1 February 2009

Brumbies down the 'canes

| johnboy
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[First filed: January 31, 2009 @ 10:42]

Things were mildly chaotic at Canberra Stadium for the Brumbies’ first game of the year. Almost as if they hadn’t been expecting anyone.

Little things like the toilet gates had been unlocked, but not opened.

When I took my fresh season pass down to find my seats for the year I found them occupied by a fat, angry, and very rude woman who was making some sort of ancestral claim on the seats on behalf of her fat and angry family. With a plenty of empty seats available it didn’t seem worth fighting over so I retreated, for now, to the general admission seats by the try-line.

Getting a beer was also problematic with just two bars open. In the picture you can see where the line for food and the line for beer intersected.

And despite the Tooheys signage and sponsorship they were selling Boags (no great hardship there unless you’d smuggled in Tooheys to match the usual brew).

But ten minutes after kickoff we were in decent seats with a drink in hand and all was well with the world on a balmy summer’s evening.

The Brumbies have a comprehensive match report up which no doubt you’ll see reproduced as sport reporting through the next week.

Clyde Rathbone’s rousing break suggested he’s still got a bit left to give if he can stay fit, and both Phibbs and Holmes scored tries from halfback to keep the ‘Canes guessing.

It’s dangerous to read too much into a trial game, but a solid trial win is better than a thumping. It might just be a good season for the ponies.

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“As for pushbikes, I know on the way out you can duck onto Gunghalin Drive at that signposted break in the fence, and then turn right onto Ginnanderra Drive, but what’s the best way to ride in and avoid the traffic?”

Yes from the Inner North there is a bike path off Dryandra street Lyneham near the Macarthur Ave end that goes through the bush and under Gunghalin drive straight to Canberra Stadium. A lot of people walk through there to the games as well.

fat angry rude ones
I can understand “angry rude ones”, as they are unlikable personality characteristics, but what’s with “fat”? You didn’t mention colour of skin, height or how ugly she was. Are you fat-ist?

Well, I for one don’t like sitting near children, so, umm, thanks for staying where you were…

Fair points Mr PC. However, from memory, I counted at least 2 concession stands, an alcohol outlet, a coffee outlet and the snow cones supplier all open on the western side. That’s pretty much all there is. On the eastern (Gregan/Larkham) side, there was a bar open for cold beer, but no food or ice creams for the kids. If the sun/glare was an issue for staff, the southern or northern concession stands could have been opened. In any event, the merchandise stall on the eastern side was open and the staff didn’t seem to be suffering heat stroke.

Why did we sit on the eastern side? Because we are season ticket holders who sit with a bunch of other people. Yes, we could have moved, but that sort of defeats the purpose of why we buy season tickets for the same seats each year – to catch up and enjoy the community spirit. We pay months in advance for the privilege of keeping these tickets year in, year out and don’t appreciate being treated like second class fans. We also don’t appreciate having to move a bunch of small children and their bags etc up and down stairs too much – I presume the Stadium’s insurers would share our thoughts on this one. If the Brumbies/Canberra Stadium had advised us of the non-opening of the concession stands and sent us replacement tickets for the Western stand ahead of time, we would have happily moved. Either they want families at the games or they don’t. Muddle-headed decisions like this don’t work in their favour.

Not all of the concession stands on the eastern side were open either – only two.

OK, I’m not that familar with the layout of the place or the problems involved in its operation, but it might have had something to do with the heat and glare involved in keeping food cold and staff happy with bright hot sun shining down directly into the concession stand. I don’t think there’s much shelter right up the back of the terraces. If the sun is particularly bad, then keeping the working conditions acceptable would be hard, in a winter sports stadium. Further, if it’s especially warm there, then the refrigerators would struggle to keep food and drinks cold, creating health hazards and leaving customers unhappy with lukewarm beer etc.

I figured the eastern side was the last place I’d want to be for an evening game despite it being further to/from the bus stop, so I asked for “west bowl” seating, and walked around there from the eastern entrance immediately as I arrived.

You could have moved to seating on the Eastern side. There was plenty available near where I was (south eastern 22, bowl seating, back row, right in front of one of the open concession stands).

As for pushbikes, I know on the way out you can duck onto Gunghalin Drive at that signposted break in the fence, and then turn right onto Ginnanderra Drive, but what’s the best way to ride in and avoid the traffic?

And are there any bike loops at all to secure the bike to? Or do you just chain it to a fence post near the entrance?

Steve – can you tell us why the concession outlets on the eastern side were closed, while they were all open on the western side? We (including a 20 month old, a 4 year old and a 5 year old) had to walk over to the western side just to get a cold drink and an ice cream – not an easy task with young ones who aren’t that stable on stairs. This isn’t the way to treat dedicated fans (including season ticket holders and Foundation members) who spend a considerable amount of tickets each year to have a fun family night out. I know this is probably a Canberra Stadium decision, but it is still something that the Brumbies need to know and look out for.

“Or maybe I’ll try a pushbike.”

Push bikes are the go from the Inner North especially in the warmer months and riding back down hill all the way after a few ales is always a laugh haha. Risk of getting it stolen though I suppose while watching the game.

James Squire is owned by Lion Nathan isn’t it? 🙂 It’d be a nice summer evening watching the brumbies with a couple of golden ale’s.

Eek, I mean, ‘rugby union sponsorship’. For all I know they might be heavily into sponsoring different branches of the kick and giggle in other states.

If only Coopers decided to branch out into football sponsorship, I might get to more games…

Thanks Steve,

We’ll be double checking what’s happening with the tickets and will let you know if there’s a problem.

I quite look forward to getting the fat angry rude ones dragged out in a hammerlock by security but want to be extremely sure of my ground first.

Steve_Gregory11:10 pm 31 Jan 09

Johnboy, I’m General Manager of Commercial Operations at Brumbies Rugby. Lion Nathan (owners of the Tooheys New brand)are now focusing on the Boags brand in Canberra for Brumbies. In 2009 the Tooheys New signage will co exist with the Boags product. If you go to other stadiums you often see multiple beer brands advertised so nothing too out of the norm.

I am concerned your seats were occupied, email me at s.gregory@brumbies.com.au this week and I will fix for you.

We love the RiotACT and always appreciate feedback.

Cheers,

Steve Gregory

That was the first yawnion game I have ever gone to. It wasn’t nearly as boring as people made it out to be.

However, given that the ACTION bus back to Civic went fifteen metres from my front door but the driver refused to stop there or at any bus stop along Mouat or Northbourne, instead taking me all the way into Civic where the next bus back to Mouat wasn’t going to arrive for half an hour, I don’t think I’ll bother going to Canberra Stadium again. Even for league.

I’ll just watch the games on TV.

Or maybe I’ll try a pushbike.

JB – Tooheys recently bought Boags.

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