The Amazing Adelaide Oval

Walking around in Adelaide on a balmy autumn’s evening and there’s a whiff of change in the air. The city is alive with restaurant patrons packed onto footpaths, shoppers strolling through a rejuvenated Rundle Mall and bars buzzing with beer-guzzling revelers.

Adelaide’s general overall awesomeness is noteworthy in itself but it is its new crowning glory that everyone is raving about, and rightly so. Of course I’m talking about the amazing Adelaide Oval.

I must admit I was wrong. I thought it wouldn’t work and was somewhat attached to the Crows’ spiritual home of Football Park. Truth be told it was an out of touch, hard to reach and rapidly aging stadium.

Adelaide now boasts the newest sporting arena in Australia and boy, it is a work of art! But this isn’t just a shiny new toy for the folk about town to play with, it’s the heartbeat of the city, of the state even.

There’s a certain pulse about the place when the footy’s on. People march proudly with their colours on, through the picturesque north end of the city, past the Festival Theatre and over the River Torrens. The walk up to the Oval’s gates is simply breathtaking. It just feels so good.

Of course it doesn’t stop there at the stadium’s surrounds. If you were picking this book by its cover you would not be disappointed by the beautiful story on the inside. Illuminated elevators, much like the MCG, ferry fans up into the rafters. Where storey-high glass walls frame the flock of scurrying supporters outside.

Once you reach the top tier you’re greeted by the most sensational sweeping city views. The concourse is open giving you a sense of freedom and the ability to enjoy Adelaide’s fresh autumn air.

Furthermore the stadium’s seated experience does not disappoint.  At AAMI Stadium you felt a mile away from the footy and despite the distance the elevation was no better, whereas at Adelaide Oval you literally feel on top of the play.

The advantages here are the ability to fully see the game unfold. Every positional change, every switch of play, every deep mark in the far pocket, you can see it all. Importantly you certainly aren’t too far away to give the umpire a pointer or two.

Speaking of shouting, the sound at the stadium is something else. The concave stand roofs keep all the noise in, creating the most electrifying atmosphere. The best at a footy game I’ve ever experienced. The sound as the Crows took on Collingwood rivalled that of a packed out One Direction concert with tens of thousands of screaming teenage girls.

It was that loud you couldn’t hear the person next to you let alone the half-time siren as Josh Jenkins snuck through that goal.

What isn’t there to like about the new and improved Adelaide Oval? I’ll be honest, not much. Perhaps the slow stampede back into the city post game. But hey, we can’t help that the city is just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Oval precinct.

Adelaide is a better city for the revived Adelaide Oval. If you haven’t been there yet I highly recommend you make the effort to get down there and experience its amazingness first hand. You won’t regret it.

About Anne Fedorowytsch

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