Eureka Stadium (Mars Stadium)

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The ground was originally aligned east-west and was actually larger than the MCG which made it quite unpopular for visiting teams. If they had built around the old oval then the eastern and western ends would have had virtually no room to accommodate seating, pathways, or fencing on those ends. To address this the ground has been rotated 32 degrees and now orientates SW to NE. They have also reduced the size of the playing field to exact Etihad Stadium dimensions as well as making the new playing surface flat rather than curved. The re-orientation also allows for more efficient positioning of light towers to ensure maximum concentration of light onto the field, but importantly allows enough space around the boundaries and the Eastern and Western sides to accommodate new grandstands.

There is also accommodation being built into the number 1 oval to allow for the the provision of a drop in wicket as Ballarat has recently been knocked back by Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria when bidding for first class games. Those have gone to Bendigo, Shepparton and Wangaratta which all have spent considerable money over the last ten years upgrading their premier ovals. Even Ballarat's best cricket oval (The Eastern Oval) is not up to standard and is currently undergoing a $3 million redevelopment to bring it finally into the 21st century.
Legend, thanks mate. Think the Dogs put in the request for it to be exact size as Etihad or just how it's panned out?
 

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Etihad size will make it better viewing id assume also.
 
In answer to your question, the Bullgogs did in fact request that the oval was to be exactly the same size as Etihad.
Bullgoogs
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So if you're a fan of a team like Port/Freo, GC etc that is likely to get shunted to a game here. If you fly into Melbourne, how difficult is the journey from Southern Cross to this stadium using transport that isn't a personal car? Train to Ballarat, then what?

Dont worry about the transport arrangements its bloody cold in Ballarat in winter - no one goes there twice by choice !! :cry:
 
Well ... AFL is a Winter game. ;-) Do people go to the footy expecting to not be a little cold or occasionally get wet?

Guess it depends on your view of cold - many Australians would need a new wardrobe to go the the footy in Ballarat.
 

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Had to stop in ballarat on my way through over the holidays and I have to say what a terrible city.
Driving around the main streets is just chaos. The street lay out is a joke, didn't know if I was Arthur or Martha.
 
Well ... AFL is a Winter game. ;-) Do people go to the footy expecting to not be a little cold or occasionally get wet?
Travelled via Ballarat on my way back east when I was living over there and have never been so cold in my life, and I have lived in Europe, eg Copenhagen. Maybe I just struck it unlucky who knows but that's my experience of Ballarat!!
 
Had to stop in ballarat on my way through over the holidays and I have to say what a terrible city.
Driving around the main streets is just chaos. The street lay out is a joke, didn't know if I was Arthur or Martha.
Is this a saying or are there actually suburbs in the 'Rat called Arthur and Martha?!
 

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