Perth Superdrome

(Redirected from Challenge Stadium)

Perth Superdrome, known as HBF Stadium under a commercial naming rights arrangement, is a sports complex in Perth, Western Australia. The venue is located in the suburb of Mount Claremont, approximately 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) west of Perth's central business district.

HBF Stadium
HBF Stadium main entrance
Map
Former namesChallenge Stadium (1996–2014)
LocationStephenson Avenue, Mount Claremont, WA, 6010
Coordinates31°57′09″S 115°46′57″E / 31.9525°S 115.7825°E / -31.9525; 115.7825 (HBF Stadium)
OperatorVenuesWest
CapacityBasketball / Netball: 4,500
Opened1986; 38 years ago (1986)
Tenants
Perth Wildcats (NBL) (1987–1989, 2002–2012)
Perth Lynx (WNBL) (2024–)
Perth Orioles (CBT) (1997–2007)
West Coast Fever (ANZ/ NNL) (2008–2018)
Website
www.hbfstadium.com.au Edit this at Wikidata

Venue facilities include an Olympic-standard aquatic centre with five pools, a diving tower, gymnasium, two arenas, and several basketball courts, as well as a café, childcare centre, sports store, office accommodation and a museum. The main indoor arena has seating for 4,500 spectators, or for over 5,000 people including standing room. Regular exhibitions and expos are hosted at the venue, as well as national and international sporting events.

From 1 January 2025, the venue will be rebranded as the Perth High Performance Centre.

Venue name

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The Superdrome was built in 1986.[1] In 1996, the Superdrome became known as Challenge Stadium courtesy of a naming rights deal between the WA Government and Challenge Bank. The bank paid $250,000 a year for naming rights to the venue until 2002 when it decided not to renew the contract after changing its name to Westpac.[1][2][3] Although the sponsorship with Challenge Bank expired in 2002, the Challenge Stadium name remained in use until 2014.[1] Under a commercial naming rights arrangement with the HBF Health Fund, the venue became known as HBF Stadium from 1 July 2014.[1][4]

On 1 October 2024, it was announced that from 1 January 2025, HBF Stadium would be rebranded as the Perth High Performance Centre.[5]

As a sports venue

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Interior of the arena during the 2014 Sino-Australia Challenge

Main indoor arena

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The venue has twice been the home venue of the Perth Wildcats in the National Basketball League (NBL), the first stint between 1987 and 1989 and the second between 2002 and 2012. Challenge Stadium, as the venue was known at the time, regularly attracted sell-out crowds of around 4,400 fans and was dubbed "The Jungle" due to its intimidating atmosphere.[6]

Beginning in 2008, the venue served as the main home court for the West Coast Fever in the National Netball League. To the Fever, the venue was known as "The Cauldron".[7] The Fever moved all their home matches to Perth Arena from 2019 onwards.[8]

The WA Government invested $1.6 million in upgrades to bring HBF Stadium up to Level 1 FIBA certification ahead of the NBL's HoopsFest in September 2024 and to host Perth Lynx games during the 2024–25 WNBL season.[9]

Swimming

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Swimming pool at HBF Stadium

The aquatic centre hosted the FINA World Aquatics Championships in 1991 and 1998.[citation needed] It also hosted the Australian Swimming Championships long course in 1993[10] and 1995, as well as the short course in 1998, 2001 and 2012.[citation needed]

WAIS

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The venue was home to the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) between 1996 and 2014. The institute was based in the annex on the southern side of the Superdrome until moving into the new WAIS High Performance Service Centre, which was built on the eastern side of the Superdrome.[11] It comprises a strength and conditioning gym, multi-purpose training and testing area, 80-metre (260 ft) four lane indoor runway for long jump, sprinting and throwing sports, hydrotherapy and recovery pools, physiology and environmental laboratories, consultation rooms, athlete amenities and office space.[12]

As a music venue

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The venue has hosted many concerts since its inception.

2000s

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2003

2004

  • P!nk – 30 April 2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010s

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2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2016

2017

2018

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "HBF stitches up two stadiums". PerthNow. 4 May 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Division 65: Western Australian Sports Centre Trust, $13 278 000" (PDF). Extract from Hansard. Parliament of Western Australia. 29 May 2002. pp. 178a–179a. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 April 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  3. ^ "MEMBERS' STATEMENTS: Subiaco Oval" (PDF). Extract from Hansard. Parliament of Western Australia. 25 June 2003. pp. 9197b–9202a. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2009. The most successful naming rights sponsorship deal was for the old Perth Superdrome, which became Challenge Stadium. The Challenge Bank was the naming rights sponsor of that stadium.
  4. ^ "Challenge Stadium loses its name". One Perth. 4 May 2014. Archived from the original on 16 July 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  5. ^ "A new era for two VenuesWest venues". VenuesWest. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Welcome to the new Wildcats jungle". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 November 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  7. ^ "West Coast Fever presents THE CHALLENGE". westcoastfever.com.au. 23 January 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  8. ^ "Fever reflect on significant 2019". West Coast Fever. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  9. ^ "Hoops for the future at HBF Stadium as NBA legend visits Perth | Western Australian Government". www.wa.gov.au. 21 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  10. ^ "The Year in Detail" (PDF). Australian Swimming Inc. Annual Report 1992–93. Australian Swimming: 3. 1993. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  11. ^ "New centre to promote sporting excellence". PerthNow. 5 May 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  12. ^ "2012–2013 Annual Report" (PDF). VenuesWest. Western Australian Sports Centre Trust. 2013. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 March 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
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