Sydney Showground Stadium

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Sydney Showground Stadium
ŠKODA Stadium
Skoda Stadium Scoreboard.jpg
Former names Sydney Showground Main Arena
Sydney Baseball Stadium
Location Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales
Coordinates 33°50′35″S 151°4′4″E / 33.84306°S 151.06778°E / -33.84306; 151.06778Coordinates: 33°50′35″S 151°4′4″E / 33.84306°S 151.06778°E / -33.84306; 151.06778
Broke ground May 1996
Opened February 1998
Renovated 2001
Expanded 2012
Owner New South Wales Government
Operator Royal Agricultural Society of NSW
Surface Grass
Architect Populous (redevelopment)
Capacity 25,000
13,000 (1998–2011)
Website www.sydneyshowground.com.au
Tenants
Sydney Royal Easter Show (1998–)
Sydney Storm (1998–1999)
2000 Summer Olympics
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (2001–2005)
Greater Western Sydney Football Club (2012–)

Sydney Showground Stadium (known as ŠKODA Stadium under a naming rights agreement with Škoda Auto) is a sports and events stadium located at the Sydney Showground in Sydney Olympic Park. The Showground, including the stadium, is operated by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS), under lease from the NSW Government.[1] The stadium is used for flagship events of the Sydney Royal Easter Show, such as the Grand Parade. During the Australian Football League season it is the primary home ground of the Greater Western Sydney Giants. The venue is also used for events and festivals, including the Big Day Out and Big Exo Day. The stadium opened in 1998 as the Sydney Showground Main Arena. In conjunction with an expansion and upgrade in 2011-12, it was renamed Sydney Showground Stadium.[2]

Contents

History [edit]

View of the 2001 Sydney Royal Easter Show Grand Parade, showing the Main Arena prior to redevelopment

Sydney Showground Stadium was constructed as part of the development of the new Sydney Showground, it was built to replace the aging Showground at Moore Park and to provide a venue for the 2000 Summer Olympics.

A $65 million upgrade of the stadium to accommodate the GWS Giants was announced on 9 June 2010.[1] Jointly funded by the NSW Government, the AFL and the RAS, the upgrade included two new stands which increased seating capacity from 13,000 to 25,000, upgraded hospitality facilities, improved audio and sound systems and new media facilities.[3] The playing surface was also reconfigured.[1] The upgrade was officially opened on 23 May 2012.[4]

Australian rules football [edit]

The Greater Western Sydney Giants played their first game at the stadium on Saturday, 26 May 2012, Round 9 of the 2012 AFL season.[5] In front of a crowd of 11,887 the Giants lost the match against Essendon by 66 points. The Giants first win at the stadium occurred on 4 August that year, when they defeated Port Adelaide by 34 points.

Baseball and 2000 Olympics [edit]

The stadium hosted the Sydney Storm in the Australian Baseball League for the 1998 and 1999 championship. During the Olympics, it was known as the Sydney Baseball Stadium and was the main baseball venue. Since the Olympics, no other baseball game has been played at the venue. Other Olympic events hosted were the riding and running portion of the modern pentathlon competitions.[6]

Rugby league [edit]

In 2001, the Canterbury Bulldogs of the NRL moved their home games to the stadium, playing there until 2005 when they moved to ANZ Stadium.

Motorsport [edit]

A 450m long speedway track surrounded the playing field of the Stadium prior to the 2011-12 redevelopment, when it was removed. In 2007 and 2008 the Stadium hosted a round of the Australian Motorcycle Speedway Championships, just as the old Showground at Moore Park did on 21 separate occasions between 1935 and 1980.[7] The track was also used for Speedcar racing but with little success.

Configuration [edit]

Artist's impression of the completed stadium.
The southern end of the stadium.

In its present configuration, Sydney Showground Stadium is a playing field running north east to south west. The south western half is surrounded by a single grandstand structure. Additional stands are located on either side of the field, directly adjacent the main structure. A single video screen, the largest at a stadium in the southern hemisphere,[8] is located at the north-eastern end.

The stands are:[9]

Opened 1998:

  • Members Stand
  • Suttor Stand
  • Vincent Fairfax Stand
  • Sinclair Stand
  • Martin & Angus Stand

Opened 2012:

  • North Stand
  • South East Stand

Attendance Records [edit]

Top 10 Sports Attendance Records [edit]

No. Date Teams Sport Competition Crowd
1 10 August 2001 Canterbury Bulldogs v. Parramatta Eels Rugby League NRL 21,895[10]
2 29 August 2003 Canterbury Bulldogs v. Canberra Raiders Rugby League NRL 20,016[11]
3 16 August 2002 Canterbury Bulldogs v. Parramatta Eels Rugby League NRL 19,346[12]
4 13 September 2003 Canterbury Bulldogs v. New Zealand Warriors Rugby League NRL 18,312[13]
5 4 March 2001 Canterbury Bulldogs v. Newcastle Knights Rugby League NRL 18,109[14]
6 8 September 2001 Canterbury Bulldogs v. St George Illawarra Dragons Rugby League NRL 17,975
7 30 March 2001 Canterbury Bulldogs v. Brisbane Broncos Rugby League NRL 16,642
8 6 September 2002 Canterbury Bulldogs v. Brisbane Broncos Rugby League NRL 16,492
9 19 June 2002 Canterbury Bulldogs v. Sydney Roosters Rugby League NRL 15,343
10 20 May 2001 Canterbury Bulldogs v. St George Illawarra Dragons Rugby League NRL 15,173

Last updated on the 1st of January 2012

Top AFL Attendance Records [edit]

No. Date Round Teams Crowd
1 26 May 2012 9 Greater Western Sydney v. Essendon 11,887
2 28 July 2012 18 Greater Western Sydney v. Collingwood 8,102
3 15 July 2012 16 Greater Western Sydney v. Adelaide 7,669
4 16 June 2012 12 Greater Western Sydney v. Richmond 7,538
5 4 August 2012 19 Greater Western Sydney v. Port Adelaide 6,811
6 1 September 2012 23 Greater Western Sydney v. North Melbourne 6,696

Last updated on 3 May 2013 [15]

External links [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c Main Arena Upgrade - Overview
  2. ^ "Sydney Showground Stadium upgrade on track". 29 November 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011. 
  3. ^ New Stadium: FAQs
  4. ^ http://www.sopa.nsw.gov.au/resource_centre/park_news/2011_park_news/$65_million_redeveloped_sydney_showground_stadium_opens $65 million redeveloped Sydney Showground Stadium opens
  5. ^ AFL Fixture 2012
  6. ^ 2000 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. p. 371.
  7. ^ Australian Solo Championship honor roll
  8. ^ "Skoda Stadium officially opens". Australian Stadiums. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012. 
  9. ^ http://www.afl.com.au/Portals/0/images/2012/GWS_Skoda%20Stadium%20Map%20-%20D.pdf
  10. ^ Mascord, Steve (28 August 2003). "More bad news pain in the neck for Hughes". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 April 2012. 
  11. ^ Gaffeney, Warren (30 August 2003). "Raiders' win spoilt by injury to Croker". The Telegraph. Retrieved 3 April 2012. 
  12. ^ Nolan, Ali (16 August 2002). "Bulldogs give the Eels no chance". League Unlimited. Retrieved 3 April 2012. 
  13. ^ Barclay, Chris (14 September 2003). "Meli scores five as Warriors stun Bulldogs". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 3 April 2012. 
  14. ^ Unknown, Unknown (5 March 2001). "Thrilling draw for the Knights in round three of the NRl 2001". Maitland Mercury. Retrieved 3 April 2012. 
  15. ^ "Sydney Showground - Attendances (AFL)"
Home grounds
Premierships
  • Nil
Seasons
Related articles
Main grounds:
Secondary grounds:
Future grounds:
Former grounds:
Current Stadiums
Former Stadiums
ABL 89-99 era Stadiums
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