Skoda Stadium (Sydney Showground)

[Scully2Folau]

Give us an update on how it looks actually there then?

Yeah I'll try and get some photos too.

Hopefully at Giants games they'll have some of the food outlets open in the stadium (as they did for BDO, and I assume things like Easter Show) - Subway, fish and chips, burgers, etc. inside the stadium along the walkway behind the lower level seating.

 

[Scully2Folau]

Seats are in the new stand and the construction of the video screen is underway:

(right click, view image)

 

[eskabah]

Looks great - wish my team had its own home ground.

 

[Riders of Rohan]

Had a look for the first time in a while, it's really come along looks fantastic.

Have no clue what show their putting on there atm though. Got horses charging across the field with riders holding what look like jousts, all the crowds undercover looks like it's pissing down.

 

[Matchu]

Click here for bigger picture

Big screen is up, media facilities are in place and the seats are there. Just need to lay the new grass and the stadium will be done. It looks like a really great stadium, it also gives off an intimate feel and I'm sure will provide a good atmosphere. I am going to be there for the first game when you guys take on Essendon and can't wait to check it all and see how it compares to Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast. You guys should be proud that your club has achieved so much already and this is just another achievement that drives home how important Sydney/west Sydney is.

 

[Scully2Folau]

The Easter Show definitely seems to have taken a toll on the playing surface (as would be expected). It'll be interesting to see how quickly they can get it back up to where it was before the show, in reference for future years to see how long it'll be out of action for the Giants early in the season. My guess is they might have to play there in round 1 or 2 if and then a couple at ANZ (vs Swans) and/or Manuka while the show is on and until its back up to scratch.

 

[Scully2Folau]

A couple of new images from @GWS_Giants:

Home change rooms:

 

[lyonaround]

That's looking like a decent stadium, can't wait to see a big crowd there!!

 

[RodneyMaynard]

AFL website has a new video up (as well as some other information)

http://www.afl.com.au/skodastadium/video/tabid/19197/Default.aspx

Stadium's looking good, but with only 16 sleeps to go, the surface is still looking pretty rough.

 

[CarltonKid07]

Looks identical to Metricon...

 

[Scully2Folau]

We have goalposts:

Skoda set for Giant premiere

NUMBER one draft choice Jon Patton and GWS Giants’ other imposing teenage forward, Jeremy Cameron, became the first players to kick goals at the team’s new home yesterday.

Their collective talent suggests they will be the first of many once the Giants begin playing out of Skoda Stadium, the Sydney Olympic Park Showgrounds, starting with Essendon in a fortnight.

The goal posts went up yesterday as the finishing touches were put on the boutique 25,000-seat stadium with the most impressive video screen in Australian sport.

 

[dlanod]

Ok, so we've got Patton as one, Cameron as the other. Who are the behind posts? Sumner and Smith?

 

[eskabah]

What is with the gap in seating behind the goalposts? Where are the cheersquad going to sit?

 

[Scully2Folau]

What is with the gap in seating behind the goalposts? Where are the cheersquad going to sit?

I think that's heavy machinery access at the moment, renderings and seating maps have shown seating there so it might be some sort of removable seating.

 

[eskabah]

I think that's heavy machinery access at the moment, renderings and seating maps have shown seating there so it might be some sort of removable seating.

That makes sense. I do like the orange seats though, I was under the impression that they would be red. Hopefully they willl eventually be all Orange. Maybe they can make a deal with the SCG, give them red seats for their new stand, and have all orange seats at the showground.

 

[CROZZA]

That makes sense. I do like the orange seats though, I was under the impression that they would be red. Hopefully they willl eventually be all Orange. Maybe they can make a deal with the SCG, give them red seats for their new stand, and have all orange seats at the showground.

it looks good as it is. i would imagine that the seats will be replaced with orange ones as needed. im pretty sure the seats at the SCG have to be "SCG Green" the colour that they already are, solely because theyve trademarked the colour

 

[Scully2Folau]

[YOUTUBE]riypXJ0z1xY[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Kristyy89]

Hey guys question, for this Saturday nights game- does anyone know where the cheersquads are sitting what areas?? Cheers!

 

[oozeboss]

Kristy: as I replied to your entry on the Giants' Facebook page :

The Giants cheer squad will be sitting under the giant screen, while your squad will be at the opposite end.

Enjoy.

 

[Gee Dubya]

so when it rains, our cheersquad are out in the open and the opposition are undercover

nice

 

[Gee Dubya]

So who's brilliant idea was that? what a joke

 

[Scully2Folau]

They'd be in the weather at either end wouldn't they? I don't think the roof extends very far over the lower section?

 

[UrLordUnbeliever]

Kristy: as I replied to your entry on the Giants' Facebook page :

The Giants cheer squad will be sitting under the giant screen, while your squad will be at the opposite end.

Enjoy.

Well that's freaking stupid.
3 reasons why.

1/ As has been mentioned, the home team members are stuck in the wintry conditions, while the visitors are about as comfortable as you can get.
Fail.

2/ There's only 1 Video screen (afaict) so the worst seats are those directly under that screen - and i know it's the biggest screen at a sporting venue in the world but it doesn't matter how big it is when it's behind you.
Fail.

3/ Most importantly, Acoustics / Intimidation.. Whatever cheer squad is in the open will simply have their voices blown away, wheras those on the other end with a roof and stands all around them will have their cheers, claps and songs echoing..
If the Giants squad was in the covered end, it would be more intimidating for the opposition squad. Think about it, from the non-covered end you see a big stadium decked out with Orange, Charcoal and White, you can hear their fans, and you feel out of place, you don't have that support behind you.


It's a completely baffling decision TBH, I cannot think of one single positive reason for having the Giants' cheersquad in the non-covered section. Can you?

 

[Gee Dubya]

They'd be in the weather at either end wouldn't they? I don't think the roof extends very far over the lower section?

Extends over probably 3/4 of the lower section

http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/seatingchart/157634/43706

And as Thomas Covenant stated above, it is far more sheltered from the elements than the open end of the stadium.

An absolutely baffling and poor decision from the club. Needs to be rectified before the next game.

 

[Scully2Folau]

Just found this mini-site:

www.afl.com.au/skodastadium/


Which also has this more detailed stadium map:

GWS_Skoda Stadium Map