Allianz Stadium impacted by complaints over seating failures

Venues NSW, owner and operator of Sydney’s Allianz Stadium, has acknowledged that the faulty installation of some seats marred the game experience for a small number of fans during the opening weekend of games at the new $874 million venue.

Following a NRL and NRLW double-header last Friday and a rugby union clash between the Wallabies as of last Saturday, fans reported faulty seating installations as having marred the games.

The ABC reported that fans said they were forced to hold their seats up or were thrown forward when they sat down.

Vision has also emerged of an apparent staff member at the venue with an electric screwdriver securing seats during Friday night’s games

Ameer Ibrahim, who was at the game on Saturday night, told the ABC he had issues as soon as he sat down, declaring that the seats "were tilting forward from the moment we got there, and it progressively got worse as the game went on, and we were literally holding up the seats with our feet, almost like doing a wall sit for the first half.

"To have a rest from the chairs, we got up and moved around at half-time and then towards the end of the game, we left early.

"I was getting a sore bottom and quads from holding the seat up. The row in front of us was also broken."

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Advising that many of the seats in his row were broken, Greg Shaw, another Stadium attendee, advised “the seats threw us forward and we crouched on our knees

"Whoever put them in didn't secure them properly, or maybe they can't hold adults because we weren't the only group that had the same problem."

In response to the issues, a Venues NSW spokesperson said refunds had been offered to compensate those affected, noting “a small number of seats were not affixed correctly. We relocated patrons where possible on the night and have also offered refunds or tickets to future events.”

Construction company John Holland built the new venue and is understood to have been responsible for the installation of the seating, manufactured by Victorian company Camatic.

Image: The newly opened Allianz Stadium.