Kissing Newlands goodbye
8 Feb 2010
Western Province rugby must move to Cape Town Stadium in Green Point.
While the WPRFU has insisted they will be staying at Newlands post-2010, Saturday’s fixture between Boland and the Stormers could force them to reconsider.
It was impossible for the 40 000 people who attended the pre-season game not to draw comparisons between the new stadium and WP’s home ground on the other side of Table Mountain. Quite simply, the one is modern, light and uplifting, while the other is old-fashioned, dark and depressing.
After the match, Stormers coach Allister Coetzee praised Cape Town Stadium’s excellent facilities and said he felt like they were playing overseas, while referee Mark Lawrence said the pitch was the best he’d ever experienced.
Those fans who I chatted to were also extremely impressed with the venue, from the five-star toilets to the concourse level that allows you to walk around the entire stadium in a few minutes to the translucent roof that covers every seat to the excellent sound system.
Parking wasn’t a problem as fans could leave their cars at the Cape Town Convention Centre and take a shuttle to the stadium a couple of kilometres away, while those who wanted to braai after the game could do so on the surrounding sports fields.
Traditionalists will baulk at the prospect of Newlands being consigned to history, but they need to put sentiment aside and get with the times. Just because Newlands has been the home of WP rugby for over a hundred years doesn’t mean WP should have to play there for another hundred.
Imagine if the Wellington Rugby Union had listened to traditionalists and decided to stay put at the old Athletic Park rather than move to Westpac Stadium – a modern, world-class venue that is closer to the city centre. Imagine if the Welsh Rugby Union had listened to traditionalists and renovated the old Cardiff Arms Park rather than build the Millennium Stadium, which is now regarded as the best rugby ground in the world.
Newlands is inevitably going to suffer the same fate as those other rugby relics, and it’s time WP administrators accept this. They need to start preparing for the future, and the future of WP rugby – whether they like it or not – is in Green Point.
By Simon Borchardt
Photo © Rory Ross/HSM Images
167 Comments
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8 Feb 2010, 10:12 am
Simon this has been the most thoughtless article surrounding the issue I have ever read.
It is an emotional reasoning to a situation that has massive financial implications.
Let’s consider the following.
CPT Stadium has two entry points, along the road either entering from CPT CBD or Green Point area.
You park about 5km away from the stadium and take a bus ride to the stadium (do they charge for this?)
The CPT stadium only seats about 15K people more than Newlands??? Have I got that about right?
Most importantly, Newlands is wholly owned by WPRFU which effectively means it is wholly owned by the clubs of WPRFU.
Sure selling this off will give them a great capital boost from the sales, but at what recurrent cost for renting the CPT stadium and competing with other codes like soccer (of which CPT has two teams in the SPL)?
Your reason for WP Rugby moving from what I read is because the CPT stadium is prettier???
8 Feb 2010, 10:14 am
Glad I’m not a WP supporter. But as a Bulls supporter, I guess I’m in favour of the move. From what I’ve read, it is not a rugby stadium so much as a soccer stadium.
And the fact that the crowd is so far from the action means that the atmosphere will be so much more accommodating for visiting teams. I expect my Bulls will find it far easier to play there than at the “highly atmospheric” Newlands.
So go ahead, move, by all means.
8 Feb 2010, 10:16 am
@PissAnt: In my view, watching rugby at the Cape Town Stadium is a better experience than watching rugby at Newlands. Of course there will be financial implications, but surely WP can sort something out with Sail StadeFrance (who obviously want WP to move). WP should at least be seriously considering it.
8 Feb 2010, 10:16 am
@PissAnt:
No, apparently after the World Cup the 68000 capacity will be reduced to 55000 or something along those lines – if I heard the CEO guy correctly on Boots and All the other night. So no real advantage over Newlands in terms of capacity.
Basically, Simon is willing to throw away 100 years of tradition – for which he feels squat in any case – just so that he can sit in a more comfortable press box.
8 Feb 2010, 10:17 am
@Tacitus: Funnily enough, the crowd at Green Point isn’t far away from the action (and every seat has a decent view of the field).
8 Feb 2010, 10:20 am
@Simon:
So are the front rows as close to the field as at Newlands then? Because on TV, it looked like there was a significant strip of grass behind the dead ball line, and extensive open space next to the touchlines as well.
8 Feb 2010, 10:20 am
@Simon:
Did you sit in the press box or the stands?
@Tacitus:
Forgot about that, some of the seating there for the SWC is only temp and they will building more hospitality suites.
I have been to the stadium, it is beautiful but in my view, let soccer have it and get the odd open air concert there to boost funds.
I enjoy the rugby at Newlands personally thanks.
8 Feb 2010, 10:23 am
@PissAnt: I sat in various ‘fans’ seats around the stadium before the game and the press box during the game.
8 Feb 2010, 10:23 am
@Tacitus:
The one touch line (main pavilion) is a bit further from the grass as there is a astro-turf like surface for players to warm-up sit.
Each and every seat in the staduim is no more than 196 meters from the action (or something like that) which is apparently the studied, best distance to follow sport from.
There are also no pillars in the stadium for a full 360 view from every angle and seat.
Engineering wise it is a beautiful stadium. But rugby in a bowl does not have the same effect for me.
8 Feb 2010, 10:25 am
@Simon:
One big screen wasn’t working and that is the smallest scoreboard I have ever seen.
There’s no music at injury time.
Newlands for me any day.
8 Feb 2010, 10:26 am
First WP then The Sharks, death of the famous RSA rugby ‘in your face’ rectangular stadiums.
8 Feb 2010, 10:26 am
@Tacitus:
We sat in the fourth row, and we were pretty close to the action, Tac.
The front row people were very close to the players come lineout time.
8 Feb 2010, 10:26 am
@PissAnt:
It’s the exact same issue as the new Port Elizabeth stadium. Built at a cost of billions, without proper post world cup feasibility analysis. So now that they have incurred the costs they use it as a form of blackmail to force other sporting codes to help them pay for it.
Hence the Spears/Kings argument, and the heavy push to move WP out of Newlands. In my view, if soccer can’t pay for it, then that’s their problem. They should rather have upgraded existing stadia – as they did to Loftus – than waste money on unnecessary new ones.
Look, if WP sell Newlands, they’ll probably make hundreds of millions and instantly become the riches union in the country. But do they really want to lose their home and rely on a rented venue in future?
8 Feb 2010, 10:26 am
I’ve been to a few grounds but Newlands take the cake by a mile, cant buy tradition
8 Feb 2010, 10:27 am
@Simon:
You never sat where I was.
Goodness did we bake in the sun.
8 Feb 2010, 10:28 am
Nevertheless …………..
THAT STADIUM IS KWAAI.
8 Feb 2010, 10:29 am
@Simon:
I would agree that the press boxes in Newlands are not ideal, and is better in the new stadium, obviously the facilities will be spectacular too since its brand new.
But the bowl effect in rugby really does not work for me.
Apart from the financial implications to consider the access to the stadium concerns me.
I will be very wary to park my car in the center of CPT on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons and evenings and catch a bus to the stadium (apart from the fact that I hate busses and public transport in general).
There are no real benefit as to supporter numbers coming through the gates either.
The only real ‘gain’ from all this is that we now play rugby in a prettier stadium.
If you think of what is gained, and what is lost with a move like this, it makes little sense to me personally.
Rather spend a few million over the next 10 years to upgrade facilities at Newlands then a few million every year renting a ‘new’ stadium which is effectively pissing money into the water (renting).
Looking at the pro’s and con’s – does not make sense.
8 Feb 2010, 10:29 am
@Dawn:
The scoreboard doesn’t have the teams, the time elapsed, etc etc.
Just … the score.
8 Feb 2010, 10:30 am
Simon – I must disagree with you on this one mate. Tradition – is everything in rugby, as with a few other sporting codes too. Just go ask any golfer if the US Masters should move from Augusta; or if Wimbledon should move from Wimbledon??
Newlands is also wholly-owned by the WPRFU – and is our traditional home for over 120 years. It is perfect for the needs of rugby – and, by being wholly-owned, free from the ‘influence’ of whatever political entity who may be running the city council at the time. Why should rugby have to bail soccer out – when upgrading Newlands for the SWC was an option – and much, much cheaper than the multi-billion Rand white elephant in Green Point.
Anyways – rugby people will decide. And rugby people have chosen to stay at Newlands. What happens to the GP stadium is of no concern to rugby.
8 Feb 2010, 10:30 am
@PissAnt:
There were considerable queues for the busses but they moved quickly though.
And the busses were the old ones. Would’ve thought there’d be the new ones.
8 Feb 2010, 10:32 am
@Nick Armstrong:
The stadium was built for 2010 soccer.
Not rugby.
We were part of the guinea pig process.
8 Feb 2010, 10:32 am
@Tacitus:
The problem you guys in PE and the Sharks boys sit with is they still rent their stadiums from the local municipality, Newlands or WP rugby does not.
So they can be ‘forced’ to move (by not renewing rental agreements or contracts) whereas WP rugby cannot be bullied in this sense.
Clubs (thank God) decided they are not moving.
And I agree, you cannot sell 100 years for something that just looks and feels prettier…
Rugby is not about pretty…
8 Feb 2010, 10:33 am
@Simon:
Yo Simon.
How do I get shares in HAM.
8 Feb 2010, 10:33 am
@Dawn: Those problems will be sorted out before the World Cup, according to Morne du Plessis (chairman of Sail Stade France)
8 Feb 2010, 10:35 am
@Dawn:
Looking that some games will end at 21:00 only, it might mean you have to catch a bus at 21:30 or 22:00 just to get to your car, in the CBD of Cape Town…
Although our city is pretty safe I am sorry, I am not comfortable with that.
8 Feb 2010, 10:36 am
Hou dop…
Cut and Paste this……..
(Sail / Vodacom ….. Johan Rupert)
(CT / Greenpoint Stadium ….. Johan Rupert)
They will “outbid” Newlands for the tests….. nou dop!
It’s gonna happen……
Mark my words…
Let’s talk in 5 years.
8 Feb 2010, 10:36 am
@PissAnt:
Just to clarify: I don’t have any problems, I just sit back and enjoy the circus. My team have scored big time out of the world cup – they got their stadium, which they own, upgraded in a package deal. Now there’s an extra roof on the East Stand.
Great stuff. What the other unions do, well, that’s their problem. I’m glad to hear WP are sticking to their guns. Seems like the Sharks are in trouble, though.
8 Feb 2010, 10:36 am
Gee jou hart vir Nuweland
8 Feb 2010, 10:38 am
nou – hou
8 Feb 2010, 10:38 am
@PissAnt:
Cape Town CBD is pretty safe, PissAnt, especially if there will be same, continued police presence we saw on Saturday at every future game.
8 Feb 2010, 10:40 am
@WP Till I Die:
Can’t guarantee that SAP presence though.
8 Feb 2010, 10:41 am
@Staal: Exactly. It’s like how Sydney Tests are played at the Olympic Stadium and not the Sydney Football Stadium.
8 Feb 2010, 10:41 am
@Staal:
Tests are afforded to home unions, not locations or enterprises.
Therefore tests are given the WPRFU – where they decide to play the tests of course is up to them.
@WP Till I Die:
I drive through CBD daily, I know our city is relatively safe, but with the influx of traffic (people in this case moving from cars to bus drop off and pick up points) so to will you see an increase in crime – simple statistics game.
BTW, police presence is something quite different from the batton wielding security guys we see lots of in CPT.
8 Feb 2010, 10:42 am
@Dawn:
Yip. Not the SAP.
But the SAPS, yes.
(SAP is so 1980s, kind of like Shaun Langenhoven’s thinking)
8 Feb 2010, 10:43 am
@PissAnt:
Yeesh
Leaving stadium on Saturday was like being in Apocalyse Now.
Helicopters clattering overhead every 30 seconds.
8 Feb 2010, 10:44 am
@PissAnt:
Pissant it’s more than just the sentimental aspect, it the whole experience factor, having the resturants, pubs in the V&A, Greenpoint area , the ease of accessibilty to and out of the stadium (although some work still needs to be done), makes it a more “attractive” package.
Getting to and out of Newlands has become a rather unpleasant experience.
We have a world class facilty, why not embarce it ?
The only reason of staying at Newlands would be the tradition and sentimetal aspect, it will bbe sad to move, but I really believe it is time to move on !!
8 Feb 2010, 10:45 am
@Dawn:
Hehe…
Expectedly too, like you said everything is tested for the SWC.
My concern is, once that is done, will we see the same being applied?
8 Feb 2010, 10:45 am
embarce =embrace
8 Feb 2010, 10:46 am
I remember a case study from economics some years ago where the whole fallacy of building new stadia and supposed corresponding economic growth was exposed.
It came from the US, where politicians campaigned to build a new baseball stadium in some city. They loudly proclaimed all the supposed advantages: All the ticket sales, stalls, sporting activity and music concerts etc. would generate huge income for the city, and more than pay off the hundreds of millions of dollars it cost to build the thing.
But, as it turned out, there was no net increase in the city’s economic activity. All it did, was transfer consumer spending from existing activities in the city to the new one. So what the city gained from the new stadium, it lost in expenditure on older stadia and the restaurants, pubs and other business that were now being visited less frequently by people who were visiting the new stadium.
So the bottomline was nil total gain for the city, but they still sat with the hundreds of millions of debt incurred to erect the new stadium. So in short, a net loss was incurred, at taxpayer’s expense, or whoever funded the whole deal.
A lot of excitement over hot air, in the end. The city as a whole lost out. Now multiply that across the entire South Africa, and you get the net effect of the world cup.
The Newlands/Greenpoint issue is just a micro-level example of the larger scale fiasco.
8 Feb 2010, 10:46 am
@PissAnt:
I suppose I’m biased, since it’s the very same streets I patrol when I do reservist shifts.
I just think it could work out nicely if you have a properly policed pedestrian walkway all the way from the stadium to the train station, the train station is then kept open till late at night with night trains (properly policed ones) running.
People can then leave their cars at home, jump on trains which will have a nice vibe with lots of rugby supporters on it. Plus you cut the whole drink-driving angle out (to an extent)…
8 Feb 2010, 10:46 am
@PissAnt: Don’t wanna argue this,
You can “Cut and Paste” my comments – let’s talk in 5 years.
If i was wrong – you can tell me i was stupid.
If you were wrong…
i’ll just say “I told you so”
Hou dop..
Tradition counts for NOTHING when sieriaaaaas money is involved…..
Why keep on driving my 1963 Datsun bakkie when i can buy a Landcruiser 200 Series?????
It’s ganna happen…. hou dop!
8 Feb 2010, 10:47 am
@justrugby:
When last did you walk around Newlands and Clarement adjacent to Newlands?
There are plenty of Pubs and Restaurants in the area, including a moer of a mall too.
Parking has never been a problem – or rather, it is a relative problem of which the new stadium also has access problem relative to the stadium themselves.
The only reason to stay at Newlands is not only tradition or sentiment, as I mentioned earlier, Newlands is wholly owned by WPRFU, renting the new stadium is a waste of money compared to something you already own outright.
8 Feb 2010, 10:51 am
@Staal:
Well unless I am wrong which I do not think I am, then tell me I am wrong.
Tests are afforded to home unions, not private enterprises. That is the way SA Rugby works.
What could well happen is that SA Rugby makes it impossible for WPRFU to host a test, from the securities aspect unions has to pay SA Rugby in order to host a test, but then, why do that?
As mentioned, there is very little to choose between the two in the first place.
Unions hardly make millions from hosting tests these days.
8 Feb 2010, 10:52 am
@WP Till I Die:
Sorreeeeeeee
8 Feb 2010, 10:52 am
@PissAnt: i posted something regarding the finances of Wp/Stomers last week…
do you know that the Stormers bugdget was not approved by Vodacom / Sail…. do you maybe know why?
8 Feb 2010, 10:53 am
@WP Till I Die:
If we sort out public access and transport, then perhaps yes.
But then for my money, WPRFU needs to purchase a majority stake in the new stadium (from the sale of Newlands) for this to be financially viable.
I am not sentimental about Newlands in the least, but it makes little sense to me at this point in time.
8 Feb 2010, 10:53 am
@PissAnt:
To be honest, WPRFU has been selling off assets for a few years now…
I understand your point, but there is also the potential of a massive capital injection once you sell Newlands (for which there have been numerous offers).
Cape Town Stadium requires WPRFU to come to the party for it to be commercially viable, and Council realises this, so the WPRFU are in a pretty decent position to negotiate any eventual move to CT Stadium.
They might be able to secure very advantageous rental rates.
8 Feb 2010, 10:53 am
Eish …. now i am debating the point!
8 Feb 2010, 10:54 am
If you rent a stadium, are you allowed to paint your emblem on the seats (like the Bulls daisy at Loftus), erect a massive bronze statue of your team mascot (like the Bronze Bull in front of Loftus) and generally tailor the stadium to project the image of it being the “home” of your team?
Or do you just rock up on matchday – much like the visiting team – get kitted up and run out onto the field, ready to do battle on a neutral feeling ground?
8 Feb 2010, 10:55 am
@Staal:
Missed your post so I have no idea but can easily find out.
What I can tell you and which is no secret, is that WP Rugby has been in financial **** for a couple of years now only surviving for my money and what I noticed by selling off assets.
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