Put shine on our sporting appeal
PROMINENT Townsvil l e cricket coach David Todd has thrown his support behind calls for a lights upgrade at Riverway Stadium, branding it “a shame” a quality venue cannot attract highprofile fixtures due to an inability to host night games.
Todd, the North Queensland Open men’s coach, said it was an initiative the local cricket community had been hoping would get off the ground for some time.
Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper has spoken with Queensland Sport Minister Mick de Brenni about its viability and planned to meet with Townsville Enterprise Limited.
Cricket Australia also told the Townsville Bulletin this week the fixtures the city can attract are limited by the fact the lights “aren’t of sufficient quality”.
A one- day international or Big Bash League game has no chance of being staged at the venue unless the issue is rectified.
“There’s always been a lot of support for this to happen. It’s a shame that we’ve got a first- class facility that is unable to be lighted,” Todd said at last week’s JLT Cup fixture between Queensland and Tasmania at Riverway.
“Once the lights go in I think you’d see a big difference in the local cricketing community, and the community at large, that will come along and have some- thing to do in the summer. Late afternoon or night games are a bit more popular for families to come along to.
“Bums on seats is a big thing and everyone can get to games, whether it’s cricket or AFL, after games.
“Economically it could be a little prickly when it comes to funding the lights and then getting the money back, but if you don’t have a go you’ll never know.”
Western Suburbs Cricket Club player Campbell Wright believes the TV coverage that would accompany a high- profile match would help sell Townsville globally.
“It’d put Townsville on the world stage, well and truly,” he said. “There’s so many people that tune into the BBL and the ODI games, it would be massive.
“If we can stretch it ( capacity) out to 15 or 20,000, it would be an unreal atmosphere and we’d be able to put on a really good show.
“Especially in the summer holidays it would be such a great drawcard, and Townsville’s a holiday destination around that period.
“The more people we can get into the ground and show off to Cricket Australia we can support a game like that, the better.”
Annandale cricket fan and Norths Cricket Club member Stuart Higgins said it would be ideal for the sport’s big names to play on our doorstep to help inspire the next generation.
“Both our boys are in the club and it’s good to be able to get them to games like this, and provide an incentive to move up to the next level,” Higgins said.
“We’ve been to Big Bash games down south and it would be great to see it up here.
“Currently you’ve got very few lights on this particular oval and at the football stadium, it’s like daylight. It makes you wonder.”