COAST LEAVES MARK
Suns humbled in Shanghai but ...
THE Gold Coast Suns were soundly beaten by Port Adelaide in the first AFL premiership match played in China yesterday, but city leaders such as Mayor Tom Tate say the game, watched by millions worldwide, will have a “priceless” effect on tourism and our economy.
THE Gold Coast AFL team may have lost but the city is tipped to be a big winner from China hosting the first official game outside Australia and New Zealand.
Port Adelaide smashed the Gold Coast Suns 110-38 at a sold-out Jiangwan Stadium in Shanghai, where 5000 Chinese fans mixed with 6500 Australian ticketholders for the historic match.
But Gold Coast Tourism chairman Paul Donovan said the benefits from the match would all be one-way traffic as far as exposure for tourism and investment is concerned.
“Look, it’s all about the Gold Coast. I mean you can talk about Adelaide but no one knows about Adelaide, it’s all about the Gold Coast.
“It is hard to speculate what the return would be. You could just about put any figure on it you like,” Mr Donovan said, adding the branding for the Gold Coast in its biggest tourism market from the event was priceless.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said from the stadium it was a historic day: “The real winner is the Gold Coast, with an increase in friendship through sport, education and tourism.”
The game was broadcast by three major Chinese networks CCTV, Shanghai TV and Guangzhou TV, all free to air and with a reach of 1.3 billion.
Estimates of the audience watching on TV ranged between 10 and 20 million.
A weeklong build-up to the match in Shanghai involved functions aimed at promoting the Gold Coast and Australia.
The promotional blitz coincided with the world premiere of the latest Disney blockbuster, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, which was shot on the Gold Coast.
Mr Donovan, who also chairs Gold Coast Airport, told the Bulletin from Shanghai: “It is unbelievable. The ground is spectacular.
“For the last three or four days there have been functions with all of the high-end people in Shanghai and what a great way to showcase the Gold Coast.
“The Suns boys have been magnificent with how they have mingled with all the guests we’ve had. The exposure for the Gold Coast is just huge,” Mr Donovan said.
“It is a very proud day for everyone involved on the Gold Coast who is here.”
They included Tourism and Events Queensland chairman Bob East and a Study Gold Coast delegation aimed at promoting the Coast as an international student destination.
Gold Coast Suns chairman Tony Cochrane, also in Shanghai, yesterday said along with hoping it would open up new economic streams for the club, it was a great opportunity for the city. “This is a really strong way – with the Chinese tourists being our number one market now on the Gold Coast – for our club to stand up in the community to give something back.
“This is something with a real tangible benefit in terms of promoting the Gold Coast here.
“We are a young city and young club coming together here in a perfect situation.”
IT IS HARD TO SPECULATE WHAT THE RETURN WOULD BE. YOU COULD JUST ABOUT PUT ANY FIGURE ON IT YOU LIKE TOURISM CHIEF PAUL DONOVAN