actually EC, good post,

Its an absolute joke!

What a waste of 100M. AAMI does the job it is supposed to do... it doesnt need upgrading.

How about putting all that money into grassroots sports.

They wonder why there is an obesity epidemic, then they chuck 100M into AAMI so people can sit on their asses and eat $14 pies.

I think you'd be in the minority if you think that AAMI doesn't need upgrading. That's why there has been so much talk about a new stadium in the CBD, this current one needs some major work to bring it up to standard. And even what is currently planned might not be enough.

Especially when there is so much talk about us trying to get the World Cup (which I personally think is silly, but that's for another day!) and the standards that need to be met with that.

if the government spent money on fixing up the dome, they may as well make it a mult-functional facility. why only basketball, especially when it only sees any action during the weekend, which with the junior games is still not really enough. it needs to be able to be used for other functions, which it clearly is not. best bet would be to blow the joint up, build new stadium for basketball in city, or alot closer to it.

Good post ricey I've often said the dome would have been better off as a 10 court stadium near ETSA Park, Santos Stadium area. Most juniors matches could be played there, with a main court area for the 36ers. Just my thoughts.

And what about the 2.5mill given to each SANFL club to help them out.

Why does AFL get all the love? How many women play AFL? You cant represent Australia playing AFL, you can not compete in the Olympics with AFL, hell even in AFL they still give you a point if you miss the goal.

The old bread & circus routine is still alive and well from the Roman era.

Imagine what could be acheived if the $100 million was channeled towards the major junior sports. B/ Ball, Netball, Hockey, Tennis, ect would be given a huge boost by this type of funding. Imagine what we could achieve in this state if half of that monety was given to SASI?

Instead our government is handing over $100 million to one of the most attended and profitable sporting organisations in Australia and thats after it made a big song and dance regarding the few million it was loosing on the Dome.

How much did the AFL sign their last TV sponsorship deal for? Was it between $600 & $700 million?

The SANFL does not need the money, but if they do want to do renovations, bloody pay for them yourselves!

AAMI stadium is a disgrace in terms of national sporting venues. I agree $100M would be unlikely to bring it up to scratch. It should never have been built on a reclaimed swamp 15 kilometres from the city in the first place.

A multi-purpose venue in west parklands would be to the long term advantage of all South Australians, whether you like AFL or not. However, there are too many self-interested parties involved in every aspect of the political and sporting culture in SA (the SACA, SANFL, Parklands Preservation Idiots) for anything truly foward-thinking to ever occur.

Julius, the highest particpation sports for juniors are netball and soccer.

I think its quite hilarious that 4 or 5 AFL men and politicians are standing on AAMI stadium discussing the football (soccer) World Cup. It will never be played there, the stadium doesn't meet requirements with out many more millions of dollars of upgrades.

It does seem quite unfair that a self-sustaining industry can receive $100 million of taxpayers money, whereas other sports that have struggled receive zilch. More than one sport is played in SA.

I'd love to see basketball get some of that money too, but do you even need to give the sport money to improve the Dome? Just release its owner-of-the-moment from (council-related?) restrictions so it can freely pitch for other events and become more financially viable. AFAIK, it's quite crippled by who owns what land, what the venue and land can be used for, etc.

Hey Libertine, no probs with soccer juniors. $100 million split between junior sports sure would help or a huge injection of funds into SASI would probably benifit all.

And the government in their wisdom are giving the Crows & Power $2.5 million each. What the hell for???

I have found that people are more comfortable giving money to viable and strong businesses that will use that money usefully and competently, than to throw money for band-aid solutions at struggling and incompetent administrations that can't keep their own house in order. Success breeds success, which is why the AFL is going from strength to strength.

No point in being jealous of that success, or of money being thrown at building a world-class facility for them (notwithstanding that AAMI will never be world class). God knows, and the government knows, that the SANFL will at least use the facilities and use them well, and will in so doing keep creating economies across the state (as has been said, AFL is BIG business).

Basketball needs to get its shit together and try to start emulating the success of the average middle of the road business before anyone should start thinking of throwing any more good money after bad. It would be better if basketball administrations even presented a fascade of a competentcy, but they fail time and time again to do so. Why would anyone at this point in time, who is not an absolute fanatic of the sport (and there are fewer of them all the time), throw enough money at basketball to make a difference?

There are some great comments in the advertiser today from swiming and hockey represenatatives too.

Swimming rep makes the point that AAMI is for spectators and not for public use / benefit. The aquatic centre is used by 700,000 people a year where as AAMI hosts about 400,000 spectators a year.

Hockey rep makes the point that there are 2000 players per hockey pitch in south australia where as in other states that number is about 200-300 per pitch.

Imagine if we had 2000 players per court, yikes!

This topic is interesting especially post #188506...

How good would a $14 pie be right now

mmmm... $14 Pie