World-first fan portal wows Cats’ fans and AFL establishment
Waypoint is proud to announce the completion of the Charles Brownlow Stand at Simonds Stadium which started with a master plan way back in 2000. Our 17 year journey with the Geelong Cats has seen over $200 million in funding invested across four stages of development and was topped off by Geelong’s courageous win over the Bulldogs at the stand’s official launch on 19 May 2017.
Image – view from the fan portal of the Cats players singing the club song after their win over the Bulldogs.
Master planning of each stage involved extensive research to bring innovative ideas from sports facilities around the globe. We are pleased to report that AFL leaders including CEO, Gillon McLachlan toured the new grandstand just prior to its opening and were more than impressed with the manner in which the facility had opened its ‘heart’ to the fans, through the development of features such as the fan portal, skylights and public cafe.
The idea and strategy behind the fan portal is to add wow factor for fans and sponsors, by bringing them closer to the action with a unique, inner sanctum experience. Corporate patrons now enjoy networking in 12 new corporate boxes and 600 seat President’s Club, and social club members take advantage of their new 2000 capacity area, complete with bars that overlook not only the playing arena but also adjacent parklands.
The Cats’ players are quickly getting used to state-of-the-art training, recovery and rehabilitation facilities. Comprising spaces for aquatic recovery, massage and rehabilitation, sports psychology, education, and strength and conditioning, the facilities have drawn upon Waypoint’s learnings identified from research tours to other highly successful organisations, and are heavily centred around optimising player learning, performance and well-being.
Image - hydrotherapy space
The Cats place high importance around looking after player personnel both physically and mentally. The psychology behind the new high performance training facility is very deliberate. It’s not all about turning up and pushing weights or jumping in the plunge pool. The Cats want to be at the top of their game and this begins with the environment that is created for learning and training.
Cats CEO Brian Cook is so impressed with the club’s new facilities that he believes, “There is no doubt that the new training facilities will be a big factor in attracting and retaining the very best players in the country.”
Image – view from the café into the player warm-up and training area.
The unsung administrative heroes of sport have not been overlooked. With ultra-modern office space to inspire the club’s progress, Cats’ employees now thrive in energised designer amenities including IT system upgrades, ergonomic office equipment, break-out spaces and communal kitchen spaces.
The club asked Waypoint to create a collaborative work environment, and feedback has been that the facilities have already made a positive difference even after just one week of operation. Clubs fall down quickly if management and administration is below par or disconnected from the playing group. Waypoint are big believers in aligning facility layouts to create optimal integration of players, coaching staff and administrative support.
Image – Charles Brownlow Stand entry and cafe.
Waypoint are proud to have lead the large team that have put so much hard work into turning the club’s vision into a reality. The redevelopment has great significance to the whole region, and the increased crowd capacity means Simonds Stadium can lure a diversity of events of national and international significance including A-League, international cricket and T20 Big Bash. Complimenting this is the Sunrise Centre, a community facility within the grandstand which has been established to rehabilitate and assist people as they return to the workforce following serious injury.
Waypoint’s involvement in the Simonds Stadium redevelopment spans all four stages since 2000, and will continue for the foreseeable future with the company being appointed to advise on the fifth and final stage of the stadium’s transformation, which is hoped to be completed by 2020.
Chris
Chris Dare - Managing Director