Tasmania seeks to emulate South Australia’s success with Adelaide Oval to boost sport, culture, and infrastructure development.

Article text by Professor Tim Harcourt, Chief Economist, Centre for Sport, Business and Society, UTS

I first met Peter Malinauskas, the 47th Premier of South Australia through a footy connection. We both played for the Adelaide University Football Club (AUFC) in the South Australian Amateur (Aussie Rules) Football competition.

The AUFC or “The Blacks” is one of the largest open age football clubs in the country and the home of well-known Adelaide personalities Rulebook, Fred ‘Chocka’ Bloch and Bob Neil. I was a guest speaker at the past-players lunch for the club, and Peter, a rising star in the trade union movement (and then, a brand-new father) kindly showed up to my talk despite being on paternity leave.

The Blacks are a very egalitarian footy club with over 10 sides most seasons, with the bottom side, affectionately known as ‘The Scum’, treated with the same disrespect as the top side. It turned out that Peter and I both played for the Scum. In fact, later, when he was Premier, he introduced me at a SANFL Grand Final function as a “Chosen in the back pocket ‘The Scum’s’ team of the century.” I couldn’t think of a better accolade than that!

We also had other things in common — getting our first jobs in supermarkets (Peter at the Woollies at Mitcham shopping centre and me at Coles Arkaba nearby), both being members of the shop assistants union (the SDA, Peter was later State Secretary), and we also crossed paths when I later worked for his predecessor as Labor Premier, Hon. Jay Weatherill.

Peter Malinauskas is a political talent, extremely popular with a great feel for what the electorate is thinking. Jay Weatherill once described him as “the IVF politician. If you wanted to create a perfect politician, you’d put all those ingredients in a test tube and out would come Peter Malinauskas.”

So we have much in common, but it is footy – and Footynomics – that brings us together again. After all, footy and sport in general are helping to transform a state and city economically, as it has led to regular business and cultural events uplifting South Australia’s visitor economy. And much of that is due to redevelopment of the magnificent Adelaide Oval in the heart of the city.

Adelaide Oval Redevelopment

Like the Premier, I was a junior member of the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA), and watched most Sheffield Games, One Day games and Test Matches at the beautiful Adelaide Oval. But in those days, SACA ran Adelaide Oval as a bastion of cricket — major football matches in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) were played out at Football Park in West Lakes in the western suburbs of Adelaide.

The redevelopment of Adelaide Oval to the magnificent multi-sport and entertainment venue it is today took a herculean effort by the State Government, especially given initial opposition from many SACA Members.

As the Premier explained to me:

“Probably one of the most difficult tests… was a critical, I think it was over 75% of SACA members had to vote in favour of constitutional change… Yet it happened and now I think everybody looks back on all those debates and wonders what we’re ever arguing about.”

According to the Premier, the ‘naysayers disappeared’ after seeing the results. He draws a parallel to the Hobart stadium project:

“I hope that in Tasmania and Hobart, they get to experience the same satisfaction… It was real opposition at the time, but once it was done, it was self-evident to everybody that this stood on its own two feet.”

Economic Success of Gather Round

The impact of the Adelaide Oval redevelopment is most evident during Gather Round — when all 18 AFL teams play across South Australia over one long weekend.

According to Port Adelaide Chairman David Koch, Peter Malinauskas gave “an extraordinary presentation” to win the hosting rights for SA.

The Premier, however, credits the fans:

“I think the people who deserve the most credit with Gather Round are footy fans themselves, particularly those who have travelled from interstate.”

The Power of Proximity

The Premier emphasises the geographic advantage of Adelaide Oval:

“For people to be able to literally walk out of Adelaide Oval across a footbridge and then be in the epicentre of our hospitality district just brings a unique vibe… It’s the event that overwhelms the city.”

This central location is something the Hobart stadium project seeks to emulate.

Tourism and Business Events Platform

Events like Gather Round are critical to Adelaide’s economy:

“We have to work hard. We have to fight to generate the attention that we deserve… Events give us a platform to do that.”

These events not only boost tourism but also elevate the state’s reputation as a place for business and investment.

Funding Essential Services

Critics argue that investment in stadiums comes at the cost of essential services. The Premier disagrees:

“We invest in these events to generate economic activity that then underpins the investment in important services like health and education.”

Sporting, Cultural and Business Synergy

The combination of sporting, cultural, and business events has spurred hotel and accommodation development:

“On its own, business events won’t underpin new hotel developments… But together it does.”

This integrated approach continues to fuel Adelaide’s growth and attractiveness.

The Premier as a Footy Fan

Peter Malinauskas still plays for The Blacks in the Amateur League and strongly supports the Tasmania Devils joining the AFL:

“I desperately hope that the Tasmanian team happens… I, for one, will absolutely visit Hobart when Port goes down there to play.”

So expect to see the Premier in a black, teal and white scarf at Hobart’s stadium in 2028 when the Devils run out to play Port Adelaide!

Professor Tim Harcourt is Chief Economist for the Centre for Sport, Business and Society at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and host of Footynomics – the Business of Sport TV series on Ticker News.