Cometti recognised at new WA stadium

The media centre at the new Optus Stadium in Perth has been named after famed WA commentator Dennis Cometti.

Famed WA commentator Dennis Cometti has been recognised with the media centre at Perth's new Optus Stadium named after him.

The facility includes two television studios, a studio box for live television, eight radio commentary boxes, a print press box for 30 people, a photographer's work room and a lounge.

The interview rooms can accommodate up to 180 journalists and there are also two 1000sqm external broadcast areas.

Cometti, whose 50-year career has seen him cover AFL including 16 grand finals, several Olympic Games and more than 100 cricket Test matches on radio, joked he "plagiarised a lot" with his famous one-liners.

The veteran commentator attended his first football match with his dad in 1957, then started listening to the radio for sports broadcasting, beginning work as a Top-40 disc jockey in 1968.

"There's no doubt WA punches well above its weight when it comes to sports broadcasters and sports journalists," he told reporters on Friday.

Cometti also acknowledged his wife Velia and children Ricki and Mark.

"They coped remarkably well with my absence over many years," he said.

"Sometimes I'd be away for a month doing the cricket in the early days and when I'd get home what did worry me a little bit was they coped even better when I was home.

"You'd come back and suddenly you'd be lying on the floor expecting a little attention and they would step over you and get the remote."

Cometti reflected that having a life in sport meant a life in stadiums but said not all memories were about sport.

He recalled that in March 1969 he was on Leederville Oval when a policeman told him his father had died, and in March 1983 after his son was born he went straight to work at the WACA and Lathlain Park.

"I don't remember any of those scores, I was just floating on air that day. But I do remember the stadiums," he said.

Cometti said Optus Stadium would be a "game changer" for sport.

"All the big sporting events and all the big sporting moments will happen on this ground and be covered from the, dare I say it, Dennis Cometti Media Centre," he said.


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Source: AAP



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