TonyK
CibbuanoSubiaco inadequate: Demetriou
April 28th 2009 07:06
SUBIACO Oval is an inadequate venue for football according to AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou.
Speaking in Perth on Tuesday, Demetriou said the venues limited capacity has the potential disenfranchise young AFL followers.
"When you've got 42,000 capacity and you've got a lot of reserve seating being sold and a lot of members for both Fremantle and West Coast, it means there's a lot of young people who can't go to the football and pay at the gate," Demetriou said.
"So we are actually denying a lot of young people, children, an opportunity to come to the football and watch and enjoy the experience."
"So we have the potential of disenfranchising a lot of people from a generational perspective."
"We want people to go along to the football, it's a good place for families to go."
Demetriou admitted it was understandable that the state government had put the plans for a new stadium or a redevelopment on hold for the time being given the current economic climate but also vowed to work with West Coast, Fremantle and the Western Australian Football Commission to keep the pressure on WA's politicians.
"I understand it has been parked by the government, and I understand that with what is going on globally and financially in the world these are difficult and uncertain times," he said.
"But we need to keep working on that issue because at the moment everyone acknowledges that Subiaco stadium is probably the least adequate of all our grounds around Australia."
"It is very important we kickstart the momentum again about the stadium."
"It is important for this state and important for football followers."
"(So) we'll keep working with the clubs and the footy commission to go forward with that."
Speaking in Perth on Tuesday, Demetriou said the venues limited capacity has the potential disenfranchise young AFL followers.
"When you've got 42,000 capacity and you've got a lot of reserve seating being sold and a lot of members for both Fremantle and West Coast, it means there's a lot of young people who can't go to the football and pay at the gate," Demetriou said.
"So we are actually denying a lot of young people, children, an opportunity to come to the football and watch and enjoy the experience."
"So we have the potential of disenfranchising a lot of people from a generational perspective."
"We want people to go along to the football, it's a good place for families to go."
Demetriou admitted it was understandable that the state government had put the plans for a new stadium or a redevelopment on hold for the time being given the current economic climate but also vowed to work with West Coast, Fremantle and the Western Australian Football Commission to keep the pressure on WA's politicians.
"I understand it has been parked by the government, and I understand that with what is going on globally and financially in the world these are difficult and uncertain times," he said.
"But we need to keep working on that issue because at the moment everyone acknowledges that Subiaco stadium is probably the least adequate of all our grounds around Australia."
"It is very important we kickstart the momentum again about the stadium."
"It is important for this state and important for football followers."
"(So) we'll keep working with the clubs and the footy commission to go forward with that."
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