Adelaide loses Rugby 7s to Gold Coast

[cruel_world00]

I loathe linking AdelaideNow articles as a source but here it is:
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/ade ... 6038376199

So annoying that they mention the Grand Prix in the article... that was two decades ago. SERIOUSLY.

What does annoy me about this is that nobody wanted the Rugby 7s five years ago and Adelaide took it on and it has been a nice addition to our sporting calendar.

If they want to grow the sport, why would you take it from a city with very little exposure to the game and stick it on the Gold Coast?

Oh well. For once it seems that we only lost something due to third party incompetence aka ARU dropping the ball (pun intended) on Adelaide Rugby and nothing to do with our lack of desire or ability to run the event.

[Will]

I agree, this decision has nothing to do with us. We did a good job running the event. All I can say to the Australian Rugby Union is that they are a bunch of ingrates. We rescued this event; we made it great; we made it worthwhile to be stolen. Is this the thanks we get for making this event great?

[crawf]

Apparently they will consider moving the event back to Adelaide after 2015, if the Adelaide Oval redevelopment goes ahead.

Rugby 7s wasn't really apart of the Mad March festivities nor a real major event for Adelaide. So I am not that upset, though it's a shame we lost it considering this was a good event to build the rugby brand in South Australia.

P.S Sydney and Perth were in the bidding war aswell, while Brisbane previously hosted it years ago.

[cruel_world00]

Brisbane hosted it back in 2003 as a once off and clearly didn't see the need (or the ARU didn't) to continue with the event.

Sydney dropped out of the race leading up the announcement so it was us, Perth and Gold Coast.

Is that a joke regarding the Adelaide Oval redevelopment? I can never tell with internet sarcasm. Surely that had nothing to do with the event. If anything, I think Hindmarsh would have been a perfect fit for this in Adelaide. The stadium would have been well and truly full. Purpose built for the rectangle field sport. Adelaide Oval made the action feel so very far away.

[Prince George]

I would imagine that the AFL's expansion in the traditional rugby states may have more to do with this decision than the state of Adelaide Oval. The ARU may be feeling that they need to shore up their supporter base. After all, 5 years over here hasn't led to a surge in interest in the game (success of this particular tournament notwithstanding).

[Wayno]

From AdelaideNow

Upgraded Adelaide Oval will host rugby union tests

ADELAIDE Oval will host Wallabies-South Africa rugby union Tests - outbidding Perth for these games - if the Oval redevelopment is adopted by SACA members.

In the wake of Adelaide Oval losing the rugby Sevens event to Queensland, SACA president Ian McLachlan has announced much bigger sporting events are destined for Adelaide if the $535 million refit to a 50,000-seat Oval is approved by his members.

"We will get events of quality - such as the Wallabies playing South Africa," said McLachlan in the SACA "road show' at Berri on Wednesday night.

Rugby Tests and other non-football and non-cricket events will be managed by the Stadium Management Authority, the joint venture group with equal representation from the SACA and SANFL. The SMA will keep the revenue from these events to manage and upkeep Adelaide Oval.

McLachlan has spent this week in the South-East and the Riverland appealing to SACA members to vote "yes" in the May 2 referendum which requires 75 per cent of the ballot to endorse the State government-funded redevelopment of the Oval.

McLachlan's sales pitch to the SACA members emphasises they will "keep their rights during the cricket season - and get better facilities and lower fees."

"The SACA can then run cricket more than a venue," said McLachlan noting the project wipes out $85m of SACA debt, freeing up $18 million allocated to interest payments in the next two year.

"We can invest that money in cricket."

[Omicron]

Good to see the ARU negotiates new contracts with transparency and accountability.