Docklands Stadium
Former names	Colonial Stadium Telstra Dome
Location	Harbour Esplanade, Melbourne Docklands
Coordinates	37°48′59″S 144°56′51″E / 37.81639°S 144.94750°E / -37.81639; 144.94750Coordinates: 37°48′59″S 144°56′51″E / 37.81639°S 144.94750°E / -37.81639; 144.94750
Broke ground	1996
Opened	9 March 2000
Owner	James Fielding Funds Management
Operator	Melbourne Stadiums Limited
Surface	Grass
Construction cost	A$460 million
Architect	Daryl Jackson Architects and Populous[1]
General contractor	Baulderstone Hornibrook
Capacity	56,347 (Venue Capacity) 53,359 (Seating Capacity)
Tenants
AFL: Carlton (2005–present) Essendon (2000–present) North Melbourne (2002–present) St Kilda (2000–present) Western Bulldogs (2000–present) A-League: Melbourne Victory (2006–present) NRL: Melbourne Storm (2001) Big Bash Cricket : Melbourne Renegades (2011–present)

Docklands Stadium (also known by its former sponsored names of Colonial Stadium and Telstra Dome and its current sponsorship name of Etihad Stadium) is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment stadium in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Construction started in October 1997 under the working name, "Victoria Stadium" ^[2] and was completed in 2000 at a cost of A$460 million.

Originally built as a replacement for Waverley Park, the stadium is primarily used for Australian rules football and is the headquarters of the Australian Football League (AFL) who, as part of the construction deal, assume ownership of the ground in 2025. Also headquartered at the stadium is Seven Network's digital broadcast centre.

The stadium has been host to other sporting events, including Melbourne Victory soccer matches, one-off matches for sports including cricket, rugby league and rugby union, and several specialised events and concerts.

The stadium has been controversial since its first construction and there has been a significant amount of criticism directed toward the facility, particularly from its major tenant, the AFL. The AFL have increasingly regarded the stadium owner as a hostile landlord, engaging in numerous lawsuits against the current owners^[3] and threatening to build a rival stadium as close as a kilometre away in the short-term.^[3]

History [edit]

Docklands Stadium is seen here under construction (Christmas 1998)

The stadium was announced on 31 October 1996 as a replacement for the much larger Waverley Park as a headquarters for the Australian Football League.^[4] The opening match was played between Essendon and Port Adelaide before a crowd of 43,012. Eventual premiers of that season, Essendon, ended up victorious by 94 points, with full-forward Matthew Lloyd kicking seven goals.^[5] Originally developed by the Docklands Stadium Consortium and thereafter controlled by the Seven Network, the remaining leasehold interest in the stadium was sold to James Fielding Funds Management on 21 June 2006 for A$330 million.^[6] In 2025 the AFL is expected to take over the ownership.^[7]

Docklands Stadium, like Waverley Park, was built primarily for Australian rules football, unlike most grounds of a similar size in Australia which were originally designed for cricket.

In 2000, the first indoor One Day International was held when the Australian cricket team played South Africa in the "Super Challenge". It has been a venue for usually off-season one day matches but it held VB Series matches in 2006 due to the Melbourne Cricket Ground being unavailable due to preparations for it being the main stadium for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

The stadium is the first stadium to have movable seating in Australia. All four level-one tiers of the stadium can be moved up to 18 metres forward into a rectangular configuration. It was first used for a Melbourne Storm game in July 2001. Despite the seating being a key feature of the stadium, it has rarely been used, citing damage to turf, time to deploy the seats and a reduced capacity (the corners of the stadium in level 1 are not movable).

One-off events [edit]

^{[citation needed]}

Docklands Stadium with an open roof (Good Friday 2011)

Events that have been held at the Docklands Stadium include concerts by many famous artists.

KISS performed on 28 February 2003, with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, for their live CD/DVD, Kiss Symphony: Alive IV.

The ground hosted two quarter finals of the 2003 Rugby World Cup and the Rugby 7s at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.^[8] The stadium was used in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup for the Australia vs England game. In the summer months it is used as the home ground for Melbourne Victory games in the A-League and the AFC Champions League. The stadium is used for Rugby League State of Origin matches when they are played in Melbourne. This ground hosted the opening match of the 2012 series, earmarked as a New South Wales home game.

The stadium hosted a match from the International Rules Series in 2005 (due to the MCG undergoing works for the Commonwealth Games) and hosted another in 2011. Since 2003, it has been the venue for the E. J. Whitten Legends Game.

In 2001, Melbourne Knights and South Melbourne Hellas staged the only National Soccer League game to be held at this stadium.

In 2002, The WWE hosted an International pay-per-view event the WWE Global Warning Tour on 10 August 2002.

Concerts [edit]

Home teams [edit]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2010)

The Docklands Stadium is officially home ground to five AFL teams. The Western Bulldogs, Carlton, Essendon, St Kilda and North Melbourne use the stadium as their primary home ground, although all the Victorian-based teams have played home games at the ground. The AFL highest home and away attendance recorded at the Docklands Stadium was set on 5 July 2009 when 54,444 people watched St Kilda play Geelong in Round 14.

Melbourne Victory also occasionally play matches at Docklands. Originally, the plan was that the stadium would only be used for A-League games against the Victory's biggest rivals, Sydney FC, in the 2006/07 A-League season due to the prediction of a large crowd. All other games were supposed to be at the Victory's usual home ground, Olympic Park Stadium. A record crowd of 39,730 attended the game. After the success of the game, the Victory found Olympic Park's capacity of 18,000 too small, especially after the Round 4 match at Olympic Park attracted a capacity crowd of 17,617. Melbourne then moved all their home games except one against the struggling New Zealand Knights to Docklands for the 2006/07 season. The move was a success, with a 27,000 crowd average. The Victory decided to move all their home games permanently from the 2007/08 season. This also gave the stadium a major summer tenant, which the stadium lacked in its early years.

Melbourne Victory continued to play all games at Docklands until the end of the 2009/10 season, when their new home at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium was completed. The Victory would play blockbuster and finals games at Docklands, with all other games being played at the new stadium. The Victory played five blockbuster games against Gold Coast United, Adelaide United (twice), Sydney FC and Melbourne Heart.^{[citation needed]}

In the 2001 NRL season the stadium was the home ground for the Melbourne Storm. It also hosted one home game in 2008 and three home games in 2010. Until the end of 2009, the stadium was also used as the Storm's home finals venue due to the low capacity of its then normal home ground, Olympic Park Stadium.

The Big Bash League side Melbourne Renegades also plays its home games at the Docklands Stadium.

Naming rights history [edit]

The stadium was constructed by Baulderstone Hornibrook and opened on 9 March 2000, as Colonial Stadium. Colonial State Bank paid $32.5 million for 10 years of naming rights.^[9] In 2000, Commonwealth Bank took over Colonial State Bank and sold the naming rights to Telstra for about $50 million. The name was changed to Telstra Dome on 1 October 2002. During this time it was colloquially referred to as simply "The Dome", including by clubs who are sponsored by rival telecommunications companies (such as Essendon, who at the time were sponsored by 3 and Carlton who also at the time were sponsored by Optus). On 1 March 2009 the name was changed to Etihad Stadium, for an expected period of five years,^[10] when the naming rights transferred to Etihad Airways.^[11] Etihad Airways are paying an estimated $5–$8 million a year for naming rights at the Docklands stadium.^[12] Controversy surrounds the new name, with the AFL initially refusing to recognise it. AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan confirmed the AFL would not recognise the new name due to a lucrative sponsorship deal between the AFL and Australia's largest airline, Qantas.^[13] After negotiation between the two parties, AFL broadcasters and clubs are permitted by the governing body to use the stadium's sponsored name.

Stadium features [edit]

A section of the movable seating.

One of the large LCDs at Docklands Stadium

• Retractable roof 38 metres (125 ft) above the playing surface, opens east-west, and takes eight minutes to fully open or close.^[8]
• Movable seating
• Two large internal replay screens which display scores and advertisements.
• External super screen
• 1000 video seats
• 13 function rooms
• 66 corporate boxes
• Premium Club membership area, The Medallion Club
• 500 car parking spaces below the ground
• Oval shaped, turf playing surface of 19,053 square metres (205,080 sq ft) or 170 by 140 m (560 by 460 ft)
• Over 700 2000-watt lights for arena illumination
• A varying capacity of between 12,000 and 74,000, depending on the event. For example seats can be laid on the ground.
• An AFL capacity of 53,359
• Dimensions of playing area are 159.5 metres by 128.5 metres (174.4 yards by 140.5 yards)
• The ends of the ground, where the AFL goal posts are located, are generally named after VFL/AFL goal-kicking legends Tony 'Plugger' Lockett and Gordon Coventry. The northern end is the Lockett End, and the southern end, the Coventry End. These names are subject to changes as appropriate for circumstances: for Essendon home matches, the Coventry End is renamed the Lloyd End, for Western Bulldogs home matches, the Coventry End is renamed the Footscray End and for VFL games, the ends are renamed after VFA/VFL goal-kicking legends Jim 'Frosty' Miller and Fred Cook.

Criticism [edit]

Several issues with the Docklands Stadium have caused growing resentment within the Australian Football League and prompted the league to publicly investigate an alternative third venue. At times this venue has been suggested as a redeveloped Princes Park Football Ground or a rival stadium in the Docklands area.^[14][15]

Playing surface issues [edit]

Interior of the Docklands Stadium with the roof closed. Taken during a Collingwood vs Port Adelaide AFL Match. 1 July 2005

Since its inception, the Docklands Stadium has endured criticism over the quality and suitability of its playing surface, in particular for AFL requirements. It has been criticised by players and coaches for its slipperiness, hardness and lack of grass coverage.^[16] The turf has required regular expensive replacement since its inception due to a lack of sunlight inside the stadium. The turf itself is supplied under contract by HG Turf, whereas the responsibility of laying and managing the turf lies with Docklands Stadium management.^[17]

Issues with the ground's ability to grow grass all year round can be attributed to the stadium's irregular North-South orientation which was a requirement due to its placement between the surrounding roads and Docklands body of water. In particular, the Northern end of the stadium only receives 6 weeks of sunlight a year. Concerts held at the stadium are also usually placed at the Southern end due to the ability for grass to recover faster in that section of the ground.^[18]

In August 2007, Docklands Stadium chief executive Ian Collins confirmed talks were underway to purchase an elaborate lighting and heating system to allow grass to be grown by curators all year round. This followed extensive visits by Docklands Stadium officials to several FIFA World Cup venues in Germany, locations in the United States and Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium.^[18]

In 2007, studies were conducted by the University of Melbourne to investigate concerns that hard surfaces, such as the surface at the Docklands Stadium increase the likelihood of player injury, in particular anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries (knee).^[19]

Records [edit]

Attendance [edit]

A typical AFL match at Docklands Stadium

Record setting attendance at the 23 May 2012 State of Origin match between Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues.

• Largest attendance
  Catholic Jubilee Mass
  15 November 2000
  70,000 people^[20]
• Largest entertainment event attendance
  Robbie Williams Close Encounters Tour
  18 December 2006
  64,619 people "Etihad Stadium Records". 
• Largest series of Concerts
  AC/DC
  11, 13 & 15 February 2010
  181,495 people
• Largest Rugby Union attendance
  2001 British Lions tour to Australia second test, 7 July 2001
  Australia vs British and Irish Lions
  54,605 people
• Largest Sporting attendance
  Grand Final, 18 February 2007
  Melbourne Victory vs Adelaide United
  56,436 people^[21]
• Largest ODI Cricket attendance
  Commonwealth Bank Series
  38,364 people^[22]
• Largest A-League attendance
  Grand Final, 18 February 2007
  Melbourne Victory vs Adelaide United
  56,436 people^[21]
• Largest Rugby League attendance
  State of Origin Game I, 23 May 2012
  Queensland vs New South Wales
  56,021 people ^[23]
• Largest AFL attendance
  Round 14, 5 July 2009
  St Kilda vs Geelong
  54,444 people ^[24]
• Largest NRL attendance
  Preliminary final, 23 September 2007
  Melbourne Storm vs Parramatta
  33,427 people ^[25]
• Largest International Rules attendance
  2nd test, 28 October 2005
  Australia vs Ireland
  45,428 people ^[26]
• Largest Big Bash League attendance
  Round 1, 7 December 2012
  Melbourne Renegades vs Melbourne Stars
  23,589 people ^[27]

AFL records [edit]

Players [edit]

• Most games played: Stephen Milne (St Kilda), 136
• Most goals kicked: Stephen Milne (St Kilda), 337
• Most goals kicked in a match: Mark LeCras (West Coast), 12.2 (74), 17 July 2010 (West Coast 20.12 (132) defeated Essendon 14.16 (100))
• Most disposals in a match: Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs), 47 vs. Sydney, 19 August 2012 (Western Bulldogs 13.7 (85) def. by Sydney Swans 26.11 (167))
• First AFL goal kicked: Michael Long (Essendon), 9 March 2000 (Essendon 24.12 (156) defeated Port Adelaide 8.14 (62))

Teams [edit]

• Best winning percentage: Geelong at 64.38% from 47 wins and 26 losses
• Most wins: St Kilda with 101 wins, 4 draws and 59 losses at 62.80%
• Highest score: Geelong 35.12 (222) defeated Richmond 9.11 (65), 6 May 2007
• Lowest score: Adelaide 3.6 (24) defeated by St Kilda 19.13 (127), 22 July 2011
• Highest margin: Geelong (vs Richmond), 157 points, 6 May 2007
• Highest score in a quarter: Essendon 15.4 (94) vs. Gold Coast 0.1 (1), 1 May 2011

Last updated 16 September 2012.^[28]

In popular culture [edit]

The venue appeared in the 2007 film Ghost Rider. Its name, wherever visible, has been digitally changed to the SoBe Dome. It can also be seen in the video for Jessica Mauboy's single Running Back, as well as some high rating television shows, such as the Seven Network's City Homicide and Network Ten's Rush. The stadium was also visible in the background during broadcasts of Seven News Melbourne. It was also visible in broadcasts of Nine News Melbourne for a period up until 2006 when it was replaced with a shot overlooking the city's east.

2010 stadium damage [edit]

The venue was damaged by a thunderstorm on the afternoon of 6 March 2010 during the 2010 Victorian storms. The external roof (not the main retractable roof) caved in, causing damage and flooding in one of the stadium's entertainment precincts. Because of the damage the St Kilda v Fremantle NAB Cup semi-final was delayed due to worksafe inspections. Only around 5000 people made it back into the arena when it was safe to return.^[29]

References [edit]

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Docklands Stadium

• Official website
• Satellite photo of Docklands Stadium
• Docklands Stadium at Austadiums