High-profile cricket and football to be played in Barossa under landmark partnership

BIG Bash League cricket, SANFL football and pre-season AFL matches could be played regularly in the Barossa within three years.

Barossa Mayor Bob Sloane, SANFL’s Matthew Duldig, Redbacks captain Travis Head and SACA’s Ben Page at yesterday’s announcement at the Barossa Sculpture Park. Picture: Andrew Capel.

BIG Bash League cricket, SANFL football and pre-season AFL matches could be played regularly in the Barossa within three years.

A landmark partnership struck between Barossa Council, SACA and the SANFL plans to have high-level sport played in the wine region from 2020, resulting in major investment in local sporting facilities.

“Our goal is to deliver facilities across the Barossa Valley region that will actively drive and increase participation from a grassroots level to higher competitive grades across cricket and AFL codes,’’ Barossa mayor Bob Sloane said.

“We’d like (BBL and WBBL) Twenty20s, day/night cricket matches, SANFL and pre-season AFL matches to come to the area.

“We’ve had good support from the SANFL, SACA, Cricket Australia and the AFL and we’re working on our ovals and facilities at the moment with a view to not only seeing an increase in participation levels in the Barossa — there is a need for our community to see their idols playing on local grounds — but also to increase tourism.

Gawler product Travis Head is keen to help give the Barossa region a sporting boost. Picture Sarah Reed

“We are only an hour's drive from Adelaide and we have three major towns with major size ovals (Tanunda, Angaston and Nuriootpa) and we think they can be brought up to speed for high-quality matches.’’

While planning is at an early stage, council will get financial support from the major sporting bodies.

Redbacks captain Travis Head, who hails from Gawler, backed the plan to take major sport to the country.

“To boost the local facilities and get big-name sporting people playing here in front of the kids would provide a tremendous boost to the region and hopefully enable us to find a few gems who can go on and play for South Australia,’’ he said.

SANFL community football manager Matthew Duldig said the agreement would boost junior participation and “give kids the best pathways to the elite pathway’’.

[e-mail]