The AFL has been in operation since 1897 when the league was formed from the leading teams in the Victoria Football League and would go on to expand across the majority of the nation. The Brisbane Cricket Ground, better known as The Gabba has been a major part of the Australian Football League landscape for more than a century and looks set to become a major part of the future of the sport.
The Gabba Becomes an Australian Institution
Located in the city of Brisbane, the Brisbane Cricket Ground was constructed in the region of Woolloongabba, a suburb of the Queensland capital providing the name famous nickname of the stadium. Constructed in 1896 the stadium was initially solely used for cricket and has become known as the traditional home of the first test match played in the Ashes series between Australia and the old enemy, England. Over the course of its life, The Gabba has become known for its boisterous crowds and entertaining atmosphere which has made The Gabba a favourite destination for fans of all sports. An upgrade and redevelopment of the ground were completed in the early 21st-century at a cost of over $128,000,000 to make this one of the most up to date stadiums in the country.
Football Finds a Home at The Gabba
The traditional powerhouses of the AFL have been located in the Victoria region but The Gabba has built a reputation as one of the best-loved stadiums in Aussie football. Regional games have always had their home at The Gabba and since 1905 and many games are still played over the course of the season as opening games for many of the AFL games played at the stadium. The AFL finally changed its name from the Victoria Football League in 1990 after the league had undergone a major expansion in the 1980s across portions of Queensland and other Australian states. The Gabba itself has been home to many different teams from the 1990s onwards with the Brisbane Bears, Brisbane Lions, and Gold Coast Suns all playing home games on this historic site.
The Brisbane Lions Turn the Gabba Into a Fortress
The Brisbane Lions arrived at The Gabba in 1996 after the Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy Lions merged their clubs to take on a single identity as one of the largest and most successful teams in the modern era of the AFL. Turning the historic stadium into a fortress for the team has become a major reason for the success of the Brisbane Lions after the team made their entrance into the AFL in 1997 and went on to achieve success in a relatively short period of time. Reaching the Grand Final of the AFL has become the dream of every club starting out each season as the triple Premiership champions, Brisbane Lions can attest to as they made history by becoming only the fourth club to win back to back national titles across three consecutive seasons from 2001 to 2003 and continue to achieve regular success at their home stadium of The Gabba.
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