Latest news with #venues
ABC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- ABC News
League confirms AFLW grand final venues won't be moved to larger stadiums in near future
The AFL has locked in the AFLW grand final venues for each state this season and won't be open to moving to a larger stadium, regardless of home and away crowd numbers or demand. This comes as venue use remains a contentious issue amongst the league, union, players and wider women's football community as the competition searches for stability and certainty after nine seasons filled with changes. "We've set the location of the grand final venue in each state and communicated that with the clubs as part of the fixture release, and so that's where the grand final will be played in each location, with no plan to move it," AFL executive general manager of football operations Laura Kane told ABC Sport. "Our philosophy with venues is the same as the men's. We're not making last-minute decisions. We're not changing things on the run or on the fly. We're creating stability and ritual and understanding and making sure our fans know where they're going." The last three AFLW grand finals sold out within a day yet remained at smaller grounds despite public pressure to move to larger stadiums; the last two were played at just over 12,000-capacity Princes Park and 8,000-capacity Springfield Sports Complex. Kane said the league would not move to larger stadiums until they had consistent seasons of close to all home and away games sold out, finals series being 'packed to the rafters', grand finals being sold out and an understanding from the season itself that if they were to go to a bigger stadium, it would be an Adelaide Oval type of experience (where they had 53,034 fans at the 2019 grand final). North Melbourne captain Jasmine Garner and Brisbane skipper Bre Koenen said locking in the grand final at Docklands each year would give it the best chance for success. "I'd love it to be at the same place, same time, just predictable to people," she said. "It makes sense to me at Marvel, in the heart of footy [in Victoria]," Koenen told The Guardian. "People come to Melbourne for (men's) grand final weekend, even if their team's not in it. If you're a footy lover, it's where you want to be, so I feel like we need to create that for 'W fans." General manager of AFLW Emma Moore and Kane said they believed the players and the league were aligned on the direction of the competition and decisions around growth. Earlier on Friday, the AFL Commission said the season timing of the competition would remain in its current time slot indefinitely, keeping the grand final as the last weekend in November. This year, the AFLW kicks off during rounds 23 and 24 of the men's season. Despite the long men's season, and players previously citing it as an issue, Kane and Moore said they weren't concerned about footy fatigue for fans. "I haven't met anyone yet who wants to watch less footy," Kane said. "But our strategy is focused on, how do we make sure we benefit from the crossover and we cross-promote, we cross-leverage, we're about to see that kick off." Sydney co-captain Chloe Molloy said the competition had been through many highs and lows, referencing the conference system, the suspended COVID season and last year's condensed fixture, but believed it was now in a good spot. "We want to play good football, we want to be putting high scores on the board, so I think that stability creates an opportunity to play better football," Molloy told ABC Sport. "We're in the business of entertainment and I think the game of W is just getting better." In the AFLW's nine previous seasons, the competition has also weathered multiple expansions and season dates changing, including two seasons played in 2022. "A lot of the movement has been with the intention of making sure that we found the best spot, the best time, the best place (for AFLW). We think we're there. We think the timing works," Kane said. "Our strategy will continue to help the business make those definitive decisions so we don't have the unintended consequence of uncertainty by chopping and changing and actually, importantly, we create rituals for our fans. They know when, where and how they can see the W superstars playing. "We want to be the best women's sporting competition in this country on every single metric. We're there on some of them. We're not there on all of them. We want to be there on all of them."
Sky News
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
The 1975 star Matty Healy warns of musical 'silence' without small stages as he backs new UK-wide festival
The 1975 frontman Matty Healy has warned of a musical "silence" that would come without the pubs and bars that give UK artists their first chance to perform. Fresh from headlining Glastonbury in June, Healy is backing a new UK-wide festival which will see more than 2,000 gigs taking place across more than 1,000 "seed" venues in September. The Seed Sounds Weekender aims to celebrate the hospitality sector hosting bands and singers just as they are starting out - and for some, before they go on to become global superstars. Healy, who is an ambassador for the event, said in a statement to Sky News: "Local venues aren't just where bands cut their teeth, they're the foundation of any real culture. "Without them, you don't get The Smiths, Amy Winehouse, or The 1975. You get silence." Oasis, currently making headlines thanks to their sold-out reunion tour, first played at Manchester's Boardwalk club, which closed in 1999, and famously went on to play stadiums and their huge Knebworth gigs within the space of a few years. GigPig, the live music marketplace behind Seed Sounds, says the seed sector collectively hosts more than three million gigs annually, supports more than 43,000 active musicians, and contributes an estimated £2.4bn to the UK economy. "The erosion of funding for seed and grassroots spaces is part of a wider liberal tendency to strip away the socially democratic infrastructure that actually makes art possible," said Healy. "What's left is a cultural economy where only the privileged can afford to create, and where only immediately profitable art survives." He described the Seed Sounds Weekender as "a vital reminder that music doesn't start in boardrooms or big arenas - it starts in back rooms, pubs, basements, and independent spaces run on love, grit, and belief in something bigger." The importance of funding for grassroots venues has been highlighted in the past few years, with more than 200 closing or stopping live music in 2023 and 2024, according to the Music Venue Trust. Sheffield's well-known Leadmill venue saw its last gig in its current form in June, after losing a long-running eviction battle. In May, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced the £85m Creative Foundations Fund to support arts venues across England. And last year, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee called for a levy on tickets to large concerts at stadiums and arenas to help fund grassroots venues, which artists including Coldplay and Katy Perry, and venues including the Royal Albert Hall, have backed. But most seed venues - the smaller spaces in the hospitality sector that provide a platform before artists get to ticketed grassroots gigs or bigger stages - won't qualify for the levy. GigPig is working to change this by formalising the seed music venue space as a recognised category. "The UK's seed venues are where music careers are born," said GigPig co-founder Kit Muir-Rogers. "Collectively, this space promotes more music than any other in the live music business, yet it has gone overlooked and under-appreciated." The Seed Sounds Weekender takes place from 26-28 September and will partner with Uber to give attendees discounted rides to and from venues. Tickets for most of the gigs will be free, with events taking place across 20 UK towns and cities including London, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Leicester, Newcastle and Southampton
Bloomberg
28-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Wall Street Is Rewriting the Rules of Bitcoin Trading
Wall Street is seizing control of Bitcoin's center of gravity. Once ruled by offshore venues and retail-driven fervor, the world's largest cryptocurrency is now increasingly priced and steered from within the US financial system.
CNA
16-07-2025
- Sport
- CNA
World Aquatics Championships: Security at competition venues ramped up as large crowds expected
Security at the various competition sites of the World Aquatics Championships is being ramped up, with large crowds expected in the coming weeks. Local organisers have put in place a suite of measures, while the police will step up patrols around the venues. Organisers expect around 40,000 visitors to attend the World Aquatics Championships and World Aquatics Masters Championships, with tourism receipts projected to hit S$60 million. Alif Amsyar reports.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Getting hitched? Here are some of Pueblo's best wedding venues to consider for the big day
Pueblo lovebirds who have decided to tie the knot have hundreds of choices to make before the big day, from where to get hitched to what to wear, who to invite, what to eat, what kind of flowers to use for decorating, and who to hire for photography. When it comes to choosing the site, considerations often include whether the ceremony will be indoors or outdoors (or a little of both), as well as atmosphere, accommodations, staff, accessibility, and even parking. Josh and Kristan Lepik of Lepik Photography have been capturing memorable moments of Puebloans' wedding events for the past 12 years. They've spent a lot of time gauging the pros and cons of wedding venues they've worked at and have shared blog posts on their website that help newlyweds-to-be decide where they want to hold their big event. "We are trying to be that premier place to help choose venues. We started with a blog on the Abriendo Inn and the Union Depot and we are currently working on the convention center," Josh Lepik told the Chieftain. The photographers' website also lists considerations to take into account for several different photography locations and sample pictures at each site. They even get into details like whether there is a parking fee. When it comes to making the choice, sometimes multiple options get the nod. "We had one couple that got married at a very tiny church and then the reception was in a backyard so neither place was great for photos," he explained. It turned out that Lake Pueblo was between the church and the reception, "so we went to the north entrance of the reservoir and there is a road off to the right with a half-circle parking lot and that's right by the water so that's where we took the photos." "The good thing about Pueblo is that you can get anywhere in 20 minutes. We try to find unique places around Pueblo that can make it epic," Lepik explained. The former passenger train station, built in 1889, is a red-brick marvel harkening back to the Romanesque era. A large banquet hall can accommodate up to 500 guests and is used for more than 200 events yearly, from wedding receptions to private parties. "It is a great location, has a bridal loft for getting ready and plenty of photo opportunities," Lepik said. Find out more at This circa 1906 blonde-brick four-story mansion offers a fairy-tale-like setting for weddings. The Abriendo Inn is owned by Jeff and Cindy Baily. Cindy Baily has three decades of experience as a wedding planner and the couple hosts 10 to 12 weddings and receptions each year, ranging from 30 people inside to up to 325 people outside. The inn has "obvious beauty both inside, with stunning woodwork, stained glass windows, and chandeliers, and outside with beautiful lawn, trees and a water fountain," Cindy Bailey said. "There are plenty of rooms for all guests to get ready, and it's a beautiful property for taking lots of pictures," Lepik said. "We offer clients a one-stop shop for their special day. Couples and guests can attend the ceremony and reception all in one place, eliminating the need to travel to a new location for each part of the event," Cindy Bailey explained. Find out more at Surrounded by green meadows, aspen and pine trees, and breathtaking views of the Wet Mountain Range, Brush Canyon Ranch is a private, quiet mountain location that specializes in outdoor weddings. The facility is highlighted by a ceremony gazebo, a reception pavilion and cabin lodging. "It is a great location with suites for both the bride and groom to get ready, plus it is great for photos," Lepik said. Find out more at The 1997 convention center received major upgrades in 2019. The center can accommodate almost any budget and weddings ranging from 25 to 1,000 guests With an in-house culinary team, the center staff can also handle the reception and feeding guests. "It is one of the top places in Pueblo. They can accommodate any size of wedding with multiple rooms that can expand. It is in the heart of downtown with lots of parking and is easily accessible," Lepik said. He pointed out the convention center has limited photo opportunities, "unless you drive a short distance or walk to the riverwalk." Some other popular wedding venues in Pueblo include the , which is centrally located in the heart of downtown and provides nice shade; the , which has Industrial vibes, an outdoor patio and inside space; and the , which is a "wonderful riverwalk venue with plenty of parking where there are lots of photo opportunities," Lepik said. Both and can be good outdoor-only wedding venues with "plenty of space for everyone, which makes them great for the ceremony and reception," Lepik said. "The only downside is they are fully outdoors, so weather will be the biggest factor." Pueblo is also home to several other smaller event and reception halls and there are several other ranches that also host weddings in the county. The Lepiks have worked to build up their business and that effort has won them Best of Pueblo Community Choice Awards for photography businesses for the past few years. They said one thing they've learned is that there are many great choices for photos in the community. The old jailhouse, the Station at the Riverwalk, a public sidewalk with beautiful blooming trees in the background, the dome in Mineral Palace Park, and many other places can be ideal to capture memories of the big day. "We got married at the top of the (Rawlings) library on Abriendo. You can rent out the whole rooftop of the library and it was insanely cheap," Lepik said. "We felt like we were on top of the city, on top of the library on top of the hill on Abriendo. We had half indoor and half outdoor accomodations and it was truly cool," he explained. More: How the Pueblo Convention Center set a new gross revenue record in 2024 Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@ or via X at Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Here are the best wedding venues in Pueblo, Colorado
