The Gabba

Remove this Banner Ad

May 3, 2005
96,254
105,965
Brisbane
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Other Teams
Scuderia Ferrari, Dallas Cowboys
Some interesting developments in this article...


Stadiums Queensland could sell Gabba naming rights to sponsor
FEBRUARY 16, 2016

THE name of Brisbane's iconic Gabba ground is up for sale for $2 million a year with a historic proposal to change the name of the stadium in a bid to inject millions of dollars into desperately needed upgrades for the ageing venue.

The Sunday-Mail understands selling the Gabba naming rights, which would drastically change the Brisbane sporting landscape, is one of the key proposals of 19 recommendations contained in the Lee Report into Stadiums Queensland, to be presented to the State Government this month.

The SQ board has already been sacked as the Government attempts to bring a new commercial focus to its stadiums operations.

Optus recently cut a 10-year $50m deal for naming rights to the new Perth Stadium, making it the only mainstream Test cricket venue in the country with a naming rights sponsor.

Suncorp’s deal for Brisbane’s Lang Park football stadium is worth about $3m.

It is understood the Gabba, which is officially called the Brisbane Cricket Ground and is the only major stadium in the state without a naming rights sponsor, is ranked second in the Lee Report behind Suncorp, in eight criteria including location, capacity, standard of the facilities and commercial viability.

The report, commissioned by the State Government and written by independent consultant John Lee, is believed to recommended annual upgrades, beginning with an urgent facelift that includes new turnstiles, revitalised bar areas and the installation of wi-fi.

The report also recommends reduced hiring costs for tenants, Queensland Cricket and the Brisbane Lions.

Lions chairman Andrew Wellington said yesterday the club was not aware of Mr Lee’s recommendations, but said it would endorse the sponsorship proposal.

Triple premiership Lions coach and AFL Legend Leigh Matthews said it had always seemed to be the logical approach to funding upgrades to the venue.

“Does the Gabba lose anything by it being named after a sponsor? It will still be the Gabba” he said.

“Stadiums constantly need upgrading and it is my personal view that the logical way to fund significant improvements is through sponsorship. Say the deal is worth $2m. Well, that’s $2m annually going to waste at the moment.”

Former Test fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz, a Cricket Australia board member, said the proposal had significant merit.

“So long as the money goes to enhancing the fan experience in some way, you would certainly have to look at it” Mr Kasprowicz said.

“It could be used for things like having stadium wi-fi. The television coverage is so good these days that stadiums have to looks at ways of making these games a must attend experience.”

Former Test wicketkeeper Ian Healy supported the idea to canvas interest in the sale but urged officials to be cautious and said he would not want to see the name constantly changing with new sponsorships. He suggested a long-term deal, perhaps of 20 years.

It’s a sign of the times and you can’t stop the times so you have to make sure things go your way” Healy said.

“It is dangerous territory. You don’t want to make a mockery of it.

Ideally, you would like to see the Gabba name stay and have say the Westfield Gabba”

“You would want a long-term deal, maybe a 20-year contract or even something longer and you would like to see the benefits of it go all the way down the chain to the fans and even the caterers who could offer cheaper food.”
 
So totally looking forward Warner Brothers Movieworld Gabba Stadium as a tactical response to Marvel Stadium.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

May 3, 2005
96,254
105,965
Brisbane
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Other Teams
Scuderia Ferrari, Dallas Cowboys
So totally looking forward Warner Brothers Movieworld Gabba Stadium as a tactical response to Marvel Stadium.

It's a tricky one. I mean, most people will still call it the Gabba anyway, obviously just not in official documents/fixtures etc.

As long as the funding is genuinely pumped in to improving the spectator experience, I can live with it.
 

M Malice

Hall of Famer
Aug 31, 2015
31,310
71,732
By the Gabba.
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Other Teams
Valleys. Chelsea.
I couldn't give a rats what they call the stadium just-
giphy.gif
 
May 3, 2005
96,254
105,965
Brisbane
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Other Teams
Scuderia Ferrari, Dallas Cowboys
So totally looking forward Warner Brothers Movieworld Gabba Stadium as a tactical response to Marvel Stadium.

Maybe we could get sponsored by Nickelodeon. Then it could be called the Yo Gabba Gabba.
 

AFLQLD

Premiership Player
Jul 15, 2012
4,267
15,021
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Other Teams
There are other teams?
Some potential sponsors:

Insurance companies:

Youi Gabba (sounds like a Vietnamese dish)
RACQ Gabba (to align with all those letters in the Geelong Stadium name)
Suncorp Stadium II (the sequel)

Airlines:

Tiger Gabba (you can guarantee your seat will have been given away or the game will start three hours late or not happen at all)
Virgin Gabba (pristine grass that the grounds staff won’t let anyone walk on. The staff are friendly though)
QANTAS Gabba (excellent security and safety but you have to pay more for tickets)

Retailers:

Bunnings Gabba (the only food will be sausages in bread)
IKEA Gabba (your seat looks ok but there is always one bolt missing and all the food has weird names)
Costco Gabba (you buy your snacks in extremely large quantities)

Other:

Uber Gabba (the price goes up if want to go to a popular game at a popular time)
Trivago Gabba (that chick from the ads is at every home game - win!)
Gumtree Gabba (your seat may be available or may not, or may have previously been sold. Who knows)
Facebook Gabba (they will sell your membership data straight to the Russians and then lie about it)
 
Wouldn't paying for eg Westfield Gabba as the name be a waste of money for them - I mean if 'gabba' is still in the name who is ever going to use the Westfield part and if we are not using it is it worth it just for the commentators and the signage etc?
Maybe the Hyundai Centre will become Hyundai Stadium.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

CarterS

Brownlow Medallist
Jun 14, 2001
12,132
11,991
Brisbane
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Other Teams
Lions
Funny how they changed out the board of stadiums qld partly due to the bad deals they were giving us as I remember at the time it was brought up their response was something like “they should concentrate on winning more games.” Pricks
 
May 30, 2013
2,271
2,687
BNE, AUS
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Other Teams
Chicago Bears, Cubs, Bulls
It's a tricky one. I mean, most people will still call it the Gabba anyway, obviously just not in official documents/fixtures etc.

As long as the funding is genuinely pumped in to improving the spectator experience, I can live with it.

Not sure. Nobody calls Suncorp Stadium Lang Park anymore except ABC commentators. Personally I couldn't care less if it is sponsored or if people call it something else and think the emotional response to these sort of things are a bit silly. I don't think $2 million in sponsorship and a superficial uplift is going to get the first test back though.
 
Given it comes up repeatedly:

Jeff as you may know the Queensland Government recently commissioned a report into the operation and management of stadiums in Queensland. We have only seen an interim report on Stage 1 of that process but there is a general theme that stadiums need to look at increased utilisation as a way of managing costs for users.

Also, Stage 2 of that review will have a specific focus on food and beverage costs within stadium which is obviously also part of the total cost of attendance for our fans. We are hopeful that going forward adoption of these recommendations can result in reduced costs for users but we need to see all the final recommendations before we can fully assess the impacts.

We have publicly stated that we support there being more events at the Gabba as it can lead to either better pricing for users – or a better stadium for the same cost. Obviously, in managing multiple events the rights of each user need to be respected.

http://m.lions.com.au/news/2018-08-01/ask-the-chairman-july
 

M Malice

Hall of Famer
Aug 31, 2015
31,310
71,732
By the Gabba.
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Other Teams
Valleys. Chelsea.
Just an update on previous information but looks and sounds fantastic, 2024 is not all that far away, a lot of our young list will be in their prime and still playing. McCluggage, Witherden, Berry, Rayner, Bailey, Starcevich, Hipwood, Andrews will be in the 24-27 years old age bracket.

Good times ahead with this Gabba proposal and the Springfield Training/admin/AFLW base in the pipeline.

Unfortunately I'll be in the old codger age bracket ie. 64, unless I'm pushing up daisies.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Back