Improved scheduling aims to boost attendances at Canberra sporting events

The ACT Government is encouraging the improved scheduling and ticketing arrangements for sporting events in Canberra in order to improve attendances at major games.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr recently told 666 ABC Canberra he had approached the AFL, NRL and Super Rugby to help determine a schedule for 2016 to avoid clashes.

Chief Minister Barr stated “our objective is to try to avoid weekends having all three teams are playing and then weekends later in the year when we have none playing here, and spread that out more evenly.

"And also to apply a bit of common sense in scheduling to reflect our city's climate.

"We have two venues - Canberra Stadium and Manuka Oval - which can host night games but the best time of year for night games in the ACT is earlier in the season, so February, March and earlier in April."

The ACT Government had spoken to the Brumbies, Canberra Raiders and GWS Giants hoping the overall planning decisions would be more favourable next year.

Chief Minister Barr added “our influence is not massive, but a little, in that we can approach them early.

"It certainly benefits the team's case when the venue owner and the local government is behind their particular push (on match timing).

"We are trying to avoid clashes, because it is also a practical reality that turning Canberra Stadium around from a rugby game which has different line markings to a rugby league fixture inside 24 hours is very difficult."

The away period when the Brumbies team was taking on South African rugby sides was suggested as a good time to have AFL games involving the GWS Giants or NRL games with the Raiders scheduled in Canberra.

Chief Minister Barr also proposed a prepaid Canberra membership, which would allow access to all of the scheduled Raiders, Brumbies and Giants games at GIO Canberra Stadium and Manuka Oval, except semi-finals and finals.

He concluded "that (would be) a good way to guarantee membership for the teams upfront but it is also like when people take out a gym membership, so if you've paid for it you are more likely to turn up."

Manuka Oval image courtesy of Visit Canberra/Ben Wrigley.

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