The Gabba

[Rob2012]

Honestly, getting a bit spammy now dude.

I've defended you on here before when you've posted architectural images, potential designs etc for the new Gabba and a couple of people have bizarrely accused you of cheerleading too much. Honestly, back in the day, every build up to every Games had several people posting that kind of thing and..being honest, I kind of miss that.*

But responding to criticism of your city, some of its hosting decisions, to scrutiny, to questions people have etc. with long posts about a ceremony 23 years gone. C'mon....don't do that.

* Part of that's because of how quiet the forums are now compared to how they were, part of it is selecting and encouraging hosts to be frugal (which is fair enough). But part of it is people too cool for school jumping on posters who show any enthusiasm which is a shame.

Edited September 15, 2023 by Rob2012

[FYI]

Getting a bit spammy now?? 

Quite frankly, I don't know why anyone in their objective mind would even defend such a 'dude'. Since that's been their M.O. for at least the last few years on here. Ever since Brisbane got catapulted to the Olympic scene, it's been nothing but non-stop new-norm, agenda 2020 spin, power points, renders & spamming from said person. It's one thing to post renders, potential designs, etc. but when they constantly do it in order to flood out opposing views that they find they don't like, it then becomes nothing but spamming/trolling & not informative. Which then brings on...

Discussion/debate on here? They're interested in NO such thing that doesn't align with their lofty, self-motivated spins, & this thread is clearly evident of that (along with their cheating again), & so many other threads that they're involved in around here. And it's not just here, but other forums like totallympics & SSC, members there have also identified the same type of disrupting behavior from that individual. So clearly, they're the problem & not everyone else. And trying to tell them 'don't do that' doesn't/won't change their bizarre/unruly behavior, cause it's already been proven time & again that doesn't work. 

 

[AustralianFan]

Rebuilt Gabba Stadium to remain as legacy venue

for AFL, Cricket, Olympics and Paralympics

The Queensland Government has rejected a review of the decision to replace the ageing Gabba with a modern, accessible, comfortable, inclusive, connected stadium.

No surprises there.  That dog of a stadium needs to go and they know it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

From Brisbane Times - 15 September 2023:

Queensland has rejected calls to review plans to stage the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games at the Gabba, insisting the revamped stadium will host the event after a $2.7 billion makeover.

The last-minute plea met with a defiant Tourism and Sport Minister, Stirling Hinchliffe, who insisted all eyes would be firmly fixed on the Gabba in 2032.

“The Gabba is the way in which we will deliver a world-class experience not just for the Games, but for Queensland and for Brisbane for decades to come,” Hinchliffe told reporters on Friday.

The official home of the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games has been billed as “one of the most accessible stadiums in the country”. 

Hinchliffe, also the minister assisting the premier on Olympics and Paralympics sport and engagement, said a validation report on the project was well under way.

“It will look at the project and understand how it will be delivering upon what the government’s expectations are and what the needs are for the state, for the city and, through that process, the needs for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,”

“But I know that the Brisbane 2032 Games will be transformative to Queensland, they’ll be transformative to Brisbane.

[FYI]

[Sir Rols]

@AustralianFan

I have created a topic on the Voice in the general topics and discussion forum:

Any posts you wish to make pertaining primarily to the Voice or indigenous matters - even if you make a token reference to the Gabba within them - should be put there. I will move any further posts such as those to that thread as they have become distractive and disruptive to the main topic and discourse of the thread,

You may consider copying and reposting such existing posts to that thread, so they can be deleted from here.

[AustralianFan]

Gabba Nearing the End of it’s Life

The current stadium is deemed to be nearing the end of its life and the redevelopment intends to support the long-term professional sport, community and entertainment needs of the city before and after 2032.

Queensland’s state development director general, Mike Kaiser, reiterated that the construction of a new Gabba, rather than partial redevelopment, was the only way to proceed for the project.

“Without a doubt, the value-for-money outcome is a teardown and rebuild,” he said, according to the Brisbane Times. “The cheapest of the other options was still A$2.2bn, and it would have been a refurbishment that would have denied us the opportunities to integrate it into the surrounding community and create those legacy benefits. And a refurbishment, as opposed to a rebuild, also comes with considerable risk.”

Meanwhile, Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) chief executive, Matt Carroll, maintained that it was not the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that pushed for a new-look venue as the focal point of Brisbane 2032.

“The IOC does not require you to build new venues unless you really need them,” he said, according to the ABC.”

“The Olympic Movement is saying the decision is, ‘If you don’t have one, and want to build a new one, make sure it is not just for the Olympics’.

”And that’s what the Gabba rebuild is about.”

Brisbane 2032 officials defend Gabba project

 

[Sir Rols]

Also Matt Carroll

AOC chief executive admits redevelopment of Gabba "not necessary" for Brisbane to host 2032 Olympics

[Australian Kiwi]

49 minutes ago, Sir Rols said:

Also Matt Carroll

AOC chief executive admits redevelopment of Gabba "not necessary" for Brisbane to host 2032 Olympics

@AustralianFan just CC'ing you into this one, luv.

[AustralianFan]

41 minutes ago, Sir Rols said:

Also Matt Carroll

AOC chief executive admits redevelopment of Gabba "not necessary" for Brisbane to host 2032 Olympics

Yes that was a great start to his AOC stewardship coming out with his ignorant, uninformed line:

“The Gabba just needs a lick of paint.”

What a load of horse s—t.     Seriously.

He seems blissfully unaware, or stupid, that the ageing Gabba is nearing the end of it’s life.

• nil female changing rooms
• opposition male AFL players rank the Gabba changing rooms as among the AFL’s worst
• no escalators in the stadium
• ’toddler size’ seats
• nil wifi connectivity 
• long climb up stairsto upper tiers, e.g. 54 steps up to the top tier from Gate 2 as an example
• no designated lifts for disabled or less mobile spectators, just freight lifts
• this old stadium’s wiring resulted in a blackout mid-game 24 March 2023, with visible flames in one of the old light towers

• then there’s surging crowds run the gauntlet of heavy traffic crossing the road to get to this old dog of a stadium
• the nearest train station is currently a 20 minute walk away from the old Gabba

But yes, it’s true that things are looking up.  Construction of the new Gabba undergound train station is getting close to completion. The new Brisbane Metro long tram-like vehicles on rubber wheels will also have an interchange at the new Gabba Stadium for efficient mass people movement for AFL, Cricket and Olympics/Paralympics crowd.

Once the train station at the Gabba is completed, they can and will start knocking down this dog of a stadium and build a better, inclusive, accessible, connected, comfy replacement. 

[AustralianFan]

4 minutes ago, AustralianFan said:

Yes that was a great start to his AOC stewardship coming out with his ignorant, uninformed line:

“The Gabba just needs a lick of paint.”

What a load of horse s—t.     Seriously.

He seems blissfully unaware, or stupid, that the ageing Gabba is nearing the end of it’s life.

 

• nil female changing rooms
• opposition male AFL players rank the Gabba changing rooms as among the AFL’s worst
• no escalators in the stadium
• ’toddler size’ seats
• nil wifi connectivity 
• long climb up stairsto upper tiers, e.g. 54 steps up to the top tier from Gate 2 as an example
• no designated lifts for disabled or less mobile spectators, just freight lifts
• this old stadium’s wiring resulted in a blackout mid-game 24 March 2023, with visible flames in one of the old light towers

• then there’s surging crowds run the gauntlet of heavy traffic crossing the road to get to this old dog of a stadium
• the nearest train station is currently a 20 minute walk away from the old Gabba

But yes, it’s true that things are looking up.  Construction of the new Gabba undergound train station is getting close to completion. The new Brisbane Metro long tram-like vehicles on rubber wheels will also have an interchange at the new Gabba Stadium for efficient mass people movement for AFL, Cricket and Olympics/Paralympics crowd.

Once the train station at the Gabba is completed, they can and will start knocking down this dog of a stadium and build a better, inclusive, accessible, connected, comfy replacement. 

 

“Don’t let anyone tell you the Gabba just needs a lick of paint.”

I just love that line from Zach Hope, the journalist.

See below from Brisbane Times by Zach Hope - 30 August 2023

 

On 9/2/2023 at 6:40 PM, AustralianFan said:

The endless gripes of a cantankerous Gabba traveller

On the brutal south-western ascent, a bon mot from somewhere far below: “Are we at base camp yet?” the man shouts. Chuckles from the schlepping masses. Too true!

Me, I can only grin. It is a 54-step climb to Gabba’s upper concourse, and I’m starting to pant.

54 Steps

The 54 step south-western ascent inside the Gabba’s gate 2.

At least we have our (relative) youth and health. A teenage girl hobbles behind us in a moon boot. Just ahead, an elderly couple are causing a bottleneck. There is no designated disability access here. Just the freight lifts.

We’ve come from the nearest train station – 20 minutes away. The incoming humanity at Stanley Street and Ipswich Road consumed the intersection and made traffic lights meaningless. Police tried to hurry people along, but there was nowhere to move.

There is limited parking for the average punter since the Brisbane City Council began policing its “Gabba traffic area” – curiously, about the same time as the stadium’s first rare NRL game this year.

Train services only run every half hour on weekend game days and are distant, so it is no wonder others opt for the chaos of the buses. Good luck to you, especially if you’ve brought kids.

But we’re nearly there now. A few steps to go. Once at “camp”, we’ll catch our breath and squeeze through the narrow, heaving concourse to our toddler-sized seats up another set of stairs.

Any breaking team changes? Don’t bother checking the news. There’s no connectivity.

Welcome to the Gabba. The only good thing about the place is that the Lions keep winning.

The stadium precinct will be rebuilt in time to host the 2032 Olympics. And not without controversy and genuine heartbreak. The build will force the historic East Brisbane State School to move.

There’s also the $2.7 billion cost, which may not have been so outrageous had the government not so amateurishly put it at $1 billion only a couple of years ago.

But Brisbane deserves a modern home for AFL and cricket.

There are currently no female change rooms. Opposition male AFL players rank the away change rooms among the competition’s worst. Brisbane has missed cricket Test matches because the ground has slipped down the rankings of “preferred venues”.

At the quarter-breaks in the football, blokes breeze through the toilets, while women usually have to choose between interminable lines and the restart.

There are more technical infrastructure issues, too. What Lions fan could forget the lights going out mid-game earlier this season?

Don’t let anyone tell you the Gabba only needs “a lick of paint”.

It seems even stadium management has given up on trying to keep certain elements of the game-day experience modern.

Food is subjective, but this cantankerous footy traveller puts the Gabba’s unimaginative 20th century fare at the bottom of the pile.

Is this where bakeries dump their stale buns?

Sport is unifying, inspiring. Fun! Everyone should be able to share this. The present stadium is exclusionary.

This assumes there’s any grub left. I sometimes wonder at half-times if those responsible for supply in our section remark to their colleagues in bewilderment that it always seems to get so busy halfway through the shift!

A new Gabba will have escalators and disability access.

The new version will seat 50,000 people – a meagre ambition, perhaps, leaving it mid-sized in the scale of Australian stadiums. But the atmosphere will be exponentially improved.

Its current capacity of 42,000 is misleading because the ground configurations accommodate only 37,000 for AFL and 34,000 for cricket.

As for transport, a pedestrian bridge will link an expanded concourse to the new Woolloongabba train station.

Team facilities will have direct access to pitches and practice wickets.

More broadly, the whole precinct will be “enlivened 24/7″ with new homes, retail and, potentially, art galleries and museums.

This is a good thing for a city on the move.

Last week’s Brisbane sitting of a federal inquiry into Australia’s preparedness to host the Olympics heard the stadium would be “end of life” by 2030.

If there is one problem with this assessment, it is that it supposes the Gabba is not already cooked.

Credit: Brisbane Times - 30 August 2023

 

 

[Sir Rols]

20 minutes ago, AustralianFan said:

Once the train station at the Gabba is completed, they can and will start knocking down this dog of a stadium and build a better, inclusive, accessible, connected, comfy replacement. 

Yes, that’s good. And hopefully they do it with a plan more sensitive to East Brisbane State Schol and Raymond Park.

And thanks for moving the Cathy and Sydney OC posts to a far more appropriate thread. I can delete the ones here now. 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Sir Rols

[Sir Rols]

1 hour ago, AustralianFan said:

Yes that was a great start to his AOC stewardship coming out with his ignorant, uninformed line:

 

Yes, but strictly speaking, he’s not wrong.

Would the Gabba be nice for the Olympics? Yes, of course. Is it totally necessary? No.

As I’ve said before, I’ve got nothing against the Gabba option and rebuild. If the Qld Government wants to do it with their money, that’s their concern.

But I could also agree with a case that the Carrara option would be a great example of sustainability and a greater model for lesser, mid- tier cities if they do indeed want to aspire to the games. It could still work and provide its own brand of charm and precedent. 

[AustralianFan]

5 hours ago, Sir Rols said:

Yes, but strictly speaking, he’s not wrong.

Would the Gabba be nice for the Olympics? Yes, of course. Is it totally necessary? No.

As I’ve said before, I’ve got nothing against the Gabba option and rebuild. If the Qld Government wants to do it with their money, that’s their concern.

But I could also agree with a case that the Carrara option would be a great example of sustainability and a greater model for lesser, mid- tier cities if they do indeed want to aspire to the games. It could still work and provide its own brand of charm and precedent. 

With it’s own brand of mass people movement chaos at Carrara. 

With no train near the stadium and none planned,

Can you imagine the absolute chaos and international embarrassment at Carrara of hundreds of buses trying to move thousands of people in and out of the stadium for two separate athletics sessions on each day of the Olympics?

Did I say no train line near Carrara and none planned.

The Brisbane Candidature team and the Queensland Government realised this 2.5 years ago and quickly stomped on Carrara for the Olympics.

Yes. The new modern Gabba Stadium, connected by train and Brisbane Metro is needed for AFL and Cricket and the current poor excuse for a stadium needs to be put down.

 

 

 

[Sir Rols]

You mean like it worked successfully and efficiently during the Commonwealth Games.

Anyway, relax. We know that’s unlikely to happen. Just saying there would be benefits to that approach too, and the AOC and IOC would have been happy with it.

Sheesh. Can’t we have discussions or ponder alternatives anymore without your defensive OCD getting triggered?

Edited September 16, 2023 by Sir Rols

[AustralianFan]

2 hours ago, Sir Rols said:

You mean like it worked successfully and efficiently during the Commonwealth Games.

No, it didn’t.

Bus Chaos at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games

The Gold Coast Commonwealth Games opening in absolute chaos on 4 April 20218.

Here’s a sample of the media reports and spectator experiences with some demanding their money back waiting in long queues for buses to and from the stadium:

Commonwealth Games commuters demand money back after two-hour wait for buses - ABC News Australia - 4 April 2018

Commonwealth Games organisers have been criticised after thousands of people faced lengthy waits on their way to and from last night's opening ceremony at Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast.

Some commuters were stranded at Broadbeach for up to two hours while waiting for shuttle buses to take them to the venue, while others waited hours for buses after the ceremony, some past midnight.

Vicki and Wayne Graham said they were "pissed off" by the wait and the lack of communication.

Commuter chaos before Games ceremony - Nine.com.au - 4 April 2018

At least a thousand frustrated people were stranded at a key Gold Coast interchange for up to two hours as demand for buses to Wednesday's ceremony at Carrara Stadium vastly outstripped supply.

"We want the bus, we want the bus," the crowds of people chanted while others said the situation was "absolute garbage" and "terrible".

Less than an hour before the ceremony was due to start, a substantial crowd stood in the rain at the Broadbeach South light rail stop.

 

Bus Issues Leave Thousands Waiting Ahead of Commonwealth Games -ca.sports.yahoo.com - 5 April 2018

Bus delays left large crowds of people queuing for extended periods ahead of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony at Carrara Stadium, Queensland, on April 4.

Reports said thousands were affected by the backlog with some people saying they waited for 90 minutes.

Images posted online showed long queues.

No train line anywhere near Carrara Stadium and none planned.

***************************************

Hence the central choice of Brisbane’s rebuilt new Gabba Stadium with a stadium train station and the Brisbane electric Metro Bus interchange for AFL, Cricket crowds for decades to come.

The 2032 Olympics will also benefit from this rebuilt bigger Gabba legacy stadium.

[Rob2012]

10 hours ago, Australian Kiwi said:

@AustralianFan just CC'ing you into this one, luv.

Not sure it's contradicting anything he's saying tbh. Beyond the slightly misleading headline ITG have chosen, Carroll actually seems to be saying that no, the IOC doesn't deem it necessary, but it would be a good thing and it still fits comfortably within the IOC's new hosting formula because it'll have strong legacy use.

On this broad point, I think there's a bit of a misunderstanding about the New Norm stuff (which some of the LA28 clique in particular insisted on misunderstanding). The IOC isn't saying "don't build", it's saying "don't build unnecessarily". Or, more to the point, "don't build if you're left with a white elephant". In theory, this was also their line before the New Norm, but it was hit and miss how much they pushed cities in that direction.

I know AustraliaFan's posting style can be annoying, but he's not the only one who's put forward a decent case that the Gabba could do with being rebuilt and that the Olympics is a perfect opportunity for that. From the other side of the world, I have to say it looks like a solid case to me.

It'd be good, if you disagree, to put the opposite case forward.

Edited September 16, 2023 by Rob2012

[Australian Kiwi]

3 hours ago, Rob2012 said:

Not sure it's contradicting anything he's saying tbh. Beyond the slightly misleading headline ITG have chosen, Carroll actually seems to be saying that no, the IOC doesn't deem it necessary, but it would be a good thing and it still fits comfortably within the IOC's new hosting formula because it'll have strong legacy use.

On this broad point, I think there's a bit of a misunderstanding about the New Norm stuff (which some of the LA28 clique in particular insisted on misunderstanding). The IOC isn't saying "don't build", it's saying "don't build unnecessarily". Or, more to the point, "don't build if you're left with a white elephant". In theory, this was also their line before the New Norm, but it was hit and miss how much they pushed cities in that direction.

I know AustraliaFan's posting style can be annoying, but he's not the only one who's put forward a decent case that the Gabba could do with being rebuilt and that the Olympics is a perfect opportunity for that. From the other side of the world, I have to say it looks like a solid case to me.

It'd be good, if you disagree, to put the opposite case forward.

It's contradicting it because its a Senate inquiry which has made a number of recommendations, including exploring alternative options rather than a total rebuild of the Gabba that requires billions. The Gabba is barely 20 years old in its current state. Brisbane's infrastructure budget for the Olympics has received a whopping 50% contribution from the Australian taxpayer (Sydney 2000 was about 4.5%). Australian Fan has been hammering home ad nauseam that every element of the PR driven bid is gospel and a statement of truth and must be delivered - the Senate inquiry is slowly unpicking that assumption (and basically doing the work Lausanne should have been doing) because there is now national taxpayers money on the line. They can't sweep things under the carpet. Queensland has put its hand out for a significant amount of funding from other states for an event they won't really benefit from, it should justify down to a cent why its totally necessary (ESPECIALLY when we are talking about relatively new facilities, including others from the 2000 Olympics). 

None of the challenges listed around the Gabba (such as accessibility issues or electrical problems the light towers) tell me a complete rebuild is necessary. Many others (including well respected engineers) agree with this too. 

 

[FYI]

7 hours ago, Rob2012 said:

I know AustraliaFan's posting style can be annoying,

Uh, huh. Yeah, sure. It's much more like..

3 hours ago, Australian Kiwi said:

AustralianFan has been hammering home ad nauseam

And..

10 hours ago, Sir Rols said:

Sheesh. Can’t we have discussions or ponder alternatives anymore without your defensive OCD getting triggered?

Amen!

[AustralianFan]

4 hours ago, Australian Kiwi said:

It's contradicting it because its a Senate inquiry which has made a number of recommendations, including exploring alternative options rather than a total rebuild of the Gabba that requires billions. The Gabba is barely 20 years old in its current state. Brisbane's infrastructure budget for the Olympics has received a whopping 50% contribution from the Australian taxpayer (Sydney 2000 was about 4.5%). Australian Fan has been hammering home ad nauseam that every element of the PR driven bid is gospel and a statement of truth and must be delivered - the Senate inquiry is slowly unpicking that assumption (and basically doing the work Lausanne should have been doing) because there is now national taxpayers money on the line. They can't sweep things under the carpet. Queensland has put its hand out for a significant amount of funding from other states for an event they won't really benefit from, it should justify down to a cent why its totally necessary (ESPECIALLY when we are talking about relatively new facilities, including others from the 2000 Olympics). 

None of the challenges listed around the Gabba (such as accessibility issues or electrical problems the light towers) tell me a complete rebuild is necessary. Many others (including well respected engineers) agree with this too. 

 

The Queensland Government is fully funding the rebuild of the Gabba.

So sitting over there in South Australia @Australian Kiwi, a long way from Queenskand, you don’t need to worry about it because you are not contributing to the rebuild whatsoever.

And as far as your “magical engineer friends” go, pray tell exactly who these engineers are that you speak of?

Your “engineer friends” really must have come from the Harry Potter school  because they will need be magicians to miraculously and cheaply fix the ageing Gabba’s structural issues.

1.   In the current old Gabba Stadium structure,  how will your “engineer friends” remove several rows of seats to fit in an athletics track while magically increasing the capacity of the Gabba from 37,000 for AFL and 34,000  cricket??

• The current Gabba dimensions do not fit an athletics track
• The current Gabba’s “capacity of 42,000” is misleading because the ground configurations accommodate only 37,000 for AFL and 34,000 for cricket.
• The Gabba rebuild will fit an athletics track and increase capacity to 50,000.

2.   How will your “engineer magician friends” magically and cheaply install escalators and lifts in an existing structure to enable disabled and less mobile spectators, athletes, and officials get around the stadium??

Won’t tryng to add on and squeeze in escatators and lifts to an existing stadium structure be very expensive and also take out more rows of spectator seats thus futher reducing capacity?

3.  How will your engineer magician friends magically find room to install female change rooms for female AFL, Cricket and Athletes

There are currently in 2023 no female change rooms in this outdated Gabba stadium. 

4.  How will your engineer friends magically and cheaply fix the ageing electrical wiring problems at the existing Gabba to stop all the embarressing power failures? 

• in March 2023, an AFL Match at a packed stadium was suddenly blacked out when the Gabba light towers failed
• in Dec 2021, a Gabba power failure stopped the international broadcast of the Gabba Test Cricket Match for 25 minutes on Day 4
• in Jan 2019, a Big Bash Cricket Match at the Gabba was blacked out when the power failed.

Gabba’s double power failure explained and why risk will continue - SMH - 12 Dec 2021:

• Risks of power failure inherent in the Gabba’s broadcast compound set-up are unlikely to be improved before the next Ashes series, as cricket authorities await more detail on plans for the stadium’s major upgrade to host the 2032 Olympic Games.
• Sources have told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that the Gabba is the only major stadium in Australian cricket where the mains power supply at the ground is not sufficient to fire up the vast array of broadcast trucks and devices needed to beam pictures around the world.
• The Gabba is due for a complete rebuild, that will also address the power supply, in time for Brisbane to host the 2032 Olympics. But major work is not expected to begin until around 2028 – after the next Ashes series is due to take place in Australia in 2025-26.
• Broadcast requirements for the Olympics far outstrip those for an Ashes Test match. 

 

[Sir Rols]

13 hours ago, AustralianFan said:

No, it didn’t.

Bus Chaos at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games

The Gold Coast Commonwealth Games opening in absolute chaos on 4 April 20218.

Here’s a sample of the media reports and spectator experiences with some demanding their money back waiting in long queues for buses to and from the stadium:

 

Yet, obviously the AOC and IOC still regard it as a valid option and would be confident such issues could be resolved id required - as they likely already were by the time athletics competition started in 2018.

L’Equipe and the Daily Mail are already likely planning their stories on cranky passengers trying to get home on the crowded Metro come the end of Paris’ OC. The media looking for organisational “scandals” and shortcomings comes with the territory of hosting anything. 

 Again. I’m not suggesting it’s likely. I’m ALSO not attacking the Gabba - I’m fine with it. I’m just saying it’s a scenario that’s worth discussing and that it also has attractions very much in the spirit of the “New Norm”.

And, like it or not, the Senate Report has brought it back into the discussion. I don’t see why discussing that should get you so angry and heated.

Edited September 16, 2023 by Sir Rols

[Sir Rols]

On 9/16/2023 at 2:00 AM, Rob2012 said:

Honestly, getting a bit spammy now dude.

I've defended you on here before when you've posted architectural images, potential designs etc for the new Gabba and a couple of people have bizarrely accused you of cheerleading too much. Honestly, back in the day, every build up to every Games had several people posting that kind of thing and..being honest, I kind of miss that.*

But responding to criticism of your city, some of its hosting decisions, to scrutiny, to questions people have etc. with long posts about a ceremony 23 years gone. C'mon....don't do that.

* Part of that's because of how quiet the forums are now compared to how they were, part of it is selecting and encouraging hosts to be frugal (which is fair enough). But part of it is people too cool for school jumping on posters who show any enthusiasm which is a shame.

I agree with you about  missing the “old days” of people posting and getting excited about renders from bids and OCOGs, people speculating on games in unlikely places (they also tend to get shot down now by the “too cool” crowd saying only firm existing proposals should be mentioned), forum games and sports talk (pity the Rugby WC’s so drawn out). 

I also have no issues about AF posting renders and plans per se. That’s great, and valuable. I don’t even have an issue about the Gabba.

I do have an issue with how his posting practices so often devolve into literal trolling. It’s how he’s elevated posting into a tactic to drown out and flood any discussions or questions he doesn’t like. If it was the odd render or positive news report when they come up, that’s fair enough and should even be encouraged. It’s how any comment or post he doesn’t like all too often gets followed up by a flurry of multiple posts, often irrelevant (as the Cathy and the Sydney OC posts), often sheer repetition of posts, repost of posts he’s made before and sometimes even quoting himself to make a positive comment on his own posts. 

It’s quite brazenly a tactic to try and shut down and hide any discussions he doesn’t like. And it’s not just here - many of us who are down on him are so because we’ve seen him use the same tactics in discussions of the “New Norm” - which, less face it, should be discussed and critiqued more - whereby any questioning of it is followed by multiple, again usually repeat posts, of IOC PR power point slides.

Enthusiasm is one thing. Enthusiasm is great. But this goes beyond enthusiasm. It’s trolling to try and control what opinions can be respectfully discussed on the board. It’s insisting he must have the last word… and then some.

He’s not interested in “discussion”. He’s more focussed on shutting down or drowning out discussion he doesn’t like. Sincere attempts to ask his personal opinions on anything are usually met with stonewalling and all too often another spam flood. As if it’s an affront to ask him to post an opinion on a board designed  for people to post opinions.

I obviously have had issues with him, but I’d respect him more if he could properly discuss and debate topics at hand - hey, I LOVE a good reasoned argument and rebuttal debate. I even like a bit of positive cheerleading - wish the French did more. But I absolutely abhor spam trolling to stifle debate.

Darn right it’s annoying. And it’s driven more than a few posters away from here, including some good posters. There’ve been comments from respected posters that “he sucks the life out of the board” and “he makes me not want to post here any more”. It’s one of the factors (and granted there are others) that’s preventing this board from recapturing some of the spirit, Joie de Vivre and lively discussions of the good old days.   

Edited September 16, 2023 by Sir Rols

[FYI]

^110% right on target, Rols!

30 minutes ago, Sir Rols said:

Darn right it’s annoying. And it’s driven more than a few posters away from here, including some good posters. There’ve been comments from respected posters that “he sucks the life out of the board” and “he makes me not want to post here any more”. It’s one of the factors (and granted there are others) that’s preventing this board from recapturing some of the spirit, Joie de Vivre and lively discussions of the good old days.   

Exactly - like this, for starters.. 

On 6/22/2023 at 9:16 PM, krow said:

you make everyone hate this forum and stop posting on it. 

we used to be a community.

How anyone can say that AF is a “decent enough” poster is beyond me (they said the same of PuFF, too). But I guess anyone can have their sympathizers. Even agent orange has them. 

[AustralianFan]

1 hour ago, Sir Rols said:

Yet, obviously the AOC and IOC still regard it as a valid option and would be confident such issues could be resolved id required - as they likely already were by the time athletics competition started in 2018.

 Again. I’m not suggesting it’s likely. I’m ALSO not attacking the Gabba - I’m fine with it. I’m just saying it’s a scenario that’s worth discussing and that it also has attractions very much in the spirit of the “New Norm”..

Where did you read that the AOC regard Carrara as a valid option?

Matt Carroll, AOC CEO, is even siding with the Gabba option, despite his earlier naive comment that the Gabba “just needs a lick of paint”.  If needs a whole lot more than a “lick of paint” and he seems to have since realised how ill-informed his comment was.

 Just last month Matt Carroll said: "it is a decision of Government to decide on the venue."    (ITG - Aug 2023)

Bussing thousands of people in and out of Carrara for twice a day for the Olympics and Paralympics athletics competition remains a logistical and PR nightmare.

 

[Sir Rols]

13 minutes ago, AustralianFan said:

Where did you read that the AOC regard Carrara as a valid option?

When he admits to a Senate inquiry that the Gabba is not strictly essential to Brisbane 2032. Nice? Yes. Essential? No.

13 minutes ago, AustralianFan said:

Bussing thousands of people in and out of Carrara for twice a day for the Olympics and Paralympics athletics competition remains a logistical and PR nightmare.

Organising a games is all about solving potential logistical and PR nightmares.

Again, I am NOT advocating a switch from the Gabba to Carrara. I’ve stated many times I consider it highly unlikely. But when a Senate Inquiry raises the possibility, it’s almost essential to discuss it, positives as well as negatives.

Edited September 17, 2023 by Sir Rols

[AustralianFan]

52 minutes ago, Sir Rols said:

When he admits to a Senate inquiry that the Gabba is not strictly essential to Brisbane 2032. Nice? Yes. Essential? No.

Organising a games is all about solving potential logistical and PR nightmares.

Again, I am NOT advocating a switch from the Gabba to Carrara. I’ve stated many times I consider it highly unlikely. But when a Senate Inquiry raises the possibility, it’s almost essential to discuss it, positives as well as negatives.

Fair enough  @Sir Rols

When the Future Host Commission wrote in their 2032 Targeted Dialogue Report to “consider using Carrara for athletics”, the Queensland Government have indeed considered this option and decided, “yeah …Nah.”

.….and considering the Gabba has for all intents and purposes already reached the end of it’s useful life and legacy tenants AFL and Cricket and their thousands of fans need a more accessible, inclusive home.

Re the Gabba rebuild, this nonsense senate inquiry is literally going around in circles wasting money treading the same exploratory path and rabbit holes that the Brisbane organisers and the Queensland Government have already been down 2years ago.

Unless the senate inquiry politicians are magicians too, they will not come up with any other conclusion than the current Gabba was poorly designed to start with and is now a dog of a stadium with lots of expensive problems.

The Gabba has inherent electrical power issues which at times is not coping with AFL or Cricket let alone an Olympics, no spectator lifts, escalators, no female changerooms, field of play needs to be widened to fit an athletics track which will take out more seats, etc. 

The Gabba rebuild will remove all these problems and deliver to Brisbane and South East Queensland a modern accessible bigger stadium suitable for the legacy tenants of AFL and Cricket for decades to come woth an increased capacity of 50,000

It is a New Norm decision because if all these factors and the Stadium is not being built for the Olympics, its being built for legacy tenants of AFL and Cricket. This is entirely within New Norm as has been mentioned by another member here.

Ifa new Olympic specific Stadium was to be built elsewhere for Brisbane 2032 then it could easily fill a 100,000 stadium as Sydney 2000 did.  

But Brissie is not doing that.   It is instead firmly focussed on a delivering a new 50,000 connected, accessible, modern stadium in central Brisbane for AFL and Cricket.