Australia News: Sydney Stadium Gets New Name

AUSTRALIA

New Sydney Venue Named Allianz Stadium

The new rectangular 42,500-seat A$828 million ($622.5 million) Sydney Football Stadium, to open September 2022, is called Allianz Stadium.

It is built on the Moore Park site of the old Allianz Stadium, demolished in 2019 after 34 years. The previous naming rights deal was for 10 years.

The new deal, worth A$36 million ($27 million), is for six years.

Justin Bieber’s sold-out date Nov. 30 is the first concert, while rugby league’s Sydney Roosters, rugby union’s NSW Waratahs and soccer’s Sydney FC will also call Allianz Stadium its home field on game day.

Allianz has naming rights for stadiums in the U.S., Germany, Austria, Italy, Brazil and France.

Adelaide To Lose Proposed Indoor Arena

Adelaide is losing the proposed 15,000-capacity Riverside Arena, which with its size would have drawn those major concert, entertainment and sports events currently bypassing the city.

However, the government was overturned in the March 19 state elections.

The new Labor government scrapped the arena, saying the A$667 million ($501.5 million) price tag be better used for healthcare.

The music industry won See It LIVE grants between A$5,000 ($3,759) and A$250,000 ($187,992 for promoters, A$250,000 for wellbeing workshops for SA music workers, a A$5 million ($3.75 million) insurance scheme for festivals having to close because of COVID, and A$1 million ($751,948) for venue upgrades.

NEW ZEALAND

Relaxed Restrictions Too Late For Summer Fests

The live sector has welcomed the New Zealand government’s scrapping of restrictions on outdoor gatherings, effective March 24.

But it’s come too late for the major summer festivals, says Brent Eccles, founder of Auckland-based Eccles Entertainment.

“Most of these have already moved to late 2022 and early 2023 and are focused on that time.”

Among these are WOMAD NZ, which cancelled March 2022 and returns March 2023. Drawing 17,000 for each day, it has an annual economic impact of NZ$6 million ($4.17 million) to NZ$9 million ($6.25 million).