+ Submit additional information or a correction to this venue
Also known as: Telstra Stadium, Stadium Australia
Seating Plan Location: Click here to view image
Ground Details: The premier Rugby League venue in Australia. Purpose built for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, the NRL has been using the stadium since its opening in 1999.
The first team to use the venue as a home ground was the Canterbury Bulldogs in 1999.
Capacity: 83,500
Wikipedia: Telstra Stadium, formerly Stadium Australia, is a multi-purpose stadium located in Homebush, Sydney, Australia which opened in March 1999. The stadium was originally built at a cost of $600 million to host the 2000 Summer Olympics.
The National Rugby League (NRL) holds its Grand Final at the stadium. NRL games are also played throughout the regular season. The stadium also plays host to the annual Rugby League State of Origin series between New South Wales and Queensland.
In 2002, the stadium went through a major reconfiguration, as to allow cricket and Australian Rules Football to be played at the ground. The athletics track was removed and a moveable seating section was introduced in its place. The moveable section is removed for sports that require an oval field, such as cricket and Australian Rules. Also as part of the reconfiguration, seats that had a poor view of the field were removed.
Before the reconfiguration the stadium could hold 110,000 spectators, making it the largest Olympic Stadium ever. After the reconfiguration the capacity was reduced to 83,500 for a rectangular field and 73,000 for an oval field. In 2003 roofs were added over the North and South stands, which means that now 90% of all seating is under cover.
The 2003 Rugby Union World Cup held its Semi-Finals and Final at Telstra Stadium.
Other websites on the web that contain information on this venue: 
Clubs who have used this venue as a home ground are listed below:
Competitions this venue has been used in.
Australian Stadiums: Telstra Stadium, formally known as Stadium Australia, was the centrepiece of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. No other outdoor stadium used for the Olympics had been bigger than the stadium at the time of the games. Four Boeing 747s would fit side-by-side under the span of the main arches of the grandstands. The original capacity was 110,000, however post-games renovations has reduced this to 83,500.
Specially designed for the unique Australian environment, the stadium is one of the few in the world which effectively shades and protects most spectators, without the need for a claustrophobic and grass-killing fully enclosed dome. Suspended from a huge arch structure and three hectares in area, the roof is constructed from translucent polycarbonate to minimise the shadows and patches of direct sunlight on the playing area. This will create ideal conditions for TV presentations and for spectators.
The Olympic Stadium's design includes state-of-the-art environmental features that make it a showcase of ecological responsibility. Its energy management strategy reduces the use of conventional electric power through measures such as natural lighting, two gas-fired co-generation engines, and energy-efficient lighting. All materials have been selected for their contribution to minimising pollution, conserving resources, and their durability. Significant waste management and water-saving measures are also in place.
Telstra Stadium has hosted many major sporting events since it opened in 1999. These include major Soccer matches including the Socceroos vs. Brazil and Manchester United, major Rugby Union matches including the Wallabies vs. British & Irish Lions and the Bledisloe Cup vs. New Zealand, Rugby League fixtures including NRL double headers and Grand Finals, the first of which drew a record league crowd of 110,000, state or origin and international matches, as well as an American NFL pre-season game between the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos. It also plays host to Australian Football with the Sydney Swans playing a few games at the venue each year, and Cricket will make it's debut in 2003.
The stadium has had major redevelopment work done throughout 2001 and 2002 to reduce the size and convert the playing field into an oval shape to enable Australian Football to be played. Stage two of the project was completed in March 2002 and included the removal of the two stands at either end, remodelling of the lower level of seating into an oval shape. Stage two of the project will include a roof at either end which used to be occupied by the two large stands, as seen in the photo to the above, this will be completed in 2003.
Telstra, the major Australian communications company, purchased the rights to Stadium Australia in July 2002 for exclusive naming rights of the stadium until 2009 with further options, they also purchased the rights to Melbourne's Colonial Stadium which is now the Telstra Dome.
Source: http://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/stadiums.php?id=121
More information: http://www.telstrastadium.com.au/index.aspx?link_id=1.109
ANZ Stadium (Sydney)
rleague UK Edition
rleague RSS Feed
