Asian Cup legacy needs to be facilities

HUNTER Stadium was confirmed on Wednesday as one of five venues for the 2015 Asian Cup, offering the city an unprecedented television reach of billions in 84 countries.

Two pool games, a semi-final, possibly featuring the Socceroos, and the play-off for third place will be staged in Newcastle during the three-week festival from January 9 to 31.

The Asian Cup is the biggest sporting event in Australia since the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the biggest football event the nation has staged.

More than 500,000 spectators, including 45,000 from overseas, are expected to attend 32 games, pouring millions of dollars into the economy.

Newcastle, which will host pool games on January 12 and 17, is the only non-capital host city. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra are the other venues.

Hunter Stadium will host a semi-final on January 27 and the third-place play-off on January 30. 

The semi-final will feature the Socceroos if they finish second in their pool and win their quarter-final.

The tournament comprises 16 national teams from Asia and the Middle East. 

Japan, South Korea and North Korea have already qualified.

 ‘‘Our major trading partners, and over half of the world’s population will be focused on Newcastle,’’ said Newcastle MP Tim Owen, who was part of a joint delegation between state and federal governments, Newcastle City Council and Venues NSW, which formulated the successful bid. ‘‘This is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our city and this magnificent region.’’

Newcastle has a long and proud football heritage. 

Minmi Rangers, formed in 1884 at what was then known as Kelly’s Paddock, was the region’s foundation club.

A year later, Lambton Park hosted the first recognised match between teams representing south of Lambton and north of Lambton.

Northern NSW Football, in which Newcastle is central, has developed into one of the most influential regions in Australian football, boasting more than 50,000 registered players and an honour roll of 97 Socceroos and 27 Matildas, headed by  Ray Baartz and Cheryl Salisbury.

The Newcastle Jets, with 11,311, have the second largest membership in the A-League behind Melbourne Victory.

The Socceroos beat New Zealand 3-0 in 1997 at Breakers Stadium, now The  Gardens greyhound track, in the last international played in Newcastle.

Australian Asian Cup organiser Michael Brown said the hosting rights recognised the region’s importance on the football landscape.

‘‘I was asked ‘Why Newcastle?’’’ he said.‘‘The answer was very simple: 30,000 participants, two A-League teams this side of the Hawkesbury, a really engaged community and people passionate about their sport.

‘‘If the event is going to leave a legacy, it needs passionate people driving that through communities and business opportunities.’’

Newcastle federal MP Sharon Grierson said the global audience presented an unprecedented opening: ‘‘It will leverage economic, diplomatic, trade and social benefits if we get it right.’’

Northern NSW Football chief executive David Eland said the timing of the event was ideal.

Northern is lobbying the state government for $7.3million for its proposed $11.3million elite training centre at Speers Point Park.

‘‘The enduring legacy of the Asian Cup needs to be in facilities,’’ Mr Eland said.

‘‘We certainly hope that Wanderers Oval (at Broadmeadow), which has been identified as a training venue, gets a significant investment.

‘‘The other massive opportunity for us is the pre-competition camp.

‘‘Now we have games and there is going to be a semi-final, I hope we have some of the big nations fighting each other to be based here.

‘‘That is why the elite facility at Speers Point is vital.’’