Eureka Stadium (Mars Stadium)

[Roogal]

Three games at Ballarat in 2018:

• Saturday 3rd March: JLT Community Series Game - Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn at 1.30pm (average weather: 23 degrees and 15% chance of rain) - Televised via Foxtel
• Saturday 5th May: Western Bulldogs v Gold Coast Suns at 1.45pm (average weather: 17 degrees and 25% chance of rain) - Televised via Foxtel
• Sunday 29th July: Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide at 3.20pm (average weather: 10 degrees and 30% chance of rain) - Televised via Seven

Of interest though is that the July game is scheduled to finish around 6pm when it will be practically dark. The lights at Mars Stadium aren't rated bright enough for digital TV broadcast and sunset on 29th July 2018 is at 5.35pm. The image below shows exactly what the lighting conditions at the ground with the present lights will be like by dusk. I imagine that there will need to be some contingency plan in the mean time.

 

[Fizzler]

I don't like the fact that they're playing us in Ballarat but I can see why they would.

 

[Grandsun]

so im i suns fan thinking about coming up for the game. what should i expect?

 

[Ned_Flanders]

so im i suns fan thinking about coming up for the game. what should i expect?

1) To lose

2) ballarat isnt in northern qld, so you will be sad when you figure out you drove the wrong way

 

[Grandsun]

1) To lose

2) ballarat isnt in northern qld, so you will be sad when you figure out you drove the wrong way

F U

 

[sverik25]

so im i suns fan thinking about coming up for the game. what should i expect?

You might want to be a bit more specific... do you just mean the stadium? What about it?

 

[Grandsun]

You might want to be a bit more specific... do you just mean the stadium? What about it?

the stadium, is there a carnival like atmosphere, transport etc

 

[Grandsun]

is there things outside the stadium? food and drink prices etc

 

[Ned_Flanders]

the stadium, is there a carnival like atmosphere, transport etc

At the ground, make sure you wear on onion on your belt because this is the style in Ballarat. Most wear those white onions, but with the war you may have to compromise and wear one of those big yellow ones

You get a bus from the train station, and it costs four bees. Thats $8, but they have bumblebees on their coins in balla, hence the four bees

 

[Fizzler]

The Port fans who went there this year seemed to very much enjoy the weekend.

I know the ground is closer to SA residents than the MCG, and we are one of the lower drawing teams when we play in Melbourne, but I'm one of the unfortunate ones because I live in Melbourne, so that makes it difficult. Plus I can't drive either :/

 

[Billy ray]

would it be better to fly into Avalon or melb airport?
distance marginally less from Avalon but is it an easier drive? same same?

 

[Rabman]

Good questions mate. At the first game the local council coordinated free busses from the Train Station to the ground before and after the game and they are likely to go on doing so for quite some time until an events day platform is built adjacent to the ground on the railway line across the road. The main Train Station is about 2.5 kilometres from the oval. At the ground, the food was largely mobile catering but was there was good a mixture of variety and everything was reasonably priced. There was no gouging. The last game had a free public live-site next to the oval in the Showgrounds which wasn't well patronised so I would expect that they may scale it back somewhat in future games, although the live site did have bars serving local wines and craft beers and a large outdoor screen. Plus there was entertainment and rides put on for the rug rats.

If you are staying for the weekend, then there is heaps to see and do. It's Ballarat, they have a smorgasboard of pubs, bars, restaurants and everything else.

Key to any stadium being successful is transport and accessibility to the ground. Great to hear free transports available, any other ways transportation could be better improved around the area?

 

[drunkill]

The doggies are hosting the blues at eureka stadium two weeks before the AFLW season kicks off.


Western Bulldogs Vs Carlton AFLW practice match
7:00pm Saturday Jan 20th @ Eureka Stadium

 

[Grandsun]

The doggies are hosting the blues at eureka stadium two weeks before the AFLW season kicks off.


Western Bulldogs Vs Carlton AFLW practice match
7:00pm Saturday Jan 20th @ Eureka Stadium

Emma Karney isn't playing

 

[Rob]

I have to say it looks a really nice ground when there's a crowd of 4 or 5000 (at a guess). Spectators can either get an undercover seat or go and sit on the grass and there's plenty of room to do either.

Should be a blueprint for any state league or AFLW ground.

 

[aCunningPlan]

I have to say it looks a really nice ground when there's a crowd of 4 or 5000 (at a guess). Spectators can either get an undercover seat or go and sit on the grass and there's plenty of room to do either.

Should be a blueprint for any state league or AFLW ground.

It's really comfortable here today, very easy to move about, seats right in top of the action and certainly no issues with facilities.

 

[BulldogJake]

Official attendance today: 4565

Thought 4.5k was a bit disappointing. I was expecting 6-7.

 

[bombersfan4000]

Ballarat Council in talks with State Government in relation to Stage 2 development: Local TV station news story from mid-March.

It would be awesome for the ground to continue to receive funding to to be up graded but, a few more than one opening game needs to be played there first before spending more money on a venue

 

[fumbler]

Need to get a VFL team from Ballarat back in to utilise this ground better.
Would love it to be a minimum of 18 thousand and max of 26 thousand.

 

[Admiral Byng]

I love the drive in and park your car on the grass banks facility.

 

[Kwality]

The State Government has also signed a landmark deal with the AFL that will deliver major redevelopments of the MCG and Etihad Stadium Precinct, and guarantee the AFL Grand Final will be played in Victoria for the next 40 years.

What price did the AFL pay or was the quid pro quo just the Grand Final.

 

[The Punter]

It's $225 million for Etihad; a stadium the AFL owns lock, stock and barrel.

 

[The_Wookie]

What price did the AFL pay or was the quid pro quo just the Grand Final.

Its also 20 years of guaranteed access for other sporting events, which means the Government doesnt have to worry about playing catch up in the major events space with NSW and other states, giving the Government two stadiums capable of hosting pretty much anything it needs if the time arises.

 

[The_Wookie]

Like being venues for a Soccer World Cup?

yeah, any kind of World Cup, or Commonwealth/Olympics bid would be more than likely

 

[The Punter]

Plenty of work to be done locally before anything else happens at Mars Stadium.

And someone is footing the bill for the AFL games.