Memorial Drive tennis centre identified as potential Adelaide fans meeting place in lieu of iconic Crows ‘Shed’

Adelaide supporters have bemoaned the lack of a post-game venue since the demise of the famous ‘Shed’. Is that all about to change?

Members of the Adelaide Crows Supporter Group in 2015 outside the famous ‘Shed’. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Could Memorial Drive become the new Crows’ “Shed”?

Club chairman John Olsen has suggested the tennis centre behind Adelaide Oval may be able to be used for post-game functions in a similar way to the Crows’ meeting spot at Football Park in the 1990s and 2000s.

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Memorial Drive is undergoing a $44m redevelopment this year but shapes as a possibility for 2022.

The Crows have not established a social hub since moving to Adelaide Oval in 2014.

At Adelaide’s annual members meeting on Wednesday night, one supporter bemoaned the loss of a post-game venue for the Crows “community” and said re-establishing one would assist the club’s push to improve fan connection.

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Members of the Adelaide Crows Supporter Group in 2015 outside the famous ‘Shed’. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Olsen said he understood how the Shed was really valuable for the club and that Memorial Drive might be a solution.

Port Adelaide had used the tennis complex for its pre-match “Game Day Village” from 2014 to 2018 before abandoning it amid a dispute with the oval’s Stadium Management Authority (SMA) over beer prices.

“After the redevelopment of that tennis centre perhaps there’s an opportunity to do something like the Shed over there,” Olsen said.

“But once again that’s complicated by the negotiations between the SMA (Stadium Management Authority) and Tennis South Australia.

“It’ll be construction zone this season so you won’t be able to use it … but perhaps next year, 2022, that’s something that could be built.”

The Shed was established in a storage warehouse in the Football Park precinct, east of Max Basheer Reserve, during the mid-1990s.

Promoted by the club as a place to meet friends, discuss matches and listen to players summarise games, the 2500-capacity site featured five bars and a stage.

Adelaide “moved” its Shed to the $16m multipurpose venue above its West Lakes training centre ahead of the 2010 season then closed it once the club began playing games in the city four years later.

Olsen said it would be difficult to replicate the Shed in the modern football landscape, noting:

■ Players and coaches’ broadcast demands were higher today;

■ The squad was more inclined to attend the Shed back then and;

■ Its popularity among spectators was partly because they went there during lengthy waits to leave West Lakes car parks.

A meet and greet for Crows fans at the ‘Shed’ in 2011.

Adelaide has prioritised improving fan engagement this season, making it one of new chief executive Tim Silvers’ key tasks.

Silvers spoke about building deeper connections with supporters several times during his introductory press conference on Wednesday then Olsen re-emphasised it in his opening address that night.

The former SA Premier said he had chatted with coach Matthew Nicks about enhancing the experience at Adelaide Oval, including making players more available to attend post-match functions in the ground’s Magarey Room.

“We were going to work through how we’re going to make that a more interesting, stimulating and enjoyable thing for young people,” Olsen said.

“We’re very conscious of it and Matthew is supportive of his player group having greater involvement in something like that.”

Nicks said the Crows aimed to “get back to being a footy club” after a COVID-impacted year that widened the gap between players and fans.

“As far as that member recognition and being around our players and supporters, our players are going to embrace that, it’s just a matter of how we do it,” Nicks said.

Nine months after club great Andrew McLeod criticised the Crows’ culture and for taking down significant historic photos, Olsen also said Adelaide would put “greater emphasis on honouring and celebrating our past”, particularly its origins from the SANFL.

Olsen announced Adelaide would this year hold its first club Hall of Fame event since 2015.

WHERE WILL CROWS’ NEW HQ BE?

The Crows have ruled out establishing their new headquarters in the city parklands but remain focused on two sites: Thebarton Oval and another mystery location.

And the club believes new chief executive Tim Silvers is the perfect person to steer its move from West Lakes, given he has helped drive Hawthorn’s switch to a $100m base at Dingley.

Adelaide City Council on Tuesday night rejected any move from the Crows to establish an administration centre in the parklands, insisting they could not be used for commercial activity if there was no public benefit.

Olsen, who had tried to meet with councillors to seek support for an undisclosed city site, said the decision brought the club’s parklands push to a head.

“I took the view it was really important for us to look at all possibilities and eliminate all possibilities,” Olsen said.

“What you’ve got now is a clear indication from the Adelaide City Council at what is acceptable to them and what is not.

“That’s been eliminated now and we simply move on.”

The parklands had been the Crows’ preferred option and Thebarton Oval, which it would share with the SANFL and Adelaide Footy League, was considered a fallback.

Olsen would not disclose the alternative location it was now focusing on.

It would need to be close to public transport, not far from the CBD and have enough space for an oval near administrative and training buildings.

Crows chairman John Olsen and new chief executive Tim Silvers at West Lakes on Wednesday. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Adelaide Showground at Wayville had been speculated as a possibility but its general manager, Michelle Hocking, said there had been no formal approach from the Crows.

“There’s one other site we’ve been asked to have a look at and we will do that, and go through and do a process of making a detailed assessment,” Olsen said.

Olsen said securing a new base was a priority for the club and Silvers, who was appointed on Wednesday.

As the Hawks’ chief operating officer, Silvers has been instrumental in Hawthorn’s planned move from Waverley to Dingley, southeast of Melbourne.

“The experience of the last two to three years that Tim has with Hawthorn I’m sure will be valuable,” Olsen said.

Adelaide is sticking to its own June deadline to identify a location, due to financing and to keep its $15m Federal Government funding.

The SANFL wants to know Adelaide’s plans as soon as possible because it has its own Federal and State Government funding to create a training precinct at Thebarton for its junior programs.

If the Crows choose to move there, changes will be required to the site plan, pushing timelines back.

West Torrens Council has given in-principle support to the Crows being based at Thebarton.

Silvers said it was too early for him to make a call on the best location.

Last year the Crows’ proposal to be based at Adelaide Aquatic Centre was aborted due to the financial impact of COVID-19.