The SANFL – in partnership with Adelaide and Port Adelaide today confirmed their commitment to AAMI Stadium and its redevelopment, as opposed to a multi-purpose built stadium in the city.
In a press conference at AAMI Stadium, SANFL Commissioner Leigh Whicker sat beside Port Adelaide Chairman Greg Boulton, Adelaide Chairman Bill Sanders and CEO Steven Trigg in voicing their desire to stay at West Lakes.
“Whilst the Power and Crows are fierce rivals as competitors in the AFL competition, they are as equally as fiercely protective of football and its image in this State,” Whicker said.
“It is with their approval and their support that I can say that both strongly support the retention and continued use of AAMI Stadium as the home of football in South Australia.”
Adelaide CEO Steven Trigg acknowledged that it was unusual for both clubs to be working together and sharing such a strong stance.
“It’s a very rare occasion that we stand side by side with Port Adelaide and if you like in arm and arm,” Trigg said.
“We’ve had a lot of discussion about this topic and what it might mean to our two clubs. We have a very agreed unified position.”
Trigg said AAMI Stadium provides competitive advantage for both the Crows and Power, an issue not yet heavily focused on in the debate.
Both clubs have long held a strong home ground advantage, something Trigg said was not quite the case for tenants of Melbourne’s Telstra Dome.
“I think South Australian’s need to understand how perhaps privileged we are that both clubs are as successful as they have been,” Trigg said.
“In recent years Adelaide and Port rank in the top three with West Coast in winning games and that is about home ground advantage. It’s not all about it but it’s significantly our home ground advantage.
“That competitive advantage is something that our counterparts in Victoria would like to have. And it’s interesting of course that our record at Telstra Dome is arguably as good on a win-loss ratio as some of the tenants there because they don’t train on their ground.
“I have no doubt that a new facility here would mean we wouldn’t train on it, we wouldn’t get the access and competitive advantage would be lost.”
While the AAMI Stadium redevelopment would prove cost effective and provide benefits to public transport via a light rail system also, the clear message is that football needs to stay at AAMI Stadium.
Trigg said it was the best option going forward for the Adelaide Football Club.
“If you bring it back to club land we say that competitive advantage is here, both clubs stand side by side on it,” Trigg said.
“AAMI Stadium is where we aim to be, where we want to be, and we are backing the SANFL and their calls for the stadium redevelopment.”
