Ok Victoria, You’ve got the Formula 1 and the Boxing Day Test match, I’ll give you that – but the schedules don’t lie – in 2016 NSW has more major sporting events than Victoria.
It’s a long time rivalry and the team at Sportsyear have crunched the data. Sportsyear has been compiling sports fixtures since 2003 into their annual Sportswear Diary.
Aussie sports coaching and management icon Bob Turner who works with the team at SportsYear said “We’ve crunched the numbers from every possible angle and the figures don’t lie, New South Wales is clearly the top seed with it comes to hosting major sporting events in Australia for 2016,” Bob Turner from Sportsyear said.
“I must admit, even I was surprised by the result given Victoria has always been regarded as the national leader when it comes to hosting sport in this country,” Turner added.
And didn’t the politicians jump on it too – Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events and Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres chimed in saying “Many of these events are staples of the New South Wales sporting calendar, and others we have worked extremely hard to secure through the tireless work of the State’s tourism and major events agency Destination NSW”
So – don’t believe the numbers?
Here’s the list.
NEW SOUTH WALES – 24 MAJOR EVENTS 2016
- CRICKET: New Year’s Test (January 3-7)
- FOOTBALL: Liverpool Legends v Australian Legends (January 7)
- TENNIS: FAST4 Australia vs World (January 11)
- TENNIS: Sydney International (January 10-16)
- RUGBY UNION: Sevens World Series (February 6-7)
- SURFING: Australian Open of Surfing (27 Feb-6 March)
- HARNESS RACING: Miracle Mile Final (February 28)
- BASEBALL: World Baseball Classic (February 11 – 14)
- CYCLING: National BMX Championships (February 29-6)
- BOWLS: World Cup (March)
- HORSE RACING: Golden Slipper (March 19)
- ROWING: National Championships (March)
- HORSE RACING: The Championships (April 2 & 9)
- ATHLETICS: National Championships (March 31-Apr 3)
- RUGBY LEAGUE: State of Origin – G1 (June 1)
- RUGBY UNION: Australia v England (June 25)
- RUGBY LEAGUE: State of Origin – G3 (July 13)
- RUGBY UNION: Bledisloe Cup Australia v New Zealand (August 20)
- COLLEGE FOOTBALL: University of California v University of Hawaii (August 27)
- MOTORSPORT: V8 Bathurst 1000 (October 9)
- NRL: Grand Final (October 2)
- MOTORSPORT: WRC Rally Australia, Coffs Harbour (18-20 November)
- GOLF: Australian Open (November)
- SAILING: Sydney Hobart Departure (December 26)
- NEW SOUTH WALES – OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS 2016
- GREYHOUNDS: Golden Easter Egg (March 26)
- MOTORSPORT: V8 Supercars season finale (November)
- BOWLS: Champion of Champions (November)
VICTORIA – 11 MAJOR EVENTS 2016
- TENNIS: Australian Open (January 18-31)
- CYCLING: National Road Championships (January)
- ATHLETICS: Stawell Gift (March)
- MOTORSPORT: Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix (March)
- SURFING: WSL Bells Beach (April)
- RUGBY UNION: Australia v England (June 18)
- AFL: Grand Final (October 1)
- MOTORSPORTS: Australian MotoGP (October 23)
- RACING: Melbourne Spring Carnival (Oct 15 – Nov 5)
- GOLF: Australian Masters (November)
- CRICKET Boxing Day Test (December)
- VICTORIA – OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS 2016
- MOTORSPORT: WSBK Phillip Island (February)
- ATHLETICS: IAAF World Challenge (March)
- HARNESS: Breeders Crown Championship Day (August)
- MOTORSPORT: V8 Supercars Sandown 500 (September)
- MOTORSPORT: FIM Speedway Melbourne (October 22)
QUEENSLAND – 6 MAJOR EVENTS 2016
- TENNIS: Brisbane International (January 3-10)
- RUGBY UNION: Australia v England (June 11)
- HORSE RACING: Stradbroke Handicap (June 11)
- RUGBY LEAGUE: State of Origin G2 (June 22)
- RUGBY UNION: Australia v South Africa (September 10)
- GOLF: Australian PGA Championship (TBA)
- QUEENSLAND – OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS 2016
- TRIATHLON: ITU Triathlon World Cup – R1 (March 12-13)
- ATHLETICS: Queensland Track Classic (March 19)
- TRIATHLON: ITU World Triathlon Series – R2 (April 9-10)
- SURF LIFE SAVING: National Surf Life Saving Champs – Open (April 20-24)
- BOWLS: Australian Open of Bowls (June 11-24)
- MOTORSPORT: Townsville 400 (July 8-10)
- MOTORSPORT: Ipswich SuperSprint (August 26-28)
- MOTORSPORT: Gold Coast 600 (October 21-23)
SOUTH AUSTRALIA – 3 MAJOR EVENTS 2016
- CYCLING: Tour Down Under (January 17-24)
- GOLF: Women’s Australian Open (February 18-21)
- SWIMMING: National Swimming Championships (April 7-14)
- SOUTH AUSTRALIA – OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS 2016
- ATHLETICS: Adelaide Track Classic (February 20)
- MOTORSPORT: Adelaide 500 (March 3-6)
WESTERN AUSTRALIA – 1 MAJOR EVENTS 2016
- TENNIS: Hopman Cup (January 3-9)
- WESTERN AUSTRALIA – OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS 2016
- GOLF: Perth International (February 25-28)
- ATHLETICS: Perth Track Classic (March 12)
- RUGBY UNION: Australia v Argentina (September 17)
- HOCKEY: AHL Hockey Finals Week (September 29-October 8)
TASMANIA – 1 MAJOR EVENT 2016
- SAILING: Sydney to Hobart arrival (December 28-31)