Numbers to be cut by 1000 at Sunshine Coast NRL games
Future NRL games on the Sunshine Coast may be played without fans in attendance after overcrowding at yesterday’s clash between the Melbourne Storm and Newcastle Knights.
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Tickets could be refunded or games played without fans at upcoming NRL games at Sunshine Coast Stadium after it came under fire for overcrowding.
Sunshine Coast Council has had conversations with Queensland Health and will have a meeting this afternoon to discuss a “revised” COVID-19 plan.
Sunshine Coast Council’s former COVID Safe plan allowed for 6000 people to attend the August 2 event - less than half the venue-certified capacity.
There were 5437 attendees at Sunday’s match.
Sunshine Coast Council manager for sports and community venues Grantley Switzer said it was concerning.
“If there is a significant reduction to people on the hill, we are confident it will satisfy all parties,” Mr Switzer said.
“It can hold 3000 people so we believe a 40 per cent drop … is significant.”
Mr Switzer said if the public did not comply with the new guidelines this weekend, future games could be played without crowds.
“100 per cent,” he said.
“We have to be very strict with our plan. It’s very detailed, not done on the back of a napkin.
“We’ve got the majority of things right.”
Mr Switzer said ticket sales were cut off to the public last week as Victoria’s case numbers continued to spiral and that more tickets could be refunded.
“There is a likelihood we may have to refund tickets, we just need to know the exact number,” he said.
He said council was “very hopeful” of securing the Storm’s final three home games.
It comes after the Melbourne Storm requested the stadium “review its crowd management practices and capacity” before the home game against Canterbury this Saturday.
“The stadium operates under a site specific COVID-19 safe plan approved by Queensland Health and includes having Queensland Police in attendance,” a Storm statement read.
“The attendance of 5437 was inside the 50 per cent capacity approved by Queensland Health for sporting events of this nature in Queensland.”
Earlier, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the NRL had told her office that they would be reducing crowd sizes at future games at the stadium, following yesterday’s clash between the Storm and Knights.
“We have been contacted by the NRL this morning and the Storm themselves are saying that they want to reduce the number of people to that stadium by 1000,” she said.
“We do want people to adhere to social distancing. That is incredibly important.
“The majority of people were seated. They weren’t moving around.
“I want to commend the NRL for taking that very swift action and letting my office know this morning that they will be reducing the numbers by 1000.”
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the situation would be reviewed, saying it’s hard to maintain social distancing when sitting on the ground.
“I saw people were trying to do that (social distance),” she said.
“They were on separate rugs for separate household groups. But we will just have to have another look at that.
“And the NRL and the venue managers have been fantastic in working with us.”
She said she believed everyone did the “right thing” and pointed out that there were five Queensland Health staff at the game.
“They’ll work through just to how to make it a bit safer,” she said.
“Because that 50 per cent cap is better designed for where you’ve got formal seating.”