Challenged to Reach New Heights

Rohit Maini explains how Qudos Bank Arena scaled Mt Midoriyama amid COVID challenges

Just over one year ago the world of entertainment came to a grinding halt with Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena being one of many venues impacted by COVID-19 and the restrictions that came in its wake.

Show after show was postponed or cancelled and the largest indoor entertainment and sporting arena in Australasia remained silent for many months.

Finally, in October last year the doors opened again, albeit in a restricted and subdued manner. Despite reduced crowd numbers, mask mandates and social distancing, it was deemed that the show could go on. However, a new challenge presented itself with national and international border closures limiting the ability for international performers to rock the Arena. In coming out the other side, it was essential for the stakeholders of Qudos Bank Arena to think outside the box and find new and exciting opportunities to interact with fans during the pandemic.

After engaging with local television production company, Endemol Shine Australia and in collaboration with Sydney Olympic Park Authority and associated stakeholders, ASM Global was able to bring the filming of the television phenomenon Australian Ninja Warrior to their front door. ASM Global also managed to tap into the film studio business, with fellow Endemol Shine Australia’s program ‘Ultimate Tag’ and ITV Studios Australia’s television game show ‘The Cube’ both calling Qudos Bank Arena home for their inaugural seasons.

The versatility of Qudos Bank Arena was first showcased when the television cameras started rolling. The Arena floor was transformed into a filming studio, showing its adaptability in effortlessly moving from the enormity of the obstacle courses to the intimacy of the glass cube.

In the studio audience on the first day of shooting, Lucinda Pickett commented “it was so nice to have a bit of normality after such a hectic year.

“I’ve been a regular at Qudos Bank Arena, attending many concerts over the years, but the set up for this made it feel like we had been transported somewhere else, it was really impressive.”

The ability to bring the filming of Australian Ninja Warrior to Qudos Bank Arena was a major win. Sydney Olympic Park is no stranger to having elite competition in the precinct with the Ninjas the latest in a long line of athletes fighting to reach the pinnacle of their chosen sport.

Taking their operation outside of the Arena, the ASM Global team once again proved their capability to adapt and transform to meet the brief. The course was laid out on the forecourt immediately outside of the Arena, with the soft glow of the Qudos Bank Arena and the Sydney Olympic Park precinct forming the backdrop for the gruelling competition.

Over 10 nights, spectators filed into the customised stands erected in the forecourt of the Arena, around a myriad of imposing and challenging obstacles, under the shadow of the towering Mt Midoriyama (the event’s final challenge), to watch the best Ninjas in Australia fight it out for the title of Australian Ninja Warrior.

Western Sydney sisters, Vahishta and Rania Bhasin, were among those lucky enough to watch the action of a Semi Final. A vivid tennis follower and general lover of sport, Vahishta was ecstatic to be able to be among the crowd and cheering on the ninjas.

While tapping into the film studio business was essential, it was the return to live music and gigs that really caught the headlines. TEG Live and Live Nation Australasia collaborated with the NSW Government to bring to life the first arena concert events held in Australia since the pandemic brought the industry to a grinding halt. The two major COVIDSafe performances of Greatest Southern were held on 28th November and 5th

NBL, The Wiggles, Monster Trucks and Amy Shark at Qudos Bank Arena this year.

December 2020, attracting more than 12,000 fans to enjoy performances by some of Australia’s best artists, including Bernard Fanning, Ocean Alley, Jack River and Matt Corby. With the live music industry having been decimated by COVID-19, the efforts to kick-start a recovery of the industry was a fantastic initiative and a huge undertaking that required many people and entities working together to deliver the shows in a COVIDSafe environment.

Further green shoots for the Arena were evident with the return of sport, with Sydney Kings fans able to watch their team take to the court for the 14 regular season games in the National Basketball League (NBL), which was a welcome home for the Arena’s anchor tenant after COVID-19 forced them to play the previous season’s home grand final game without crowds before that series was cancelled prematurely, and title handed to the Perth Wildcats.

Victoria’s COVID-19 outbreak in May resulted in further lockdown and border closures, and Melbourne’s two NBL teams - United and Phoenix - opted to play their semi-final games at Qudos Bank Arena in June this year. All three games were played in front of very minimal restricted audiences, with Melbourne United winning the series 2-1. Family entertainment returned to Qudos Bank Arena in April with 3 performances of Australia’s number one attraction, The Wiggles with their ‘We’re All Fruit Salad’ shows, enjoyed by almost 23,000 fans. Another successful event hosted at the Arena was Monster Truck Mania with over 23,500 fans in attendance for the two shows. The indoor spectacular featured not only Monster Trucks but ‘crazy backflippin’ Freestyle Motocross and jet cars that entertained all ages. The last time the Arena boasted such impressive attendances was for Michael Bublé in February 2020.

Qudos Bank Arena General Manager, Steve Hevern commented “I can’t speak highly enough of the QBA team, not only for the initiatives, flexibility and foresight in making these events work in the current environment, but also for the loyalty, commitment and resilience that they have gifted the business and extraordinary efforts they continue to provide through the most challenging period of the Arena’s history.”

Live entertainment at Qudos Bank Arena continues to slowly return, kick-started with a recent performance of Amy Shark on 12th June, which will be followed by comedy sensation Sooshi Mango, Synthony (a celebration of dance music), Delta Goodrem, Bat Out Of Hell (The Rock Musical), KISS, Keith Urban and Tame Impala, all on sale for performances over the months leading up to Christmas, along with others to be announced soon. 2022 will start with a bang, with a number of exciting events already on sale of international superstars Faith No More, Backstreet Boys, My Chemical Romance, Rod Stewart, WWE and Alanis Morissette, and there is an unprecedented number of bookings throughout 2022 and 2023 of amazing artists eager to come here to play in front of their Australian fans.

Good times are definitely ahead, and ASM Global is confident that Qudos Bank Arena is set to scale its own Mt Midoriyamalike heights. Rohit Maini is Event Services Manager at Qudos Bank Arena. Editor’s note: This feature was written prior to the Greater Sydney Coronavirus lockdown that commenced in late June. At the time of publication, QUDOS Bank Arena is being used as a COVID vaccination centre.

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