Sport in Brisbane

Sport is an important aspect of Brisbane lifestyle.

Popular sports

Rugby league is the most popular spectator sport in Brisbane. In 2006 565,898 people attended first class rugby league matches at Suncorp Stadium. Other popular spectator sports include Football (soccer), Australian rules football, cricket and rugby union.

Teams in national competitions

2005

Brisbane sports venues

uncorp Stadium

Suncorp Stadium in Milton is nicknamed 'The Cauldron' and is the spiritual home of Rugby League in Brisbane. It is the home of Queensland Rugby League, the Brisbane Broncos (Rugby league), the Queensland Roar (Football (soccer)), the Queensland Reds (Rugby Union) and the annual State of Origin rugby league clash between Queensland (the Maroons) and New South Wales (the Blues). Lang Park became Suncorp Stadium in 1994 after Suncorp became naming rights sponsor. Individual players and officials face stiff fines if they accidentally publicly refer to the venue by its former name, Lang Park.

Brisbane Cricket Ground (The Gabba)

The Gabba hosts domestic and international cricket matches, as well as Australian rules football. Home of the Queensland Bulls (Cricket) and the Brisbane Lions (Australian rules football), The Gabba hosted Olympic football matches for the Sydney 2000 Olympics and was the site of the famous tied test of 1960 between the West Indies and Australia. Teams based there include: Queensland Bulls (Cricket) and Brisbane Lions (Australian rules football).

Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC)

The Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC), formerly known as QEII ('QE2') Stadium and later ANZ Stadium, at Nathan is the third largest sporting arena in Queensland. The stadium was built as a temporary venue for the 1982 Commonwealth Games but endured as home for the Brisbane Broncos rugby league team during the 1990s and hosted the 2001 Goodwill Games.

Brisbane Exhibition Ground

The Brisbane Exhibition Ground (also known as the RNA Showgrounds) is the home of the Brisbane Ekka that takes place every August. It has also been the home to Cricket, Rugby league, Australian rules football and Speedway style Motor Racing.

Ballymore

Ballymore Stadium is the home of Rugby union in Brisbane, and is the former home of the Queensland Reds (who play in the Tooheys New Super 14 Rugby Union series) who moved to Suncorp Stadium and the Ballymore Tornadoes, the local Australian Rugby Championship entrant which folded. It also plays host to Brisbane Premier Rugby games, and was once home to the Brisbane Strikers soccer club.

Perry Park

Perry Park is the spiritual home of Football (soccer) in Brisbane, and is home to the Brisbane Strikers, who play in the local Brisbane competition after being unsuccessful in their A-League bid.

Other sports grounds

* Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre — team based there: Brisbane Bullets (Basketball)
* Langlands Park— team based there: Easts Tigers (Rugby league)
* Sleeman Centre — team based there: Queensland Firebirds (Netball)
* Downey Park, located in Windsor, is a major location for field hockey and netball games, particularly for school groups and clubs.
* Langlands Park located at Stones Corner.
* Purtell Park located at Bardon.
* Victoria Park — an enormous-size park, which contains tennis courts, the Centenary swimming pool, a golf course and a sports ground.
* Walton Bridge Reserve, located at The Gap, contains sporting fields and skateboard area

Brisbane sports events

*1982 Commonwealth Games are held in Brisbane
*1985, 1987 Brisbane Bullets win National Basketball League (Australia) title
*1992, 1993 Brisbane Broncos won consecutive New South Wales Rugby League premierships
*1997, 1998 Brisbane Broncos won consecutive Super League and National Rugby League (NRL) premierships
*2000 Brisbane Broncos win the NRL premiership
*2000 Olympic football matches during Sydney Olympics
*2001 Goodwill Games are held in Brisbane
*2001-2003 Brisbane Lions won consecutive Australian Football League premierships
*2003 Hosted matches during Rugby World Cup, including semi-final
*2006 Brisbane Broncos win their 6th NRL
*2007 Brisbane Bullets win National Basketball League (Australia) title
*Annual Brisbane Cricket Ground (Gabba) Test Cricket match
* Annual Rugby League State of Origin football series at Suncorp Stadium
*Annual Southern Skies Tournament
* Besides spectator sport and sports teams, Brisbane hosts several mass participation events each year, including the Bridge to Brisbane fun run each year in August and the Brisbane Marathon in April each year.

*Premier Peter Beattie has announced plans for Brisbane to bid for the 2020 or 2024 Olympic Games [ [http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2005/s1336250.htm Brisbane Olympic Bid] ]

Brisbane sports highlights

* 1960 - the Brisbane Cricket Ground the Test Match between Australia and the West Indies ended with a tie on 14 December, 1960.
It was the first Tied Test in the history of cricket.
* 1980 - the first ever Rugby League State of Origin match was held in Brisbane at Lang Park, with the Maroons winning 20-10.
* 1982 - the Commonwealth Games, which were held at QEII Stadium and other sports venues in Brisbane, were very successful. The Duke of Edinburgh opened the Commonwealth Games, and Queen Elizabeth II closed them. The mascot for the Commonwealth Games was [http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/uhtbin/hyperion-image/BCC-S35-93111 Matilda] , a giant-sized 13-metre high mechanical kangaroo who winked at the spectators.
* 1997 - the Brisbane Broncos won the Super League premiership at ANZ Stadium in front of more than 58,000 people. It was the first
(and to this day, only) Australia-wide Rugby League Grand Final held outside of Sydney.

Notable Brisbane-born sportspeople

Brisbane is the birthplace of many well-known and famous sportsmen and sportswomen.

Australian Rules Football

Jason Dunstall — Gavin Crosisca — Clint Bizzell

Cricket

Matthew Hayden — Michael Kasprowicz

Cycling

Robbie McEwen

Rugby league

Shaun Berrigan — Wally Lewis — Darren Lockyer — Allan Langer

Rugby union

John EalesElton Flatley

wimming

Jodie Henry — Alice Mills — Susie O'Neill — Kieren Perkins — Samantha Riley — Giaan Rooney — Jessicah Schipper

Football (soccer)

Craig Moore
Nathan Coe

References