Shaded Seats at Ninja Stadium

Ninja Stadium is one of Hobart’s premier cricket and AFL venues. Set in Bellerive on the eastern shore of the Derwent, it’s home to the Hobart Hurricanes, Tasmanian Tigers and hosts international cricket. Tasmania’s summer sun can be strong and hot, so the sun’s angle is an important factor for afternoon games and twilight starts. Fans can use this guide along with the stadium seating map to find the best shaded seats at Ninja Stadium.

Where Are the Seats in the Shade and Sun at Ninja Stadium?

As a general rule, the seats in the shade at Ninja Stadium are:

• Members Pavilion: Shaded early in the afternoon
• Ricky Ponting Stand: Falls into shade by mid-afternoon and in the evening
• David Boon Stand: Becomes shaded in late-afternoon and evening
• Under Cover: Upper rows directly under the roof are shaded

And the seats in the sun at Ninja Stadium are mainly:

• The Hill: Uncovered and especially sunny
• North East Stand: Somewhat sun exposed later in the day

Shade always changes with the season, clouds, and start of play. Test matches in Hobart can start as early as 10:30 AM, though T20s and AFL matches are usually scheduled after lunchtime. If you’re sun-sensitive, prioritize rows tucked under the roof/overhang for the best chance at all-day shade.

Ninja Stadium Orientation to the Sun

The pitch at Ninja Stadium is oriented northwest-to-southeast. The sun rises in the east, tracks across the northern sky and dips toward the western horizon. For a mid or late afternoon match, this means the north and west sides of the stadium are the shade sides while the east and sound sides are sunny.

The graphic below shows the approximate hour-by-hour position of the sun throughout the day on January 1st.

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Navigating the Ninja Stadium Seating Map

Unlike some of Australia’s larger cricket grounds, Ninja Stadium uses an asymmetric design: most seated areas are on the west side of the oval, with open grass (The Hill) on the east. Stands on the seating map running in counter-clockwise direction around the pitch:

• North East Stand (along Church Street)
• Members Pavilion
• Ricky Ponting Stand
• David Boon Stand
• The Hill

Bay numbering starts in the Ricky Ponting Stand at Bay 1 and increases anti-clockwise to Bay 30 in front of The Hill. The North East Stand uses a separate numbering scheme.

Ninja Stadium has two tiers in the Ricky Ponting and David Boon Stands. On some maps, an “U” denotes the upper tier (e.g., Bay 15 lower tier, Bay U15 upper tier). On others there’s no explicit marker. Make sure to check the row in a given bay to confirm whether it’s lower or upper.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Morning Ninja Stadium Matches

First ball at a Test at Ninja Stadium is usually 10.30 AM. At this hour, shade is extremely limited. Your best bet is the North East Stand, which is under cover and angled well for morning shade. Fans on The Hill or in Bays 23-30 have the sun at their back but, without cover, still sit in direct sun. Across the pitch, the Ricky Ponting and David Boon Stands face into the sun. The highest rows in Bays 1-22 may sit close enough to the roof to catch some protection, but most rows, especially in the lower tier, are sunny.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Afternoon Ninja Stadium Matches

By 2:00 PM the sun sits behind the Members’ Pavilion. Over the next few hours it dips and tracks behind the west-side grandstand. In the Ricky Ponting Stand, upper-tier rows in Bays 1-9 shade first. As the afternoon progresses, the roof shadow reaches the lower tier in Bays 1-9 as well. In the David Boon Stand, your best chance for afternoon shade is the upper tier directly under the roof.

The sunniest seats are Bays 23-30 and The Hill: there’s no roof and the sun angles directly toward them. Lower-tier rows in the David Boon Stand are also sunny early in the afternoon when the sun is high; more rows fall into shade as it dips later.

During an afternoon match, seats on The Hill (where the photo is taken) is sunny while those in the Ricky Ponting Stand (across the pitch) are shaded.
Credit: caneshuga (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Evening Ninja Stadium Matches

By early evening, all rows in the Ricky Ponting and David Boon Stands are safely in shade. Choose any seat in Bays 1-22 to avoid the sun. The sunniest seats remain Bays 23-30 and The Hill, which are uncovered and take the late sun head-on. The North East Stand can also cop a blast of late-day sun: even though it’s covered, the low angle can reach the rows closest to the field in the hour or two before sunset.

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