Blundstone Arena, due to family reasons.

But he was a big supporter of a 25,000-seat super stadium being built on the much soughtafter location that would be used for a number of sports, as floated by AFL taskforce chairman Brett Godfrey.

“I am really excited about a stadium at Macquarie Point,” Cummins said.

“It would be the showcase of the state. What fans have shown is if you have great sporting facilities, they will show up.

“A multipurpose stadium at Macquarie Point with a roof would be an outstanding development for Tasmania and would solve a lot of the current infrastructure issues that multiple sports face.

“I do firmly believe you should build the stadia where the transport hub is, and that is a really exciting prospect for sport. All the discussion around AFL — it would tick that box very strongly — and for us, our discussion around high-performance venues. It would allow Blundstone Arena to continue to be used for footy and cricket as well.”

He said such a venue would be used for AFL and international cricket and Big Bash games, while Blundstone could remain a Sheffield Shield and local football venue, or become a high-performance centre for both Tasmanian football and cricket teams.

“It is exciting. Look at Adelaide Oval, Marvel Stadium [Melbourne] and Optus Stadium [Perth]. Look what it has done for attendances by having a stadium right there in the middle — and if ever a state needed a stadium with a roof, Tasmania is it,” he said.

Cummins said the top priority for his replacement (for which CT will soon advertise) was the creation of a high-performance centre. CT has partnered with the TIS for just such a centre and has begun talks with Government.

“We are pretty much at a stage where we are going to engage with Government to explore a model to say this is what we are proposing with the TIS,” he said.

Cummins arrived at CT to find the organisation at a low point, having the men’s Tigers finishing last in consecutive Shield seasons and the Hurricanes finishing second last.

He made wide staff changes, which he refers to as a refresh rather than a clean-out, and vastly increased the level of professionalism.

The organisation regrouped quickly under new men’s coach, Adam Griffith, and new highperformance manager, former Olympic rower and multiple gold medallist Drew Ginn.

Both the Tigers and Hurricanes were soon back in finals action, but neither is yet to add to Blundstone’s trophy cabinet.

However, it has not all been smooth sailings.

CT was at the centre of a national controversy over its decision to sack its then government relations officer Angela Williamson over a number of tweets she sent critical of the State Government’s abortion policy. There was also a backlash from members and supporters with the move to sell a Hurricanes game to Alice Springs, and the continual lack of quality international fixtures in Tasmania.

While Hurricanes memberships have grown, CT membership has fallen 21 per cent in the past year, with many not impressed with the value for money memberships offer.

Cummins said the lack of international games, especially Tests, was out of CT’s control, and one of his main tasks was to increase revenue to help pay for local cricket programs, hence the decision to sell the Hurricanes to the NT.

“The economic realities [around Tasmanian Test matches] are not going to change, not in the near future.

“The only way it would is if Tasmania pays for Test cricket.

“But I just don’t think we should be spending our money on Tests. We should be spending our money on Tasmanian cricket, whether that is facilities, participation or local clubs.

“We should be focused on growing Tasmanian sport rather than paying for content.”

CT will advertise for a replacement soon.