Australia’s National Rugby League has once again opted to stage part of the State of Origin away from the sport’s traditional markets by awarding the Adelaide Oval hosting rights to a game during the 2020 edition of the series.
Adelaide Oval is primarily a cricket and Aussie rules venue and has never staged a State of Origin fixture, with 2020 to mark the series’ debut in South Australia.
The best-of-three series is contested by representative teams from New South Wales and Queensland, and games are traditionally held in these two states.
However, games are already planned at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for 2018 and Perth’s Optus Stadium in 2019, and the series will head to a new territory in two years’ time.
It has not been confirmed which game of the series Adelaide will stage. The fixture is set to deliver an estimated A$15m (£8.5m/€9.6m/$11.8m) to the local economy.
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg said: “Adelaide is a new market in terms of hosting this match but we know that Origin is a popular event in the city, as it is across the country.
“That will only be enhanced when Origin is played at such a historic venue like Adelaide Oval. I’d like to thank the South Australian Government for their support of the event and I look forward to seeing Australia’s greatest sporting rivalry in Adelaide.”
South Australia’s Tourism Minister Leon Bignell added: “There is no doubt Adelaide Oval has been a game-changer, not only for Australian sport, but for South Australia’s global reputation.
“More and more big-name sporting events and entertainment acts are coming to South Australia because of Adelaide Oval, making an important contribution to the State’s growing A$6.3bn visitor economy.
“This is yet another example of the State Labor Government standing up for South Australians and delivering a dynamic and profitable sporting and entertainment facility which is the envy of the world.”
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