1988: The Sydney Football Stadium is offically opened

It has been hoped that the rebuilt Sydney Football Stadium will open its doors to the sporting public during this year.

Our first regular entry for 2022 goes back to the previous Sydney Football Stadium and its first event, held on January 24, 1988. This was the same week that the nation held its Bicentennial celebrations. It was not a sporting event, but a concert headlined by American singer John Denver. The stadium was officially opened by NSW Premier Barrie Unsworth as part of the festivities. 

Tickets ranged from $15 to $25 dollars. 17 000 attended the concert which also included Air Supply, Eurogliders, Dragon and Sharon O'Neill backed by Tommy Tycho and The Sydney International Orchestra. This was down from the projected 30 000 that were expected to.

There was also criticism of the sound system along with an echo that could be heard by attendees.

John Denver also presented a special song that he wrote to mark the Bicentennary but also one for his girlfriend - Cassie Delaney who was also Australian. 

Source: Cameron, M. 1988. "'This is for you, my Aussie girl'". The Daily Mirror, January 25: page unknown.

The first sporting event was on March 4 1988, when Eastern Suburbs played St George in the first game of the 1988 NSWRL season. Click Here to view an entry that I wrote in 2015.