Outgoing stadium boss reveals his Top 10 favourite moments from the past 10 years at Adelaide Oval
From sports contents watched by over a billion people, to contests by the biggest acts in the world, we take a look back at some of Adelaide Oval’s most memorable moments of the past 10 years.
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Stadium Management Authority CEO Andrew Daniels departed the Adelaide Oval’s top job this week - 10 years to the day since he took up the role.
To mark the milestone, Daniels has compiled his list of the 10 most outstanding moments from his decade at the Oval.
10. Opening of Oval Hotel, September 2020
We knew the idea of a stadium hotel would work, but the pressure was on to deliver a design that would not in any way impact Adelaide Oval and its unique attributes. We brought together the same team that redeveloped the Oval to ensure it was a seamless extension of the stadium. The result has exceeded expectations, maximising Adelaide Oval’s parkland location and helping to attract new visitors to our beautiful city.
9.First AFLW Final at Adelaide Oval, March 2019
Given this was our first time hosting an AFLW Grand Final and the competition was still in its early years, we weren’t sure how many fans to expect. I remember seeing the crowds come over the bridge, through the gates… and then keep coming! We ended up with a crowd of 53,034 – the highest attendance of any women’s sport in Australia at the time. The atmosphere was simply unparalleled as Erin Phillips led her team to victory.
8.Adele in Adelaide, March 2017
The logistics required to host 70,000 people and the largest ever concert audience at Adelaide Oval were simply staggering. Thankfully, we were the only ones that had to worry about those things; it all went perfectly, and the fans were simply able to enjoy an incredible performance.
7.A-League Grand Final, May 2016
Adelaide United took on Western Sydney Wanders in the first A-League Grand Final to be held at the Oval. In front of more than 50,000 fans, Adelaide United came away 3-1 victors to secure its first A-League title.
6. Opening of RoofClimb, April 2016
The idea for RoofClimb had been on our minds throughout the redevelopment process, so to finally realise it two years later was a dream come true. I loved the idea of giving fans a way to explore the Oval and its beautiful new architecture even when there wasn’t a game on. Now, it’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in South Australia.
5.First ever day-night Test, November 2015
Another history-making event at Adelaide Oval, and one that’s since become a highlight on the international cricket calendar. Australia took on New Zealand with the pink ball for a crowd of 50,000 on the first day.
4.The most watched cricket match in history, February 2015
The eyes of more than a billion people were on Adelaide Oval when India and Pakistan faced off in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. It’s a thought that still makes me proud of the ability we have in South Australia to put on fantastic events. Tickets for the game sold out in minutes, and the atmosphere on the day was truly electric.
3. Stones rock the Oval, October 2014
Within days of hosting the first A League match at Adelaide Oval (a 1-1 draw between Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory), we had to quickly get the venue ready to host the world’s biggest band. The Rolling Stones didn’t disappoint, setting a new record for the biggest ever crowd at the venue - a record broken by Adele in 2017.
2. AFL returns to Adelaide Oval, March 2014
It was only fitting that we celebrated the return of AFL to Adelaide Oval with a Showdown. We expected a huge crowd, but what we didn’t expect was the noise. I remember standing in the Western Stand and listening to the roar of the crowd which was deafening – we didn’t truly know what the redeveloped stadium was capable of until that moment. After completing one of the fastest ever builds globally for a project like this, it was also a moment of real pride as Adelaide announced itself on the major sporting and events stage.
1 .Open in time for the Ashes, December 2013
Completing stage one of the redevelopment in time for the 2013-14 Second Ashes test was an incredible achievement. It was a true testament to the hard work of the team that were able to do so, hosting a crowd of more than 150,000 over five days. This was a memorable match on the pitch too – Mitchell Johnson produced one of the finest fast bowling performances of all time taking 7/40.
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