Newcastle International Sports Centre, Multi-purpose sports stadium in Newcastle, Australia
Newcastle International Sports Centre is a multi-purpose sports venue in Newcastle that offers a rectangular layout with concrete stands and media facilities for around 33,000 spectators. The stands surround the playing field on all sides, with the upper sections enhanced by corporate boxes and covered seating rows.
Construction began in the late 1960s under the leadership of the New South Wales Government, and the Queen opened the venue in April 1970. A large screen was later added to improve the experience for spectators.
The ground's name has changed with its sponsors: Marathon Stadium from 1992, EnergyAustralia Stadium from 2001, Ausgrid Stadium from 2011, and McDonald Jones Stadium from 2016. During AFC competitions it is called Newcastle Stadium because of sponsorship rules. The eastern grandstand was named The Andrew Johns Stand in 2007 after the former Knights captain.
Multiple food outlets and function rooms are distributed across the grounds, and accessible features make it easier to move through the venue. On event days a large video screen provides better viewing from all sections of the stands.
The ground attendance record before redevelopment was 32,642, set in July 1995 when the Knights played the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. The all-time record came on 16 October 2011, when 32,890 watched Australia play New Zealand in a rugby league test. The eastern grandstand was renamed The Andrew Johns Stand on 22 April 2007, before a Knights match against the Brisbane Broncos.
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