Sport in Brisbane
Sport is a significant aspect of the Brisbane lifestyle. Activities range from the occasional international event, annual competitions, competitive leagues and individual recreational pursuits. Across the city there are 20 public swimming pools, many kilometres of dedicated bikeways, ovals and other sports venues. The city's major stadiums and sporting venues include the Gabba (a 42,000 seat round stadium at Woolloongabba), Lang Park (a 52,500 seat rectangular stadium at Milton also known by its corporate name Suncorp Stadium), Ballymore Stadium, the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, the Sleeman Centre (swimming), the State Tennis Centre, the Eagle Farm  Racecourse and the Doomben Racecourse. Rugby league is popular in Brisbane and the city hosts the Brisbane Broncos, who play in the National Rugby League competition and the Queensland Maroons who play in the State of Origin series. In rugby union the city hosts the Queensland Reds who play in the Super Rugby competition. Cricket is popular in the Brisbane and the city hosts the Brisbane Heat who play in the Big Bash League and the Queensland Bulls who play in the Sheffield Shield and the Ryobi One Day Cup. Brisbane also hosts an A-League soccer team, the Brisbane  Roar FC; an Australian Football League team, the Brisbane Lions; a basketball team, the Brisbane Bullets; a baseball team, the Brisbane Bandits; a netball team, the Queensland Firebirds; a field hockey team, the Brisbane Blaze; and water polo teams the Brisbane Barracudas and Queensland Breakers. Popular sports. Rugby league is the most popular spectator sport in Brisbane. In 2006 565,898 people attended first class rugby league matches at Suncorp Stadium. Other popular spectator sports include Cricket, Football (soccer), Australian rules football, rugby union and basketball. The martial arts are also popular in Brisbane, with the more traditional western combative disciplines  and also because of the proximity to Asian countries where the arts are historically based. While participation rates are high it tends not to enjoy the profile of traditional Australia sports, though the olympic sports of boxing, judo and taekwondo are more well known. For the Asian arts there are many places to practice in Brisbane. Sports venues. Suncorp Stadium. Suncorp Stadium in Milton is nicknamed 'The Cauldron' and is the spiritual home of Rugby League in Brisbane. It is the home of Queensland Rugby League, the Brisbane Broncos (Rugby league), the Queensland Roar (Football (soccer)), the Queensland Reds (Rugby  Union) and the annual State of Origin rugby league clash between Queensland (the Maroons) and New South Wales (the Blues). Lang Park became Suncorp Stadium in 1994 after Suncorp became naming rights sponsor. Individual players and officials face stiff fines if they accidentally publicly refer to the venue by its former name, Lang Park. Brisbane Cricket Ground (the Gabba). The Gabba hosts domestic and international cricket matches, as well as Australian rules football. Home of the Queensland Bulls (Cricket) and the Brisbane Lions (Australian rules football), the Gabba hosted Olympic football matches for the Sydney 2000 Olympics and was the  site of the famous tied test of 1960 between the West Indies and Australia. Teams based there include: Queensland Bulls (Cricket) and Brisbane Lions (Australian rules football). Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC). The Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC), formerly known as QEII ('QE2') Stadium and later ANZ Stadium, at Nathan is the third largest sporting arena in Queensland. The stadium was built as a temporary venue for the 1982 Commonwealth Games but endured as home for the Brisbane Broncos rugby league team during the 1990s and hosted the 2001 Goodwill Games. Brisbane Exhibition Ground. The Brisbane Exhibition Ground  (also known as the RNA Showgrounds) is the home ground of the Australian Baseball League team the Brisbane Bandits between November and February. It also hosts the Brisbane Ekka that takes place every August. It has also been the home to Cricket, Rugby league, Australian rules football and Speedway style Motor Racing. Ballymore. Ballymore Stadium is the home of Rugby union in Brisbane, and is the former home of the Queensland Reds (who play in the Super Rugby Pacific competition) who moved to Suncorp Stadium and the Ballymore Tornadoes, the local Australian Rugby Championship entrant before the competition folded. It  also plays host to Brisbane Premier Rugby finals, and was once home to the Brisbane Strikers soccer club. Oxenham Park. Located in Nundah, Oxenham Park has been the home ground of Toombul District Cricket Club – who play in the Brisbane Premier Cricket competition – since 1892. Oxenham Park was also the original home ground of Norths Devils from 1933–1969, before they moved to Bishop Park, also in Nundah. Perry Park. Perry Park is the spiritual home of Football (soccer) in Brisbane, and is home to the Brisbane Strikers, who play in the local Brisbane competition after being unsuccessful in their A -League bid. Notable Brisbane-born sportspeople. Brisbane is the birthplace of many well-known and famous sportsmen and sportswomen. Basketball. Brad Williamson Boxing. Jeff Horn Cricket. Michael Kasprowicz – Nathan Rimmington – Chris Simpson – Andrew Symonds – Andy Bichel Cycling. Robbie McEwen – Ryan Guettler Motorsport. Scott Dixon – Dick Johnson Rugby league. Shaun Berrigan – Wally Lewis – Darren Lockyer – Allan Langer Rugby union. John Eales – Elton Flatley – Will Genia – James Horwill – Gordon Bray – Digby Ioane – Peter Grigg – David Campese – Michael Lynagh – Tim Horan -Tate McDermott - Quade Cooper Swimming. Jodie Henry – Alice Mills – Susie O'Neill – Kieren Perkins – Stephanie Rice – Samantha Riley – Giaan Rooney – Jessicah Schipper Soccer . Craig Moore Tennis. Samantha Stosur