Arthur Stanley
AFTER a whirlwind 12 months of sports and entertainment action, Stadium Australia has topped 1.6 million fans for 2015 and posted one of its highest attendance figures for events since the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
From the AFC Asian Cup in January, to the mid-year #WeekOfBlockbusters featuring State of Origin I and EPL clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, to amazing concerts by AC/DC and Taylor Swift to wrap up the year, Stadium Australia welcomed 1,628,395 fans through the turnstiles at 52 events in 2015.
With the Stadium celebrating 15 years since the 2000 Olympics this year, the total attendance for events at Sydney’s Olympic stadium since it was opened in 1999 in the lead-up to the Games is now 23,472,494. (*The attendance figures do not include visits to the Stadium for more than 160 corporate and private events each year).
The only higher annual event attendance at Stadium Australia since the 2000 Olympics was the 1.634 million that was posted in 2013 during a year that featured a British & Irish Lions Rugby Test, two Socceroos Word Cup qualifying games, two State of Origin encounters and a visit by English Premier League giants Manchester United.
The blockbuster crowds at Stadium Australia in 2015 included:
- 83,598 Chelsea FC v Sydney FC, Tuesday 2 June
- 82,758 2015 NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final, Sunday 4 October
- 80,122 Holden State of Origin I NSW v Queensland, Wednesday 27 May
- 76,385 AFC Asian Cup Final Australia v South Korea, Saturday 31 January
- 76,089 Taylor Swift 1989 World Tour concert, Saturday 28 November
- 73,824 Bledisloe Cup Wallabies v All Blacks, Saturday 8 August
- 71,549 Tottenham Hotspur v Sydney FC, Saturday 30 May
- 56,989 AC/DC Rock Or Bust World Tour Concert 1, Wednesday 4 November
- 53,379 Foo Fighters, Sonic Highway World Tour concert, Thursday 26 February
- 52,366 Monster Jam 2015
- 50,645 AC/DC Rock Or Bust World Tour Concert II
- 50,276 AFC Asian Cup Australia v Oman, Tuesday 13 January
- 40,523 NRL Round 5, Bulldogs v Rabbitohs, Good Friday 3 April
The NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency Destination NSW estimated the back-to-back English Premier League club visits alone to be worth more than $16 million to the NSW economy.
A PriceWaterhouseCoopers report estimates that Stadium Australia’s annual contribution to the NSW economy is a whopping $301 million.
The Stadium employs 2200 people with more than two thirds of these from Greater Western Sydney.
Strap Yourself In – Here We Go Again!
And now to 2016: two State of Origin rugby league blockbusters, a US College Football extravaganza, the Liverpool Legends v Australian Legends football classic, Bledisloe Cup Test match rugby, an Easter Footy Fest and the NRL Grand Final . . . the stage is set for one of Sydney’s great sporting years at Stadium Australia in the coming 12 months.
The 2016 Stadium Australia Event Calendar reveals a phenomenal line-up of major events across FIVE footy codes following confirmation that the opening regular-season game of the 2016 NCAA College Football Championships will be played at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday 27 August.
The clash between two of the great American college teams, the University of California Golden Bears and University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, will double as the College Football Sydney Cup and will be the first American Football action on Australian soil since 1999.
The whole college football experience – complete with marching bands, cheerleaders, American Football colour and excitement – is coming to Stadium Australia.
US College Football is the latest jewel in the crown of a 2016 Stadium Australia Event Calendar with a distinctly international flavour.
The sporting year kicks off in sensational style with the visit by a Liverpool Legends squad featuring the famous club’s greatest players, Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler, Jamie Carragher and Ian Rush, in a who’s who of Reds champions on their way for the Thursday 7 January showdown with an Australian Legends team.
Socceroos greats including Tony Popovic, Craig Foster, David Zdrilic and Brett Emerton have been named in the squad of Australian champions to take on the Liverpool FC Legends at Stadium Australia.
The Liverpool Legends v Australian Legends match is part of a Family Festival of Football at Sydney Olympic Park this January – with Sydney FC returning to Stadium Australia for the first time since their back-to-back clashes with Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, this time to take on Newcastle Jets in an important A-League Round 14 match on Saturday 9 January.
Looking further ahead, English Premier League giants Arsenal are confirmed for back-to-back matches against Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers at Stadium Australia as part of a new strategic partnership with the NSW Government.
Arsenal Football Club and the NSW Government have announced a multi-year Tourism Partnership, which will culminate in Arsenal playing the two matches at Stadium Australia in July 2017.
Tickets for these games will go on sale in August 2016.
The 2016 Stadium Australia Event Calendar is here.
*Stadium Australia Members are guaranteed premium seats at all events in 2016 – plus the back-to-back blockbusters featuring mighty Arsenal in 2017 as part of their annual subscription. Member will be advised of booking dates for the Arsenal matches. Enquiries here.
Impress and indulge your clients with Stadium Australia’s Official Hospitality packages. Choose between a Private Suite, Zone Box or a table of 10 in our Trophy Room to entertain your important clients. Enquiries here.
