WESTERN United FC is eagerly anticipating hosting Adelaide United at GMHBA Stadium on December 28, in what will be the first match allowing fans can attend since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.<\/p>\n
The A-League announced its 2020\/21 fixture last week with Geelong set to host three matches and Ballarat’s MARS Stadium to host two. But Western United CEO Chris Pehlivanis is confident the club will deliver a fourth game in Geelong, with the club currently in negotiations with the key stakeholders.<\/p>\n
Pehlivanis said it was extremely exciting to bring the game regionally and was eager to continue growing the connection with the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to get back to the regional cities, we want to build our base there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s amazing, hopefully we can get as many people as we can in the stadium. After the year we\u2019ve had I think people are craving it.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo build that rapport we need to bring our brand to those communities and keep showing we\u2019re committed to those regions.<\/p>\n
\u201c(With no BBL in Geelong this year), It gives us a great chance to be the only summer sport team in the region.”<\/p>\n
The home game, which will be the second match of the A-League season as it returns on December 27, will be accompanied by matches at GMHBA Stadium on January 6 and January 24 while Ballarat will get a taste of A-League action on January 12 and Western United’s final home and away season match on May 22.<\/p>\n
Kardinia Park Stadium Trust (KPST) CEO Gerard Griffin said it was great to welcome back the community to the stadium following such a testing year. While Kardinia Park will not see any Big Bash League cricket, having previously hosted Melbourne Renegades, to land multiple A-League fixtures was huge.<\/p>\n
\u201cKPST are thrilled to see the return of events to Kardinia Park from late December 2020,\u201d Griffin said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are actively working with the relevant government agencies to understand the logistics and safety standards that we will need to follow to re-open for events.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been a long year for our community and the stadium with little to look forward to, but that will soon change with Western United playing three or four games at Kardinia Park.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, Geelong will not see the Renegades this season, but we look forward to hosting them again during the 2021\/2022 summer season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Geelong hosted three AFL matches earlier this year, but crowds were unable to attend.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WESTERN United FC is eagerly anticipating hosting Adelaide United at GMHBA Stadium on December 28, in what will be the first match allowing fans can attend since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The A-League announced its 2020\/21 fixture last week with Geelong set to host three matches and Ballarat’s MARS Stadium to host two. But Western […]<\/p>\n