| nib Stadium | |
|---|---|
| Perth Oval | |
| Former names | Loton Park, Members Equity Stadium, ME Bank Stadium |
| Location | Lord Street, Perth, Western Australia |
| Built | 1904 |
| Renovated | 2004 |
| Owner | City of Vincent |
| Operator | Allia Holdings |
| Surface | Grass |
| Scoreboard | 3m x 2m – manual |
| Capacity | Soccer / Rugby: 20,500 Concerts: 25,000[1] |
| Tenants | |
| East Perth Royals (WAFL) (1910–2002) Perth Glory (A-League) (1996–present) WA Reds (Bundaberg Red Cup) (2008–present) Western Force (Super Rugby) (2010–present) |
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Perth Oval, known by its sponsored name nib Stadium since July 2010,[2] is a sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia. It has been the home of A-League club Perth Glory since 1996 and has housed the administrative facilities of the Western Australia Rugby League since 2003. It was known as Loton Park between 1906 and about 1910 (this name still refers to adjacent tennis courts and a small area of open space next to the stadium).[3] As part of a previous naming rights deal with ME Bank it was known as Members Equity Stadium and ME Bank Stadium.
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The stadium is currently used for hosting sports and concerts.
In sports mode the stadium has a capacity of over 18,000. Soccer team Perth Glory has played at the ground since 1996. The stadium is unusual among modern Australian stadiums for having a standing terrace at the northern end of the ground. A covered terrace area known as The Shed is the home of the vocal supporters of Perth Glory FC.
The ground has hosted rugby union team Western Force since 2010. The Force's move to the stadium led to a minor redevelopment of facilities at the ground, including an increase in capacity and improved lighting.[4]
From 2008 the stadium has hosted WA Reds home matches in the Bundaberg Red Cup. Five NRL games have been played at the oval, with one match each season since 2009 [5]
The capacity for concerts is now over 25,000.[6]
The land on which the stadium is built was known as Loton's Paddock after the previous owner William Loton, Lord Mayor of Perth.[7] The Paddock had been reclaimed from part of Stone's Lake, which was part of a lake system known as The Great Lakes District which included Lake Monger and Herdsman Lake.[3]
Thorley sold the land to the City of Perth in 1904 with the purpose of providing recreation for the residents of the area.[3] After the 2004 redevelopment part of the ground reverted to public open space and was co-named Loton Park to honour Loton and Yoordgoorading as a reference to the original Indigenous inhabitants of the land.[7]
In the early 1930s large white entry gates were built on the north west corner of the ground. These have since been heritage listed.[3]
Soccer was an early tenant at Loton Park, playing regular matches as early as 1903, when over 2,000 spectators attended a Charity Cup match between Olympic FC and Civil Service.[8]
In 1905 the land was offered to the WA British Football Association but the asking price was considered too high.[8]
Perth Oval was the scene of a humiliation in 1927 when the WA State team were thrashed 11–3 by Bohemians, a team representing Czechoslavakia.[8][9]
Prior to the 2004 redevelopment, Perth Oval was oval-shaped, and when Perth Glory FC entered the NSL in 1996, temporary stands were moved onto the pitch to get supporters closer to the action. After playing in these conditions for four years, it became apparent that the Glory would need their own rectangular stadium and after Glory's proposed redevelopment of Leederville Oval was rejected, the Town of Vincent completely overhauled the ground into a rectangular stadium.
Australian rules football club East Perth Football Club moved to Perth Oval from Wellington Square in 1910.[3] They played their last match at the ground in 1999 before permanently moving away in 2003.[10]
In 1956 the F.D. Book Stand was built as part of East Perth Football Club's golden jubilee celebrations. It was named after administrator Fred Book, who was instrumental in ensuring Perth Oval stayed as a sporting ground during World War II.[8]
The ground was briefly used as a home base for East Perth's WAFL rivals West Perth and Perth.[3] Six West Australian Football League Grand Finals were played at Perth Oval, the first being in 1912 and the last in 1935.[11]
Perth Oval was home to Western Australian Grade Cricket teams North Perth and University. North Perth played at the oval between 1910 and 1975 and University between 1913 and 1929.[8]
Rugby was played at Perth Oval as early as 1905.[12]
The ground has occasionally been used by the Western Australian Rugby Union to host state league finals matches at least as far back as 1940.[13]
Perth Spirit played at Perth Oval during the 2007 Australian Rugby Championship.[14]
The record crowd for the ground was 26,760 for the 31 May 1969 derby Australian football match between East Perth and West Perth. The record soccer crowd for a match at the ground, is 18,067 in the 1998–99 NSL season against South Melbourne FC. The record sporting crowd at the venue since the redevelopment is 19,279 in a Super 14 game between the Western Force and Crusaders on 24 April 2010.
Perth Oval has been the venue of major music concerts, these including:
| Date | Event | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | |||
| 15 February 2005 | Tom Jones & John Farnham | ||
| 19 February 2005 | Moonlight Music and Wine Festival | ||
| 29 October 2005 | Luciano Pavarotti | ||
| 2006 | |||
| 2007 | |||
| 9 February 2007 | Roger Waters | ||
| 11 February 2007 | Eric Clapton | ||
| 2008 | |||
| 1 February 2008 | The Police | ||
| 2 February 2008 | The Police | ||
| 5 March 2008 | Rod Stewart | ||
| 29 March 2008 | Jack Johnson | ||
| 8 April 2008 | Celine Dion | ||
| 10 May 2008 | Elton John | ||
| 31 October 2008 | Def Leppard | ||
| 1 November 2008 | Eros Ramazzotti | ||
| 23 November 2008 | Billy Joel | ||
| 2009 | |||
| 4 April 2009 | The Who | ||
| 14 November 2009 | Pearl Jam | ||
| 11 December 2009 | Fleetwood Mac | ||
| 12 December 2009 | Fleetwood Mac | ||
| 2010 | |||
| 25 January 2010 | Raggamuffin | ||
| 18 April 2010 | Supafest | ||
| 24 November 2010 | Leonard Cohen | ||
| 4 December 2010 | Jack Johnson | ||
| 10 December 2010 | Eagles | ||
| 2011 | |||
| 29 March 2011 | Neil Diamond | ||
| 6 April 2011 | Lionel Richie | ||
| 15 October 2011 | Def Leppard | ||
| 22 October 2011 | Meat Loaf | ||
| 19 November 2011 | Kings of Leon | ||
| 28 November 2011 | Foo Fighters | ||
| 2012 | |||
| 4 February 2012 | Rod Stewart | ||
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