Stadia

Ikon Park is still a good venue but needs urgent upgrading. The Federal Government has pledged millions of dollars towards the upgrade.

The question on upgrading it is if it will actually see a wider use - it doesn’t make sense to upgrade it just for 5 AFLW games a year.

The problem is the primary use of it as Carlton’s training ground means some of the other potential uses for it - such as a middle capacity cricket ground between the MCG and Junction Oval - would be difficult.

I don’t mind it as a venue - permanent lights and some restoration to improve safety are worthwhile - but it doesn’t need a bunch of new stands or anything.

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Will it ever return as a Carlton home ground for a few AFL games a year, similar to Geelong and Kardinia Park?

I hope so, like matches against interstate teams like Fremantle and GWS.

What they do need to do is fix the facilities by adding more bathrooms, better seating and it might be worth putting in a broadcast facility bigger than what they have currently too

No chance, not in the next few years anyway. Who would they play there? Interstate teams? That would mean less games for them at the MCG and the AFL has promised to give interstate teams more time at the MCG for the purposes of equal opportunities.

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The episode of Travel Guides that airs in about 2 weeks features the Adelaide Oval roof climb experience, a 1.5 km walk across the top of the Adelaide Oval stadium roofs. Who knew there was such a thing?

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Yeah I have done it. It’s often featured on AFL, Big Bash and Cricket matches

I am thinking of going to Adelaide in May, have never been there before… Is that worth doing?

Yes, one of the best Australia has to offer.

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I wouldn’t say the best thing Australia has to offer but it’s definitey the best thing Adelaide has to offer. I really if you can get to it when a game is on it’s better but still is great if you can’t. The history the guide tells is quite interesting and included things I had no idea of about Adelaide. If you go to Adelaide do it.

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Apart form the view,hanging out over the edge seems to be a highlight. The SA episode of Travel Guides is 12 March.


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Pretty much like any climb though. I would say my highlight was learning the history of how Adelaide was formed and the possible locations they considered.

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Thanks for the pics.

I thought they would have chosen a grandstand at the southern end for the climb so you get a better view of the river and the city skyline, even though Adelaide doesn’t have a particularly impressive skyline.

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Great to look out over a ground from different angles… arriving at the Bradman stand and staring straight down the wicket (and right behind the goals) would be pretty special (even on a non-game day).

There is also a ground level tour featured.

In this cap you can see most of the 1.5 km walk

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Ah that’s good that the walk goes a bit further around.

It is the Southern Stand that you did that hang from. You start from the Bradman Stand and make your way over the Southern Stand.

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The Queensland Government today opened the bidding for the naming rights to The Gabba in Brisbane. One condition is that the new name must include the words The Gabba. Expressions of interest will close on April 17.

So presumably “The [sponsor] Gabba”? I suppose names like “WIN Jubilee Oval” come to mind there - where basically every normal person would just ignore the sponsored part of the name.

It’s good that the money will come from naming rights rather than the taxpayer - though I struggle to think that a sponsor will be the money difference between ‘disprepair’ or not.

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