Leichhardt Oval SAVED by $40 Million Renovation?

[@poesc]

The NRL is not like the AFL. The fans are very much located in their suburban pockets of Sydney. So if you had all the Sydney teams playing out of 2 or 3 stadiums, it’s unlikely fans from Manly or Cronulla would come out and make the long journey to see their team play at Moore Park or Homebush.

[@erinaporter1985]

The average fan won't travel more than 60min away to go watch a game. If you have a stadium "down the road" and not a long car drive (with parking issues) or bus/train ride (with all those stops) your more likely to want to go the game...even if the weather poor.

[@philosophyfraillon9362]

Glad it's being saved, AFL fan but suburban grounds are an important part of any sporting culture

[@LucasIsBossNo21]

Agree

[@jo6re3]

It’s something I’ve long disliked about the AFL, the fact that they go straight to bigger is better for stadiums. It just leads to things like the Geelong Cats playing a good chunk of home games in Melbourne, or even just things like having teams play soulless home games at places like Docklands. Some of the best memories I have with sport is going to watch teams play in their back yard, where support is more parochial. Even as an away fan, it just adds to the atmosphere and makes it even better when you shut the home team fans up

[@lostmuhh]

There is a decent chance APIA Leichhardt will use this ground for their games in the Australian Championship, gives the government more incentive to put money into upgrades.

[@TheFreezerGeezer]

When did Cronulla Sharks get a renovation? The last work done there was the construction of a 1,500 capacity stand at the southern end, but that was completed way back in 2006.

[@andrew_l1900]

Sharks own their own ground so don’t get the tax money like other governments owned grounds get

[@thebigdeano]

hey mate, love your videos. can you please try and make a video about the manuka oval renovation and there push for a bbl bid

[@velocityjet1884]

I think this stadium looks amazing when it's completed

[@andrewsmith2591]

Smaller stadiums and suburban stadiums are OK for NRL. It is a game ideally suited to television. The same applies to cricket. The live experience at NRL and even Soccer is not good when the play is at the opposite end of the ground. I've been to games where the fans are watching the replay screen rather than the live action. AFL is better suited to the live experience .

[@LucasIsBossNo21]

Especially for Thursday night games, only big stadium I'd use for those would be Allianz otherwise play them at Leichhardt, Brookvale, Shark Park, Kogarah etc

[@Hectorheroic]

How is this upgrade $40M when Penrith stadium upgrade is $309M?

[@FORTISIAKING]

Agreed Sydney NRL games look better in smaller stadium's 👍 I kinda of wished some AFL teams would play in smaller venues as well I know Western bulldogs, North Melbourne and Hawthorn play in smaller grounds from time to time but none of those grounds are in the suburbs of Melbourne. Although getting to the MCG or Docklands is not hard. Where as Sydney is way more spread out then Melbourne 😅

[@camden1977]

Where are people going to park? Bloody ridiculous!

[@ronaldmusk4996]

40 mill good.... that's 50/50 for more consultants !!

[@javierlorenzo7138]

$40M is nothing. The budget will definitely go over...I mean it's the tigers remember.

[@mikespearwood3914]

Why is a niche suburban rarely used stadium getting such extravagant attention and funds?

[@Illyyyyy-r3h]

It’s one of the most used grounds in sydney for higher grade sport

[@SuperJayain]

The best grounds in the NRL are the suburban grounds that have character. I would rather go and watch a game a nice refurbished full capacity suburban ground than go to a half empty Allianz, and a 20,000 crowd at Accor. Our game is not AFL we won't sell those grounds out week in week out. There's very much tribalism and fans love their grounds. Speak to dolphins fans we would much rather watch a game at Dolphins than travel to the city. Suncorp is a better ground facilities wise however, dolphins you're right on top of the action. It's so much nicer to watch football

[@BDub2024]

Why don't all the clubs play at the Olympic Stadium and the Sydney football stadium. Isn't that a waste of resources for the clubs and the fans are watching in second rate stadiums. Not to be critical of Leichardt stadium, but its not outstanding.

[@robbiebalboa]

You’re not going to pack out Stadium Australia for a regular season game. It looks so bad on a TV point of view, things like that are detriment for the brand, particularly NRL as it has a great TV look. And with the potential to expand globally. And empty stadium doesn’t help.

[@B-tr9kz]

There is a number of reasons why they don't: - Have a look on google maps and see where all the clubs are located compared to the AFL. The teams are much more spread around the city. - There is still a push from fans to keep suburban grounds, it keeps the tribalism and soul in the game. It also keeps home ground advantage. I'm not a fan of the Melbourne clubs using the same stadiums,. Even though the teams gets great crowds at the MCG and Marvel Stadium, it just lacks something to me. Feels dull. - You can still have some clubs use the main stadiums but not all of them. Roosters and South Sydney should be using Allianz Stadium since its closest to them and if Accor Stadium was ever rebuilt into a rectangular stadium, I would say more clubs might consider it.

[@gusdrivinginaustralia6168]

Sydney is extremely difficult to get around at the best of times. Not easy to get to a few centralised venues. Fans won't make the trip to an away game in the same city.

[@BDub2024]

@@gusdrivinginaustralia6168 Interesting. I thought their train transport was supposed to be good in Sydney. Though I hear that the fans can be a bit fickle in Sydney. In Perth there is huge urban sprawl and the city is over 100km long, but people are quite happy to travel via freways and trains.

[@BDub2024]

@@robbiebalboa That's why the stadium needs to be able to attract multiple sports to ensure it gets used. Fact is, that if you're used to being in a 20k stadium, and then suddenly you're watching a game in an 80k stadium you're probably going to complain about being too far from the action, unless you're in the most expensive seats.