New venue to bring bigger crowd to A-League game

STRONG ticket sales have seen the Lismore A-League exhibition match between the Brisbane Roar and Newcastle Jets moved to Oakes Oval to accommodate more spectators.

The match was originally set to be played next door at the smaller Crozier Field as part of the Jets: TOUR to support flood-affected parts of the state.

It will be played on Saturday, August 9, after the Jets hosted a day of clinics and open training sessions for the community in the lead-up.

“Lismore really is becoming a sporting hub and it’s great to be able to host the A-League,” mayor Steve Krieg said.

“The new venue means more grandstand seating; more space for general admission and an even better atmosphere for what’s shaping up to be a fantastic day of football.”

Lismore hosted an A-League pre-season match between the Central Coast and Melbourne City at Oakes Oval in 2014.

It drew a crowd of more than 4,000 people and is among one of the highest attended events at the venue.

This will be the first major event from a professional sports league at the venue since an NRL trial game between the Gold Coast Titans and New Zealand Warriors in 2021.

The oval was badly damaged in the floods the following year, with major works and redevelopment turning it into a new sporting precinct.

“Lismore is a proud sporting community and this is fantastic opportunity to showcase our world-class facilities and the incredible passion of our local football fans,” Cr Krieg said.

“We’re grateful to the Newcastle Jets for including Lismore in their 2025 tour. It’s events like this that put our city on the map and bring our community together to enjoy top-class football.”

The Jets tour, which is supported by Greater Bank, also includes stops at Port Macquarie and Taree.

Lismore will be the main hub and only region to host a match.

The match kicks off at 3pm with general admission tickets available at Oztix.