Quayclean
Quayclean are a national cleaning and waste services partner with proven results in the understanding and delivery of cleaning needs and challenges faced by facilities including; major venues and…
read moreVictoria Minister for Tourism and Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos has this morning set out the reasons why the Victorian Government continues to invest in attracting major sporting events and in facility infrastructure while constantly looking to target new audiences.
Praising Melbourne’s place as the nation’s “sporting capital” sporting infrastructure, Minister Dimopoulos spoke of the “festivalising” of major sporting events, explaining that “(this) means that people get to enjoy things the way they want to enjoy them around the major event … and that's why I think we get different outcomes.”
Minister Dimopoulos made the comments in his opening address at the SportNXT conference in Melbourne - on the eve of the season opening Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix and the day after the Victorian Government announced that Melbourne will host the first ever National Basketball Association (NBA) games to be played in Australia.
He commented “where we are right now, CENTREPIECE, this facility in itself can host 2,000 people in a cocktail reception arrangement, or about 1,200 people seated for a conference.
“We have the Rod Laver Arena, a 15,000 seat venue, where the Australian Open is played and where Jerry Seinfeld comes.
“Literally across the street we have AAMI Park with its 30,000 seat capacity, then the John Cain Arena with a 10,500 seat capacity (and the) Kia Arena and Margaret Court Arena and, across the pedestrian bridge, the biggest stadium in the country - and one of the biggest in the world - the MCG, 100,000 seats.
“In the middle, on the edges of this precinct, there are two major train stations. You can get off the platform of each of them, and walk, and be here in less than 10 minutes. And there's a tram line running right behind us here.
“And we don't have car parks. We're actually getting rid of more car parks that we have, some remaining car parks around the MCG, because they're just not needed.
“Capital investment in infrastructure makes the proposition of Melbourne extraordinarily compelling.”
“But infrastructure is only one part of the equation. People that show up are probably just as important, if not more important.”
Need to understand sovereign wealth funds
SportNXT has also heard former Socceroo Tim Cahill call for improved “understanding” surrounding the investment in sport by sovereign wealth funds.
Cahill, who has worked as a sports adviser in Qatar in recent years, suggested that those who question sovereign wealth funds investing in sport neglect the fact trade deals exist between Australia and countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Responding to a question about sovereign wealth investment in sport, Cahill commented “we talk about business, we talk about governments, let’s talk about maybe government trade deals before we start talking about sponsorship.
“(It seems) trade deals with Saudi Arabia or Qatar and these countries are fine, but (sporting) sponsorships, not so,” he said.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade notes Qatar is a top-three trading partner for Australia in the Middle East and North Africa region, with two-way trade worth $3.4 billion in 2023. Trade with Saudi Arabia, “an important trading partner” according to the Dfat country brief, was valued at $2.07 billion in 2023/24.
Cahill was part of a panel on the state of sport alongside Netball Australia Chair Liz Ellis and former Chair of the Australian Sports Commission John Wylie.
Ellis suggested that “sport is held to a higher standard” in this debate.
Wylie criticised Australian Governments for providing funding for elite professional sports over the grassroots, with a focus on “votes” and “eyeballs”.
Wylie did not reference the role of local government in providing sporting infrastructure.
11th March 2025 - Melbourne to host first ever NBA games in Australia
7th March 2025 - Gemba research reveals conflicts of interest in more than 40% of sporting sponsorships
6th February 2025 - MCG to host first regular-season NFL fixture in Australia
5th February 2025 - Major events network to stage Australasian ‘At the Bar’ session
16th January 2025 - SportNXT 2025 to address key issues facing sport
14th October 2024 - Aiming to deter scalpers Victorian Government assigns Oasis’ Marvel Stadium concerts with ‘major event’ status
11th October 2024 - SportNXT returns to Melbourne in 2025
25th July 2024 - Geelong Major Events Five-year plan supported by Council
22nd July 2024 - Melbourne’s hotel rates spike beyond 90% during major events
13th June 2024 - Australian Government announces $15 million funding support for 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup
7th May 2024 - Victorian budget cuts $285 million in funding for major events and tourism promotion
20th April 2024 - NBA delivers record-breaking season across digital and social platforms across Asia-Pacific
12th March 2024 - SportNXT 2024 shaping up as Australia’s most influential sport industry conference
16th February 2024 - New speaker announcements and passes on sale for SportNXT 2024
16th January 2024 - SportNXT announces partners and speakers for 2024 conference
23rd September 2023 - Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman dismisses ‘sportswashing’ criticisms
2nd December 2022 - SportNXT confirmed for two more years in Melbourne
29th June 2020 - Sport Australia’s John Wylie highlights ‘great potential for women and girls in sport’
17th June 2015 - Victorian Premier vows to fight for every major event ‘worth taking’
Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?
As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.
The Complete Guide to Leisure Industry Products & Services.
Quayclean are a national cleaning and waste services partner with proven results in the understanding and delivery of cleaning needs and challenges faced by facilities including; major venues and…
read moreABOUT Again Faster is a Brisbane based, Australian owned supplier of strength and conditioning and functional fitness equipment. With nearly 10 years experience in the Australian market, we are…
read moreKnown as Hydrilla since September 2020 - see www.ausleisure.com.au/suppliers/hydrilla-pty-ltd
read morePROVEN BUSINESS CONCEPTS WITH XBODY XBody’s goal is to see you and your EMS business succeed. That is why we don’t just sell equipment, we provide know-how, expert knowledge, business support…
read moreBioGuard is Australia and New Zealand’s most trusted supplier of premium, innovative and affordable commercial water treatment systems and chemicals. BioGuard offers a comprehensive range of…
read moreWelcome to AAC – makers of the world’s best wristbands, lanyards, tickets, tokens and full-service print solutions. We are Australia’s premier global manufacturer and supplier of…
read moreAs of February 2023, Ungerboeck Software has rebranded as Momentus Technologies.
read moreABOUT SPORTENG specialises in the Planning, Design and Construction inspection of Fields of Play for all sports. Blending engineering with the specialist knowledge gained from working closely with…
read moreGet your business noticed in our targeted directory. Viewed by 10,000 industry professionals per week!