The announcement that the international hockey matches being played this year in Rockhampton are to be telecast live across the nation (Foxtel), into New Zealand and parts of Asia and then replayed into Europe, should have our tourists bodies licking their lips and preparing plans to maximise the benefit of the coverage for the Rockhampton Region. What was not covered by the local media in the visit by the Oceania Cup senior representatives to Rockhampton last week was that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) hold the broadcast rights to the games (not Foxtel), thus the FIH can decide what other than game content can be included in the broadcasts.
What would Rockhampton like a large part of the world to see as part of the telecast?
Hopefully there are numerous responses to this question. Take a step back though and consider what outcomes Rockhampton Hockey Association (RHA) and Rockhampton Regional Council wanted to achieve when putting up the money to hold the Oceania Cup here. For the RHA I suppose their outcomes included showcasing their new international field (presently under construction), highlight Rockhampton’s ability to nurture great hockey talent – 4 Australian representatives (including former 5-time World Player of the Year – Jamie Dwyer), increase participation and spectators, and identify Rockhampton as an international hockey city. For the Council one of their outcomes would be the positive economic impact of having the players, officials, visitors and media in the region over the duration of the tournament.
When the Foxtel outside broadcast van packs up their 9 cameras and leaves town, these outcomes will most likely have been achieved; can something even bigger though be built on the platform this event will provide the region?
Hopefully it won’t be another 13 years before Rockhampton sees another international hockey match, or other international sporting fixtures. Let’s speculate that in the federal election run up ALP promise millions to the Browne Park Stadium bid (which the state ALP member is pushing) to entice more international events to the city and they win the local seat and government and the stadium does actually get budgeted for by both federal and state governments and is built. Is there a way that a Sports Museum could be incorporated in the complex? Consider what the Bradman Museum has done for Bowral, a region of some 13, 000 people. A museum featuring Rockhampton’s numerous sporting stars, headlined by Rod Laver, that would be some drawcard for the region, another reason for tourists to not use the future by-pass and stay in the city.
Are there organisations out there that would like to see (by way of sponsorship), in the international hockey telecasts, Rockhampton not just heralding its locally nurtured hockey talent but broader sporting talent; in league, union, cycling, swimming, rowing, golf and off-course tennis? Rockhampton making a statement to the world that this is a region of champions. And these organisations actively push and support for the creation of a Sports Museum befitting a champion region.
Big ask, maybe, but hopefully from the platform the international coverage the Oceania Cup is going to provide, we will see some big ideas that have lasting impact realised, along with the name ‘Rockhampton’ shown regularly on the screen.