CROWD PLEASER
Bold new approach to bring more big events to our stadiums
BOSSES at top Gold Coast sports franchises are hailing an anticipated new era for city stadiums, with a review of venues including the Metricon and CBUS Super Stadium to recommend a suite of changes designed to attract more big events.
BOSSES at top Gold Coast sports franchises are hailing an anticipated new era for city stadiums with a tipped shift in focus toward attracting more big-shot events.
A review into the operation of Queensland venues, including Gold Coast Suns home Metricon and Gold Coast Titans fortress CBUS Super Stadium, will be unveiled within weeks.
It is expected the review, led by respected sports and tourism executive John Lee, will call for a fundamental shift from focusing on economics and return on investment to enabling more community benefit by filling up the calendar, the Bulletin understands.
Other understood changes are relief for franchises such as the Titans and Suns when it comes to punishing public transport levies dished out by Stadiums Queensland.
The levies are passed on to cover free or subsidised public transport which comes with game day tickets but for the Titans which have a large drive-up crowd any relief will be welcome.
The Gold Coast franchises and city leaders including Mayor Tom Tate have been at war with Stadiums Queensland about perceived exorbitant hiring costs and blaming it for losing acts including Bon Jovi to Brisbane venues. State Government has since completely replaced the board.
Titans CEO Graham Annesley said he was not aware of the outcome of the imminent Lee review but welcomed a shift in focus to getting more events, concerts and other codes’ fixtures at CBUS and Metricon.
“The whole point of having sporting infrastructure in the community is so it benefits the community,” he said.
“I don’t believe these sorts of taxpayer funded facilities should be used just for sporting codes. I would applaud any such change in focus.”
Mr Annesley said the Titans lobbied the stadiums review for the Gold Coast to be treated as a regional city not a capital one when it comes to “high” transport levies.
The bigger cities had much larger, better patronised public transport than the Gold Coast: “It’s still very much a drive mentality for the residents on the Gold Coast to get where they need to.”
The Titans inked a 10game-a-year, five-year deal for CBUS recently but the contract is fluid to allow for relief on transport levies that might result from the stadiums review.
Titans chairman Dennis Watt said city stadiums were “a significant investment and it would be great to see our stadiums getting greater usage for the benefit of the Gold Coast public”.
“Whether other sports or concert, it takes the pressure off the Titans to carry the weight of the cost for that piece of infrastructure.
“It moves us closer to a level playing field to our other competitors in the NRL.”
Mr Watt said savings would be ploughed back into Titans playing talent and junior pathways for males and females.
Suns chairman Tony Cochrane, who last month called for Stadiums Queensland to be renamed Stadiums Brisbane, alleging bias, said: “We have been trying for a long time to attract additional product to Metricon. We have made enormous efforts and every time we are beaten by Stadiums Queensland’s own venues in Brisbane.
“If they are going to have more of a statewide approach rather than Brisbane-centric approach, we would welcome that with open arms.”
A dozen Suns home games a year pumped $29m into the Gold Coast economy and a further six events or concerts at Metricon would inject a further $15m, Mr Cochrane said.
THE WHOLE POINT OF HAVING SPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE COMMUNITY IS SO IT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY GRAHAM ANNESLEY
IT’S too early to pop the champagne corks, but there are positive signs of change that will improve costs, put bums on seats and boost events at the city’s stadiums.
The first positive came at the weekend when the State Government announced the board of Stadiums Queensland would be replaced.
A review into Stadiums Queensland and accusations that the Gold Coast Suns and Gold Coast Titans were copping a raw deal was ordered in April after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said heads should roll – and they have.
What needs to happen now is an overhaul of the expensive contract that appears to have the Gold Coast Suns on the ropes at Metricon Stadium.
The Gold Coast Titans have recently inked a new 10-game-a-season deal for CBUS Super Stadium with a more agreeable contract closer to market rates paid by other NRL clubs.
The Titans had argued they were paying about $500,000 a year more than a comparable club, for example Newcastle, does for its home ground.
Suns boss Tony Cochrane has allowed a flicker of a smile on his face as he discusses the new broom that is coming at Stadiums Queensland.
He had taken to calling the body Stadiums Brisbane in recent times as he railed against its fees and charges.
With a touch of irony, has told the Bulletin that the Suns’ argument – given the existing board has been told to pack up – must have been quite compelling.
For the Suns, which are trying to turn Metricon into a going concern, sensible charges and costs are essential if the new order at Stadiums Queensland lives up to indications the organisation’s focus will turn to helping the stadium become a major events venue outside of AFL matches, instead of just looking narrowly at securing a return on investment.
The Suns, which have already attracted an international cricket fixture, argue with justification that acts like Bon Jovi were pilfered by Brisbane because of exorbitant charges at Metricon.
The irony of course is that by attracting more events here through a relaxation of the existing arrangements and introducing a sensible approach, a better return is achieved for all stakeholders.
But it is not just that.
As said today in this newspaper by Titans CEO Graham Annesley – and it should be noted he is not exactly someone who is known for making hysterical or outlandish statements – it is community sporting infrastructure. It should be used by the community.
Metricon is looking good as a venue for Big Bash League cricket, for example, but that can only happen if Stadiums Queensland and – let’s face it – the State Government play ball.
Indeed, the ball for delivering a better deal for the Gold Coast’s national football franchises and their legions of fans remains in the lap of the Government and the steps it takes once the review wraps up.
Everyone can win, from Stadiums Queensland to the clubs to footy fans and concertgoers, provided wise heads prevail.
We’ll keep the champers on ice, just for now.