Will the redeveloped Eureka Stadium be big enough to accommodate AFL-sized crowds?
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
That’s the burning question for the Red, White and Blue faithful as the Dogs’ membership continues to grow above 38,000 – up from 31,538 in 2014 and 35,222 in August of 2015.
Stage one of the $15 million project includes a 5000-seat grandstand, with the stadium capacity listed around 11,000.
Local Bulldogs member Ray Neville said that while he is genuinely excited about the development of Eureka Stadium and the promise of AFL points matches in Ballarat, he also has concerns over the facility’s capacity to cater for AFL home and away crowds from 2017.
“For sure there’s going to be (people missing out),” Mr Neville said.
“We’ve also got to think of other towns too like Warrnambool. People from Hamilton, Geelong, Colac and all those places (will also come).
“By the time you get them, you’ve got the Ballarat supporters and you’ve got the general football public in here, plus the Melbourne (based) members coming up. Where are they all going to go?”
“You want your Melbourne fans and members to support it and if they have a good experience here to start with, they’re going to come back again to the next one. If you’re going to build it, build it big.”
It’s expected that crowd sizes in Ballarat will be vastly different to those at the Dogs’ base at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, given the regional location.
Western Bulldogs chief executive David Stevenson said the club is committed to the growth of football in regional Victoria and hopes to play a South Australian team at the venue in 2017.
“The game/s at Eureka Stadium in 2017 will give us a great opportunity to showcase AFL in the region and that is our immediate focus,” he said.
“But beyond that we want to see the growth of football in Ballarat and surrounds, and subsequently the further development of Eureka Stadium.”
Mr Stevenson said the club is working through a process to establish how ticketing will be delivered for matches at Eureka Stadium.
“We are focused on ensuring the ticketing plan considers our members, fans and the people of Ballarat and Western Victoria — all of whom are important from a crowd balance perspective,” he said.
The club looms as a potential premiership contender in 2016 and beyond and could break 40,000 members in 2017.
The club is averaging attendances of 31,680 for all home games this year and 26,637 for home games against interstate teams.
With stage one of the $15 million Eureka Stadium development well underway, stakeholders are keenly awaiting funding for stage two of the project.
The second stage, outlined in the Ballarat Major Events Precinct Master Plan, includes 4000 more seats for the stadium, allowing for 8000 spectator seats alongside significant standing room numbers.
Regional Development Minister Jaala Pulford did not say if there was a time frame for potential works, depending on eventual funding when contacted by The Courier on Friday.
"Eureka stadium is well on track to host AFL games in the 2017 season. The stadium capacity will be 11,000, which includes 5000 under-cover seats,” she said.
“Ballarat City Council is currently finalising the detailed design stage to accommodate these requirements.”
Ballarat’s close proximity to Melbourne, combined with short travel time for public transport is expected to make it an attractive proposition for AFL games.
