Michael McGuire: Forget about Coopers Stadium – Adelaide Oval must be SA’s World Cup super-sub
Why play Women’s World Cup games at ramshackle Coopers Stadium when we have one of the best sporting arenas in the world just down the road, argues Michael McGuire.
Opinion
Don't miss out on the headlines from Opinion. Followed categories will be added to My News.
With the Women’s World Cup headed to Australia, it’s time to remember Adelaide Oval is a state asset and not a wholly-owned subsidiary of football and cricket.
South Australian taxpayers tipped a generous $535 million to turn a somewhat dilapidated Adelaide Oval into a world-class venue. It wasn’t just footy and cricket fans who footed that bill, it was the whole community.
As part of Australia’s winning bid to host the 2023 Cup, Coopers Stadium was included as the South Australian component. Coopers has been home to football for decades, but it’s a ramshackle affair these days and another couple of million bucks won’t change that.
If South Australia wants to present its best face to a global audience, Adelaide Oval is a far more welcoming visage than dear old Coopers. And even though it was part of the winning bid, there is still no certainty games will be played there. It is still possible to substitute Adelaide Oval for Coopers.
There are a few hurdles and caveats. The State Government will need to cast off its previous reticence about Adelaide involvement and make a proper commitment to the sport.
The last government was prepared to shell out $5 million to bring a two-state wonder called State of Origin to Adelaide. The World Cup is a bigger event by a factor of multiples so big I might have to buy a new calculator.
Then there is footy. Port and Adelaide will need to depart the Oval for a time. The AFL will object. It always does. For such a successful organisation, the AFL has a terrible inferiority complex when it comes to global sports.
Still, as COVID-19 has proved, it can be flexible when required, setting up games and hubs in other states.
The Women’s World Cup has become one of the biggest, fastest-growing spectacles in sport. More than 1 billion watched the 2019 edition of the Cup. Many more than that will tune in for 2023.
We will need the right games. Australia, US, England or France would need to be in the frame.
But a packed Adelaide Oval, like it was for the 2016 A-League grand final, would be a wonderful sight, a terrific atmosphere and a great advert for Adelaide.