Power’s clash against St Kilda moved from China to Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium because of coronavirus
Port Adelaide says it will continue to invest in China despite this year’s match being moved to Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium due to the coronavirus. UPDATED
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Port Adelaide has vowed to continue with its China experiment despite this year’s match against St Kilda being put on ice because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Chief executive Keith Thomas said the club’s “enthusiasm and belief in our China strategy’’ remained high and that next year’s clash against the Saints in the Chinese megacity of Shanghai would be “bigger and better than ever’’.
For the first time in four years, Port will this season not play a game in China after the round 11 match against St Kilda scheduled for Adelaide Arena, Jiangwan, on Sunday, May 31, was cancelled and moved to Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.
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It will now be played at the Saints home ground as a twilight encounter, starting at 5.10pm, on Sunday, June 7 – the day before the public holiday for Queen’s Birthday, allowing greater access for fans.
The two clubs will now have their bye in round 11 instead of round 12.
“While we are disappointed that the Shanghai game has been cancelled, we are very sensitive to the circumstances currently facing our friends in China and our thoughts are with them at this challenging time,” Thomas said on Wednesday as the coronavirus sweeps the globe.
“The health and safety of our people – our players, coaches, staff and travelling supporters – was always the number one priority from our perspective.
“The announcement doesn’t do anything to diminish our enthusiasm and belief in what our China strategy offers and we’ll be looking to double down in 2021 to make the game-day experience bigger and better.”
Tickets purchased for the match in Shanghai will be refunded and tickets for the new timeslot will soon go on sale through Ticketmaster.
Port will save the $500,000 it was to pay St Kilda for moving its home game to China but will lose out on other game day revenue, such as LED signage at the ground which is sold for similar prices to that of the grand final, largely due to huge television ratings.
The club said any losses in revenue would be “manageable’’.
The fact the China game has been abandoned so early will save on infrastructure costs at Adelaide Arena.
Fans who have purchased travel packages, flights and accommodation to China will have to deal with their agents on a case-by-case basis to determine their compensation.
“We understand it’s been an unsettling time for our supporters who were looking to travel to Shanghai and I thank them for their understanding in the lead up to this announcement,’’ Thomas said.
“Already many of our supporters and corporate partners are expressing a desire to experience our Shanghai game in 2021.’’
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said the decision to abandon this year’s China match was made after advice from the Australian Government, the World Health Organisation and the league’s chief medical officer.
“Our team has monitored the situation in China closely and it is evident that the coronavirus still poses a significant risk internationally and quite simply we will not compromise the health and safety of any of our clubs, supporters and AFL team members,’’ he said.
St Kilda will now play nine of its first 11 games at Marvel Stadium.
The Victorian State Government also has got involved to support the match with a focus on celebrating Chinese culture in the absence of a match in Shanghai.
The Chinese Formula 1 Grand Prix in Shanghai, scheduled for April 17-19, is among a host of events that have been postponed due to the virus outbreak.
Port has played in China in each of the past three years – as the “away’’ team – winning each time.
It beat Gold Coast by 72 points in 2017 and 40 points in 2018 and St Kilda by 69 points last season.