Melbourne Vixens face venue switch for semi-finals as gamers take over Melbourne Arena

Melbourne Vixens are still fighting for a top-two finish for the Super Netball finals, but they face a shift to a limited-capacity venue if they earn a home final due to an eSports tournament.

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An eSports extravaganza will force the Melbourne Vixens to play their opening final at the State Netball and Hockey Centre if they earn a home semi-final.

The Vixens’ regular home venue, Melbourne Arena, is unavailable for the first week of the finals as it is hosting the Melbourne eSports Open on August 31 and September 1.

Margaret Court Arena and Rod Laver Arena will also be holding the eSports event.

There would be repercussions for fans as the capacity of the State Netball and Hockey Centre (SNHC) is only 3000, while Melbourne Arena holds 9500 people.

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Cantre Kate Moloney has been a vital cog for the Vixens this season. Picture: AAP

The Vixens have not played a match at SNHC since the 2013 preliminary final in the defunct trans-Tasman league — club great Sharelle McMahon’s final game — but they do train at the Parkville venue.

Ahead of the penultimate round, the Vixens sit third on the Super Netball ladder, six points behind the second-placed Sunshine Coast Lightning and 10 points behind the ladder leading NSW Swifts. The first and third-place finishers in the top-four host a home final.

Vixens chief executive Rosie King said while the team was “happy to play finals anywhere” if it meant being in the title race, she said larger venues should be secured for finals.

“Obviously the capacity of SNHC is only 3000, so Netball Australia needs to work with us really carefully because our Vixen members exceeds that number alone,” King said.

“We would love to play in front of a larger crowd, of course.

“It does (show) the challenges some of the court sports have against some untraditional sports coming through and Esports is proving to be a massive participation and spectator occasion.

Melbourne Vixens regular home at Melbourne Arena is unavailable for the first week of the Super Netball semi-finals. Picture: Getty Images

“From a commercial perspective we can understand it, but we’d love to see finals sacrosanct and that somehow the process or structure of Netball Australia in terms of its finals capacity and planning … we don’t see this happen again.”

Netball Australia takes charge of the planning and booking of venues for the finals series.

Super Netball chief executive Chris Symington said the league was disappointed it had been unable to secure any of the venues in the Melbourne and Olympic Park precinct, but the Esports event had gone to contract before the finals could be confirmed.

“Unfortunately in this environment when you’re not sure where you are going to be playing finals, you can’t lock them in advance,” Symington said. “When other events go to contract in front of you then you run that risk in terms of (these) being multipurpose venues.

Melbourne Vixens sit third on the Super Netball ladder. Picture: Getty Images

“We only found out recently that the whole precinct was taken. We had the relevant holds on these venues over a year in advance … unfortunately the Esports event appears to be a lot bigger than what was initially anticipated.

“We went to all three (venues), but quickly found out considering it was the same event, that all three were taken.”

The Vixens face a critical clash against the Lightning, who are on a six-match winning streak, at Melbourne Arena on Sunday in their pursuit of a top-two finish and the double-chance.

The Vixens have played all but one of their home games at Melbourne Arena this year. The team’s only other home game was played at Margaret Court Arena.