Tracy Village Baseball Club says Hellenic has been ‘careless’ with its treatment of local facilities
Tensions are simmering between two sporting clubs over shared land at Tracy Village Social and Sports Club, with one calling the other ‘careless’ with its treatment of facilities.
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Tensions continue to simmer between two sporting clubs over shared land at Tracy Village Social and Sports Club.
The TV Rebels Baseball Club, which formed in 1975 as the Northern Districts Rebels, moved to the sports hub 11 years later, becoming a dominant force of the Darwin Baseball League.
However, the baseball club’s president Brodie Hertel said the Rebels had “issues” with Hellenic Football Club – which won both the Men’s and Women’s Premier League grand finals in 2022 – using its baseball diamond for night training sessions two times a week.
Hellenic moved to Tracy Village in 2021 as a training base.
“This has now led to damage to the field from them ripping up the grass while they train and constant damage to our clay cut-outs,” Hertel said.
“(They) are never repaired after they run on them during their training and the careless attitude to the rest of the surrounding grounds as well.”
Hertel was also a concerned a feasibility study published in October, which recommended major improvements to the 1975-established TVSSC, did not appear to mention the future use of the baseball facilities.
A proposed masterplan within the study suggested the installation of three soccer pitches.
It also mentioned Hellenic needed a proper home base as it played all of its games away from Tracy Village.
“To see a sport like soccer come in and try and take over the current facilities and then for the report to say they get their own over us without Hellenic putting anything towards the club, hurts,” he said.
Demand for the local baseball facilities is “quite large”, the report revealed, as it was the only official field for the sport in Darwin.
Other clubs train at a recreational park, a rugby league field and a school’s former baseball field which is not up to official standard.
All games are played at Tracy Village on Friday nights with the TVSSC paying for the field’s maintenance.
Hertel stressed the club supported the TVSSC, a report recommendation to build an indoor netball and basketball stadium and it would like to see more long-term affiliate clubs, like Tracy Village Jets, have its own local facilities.
Meanwhile, Hellenic president Kosta Boubaris said he welcomed the report’s recommendations, which would “activate” the area and provide a “massive boost” in patronage to the TVSSC.
“(We bring) 64 years of history and hundreds of members and supporters,” Boubaris said.
“The size of our club, and football in general, can bring many benefits to Tracy Village.
“Each weekend there are thousands of people attending football matches across the Darwin and Palmerston areas.”
He said the social club had suffered from financial issues in the past – including going into administration in 2018 – but Hellenic could help support it in the future.
“We continue to work with the current club management, and other sporting groups, to share the current facilities and do what is best for the future of the TV precinct,” he said.
The TVSSC has been contacted for comment.
Tracy Village sporting clubs call for improved facilities
Several affiliate clubs of the ageing Tracy Village Social and Sports Club are calling for improved facilities amid “unreliable” critical infrastructure concerns and strong increases in player numbers.
A feasibility study, which was published in October last year, has recommended extra ovals for Aussie Rules, soccer, rugby and cricket and an indoor basketball stadium, plus improvements to its rundown social facilities.
The report revealed Aussie Rules and soccer demonstrated the “greatest need for additional facilities” while basketball was also a “high demand” sport.
Hellenic Football Club, which plays all of its games away due to a lack of a home base, paid the local council approximately $1000 a year to hire an oval at Tracy Village, the study revealed.
A lack of facilities had stagnated player growth at Tracy Village Jets Basketball Club, with just over 200 existing members.
Numbers have grown by just 20 over the past five years, the report found.
Palmerston, which is the only basketball club with its own courts in Darwin, is “growing at a much faster rate than the rest of the competition”.
Jets vice president Terri Cubillo informed the study that players travelled to Marrara for games and training, and due to the lack of availability and high demand for courts, club fees are “very high”.
“This is said to be the same for all other clubs in the competition other than Palmerston,” the report revealed.
Its senior men “rarely train” – usually once a week on a half court – and when they do it is on a Sunday night, an unpopular option among players.
Other teams train at local schools when courts are available.
The club is keen to see an indoor basketball stadium with three courts built at Tracy Village.
In a statement to this publication, Darwin Basketball Association chief executive Kerri Savidge said local basketball participation had nearly doubled over the past six years.
The DBA has a plan to extend its Marrara facilities with three courts over the next two years, but is dependent on additional funding.
Savidge said an extension at Marrara would “equalise access for all clubs”.
Meanwhile, Tracy Village Netball Club’s numbers had grown from 120 to nearly 200 over the past three years and would like to see courts built.
Tracy Village Cricket Club president Andrew Christianson said he was keen for an additional pitch to accommodate growth and an indoor centre which could also incorporate netball and soccer.
However, there are issues with water pipes under the main field, which are approximately 35-40 years old.
“(They are) at a point where they are perceived to be unreliable, this repair is also a requirement for the fields to be properly maintained,” the report revealed.
Tracy Village Baseball Club president Brodie Hertel said he was concerned there were no references to its baseball diamond in any of the study, but remained “massive supporters” of the social club.
“They have supported us with the best facilities in Darwin and we are always trying to give back to the club in every little way that we can,” Hertel said.
“The (proposed) updates to the social club internally sound amazing ... this will create an environment that is really welcoming.
“We as players would be there almost daily if the upgrades do happen.
“We have just invested thousands of dollars of our money to upgrade the playing surface ready for our next season.
“So, to see it go would be heartbreaking.”
The Tracy Village Social and Sports Club has been contacted for comment.
Big upgrade proposed of Tracy Village Social and Sports Club
A major revamp of Tracy Village Social and Sports Club is needed to boost falling patronage amid its “concerning” finances, a major feasibility report reveals.
The DNS Specialist Services report, which was published in October last year, “strongly” recommends the construction of an indoor basketball stadium at the Tambling Tce sports hub due to “overflowing demand” at Marrara.
It could provide a “supplementary offer to Marrara” and capture the “overflow from the high level of demand projected for the area”, with a potential centre also catering for netball, tennis and volleyball.
DNS has also recommended two full size ovals for Aussie Rules and cricket, three rectangular pitches for soccer and rugby, 400 additional car spaces and lighting upgrades.
Hellenic Football Club, which does not have a home ground, has suffered from reduced growth due to “inadequate facilities”.
“The club is in desperate need of home fields,” the report found.
Originally established in 1975 to provide entertainment opportunities for workers involved in the Cyclone Tracy clean up, the club today serves 10 local sports with a lounge bar, bistro, function space, gaming, beer garden and children’s playground.
It comes as the club’s financial performance and capacity to support affiliate clubs has been “challenged” over the past decade – although it received around $8.3m in revenue last financial year – with a “decline in profitability”, the report revealed.
The club went into administration in 2018 only to close its doors during the pandemic two years later.
“The post Covid trading environment remains challenging,” the report stated.
“The club has struggled in the past financially, partly due to the club bearing a part of the
financial costs of operating the sports while not receiving reciprocal support by way of
patronage. (The) 2022 results are concerning.
“There is an element of financial distress in the club’s current position.”
However, it did note the club made a profit of more than $100,000 in July last year — the highest since October, 2020.
The report found affiliate members had avoided the social club clue due to “poor experiences”, with “aged and outdated” facilities.
“Anecdotal feedback is that affiliate members don’t enjoy the facilities and experience currently provided,” it stated.
The carpet in the gaming room, for example, was “negatively impacting” on the overall atmosphere, the club was “not ideal for families” in some sections and the foyer was not wheelchair accessible
The children’s room, in the sports bar area and TAB gaming section, was also causing “discomfort” for young families, the report revealed.
Drawing a third of its revenue from its “core business” of 55 poker machines, the club has endured added financial pressure from the nearby Muirhead Tavern.
“The club has struggled to adapt and maintain currency with market trends in recent times,” it stated.
The report recommends a capital improvement plan to ensure hospitality facilities are “above market”, a marketing plan and increased gaming performance.
It also suggested the lesser known sports of oche, ten pin bowling, mini golf, rock climbing and shufl be incorporated into a potential upgrade.
The club’s committee has agreed a site masterplan was needed to ensure its operation “for years to come” but the upgrade would require major investment and grant money.
The club has been contacted for comment.
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