Sydney’s Bankwest Stadium hosts ‘game changing’ first sporting fixture

The opening of the new Bankwest Stadium in Western Sydney has been acclaimed as a “game-changer” for rugby league by NRL Chief Executive Todd Greenberg.

Speaking yesterday (Easter Monday) as the new venue hosted its first sporting fixture - an NRL Premiership clash that saw the Parramatta Eels secure a 51-6 victory over Wests Tigers, Greenberg stated “there’s no doubt this is a game changer. The venue will redefine the event experience for rugby league fans.

Speaking to SBS News he advised “it’s been a long time coming. The facilities are incredible and the view from every seat is fantastic.

“This is about bringing more fans to the footy. The live experience is an amazing one. This is world-class standard for a rectangular sport.”

The 30,000-seat venue welcomed 29,047 rugby league fans through its gates for yesterday's game.

Greenberg went on to say “this is a big moment for rugby league.

“Bankwest Stadium is the first of a number of new-era stadiums that will come online over the next five years. The development of world-class rectangular stadia will be critical to driving live attendance for the Premiership, as well as other rugby league events.”

Writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, Matt Bungard praised the venue's design, reporting "the steepness of the banks of seats is noticeable, feeling more like a European or South American football stadium than the multipurpose venues we are used to here.

"... you could be forgiven for thinking you were at a Brazilian football match, such was the roar (of the crowd), the lack of space between seating bays coupled with a roof that stretches out over every seat has created ideal conditions for noise to reverberate around the ground.

Bungard referred to the venue as being "close to perfect".

Images courtesy of Bankwest Stadium facility manager VenuesLive.