Revealed: New research for the first time shows how sport will help the Gold Coast beat COVID
New research has finally tracked what sport is worth to the Gold Coast, with a huge number of new events coming to the city. SEE THE FULL LIST OF EVENTS
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NEW research has finally tracked what sport is worth to the Gold Coast — confirming it will drive the city’s recovery from the pandemic, starting with a summer feast of national games.
The Bulletin can reveal council researchers, after a deep drive through data, have determined sport injects $747 million per annum to the Coast’s economy, based on direct and indirect contribution from events, players, spectators and local workers.
The economic impact, which is growing on the back of the huge success from staging the 2018 Commonwealth Games, is much greater because those figures do not include venues or other external contributions to sporting events.
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Council in the New Year will begin talks with the State Government on a funding deal for a new elite field, either at Carrara or Runaway Bay, which will ensure the Brisbane Roar can base its training and administration on the Glitter Strip.
Mayor Tom Tate told the Bulletin: “Sport, and sports tourism, is a huge growth industry. Fans visit to watch their favourite teams, then stay on for several days.
“Knowing the value of sport as an industry is why we have invested time and money into our Sport Attraction Program and Gold Coast Sport Plan.
“It has paid off in spades and Gold Coasters are the big winners. Not only because of the economic injection but because of the state, national and international sports we are now able to enjoy in our own city.
“It will have flow on effect to our junior ranks who are growing up playing on our elite fields and stadiums – infrastructure built for this very purpose.”
As COVID restrictions are lifted on crowds, here is the city’s summer program of major sport:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE
Brisbane Bullets vs South East Melbourne Phoenix
Friday 18 December, Start time: 7:00pm Venue: Gold Coast Sport and Leisure Centre
https://www.brisbanebullets.com.au/news/bullets-to-face-phoenix-on-gold-coast
Brisbane Bullets vs South East Melbourne Phoenix
Sunday 20 December. Start time: 12:00 noon. Venue: Gold Coast Sport and Leisure Centre
https://www.brisbanebullets.com.au/news/bullets-to-face-phoenix-on-gold-coast
AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE
Brisbane Bandits vs Bandits Futures team – 7 inning game
Saturday 19 December. Start time: 6:30pm. Venue: Mudgeeraba Redsox Baseball Club
https://brisbanebandits.com.au/news/bandits-take-pre-season-to-the-gold-coast/
Brisbane Bandits vs Bandits Futures team – 7 inning game
Sunday 20 December. Start time: 12 noon. Venue: Mudgeeraba Redsox Baseball Club. https://brisbanebandits.com.au/news/bandits-take-pre-season-to-the-gold-coast/
A LEAGUE SOCCER
Brisbane Roar FC vs Western United FC
Sunday 20 December. Start time: 4:00pm. Venue: Gold Coast Sport and Leisure Centre
Detail of match TBC on website today https://www.brisbaneroar.com.au/
BIG BASH CRICKET
Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Stars
Saturday 26 December. Start time: 8:20pm. Venue: Metricon Stadium
https://www.cricket.com.au/big-bash
Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Sixers
Tuesday 29 December. Start time: 5:10pm. Venue: Metricon Stadium
https://www.cricket.com.au/big-bash
Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Thunder
Friday January 01. Start time: 6:15pm. Venue: Metricon Stadium
https://www.cricket.com.au/big-bash
Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Sixers
Sunday 3 January. Start time: 6:15pm. Venue: Metricon Stadium
https://www.cricket.com.au/big-bash
Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Stars
Thursday 7 January. Start time: 8:20pm. Venue: Metricon Stadium. https://www.cricket.com.au/big-bash.
Sydney Sixers vs Brisbane Heat
Sunday 10 January. Start time: 6:15pm. Venue: Metricon Stadium
https://www.cricket.com.au/big-bash
The City Taskforce, through its Reimagine Gold Coast Insights Report, has outlined sport as one of the key platforms to rebuild the Coast’s economy after the pandemic.
A forum of city leaders agreed there needed to be a 10-year Sport Strategy Plan engaging input from all community sectors.
Part of that would be to build a platform for Coast business to join with government and education in funding sport projects.]
The future projects identified included building a “boutique world class stadium for 5-8000 seating capacity at a location that is in the best interest of the city” and “two other boutique stadiums for 5000 capacity l for northern and southern parts of the city.
Other ideas included a Coast sport membership so corporates and families can access Titans and Suns games as well as Big Bash.
The Taskforce supported created a Football Centre of Excellence for soccer to attract national and international teams to train and A League teams.
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