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Bellerive Oval

Coordinates: 42°52′38″S 147°22′25″E / 42.87722°S 147.37361°E / -42.87722; 147.37361
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ninja Stadium
North Melbourne vs Geelong AFL match, 2022
Map
Former namesBellerive Oval
Blundstone Arena
Address15 Derwent Street
LocationBellerive, Tasmania
Coordinates42°52′38″S 147°22′25″E / 42.87722°S 147.37361°E / -42.87722; 147.37361
OwnerCricket Tasmania
OperatorCricket Tasmania
Capacity20,000[1]
Field size160 m × 124 m (525 ft × 407 ft)[2]
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke ground1913
Opened1914
Construction costUnknown
ArchitectVarious
Tenants
Australia national cricket team (Cricket)
Tasmanian Tigers (Cricket)
Clarence Football Club (TSL)
Hobart Hurricanes (BBL)
Hobart Hurricanes (WBBL)
North Melbourne Football Club (AFL)
Tasmania Football Club (AFL AFLW VFL & VFLW)
North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos (AFLW)
Tasmanian Devils (VFL) (2003-2008)
Tasmania Devils (NAB League)
Website
www.belleriveoval.com.au
Blundstone Arena
Ground information
End names
Church Street End
River End
International information
First Test16–20 December 1989:
 Australia v  Sri Lanka
Last Test14–16 January 2022:
 Australia v  England
First ODI12 January 1988:
 New Zealand v  Sri Lanka
Last ODI11 November 2018:
 Australia v  South Africa
First T20I21 February 2010:
 Australia v  West Indies
Last T20I9 February 2024:
 Australia v  West Indies
First WODI17 January 1991:
 Australia v  New Zealand
Last WODI7 February 2016:
 Australia v  India
First WT20I21 February 2010:
 Australia v  New Zealand
Last WT20I30 January 2024:
 Australia v  South Africa
As of 9 February 2024
Source: Cricinfo

Bellerive Oval, currently known as Ninja Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is a prominent cricket oval and Australian rules football ground located in Bellerive, a suburb on the eastern shore of Hobart, Tasmania. With a seating capacity of 20,000, it is the second-largest stadium in Tasmania, behind York Park in Launceston, which holds 21,000 spectators. Bellerive Oval is the only Tasmanian venue that regularly hosts international cricket matches.

The stadium serves as the home ground for the Tasmanian Tigers, Tasmania's state cricket team, and the Hobart Hurricanes, a Big Bash League franchise. It has hosted international Test matches since 1989 and One-Day Internationals (ODIs) since 1988.

In addition to cricket, Bellerive Oval is a secondary home ground for the North Melbourne Football Club, an Australian Football League (AFL) team that plays three home games per season at the venue. Significant redevelopment projects have expanded the stadium's facilities to meet the requirements of high-profile events and increase spectator comfort.

History

[edit]
Front gate in 2022
Bellerive Oval with lights on in 2011

Football and cricket first started being played in the area where Bellerive Oval is now in the mid-to-late 19th century. In 1884, the first football match on record from the area was played between Carlton and Bellerive. In 1913, the piece of land located between Bellerive Beach and Church and Derwent streets was sold to the Clarence Council. One year later, the new Bellerive recreation ground was ready for use.[citation needed]

The ground was largely unchanged until the mid-1980s. During this time, there was a hump in the centre of the ground, making only the top halves of players visible from the other side of the ground. There was a shed for players, located where the main pavilion now stands. There was a hill on the outer (where the hill now is) that could accommodate two rows of vehicles; the small scoreboard stood on the outer, close to where the electronic scoreboard is now, and the time clock sat about halfway up a training light tower. Until very recently,[when?] the police booth sat in the north-east corner of the oval. A concrete cricket pitch served local junior teams until the 1956/57 season, when it was replaced by a turf wicket.[citation needed]

In 1948, when the Clarence Football Club – a tenant of the ground – applied to join the Tasmanian Football League, the ground had to upgrade to TFL standards.[citation needed]

Some minor upgrades were made in the 1960s: clubrooms were built in 1961 and in 1963, a small grandstand (seating about 500) and new public address system were installed.[citation needed]

In 1977, Tasmania gained admission into the Sheffield Shield and the TCA planned to move to a new oval, away from its headquarters at the TCA Ground on the Domain. Bellerive Oval was chosen ahead of KGV Oval and North Hobart Oval. $2.2 million was spent building new grandstands, training nets, a hill, new surface and centre wicket. The old TCA Ground scoreboard was relocated there and the centrepiece three-level members' pavilion was constructed.[citation needed]

The newly refurbished ground was opened in 1986 for a TFL Statewide League roster match between Clarence and Hobart, which Clarence won in front of a crowd of 3,562. Significant damage to the newly laid turf resulted in no more football matches being scheduled for that season.[citation needed]

The move was made in 1987 under TCA Chairman Denis Rogers, in time for the ground’s first international match—between Sri Lanka and New Zealand—on 12 January 1988, before a crowd of 6,500.[3]

The first Test match in Tasmania was played at Bellerive from 16 to 20 December 1989, between Australia and Sri Lanka.[4][5][6] Shortly afterwards, the new electronic scoreboard and Northern Stand were erected.[citation needed]

In 2007, the venue saw the Tasmanian Tigers win the state's first Sheffield Shield and in 2008, the ground hosted its first One-Day Cup final, also won by Tasmania.[citation needed]

The oval became the first top-class cricket facility in Australia to sign a naming-rights sponsor in October 2011. A naming rights agreement with Blundstone Footwear resulted in the oval being renamed Blundstone Arena,[7] which was temporarily discontinued during the ground's use in the 2015 Cricket World Cup.[8]

In 2023, Bellerive Oval saw further updates, which were particularly focused on improving accessibility and sustainability. The oval adopted several eco-friendly initiatives, including solar panels on the roofs of both the Ricky Ponting Stand and David Boon Stand, reducing its carbon footprint by 20%. These sustainability efforts were part of a broader push by Cricket Tasmania to modernise its venues and reduce environmental impact during large-scale events.[9]

In October 2024, SharkNinja commenced a four-year naming rights deal, with the venue being renamed Ninja Stadium.[10] [11]

Capacity

[edit]

Following the completion of the Ricky Ponting Stand in 2015, the stadium’s capacity officially reached 20,000, although temporary seating arrangements during high-demand events such as Big Bash League (BBL) finals and AFL matches have allowed attendance to occasionally exceed this number, with a record of 20,200 set during a Hobart Hurricanes semi-final match in 2023.[12]

Women's sport expansion

[edit]

Bellerive Oval has played an increasing role in women’s cricket and AFL, hosting several prominent matches for both the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) and AFLW. In 2023, the oval hosted the WBBL final, attracting 14,500 spectators, the highest ever attendance for a women’s match at the venue.[13] The growth of women's sport in Tasmania has been highlighted by this venue's importance, particularly with investments into better training facilities for female athletes, such as a dedicated gym and locker room area built in 2022.[14]

Controversies

[edit]

Despite its continued development, Bellerive Oval has not been without controversy. Local residents have increasingly voiced concerns about the impact of larger crowds on the surrounding areas. Parking and traffic remain contentious issues, with local government proposals in 2024 to develop additional parking structures being met with opposition from environmental groups, who argue the new developments will encroach on parkland areas.[15]

Structures and facilities

[edit]
Members' Stand in 2009

In 1999, the Federal Government announced that it would contribute $5 million to upgrade Bellerive. The TCA added $10 million, on loan from the state government, and the Clarence City Council $1 million, enabling a $16 million upgrade. The first part of this upgrade was the state-of-the-art indoor nets. The 6,000-seat Southern Stand came next, which blocked winds and views of the Derwent, and contained the new media centre. The new Members' Area was the last of the upgrades, along with new perimeter fence and entry gates. The Members' Area features press and radio media areas, corporate boxes and lunchrooms, as well as the players areas, members' bars and TCA offices. The redevelopment was officially opened on 11 January 2003, when an overcrowd of 16,719 (official capacity 16,000) witnessed a thrilling one-day match between Australia and England, the victory going to Australia.[16]

To allow for day-night matches to be played at the venue, four light towers were installed in 2009 for $4.8 million, enabling one-day international (ODI) and Twenty20 cricket matches to be played there.[17] The installation of these lights sparked significant debate from groups both for and against the new towers.[18][19]

The ground was scheduled for further redevelopment by 2015, with the state government providing $15 million to expand the Southern Stand and Members' Stand, increasing the ground's capacity to over 20,000 for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, along with an Ashes Test in the future, and the possibility of locking-in a long-term commitment for AFL games. AFL Tasmania is also looking at moving its offices to the ground as part of the redevelopment.[20] At the official launch of the renovated stadium, it was announced that the new stand would be named the Ricky Ponting Stand, and the existing Southern Stand would be named the David Boon Stand.[21]

A panorama of Australia v New Zealand Cricket One-day International in 2007

Events

[edit]

As well as being the home of domestic and international cricket and the Clarence Football Club in the now Tasmanian State League, Bellerive Oval served in 2003 as a home to the Tasmanian Devils in the VFL. The first match attracted the highest VFL roster match crowd since 1986–6,970. The venue also hosted Tasmania's two finals matches, with the elimination win against Geelong (4,800) and 10,073 for a semi-final against Port Melbourne, which was won by Port Melbourne.

North Melbourne

[edit]

In 2010, talk of Melbourne-based Australian Football League (AFL) clubs shifting home games to Bellerive Oval surfaced.[22] Richmond were considered the early front-runners, but by July 2010 North Melbourne became the most likely candidate, given their willingness to move more than just two matches.[23]

On 7 June 2011, North Melbourne announced a new three-year deal in partnership with transport company Spirit of Tasmania, who announced its intent to sponsor North Melbourne home games in Hobart, at Bellerive Oval. From 2012 to 2014, North Melbourne played two home games per year at the venue.[24] The first game was played 8 April 2012 in Round 2, in which North Melbourne defeated the fledgling Greater Western Sydney Giants by 129 points. The original three-year deal was renewed and extended for a further two years, with Hobart City Council and Spirit of Tasmania agreeing to provide sponsorship for North Melbourne to play three games per year at the venue in 2015 and 2016. A new deal, which did not include the council, was struck in 2016. The arrangement in effect from 2017 to 2021 allowed North Melbourne to continue playing three matches a season at Bellerive Oval,[25][26] while the current arrangement, effective from 2022, sees North Melbourne play four home games a year.[27]

Attendance records

[edit]
Hill, Australia v South Africa, 2009

The record attendance for Bellerive Oval before redevelopment was 16,719 for a One Day International between Australia and England on 14 January 2003.[28] The first international match at the venue was a One Day International between New Zealand and Sri Lanka on 12 January 1988 and attracted a then record crowd for an international in Hobart of 6,180.[29] On 21 February 2010, a Twenty20 International match between Australia and the West Indies attracted a crowd of 15,575. This was the first international day-night cricket match played at Bellerive Oval.

The record attendance at Bellerive Oval since the addition of the Ricky Ponting stand is 18,149 during a 2015–16 BBL match between Hobart Hurricanes and Perth Scorchers on 10 January 2016. The crowd of 17,844 for an AFL game in 2016 between North Melbourne and Richmond on 3 June 2016 is the highest crowd ever at Bellerive Oval for an AFL match.[30]

No. Date Teams Sport Competition Crowd
1 10 January 2016 Hobart Hurricanes v. Perth Scorchers Cricket BBL 18,149
2 26 December 2016 Hobart Hurricanes v. Melbourne Stars Cricket BBL 18,079
3 8 January 2017 Hobart Hurricanes v. Sydney Thunder Cricket BBL 17,939
4 3 June 2016 North Melbourne v. Richmond Australian rules football AFL 17,844
5 9 May 2015 North Melbourne v. Richmond Australian rules football AFL 17,544[31]
6 21 January 2017 Hobart Hurricanes v. Perth Scorchers Cricket BBL 17,445
7 1 January 2016 Hobart Hurricanes v. Sydney Thunder Cricket BBL 17,151
8 2 January 2017 Hobart Hurricanes v. Adelaide Strikers Cricket BBL 16,815
9 14 January 2003 Australia v. England Cricket ODI 16,719
10 20 August 2016 North Melbourne v. Sydney Swans Australian rules football AFL 16,495

Last updated on 21 December 2021. Source:[32]

Transport

[edit]

Metro bus services are available to and from Bellerive Oval. Development into an international venue has far outgrown the capacity of local infrastructure to adequately handle the large influxes of patrons attempting to access the venue. In particular, there is little provision for spectator parking. Thus, large numbers of vehicles are parked in the surrounding streets when such events are held, resulting in access issues for local residents and need for traffic-control measures.

In 2023, a ferry service from Brooke Street Pier connecting the Hobart central business district with Bellerive Oval during major events was introduced.[33]

In an attempt to address parking and access issues, development of the oval has encroached upon adjacent properties and in particular the Bellerive Rotary Park situated between the oval and the beach.[34] This park is on land owned by the Clarence Council as is the adjacent oval. As the oval is an exclusive, fenced-off area and the park is an inclusive area open to all residents, many residents reject the encroachment.[citation needed]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The Venue". Blundstone Arena. Archived from the original on 19 March 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  2. ^ Atkinson, Cody; Lawson, Sean (15 June 2022). "From the SCG to Kardinia Park — do ground sizes contribute to the end result in AFL games?". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  3. ^ Sri Lanka v New Zealand Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 12 January 1987/88 (2006) Cricinfo Archived 12 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Bellerive Oval Clarence City Council
  5. ^ 2nd Test Australia v Sri Lanka Archived 13 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine, 16–20 December 1989, at ESPNcricinfo (2006)
  6. ^ Bellerive Oval Profile Archived 22 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine at ESPNcricinfo (2006)
  7. ^ "Welcome to Blundstone Arena". Fox Sports (Australia). 6 October 2011. Archived from the original on 29 November 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  8. ^ Stubbs, Brett Blundstone gets boot for Cricket World Cup as Bellerive Oval cracks down on advertising. Hobart Mercury, 8 March 2015. Accessed 7 February 2016
  9. ^ "Bellerive Oval to reduce carbon footprint with solar panels". The Mercury. 18 February 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  10. ^ Cricket Tasmania announces Ninja as the naming rights sponsor of Bellerive Oval Cricket Tasmania 23 October 2024
  11. ^ Hobart’s Blundstone Arena to be renamed Ninja Stadium Pulse Tasmania 23 October 2024
  12. ^ "Bellerive Oval Breaks Attendance Record for BBL Semi-Final". ABC News. 18 February 2023.
  13. ^ "WBBL Final Record Set at Bellerive Oval". Cricket Australia. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  14. ^ "Bellerive Expands Facilities for Female Athletes". The Mercury. 12 May 2022.
  15. ^ "Controversy Over Parking and Development Near Bellerive Oval". The Guardian. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  16. ^ Australia vs England Jan 11 2003 ESPNcricinfo
  17. ^ "Cricket lights up at Bellerive". The Mercury. 19 October 2009. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  18. ^ "Bellerive Oval lights debate sparks online petition". ABC News. 26 October 2008. Archived from the original on 29 October 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2008.
  19. ^ "Locals pull up stumps over lights". Australia. 19 October 2009.
  20. ^ "Drive for $21m Oval upgrade". The Mercury. 18 November 2010. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013.
  21. ^ Stubbs, Brett (21 January 2015). "Tasmanian cricket greats Ponting and Boon make eternal stand at Blundstone Arena". The Mercury. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  22. ^ Home games in Hobart: three Victorian clubs are interested Archived 6 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine, The Age, Retrieved on 29 July 2010.
  23. ^ DiFabrizio, Michael Don't knock North for looking at Hobart Archived 1 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine, The Roar, Retrieved on 29 July 2010.
  24. ^ AFL sponsor revealed Archived 7 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine, The Mercury, Retrieved on 7 June 2011.
  25. ^ "North Melbourne thrilled with new five-year deal to play AFL games in Hobart". Herald Sun. 3 June 2016.
  26. ^ "North's new Tasmania deal announced". nmfc.com.au. 3 July 2016.
  27. ^ "Kangaroos kicking goals in Tasmania in 2022". North Melbourne Football Club. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  28. ^ "Bellerive Oval Crowds". Australian Stadiums. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
  29. ^ "NEW ZEALAND v SRI LANKA 1987–88". Cricinfo. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
  30. ^ WOW!!! The BIGGEST EVER crowd for a cricket match @BlundstoneArena Archived 9 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine twitter.com/HurricanesBBL. Retrieved on 1 January 2016
  31. ^ Roos claim record crowd Archived 21 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine NMFC.com.au
  32. ^ "Blundstone Arena Crowds (Bellerive Oval) | Austadiums". www.austadiums.com. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  33. ^ "Ferry Services Alleviate Bellerive Oval Traffic Issues". ABC News. 18 February 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  34. ^ "The Mercury". themercury.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
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