Sports tourism’s driving jobs and revenue - but infrastructure will hold the key
The Northern Territory’s unique location opens up plenty of opportunities for a fresh play on sport. Read what’s planned.
Northern Territory
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Population equals prosperity, and successive Northern Territory Governments have done their best to deliver the lifestyle that will attract people to live and work in the Territory - including the sporting events that enliven the Dry Season.
It started with the V8 Supercars in 1998, moved to AFL All Stars games in the early 2000s to signing up the Western Bulldogs to play home games in Darwin some years later.
The government’s mindset is that if you give the people what they want, they’ll stick around, get jobs and buy homes.
For the first time though, Darwin is set to host a world series event.
In just two months, we’ll be front-and-centre in the two-wheel world, when the FIM Motocross World Championship makes its long awaited return to Australia.
The MXGP event was secured by the previous government and applauded by the NT motorsports fraternity, who now have a second feature event on their calendar to back-up the enormously popular Hidden Valley Darwin Supercars weekend.
From September 19-21 the Australian MXGP will feature the MXGP and MX2 classes, as well as the inaugural FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship. But Tourism Top End general manager Samantha Bennett said the rubber hits the road for the NT when the bikes are off the track.
“MotoGP will be massive for the Northern Territory because it’s an international world event, and because of that MXGP are doing things a little differently,” Ms Bennett said.
“The real benefits will come when those international motorsports fans are in Darwin or looking around the Territory. That’s when we’ll see the real dividends.”
When the event was announced last year, then chief minister Eva Lawler forecast up to 14,000 additional visitors would come to the Top End during the last weeks of the tourist season, in part because of pent-up demand for the MXGP event, which was last held in Australia in 2001.
CLP Major Events Minister Marie-Clare Boothby went further, forecasting the Australian MXGP would inject $21.8 million into the Territory economy each year, which is projected to be $109m of new money into the economy over five years.
“This is in addition to our other motorsport Major Events, the Supercars and Red CentreNATS, which contributed a total of $33.41m in 2024,” Ms Boothby said.
“Events like these bring tourists to the Territory from interstate and overseas, which will help put pressure on airlines to schedule more flights to our region.”
Ms Bennett said she was confident the Top End tourist product would keep the turbocharged crowd happy when the bikes aren’t on the track.
“There really is so much to do in the Northern Territory and the Top End,” she said.
“I had a week off recently and went to a 1980s concert at the Entertainment Centre, the next day had a lovely lunch and an airboat ride on the Finniss River, then buggies and sunsets at Dundee.
“The next day I came back with the family to attend the rodeo at the Waterfront and a couple of us stayed in town overnight, then went fishing in the Harbour on Sunday – and that was just the weekend. How great is the Territory?”
She said the challenge for governments was to keep the product fresh.
The Territory struck paydirt with a significant improvement in the Gold Coast Suns’ form coinciding with their Darwin contract, and replacing the Parramatta Eels’ Darwin game after 12-years with The Dolphins also freshened things up.
For the second consecutive year, Darwin will host the AFLW Dream Time match between Richmond and Essendon in late August.
The Dry Season months see an influx of hundreds of cricketers into Darwin for the Top End Series, which will follow the return of international cricket to the Territory when Australia and South Africa play two international T20 matches beginning August 10.
The last international game was when Australia played England in Alice Springs in 2015.
NT Cricket has developed a 2025-2028 Masterplan it hopes will drive growth in the sport’s participation and volunteer base but also cement Darwin’s place as the home of winter cricket in Australia.
Key to the masterplan is an upgrade to DXC Arena – also known as the PINTS ground - Cricket NT’s headquarters at Marrara.
Last year’s Top End competition featured international teams from Pakistan and Bangladesh and four Big Bash League Clubs.
The event was broadcast to viewers in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, the USA and Canada and achieved a unique audience of 1.3 million viewers, and a cumulative audience of 12 million viewers.
This year, audience reach is expected to be higher with more international teams including the Chicago Kingsmen from the United States participating.
Cricket NT is seeking $6.5 million external grants’ support for the $8 million upgrades; the masterplan explains the rationale behind the investment.
“In partnership with NT Major Events and Tourism NT, Cricket 365 has showcased the Northern Territory as a leading destination to holiday, work, study and play. With continued growth, government investment in DXC Arena’s infrastructure will deliver a full return within five years through increased economic activity, visitor nights and global exposure.”
Consisting of 12 construction projects over three stages, Cricket NT said the masterplan would expand professional cricket by increasing the number of high-level matches, maximise multi-sport usage by boosting participation in community cricket and football and enhance conditions at the stadium to attract families.
In addition, female footballers and cricketers avoid DXC’s change rooms like the plague, with users stating they’re not a female friendly space.
But the big stadium question pressing for an answer is whether the NT should construct its own AFL-NRL standard multipurpose stadium with an eye on a future 20th Australian Football League club licence.
Demographer Mark McCrindle, keynote speaker at NT Future 2025 next Friday, said recent history could determine whether an AFL-standard stadium could be built and operated in Australia.
“We can see the debate in Tasmania at the moment about constructing a stadium in Hobart, and that’s a city twice the size of Darwin,” he said.
The capital, he said, was more comparable to Toowoomba than Melbourne and planning should be conducted accordingly.
AFL NT’s strategic business case for a stadium sensibly raises zero expectations.
While making a strong case for its construction, it cautions that “ … it will be at the discretion of the AFL and the AFL Club Presidents as to whether the NT is awarded the 20th Club licence … to deliver the AFL with a truly national competition.”
The $700 million stadium capital cost is supported by almost 200 direct and 400 indirect jobs during the construction phase and about 80 direct and 180 indirect jobs during operations, including 83 jobs for men’s and women’s footballers.
The strategic business case argues the project offers the prospect of enhancing liveability in Darwin and the broader NT that will support actions to address significant challenges faced regarding population retention.
The CLP Government supported the stadium, but not if taxpayers had to foot the bill, said Business Minister Robyn Cahill.
“The previous Labor Government left Territorians with an enormous debt,” she said.
“If the federal government wants to put $600 million on the table to build it, we’re all ears.
“An AFL club and multipurpose stadium could deliver jobs and inject millions into the Territory economy. This is about big-picture potential.
“While a new stadium isn’t a current government priority, we welcome discussions with the AFL and private sector about what’s possible for the Territory’s sporting future.”
For the fourth year, the NT News’ annual Future Northern Territory advocacy program returns this month, with the sports and tourism sectors a key content pillar.
Future NT 2025 is supported by major partners Tivan Limited, Charles Darwin University, Tamboran Resources, Santos, Darwin Port and NT Government, minor partners Airport Development Group and Sitzler and supporting partner Mindil Beach Casino Resort.
Tickets are on sale now for the Future NT 2025 economic forum, which will be held at Mindil Beach Casino Resort from 11.30am on Friday, July 18.
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
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