Eureka Stadium (Mars Stadium)

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Roogal said:
the local Football League have recently broken with 124 years of tradition and will play their first grand final away from both the historic 'City' and 'Eastern' Ovals.
Click to expand...

I read that in one of the earlier links in this thread


If the GF has always been played at either the 'City' or 'Eastern' Ovals, was that because they were better than the Eureka?

What made Eureka become the Ballarat Oval to be developed?
 
I'm sure Freo will get shafted and have to play in yet another regional shithole but I'd be happy checking this stadium out and even spending the night in the Rat - it's the closest footy fans can get to tribalism these days.

Pretty weird it took this long for another town to get a proper AFL match, surely it's way more worth it than playing in Cairns or Alice Springs and then leaving about five years.

Not sure how I really feel about it though considering these boutique grounds seem to work much better in warmer climes and this place seems like it'll be open and freezing, but we will wait and see.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

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thegreig said:
Would be nice if they kept the old scoreboard, bit of old with the new like at Adelaide oval
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Seriously? Tear the thing down! Not one aesthetically pleasing thing about it! By all means replace it with a nice looking manual scoreboard but there is nothing nice about the current old one.
 
Silent Alarm said:
I'm sure Freo will get shafted and have to play in yet another regional shithole but I'd be happy checking this stadium out and even spending the night in the Rat - it's the closest footy fans can get to tribalism these days.

Pretty weird it took this long for another town to get a proper AFL match, surely it's way more worth it than playing in Cairns or Alice Springs and then leaving about five years.

Not sure how I really feel about it though considering these boutique grounds seem to work much better in warmer climes and this place seems like it'll be open and freezing, but we will wait and see.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
Click to expand...

If Cazaylys got funding for more undercover seating I'm sure you'd find more people turning up.... not having the game on live in the same town would also be smart.
 
footy_fumbler said:
If Cazaylys got funding for more undercover seating I'm sure you'd find more people turning up.... not having the game on live in the same town would also be smart.
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Best thing for all involved would be to simply request 1:10 Sunday games at the ground. Doesn't clash with Saturday local footy (most juniors would be done by then too on Sunday), gives people as far as Ararat and Maryborough plenty of time to get to and from the game before dark, and all games would be on Foxtel, encouraging more locals to turn up to see the match.
 
I would like to drive to the ground for the match, then perhaps have a night in Ballarat, meal at one of the great old pubs etc.
Anyone know the capacity of the car park; & if full, is there plenty of free parking within a 15 minute walk of the ground?

Has there been any discussion of having an AFL game on Easter Weekend, so people could perhaps stay a few days, & go to the Stawell Gift (obviously AFL game should not be the same day as the Gift Final).

Also, I can forsee Footscray playing Adelaide or Pt Adelaide at Mars would be very popular with many of their fans. This could possibly be attractive for some of their fans to drive over(five in a car) & use Ballarat as their base, whilst also visiting Melb. Nice stops in Mt Gambier, Pt Fairy, or Great Ocean Road. Also, play AFLW Footsray v. Adelaide game there in summer -have a swim also along the Great Ocean Road. Accomodation much cheaper in Ballarat cf. Melb.

11,000 is too small -hopefully, the outer can be concreted, made bigger, to 16,000 min. asap. Standing room only - a cauldron, with the ol'footy experience, a seething, packed, noisy Outer. This will give Ballarat a VERY valuable "Point Of Difference"as a footy experience, & a talking point. Heck, even bring back more long floggers, cut up paper "confetti", full strength beer, & a Full Forward leading into space, kicking bags!
 
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Silent Alarm said:
I'm sure Freo will get shafted and have to play in yet another regional shithole but I'd be happy checking this stadium out and even spending the night in the Rat - it's the closest footy fans can get to tribalism these days.

Pretty weird it took this long for another town to get a proper AFL match, surely it's way more worth it than playing in Cairns or Alice Springs and then leaving about five years.

Not sure how I really feel about it though considering these boutique grounds seem to work much better in warmer climes and this place seems like it'll be open and freezing, but we will wait and see.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
Click to expand...
In the month of July this year, Ballarat's coldest month, Sovereign Hill looks to have attracted just under 100,000 people through their gates...their busiest month of the year. Footy is a winter sport, and in Victoria winter is cold and wet surprisingly enough. As long as the product is good enough it won't matter how cold it is. The only people coming from Melbourne to watch a game at Eureka will be a couple of thousand diehard Dogs fans, the rest will be locals who just want footy on their doorstep.
 
BringBackTorps said:
11,000 is too small -hopefully, the outer can be concreted, made bigger, to 16,000 min. asap. Standing room only - a cauldron, with the ol'footy experience, a seething, packed, noisy Outer. This will give Ballarat a VERY valuable "Point Of Difference"as a footy experience, & a talking point. Heck, even bring back more long floggers, cut up paper "confetti", full strength beer, & a Full Forward leading into space, kicking bags!
Click to expand...

Bit of a wishlist type thing, but would eventually love to see the main stand extended around the scoreboard hill, with the other hill concreted into an old fashioned terrace, extending as far back as possible (with the obligatory can bar up the back). Dogs could conceivably play 3-4 games a year there if this were the case. I assume it's what they're aiming at long term games wise.
 
aCunningPlan said:
In the month of July this year, Ballarat's coldest month, Sovereign Hill looks to have attracted just under 100,000 people through their gates...their busiest month of the year. Footy is a winter sport, and in Victoria winter is cold and wet surprisingly enough. As long as the product is good enough it won't matter how cold it is. The only people coming from Melbourne to watch a game at Eureka will be a couple of thousand diehard Dogs fans, the rest will be locals who just want footy on their doorstep.
Click to expand...
I disagree -MANY thousands will want to come from Melb. to watch the game. From Footscray's heartland in the WS, Ballarat is only c. 70 mins. away. Most people from Melb. will want to drive, for the convenience of driving around central Ballarat, & its nearby attractions. IMO, few will go by train.

The rest of the ground should be extended backwards, concreted & tiered, & made STANDING ROOM only -easily & cheaply increase its capacity to c.22,000.
This would be Ballarat's AFL POINT OF DIFFERENCE -a seething, packed, noisy cauldron. Many people will want to experience the ol'time, packed, noisy Standing Room Outer -with full strength beer to lubricate the tonsils. (The elderly, parents with small kids can have preference in the seated areas).

Has there been any discussion on having the game on the same Stawell Gift Easter Weekend (but not the SG Final)?
Both events would attract higher promotion/media interest, bigger crowds, & both would obviously benefit.

100,000 visitors to Sovereign Hill for 1 month in winter is a great result. What is the annual no.?
I understand Chinese tourists (& Melb. is attracting HUGE nos. of Chinese tourists, & students) visit Sovereign Hill in large nos. (due to the big nos. of Chinese Gold miners who went to Ballarat in the 1850's -70's, the Chinese temple/displays there etc.).
Have there been any discussions of promoting a "double ticket"for Chinese tourists/students -entry to the game & Sovereign Hill?

Any publicly released information/estimates on the financial, net payback for:-
. Footscray for a 11,000 crowd cf. to a 22,000 crowd?
. Ditto Ballarat community/tourism etc
 
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BringBackTorps said:
I disagree -MANY thousands will want to come from Melb. to watch the game. From Footscray's heartland in the WS, Ballarat is only c. 70 mins. away. Most people from Melb. will want to drive, for the convenience of driving around central Ballarat, & its nearby attractions. IMO, few will go by train.

The rest of the ground should be extended backwards, concreted & tiered, & made STANDING ROOM only -easily & cheaply increase its capacity to c.22,000.
This would be Ballarat's AFL POINT OF DIFFERENCE -a seething, packed, noisy cauldron. Many people will want to experience the ol'time, packed, noisy Standing Room Outer -with full strength beer to lubricate the tonsils. (The elderly, parents with small kids can have preference in the seated areas).

Has there been any discussion on having the game on the same Stawell Gift Easter Weekend (but not the SG Final)?
Both events would attract higher promotion/media interest, bigger crowds, & both would obviously benefit.

100,000 visitors to Sovereign Hill for 1 month in winter is a great result. What is the annual no.?
I understand Chinese tourists (& Melb. is attracting HUGE nos. of Chinese tourists, & students) visit Sovereign Hill in large nos. (due to the big nos. of Chinese Gold miners who went to Ballarat in the 1850's -70's, the Chinese temple/displays there etc.).
Have there been any discussions of promoting a "double ticket"for Chinese tourists/students -entry to the game & Sovereign Hill?

Any publicly released information/estimates on the financial, net payback for:-
. Footscray for a 11,000 crowd cf. to a 22,000 crowd?
. Ditto Ballarat community/tourism etc
Click to expand...

Sovereign Hill had 542,000 day visitors for all of 2016

100k in june is massive
 
Speaking personally, driving to Ballarat from Melbourne is simply more convenient-& cheaper.
It means we can do MORE things around Ballarat, if we can have our own car. I, as I assume most fans, will go in a group with friends. Make it an "event".

Being reliant on the train, & shuttle buses to Mars Oval, is too restrictive. It would be OK if fans only wanted to go to the game, then return home immed.to Melb. I doubt that is what Council want.
Ballarat is a beautiful, old gold rush city of great character - many fine pubs etc, many things to see & explore.

I assume the Council would prefer fans to stay a while in Ballarat, & spend time & money in the local community. A win/win for fans, local businesses, & local ratepayers. This makes the costs of Mars building devel./expansion financially sustainable for Ballarat.

Do you understand my comments about the retro "ol'time footy experience, BIG packed, noisy, full strength beer, standing room outer" being a CRUCIAL Point Of Difference for Ballarat? And thus get people talking about the UNIQUE nature of the Mars games, & wanting to experience them?(Also cheaper for Council to build a simple, big concrete tiered Outer).
Many media commentators have said the success of the AFLW in 2017 was partially due to fans wanting to go to the old footy grounds, most with standing room, for an ol'time experience.

Or does the Council just want to provide a "vanilla"footy experience, which one can get anywhere around Aust.?
 
BringBackTorps said:
I disagree -MANY thousands will want to come from Melb. to watch the game. From Footscray's heartland in the WS, Ballarat is only c. 70 mins. away. Most people from Melb. will want to drive, for the convenience of driving around central Ballarat, & its nearby attractions. IMO, few will go by train.

The rest of the ground should be extended backwards, concreted & tiered, & made STANDING ROOM only -easily & cheaply increase its capacity to c.22,000.
This would be Ballarat's AFL POINT OF DIFFERENCE -a seething, packed, noisy cauldron. Many people will want to experience the ol'time, packed, noisy Standing Room Outer -with full strength beer to lubricate the tonsils. (The elderly, parents with small kids can have preference in the seated areas).

Has there been any discussion on having the game on the same Stawell Gift Easter Weekend (but not the SG Final)?
Both events would attract higher promotion/media interest, bigger crowds, & both would obviously benefit.

100,000 visitors to Sovereign Hill for 1 month in winter is a great result. What is the annual no.?
I understand Chinese tourists (& Melb. is attracting HUGE nos. of Chinese tourists, & students) visit Sovereign Hill in large nos. (due to the big nos. of Chinese Gold miners who went to Ballarat in the 1850's -70's, the Chinese temple/displays there etc.).
Have there been any discussions of promoting a "double ticket"for Chinese tourists/students -entry to the game & Sovereign Hill?

Any publicly released information/estimates on the financial, net payback for:-
. Footscray for a 11,000 crowd cf. to a 22,000 crowd?
. Ditto Ballarat community/tourism etc
Click to expand...
Sovereign hill have a cut price ticket options for young Bulldogs members as the club's junior sponsor.
 
That shot with the lake looks picturesque. I've heard tickets are well and truly sold out and have been for months?
 
Have enjoyed my trips to Cairns but am immensely looking forward to the Dogs making Ballarat their second home with at least 2 games per year there.

That ground has come along way since the Dogs played some NAB Cup games there 3 or 4 years ago, looks fantastic.

Some posters suggesting Ballarat is a 's**t hole", but the place is far from that, a beautiful, historic and interesting place that's always a good destination for a drive and day / overnight trip.

Agree it needs to increase capacity to around 16k to reach its potential but's it looking better than I initially thought it would.
 
Dogs till i die said:
Have enjoyed my trips to Cairns but am immensely looking forward to the Dogs making Ballarat their second home with at least 2 games per year there.

That ground has come along way since the Dogs played some NAB Cup games there 3 or 4 years ago, looks fantastic.

Some posters suggesting Ballarat is a 's**t hole", but the place is far from that, a beautiful, historic and interesting place that's always a good destination for a drive and day / overnight trip.

Agree it needs to increase capacity to around 16k to reach its potential but's it looking better than I initially thought it would.
Click to expand...

I've enjoyed AFL in Cairns but i agree Ballarat is probably a better fit for the Bulldogs, would love to see the stadium get to 15,000 seats and an extra 4 to 5000 standing to be closer to 20,000.

Cairns really needs GC Suns to prove that this is their area by playing a home game here, not a Melbourne side.
 
i was thinking mars being sponsors of the renegades and also was wondering if eureka stadium had the cricket pitch
 
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