Organisers of Perth Test unveil plans to set-up an artificial hill in a bid to boost crowd numbers
After just 5124 people turned up to day four of the Perth Test against the West Indies last summer, organisers have wasted no time trying to win fans back. See the details of their plan.
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Perth will bring back a little bit of the Wild West to the concrete mass of Optus Stadium in a bid to lure the return of fans pining for bygone days.
Fading crowds hit a low point last year when only 5124 fans turned up to day four of the Perth Test against the West Indies, with West Australians seemingly struggling to adjust to life away from the old WACA.
Organisers have responded and will on Monday unveil plans to set-up an artificial hill taking out four bays of Optus Stadium as part of a broader move to rebrand the first Test of the summer as an event known as ‘The West Test.’
Resentment amongst Western Australian cricket fans to the Australian team’s treatment of former coach Justin Langer was last year cited as a reason why patriotic Perth fans voted with their feet.
But favourite son Langer – who has a grandstand named after him at Optus Stadium – will unite with Adam Gilchrist to help launch The West Test Hill initiative on Monday in Perth.
The artificial hill will feature three tiers and will house up to 500 patrons at a time, including a family area with games for children and ample shade.
There is a feeling that the old Wild West feel of the WACA has been lost a little bit in the 60,000-seat behemoth that is Optus Stadium, and the hill is one way of getting a little bit of the old magic back.
A first Test against Pakistan this summer will be another tough sell compared to the high points of an Ashes or Indian series, but Western Australia are determined to try and make an annual event of the Test match to give the Perth Test its own identity in the same vein as Boxing Day or the New Year’s Test has on the east coast.
Maintaining a regular slot as the first Test of the summer might help that ambition, particularly with Brisbane’s Gabba set to be out of commission in a couple of years’ time ahead of the 2032 Olympics.
Western Australia’s dominance as a domestic powerhouse may soon start to boost their representation in the Test team which could also boost interest over the coming years.
Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green will vie for Test selection this summer, while Cameron Bancroft is putting his name forward to be David Warner’s ultimate replacement when he retires midway through this summer, although that won’t be until after the Pakistan series.
Tearaway fast bowler Lance Morris is a big chance of making his Test debut this summer and would electrify a Perth audience.
The Optus Stadium drop-in pitch has largely done an impressive job at replicating the pace and feel of the old WACA and when full, the stadium is one of Australia’s great live venues.
The problem is sell-out crowds aren’t realistic for most Test opponents and organisers need to find a way to create an event-like atmosphere in the ground even when the stadium isn’t full.
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Originally published as Organisers of Perth Test unveil plans to set-up an artificial hill in a bid to boost crowd numbers
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