The ever-changing face of the WACA

What a difference a few years makes, the previous head of the WACA could be suggested of trying to get the WACA to maintain itself as a multi-purpose facility.

The present CEO outlines accountability and business as the focus of his attempt to maintain the WACA as the home of cricket. In an interview with Austadiums.com the Chief Executive Officer Tony Dodemaide a former Test cricketer outlines the future, the past and the present for the home of Western Australian Cricket.

The latest 12 million dollar redevelopment of the ground came at a time when the association could least afford it and you can tell that the WACA is looking more down the lines of creating a stadium that epitomizes and allows Western Australian Cricket to flourish rather than any more funding being spent on the ground. "We're not really looking at that (stadium redevelopment in the next 20 years) more so keeping the WACA a viable business"

Yet despite the obvious financial constraints the previous board put the new board into by progressing the redevelopment, Dodemaide is reluctant to outline any criticisms of the previous board. "Hindsight is a wonderful thing, I'm not prepared to criticise the previous board...Some redevelopment had to be done anyway especially to some part of the northern end of the ground (Farley Stand)".

What has been created is a venue that is a fantastic spot for test cricket and it seems the WACA are aiming to use other cities around Australia as an example into lifting crowd sizes for a venue that depends on cricket. "Adelaide have been able to develop the test as the biggest day of the year in the city, you normally just watch the first few over's then start sipping a few...it's something we are working hard to try and encapsulate that sort of event status that Adelaide have been able to achieve".

Once again Dodemaide put to rest rumors of cricket being held at Subiaco into the short term and stated that the Ashes Series calendar has yet to be determined. "At present the venue is not up to cricket standards and it would cost millions of dollars to do so".

One Day Internationals at the venue sell out every year, despite this Dodemaide believes that the venue encapsulates demand adequately and that there is little evidence to suggest they would gain much greater crowds at Subiaco Oval. "I don't think there is enough evidence to suggest that there is enough demand to fill an extra 20,000 seats"

An area that the WACA does do particularly well in is ING Cup attendances, something which the body believes will not be affected by a more competitive sporting market.

"Our members are particularly passionate about our state team. When I was playing for Victoria you would always get large crowds in Perth...in Melbourne there was always so many big events on, so the crowds were much smaller. I think the Western Force are tapping into a large Rugby Community with the many South Africans, English and Kiwi's we have in Perth and I don't really see us being affected by it".

Despite the commitment to the WACA, the body has an open mind about the Major Stadia Taskforce and will look into the findings when they are released. "We will look at the findings but we are under no obligations to accept the taskforce recommendation...I feel we have an open mind to it, we have regular discussions with Bob Kucera the Minister for Sports and Recreation".

Although you sense that cricket moving away from the WACA seems very unlikely with the viability Dodemaide is bringing to the organisation. "This is the home of Western Australian Cricket...The cash flows we are predicting shows that it will be viable to stay at the ground"

You can hear the disappointment in Dodemaide's voice that not being able to be tenant to the Western Force was a major blow to the WACA. "We set up goals to show how the venue would look as a rugby field...we think it would be a fantastic place to watch rectangular sport and we would have loved to played host to the Western Force".

Dodemaide suggested that the major reasons behind Subiaco Oval being the interim venue for the Western Force was mainly due to the greater corporate and capacity facilities of the venue. "We can hold mid-twenty thousands but the Western Force believed the euphoria of the team would mean the ground was too small in terms of corporate and capacity needs".

Rugby League an option? It seems Dodemaide would attempt to bring a Rugby League team if based in Perth to the ground, as he would do for any major event to the venue. "I have had meetings with WA Rugby (who are based at Members Equity Stadium) and I would look to bid for all events not just Rugby League to come to the venue".

As a man in control of an icon of Western Australia, he feels the responsibility personally and admits that the job is the most challenging he has faced, despite this he feels very lucky to be working at a venue such as the WACA. "It certainly is the most challenging job I have worked in...I have been very fortunate to work at some of the best cricket grounds in the world".