Lights out for Canberra Cavalry under ACT government curfew

The Cavalry face the embarrassment of having their Narrabundah Ballpark lights turn off during games due to an ACT government curfew.

Canberra's ABL team fear being forced to move away from their preferred start time could hurt their crowds in their comeback season following three summers of hell.

They've been forced to start night games earlier to give themselves the best chance of finishing before the new 10pm cutoff.

When the clock strikes 10, the lights automatically switch to training lights - a setting which would be unsafe to continue playing.

Similarly, their sound system automatically cuts down to a much lower volume.

They could be forced to shorten, postpone or even cancel games if they run out of time.

Thursday and Friday night home games will be impacted the most from a crowd perspective - a 6.30pm start time makes it hard for fans and their families to get to the Fort after work.

The 10pm curfew wasn't brought in due to complaints from Narrabundah residents, but off the back of the pre-existing ACT Sportsgrounds Charter.

Those regulations state a 9pm cut-off, but the Cavalry were given an extension due to being part of an "elite competition".

The ACT government told The Canberra Times they were open to working with the Cavalry if the curfew caused significant issues.

It's not the first time lights have been an issue at Canberra sporting grounds, with McKellar Park - A-League Women club Canberra United's home ground - forced to abandon night games in 2018 due to two complaints by locals about the lights.

Cavalry co-owner Illya Mastoris said it was too early to tell how big an impact the curfew would have, but he hoped it would just be a small inconvenience.

The Cavalry began their ABL campaign with a 1-0 victory over the Sydney Blue Sox at Narrabundah on Thursday night.

It was their first ABL game since February 12, 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the previous summer severely affected by the toxic smoke from the bushfires.

"Our preference has always been a 7pm start to give families time to get home, get changed and get out to the ballpark with plenty of energy to cheer on the Canberra Cavalry," Mastoris said.

"It's too early [what impact it will have] because we're one game into what a curfewed season would look like. I think we need a little bit more evidence before we could make a call like that.

"It's going to affect us in a capacity - whether it is a small inconvenience or a larger one we don't know yet."

An ACT government spokesperson said the Cavalry had been given an extension to 10pm - as permitted under the ACT Sportsgrounds Charter.

They were open to engaging with the Cavalry if the curfew was an issue.

"The ACT government has and continues to engage with the Canberra Cavalry about the arrangements at the Narrabundah Ballpark," the spokesperson said.

"Canberra Cavalry have approval for a lighting extension to 10pm at the Narrabundah Ballpark ... noting the expectation is that match play is complete before 10pm.

"We will continue to work with the club on arrangements that will support the hosting of games at the ballpark into the future."

The early start didn't hinder the Cavalry's start to the season.

Especially the start of Chicago Cubs prospect Cole Roederer.

His solo home run was the only score in the opener dominated by the pitchers.

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The Cavalry outfielder has come into the ABL with plenty of confidence, having climbed his way up to AA-level this year - two rungs below the Majors.

Cavalry starting pitcher Frank Gailey laid the foundation for the win with six innings of runless work, striking out five, giving up five hits and walking one.

"That's the biggest thing for me, I'm the biggest person on respect," Roederer said.

"I feel like I've got to earn respect from everybody regardless of who I am, what I've done in the past so it felt good just to show my teammates they can rely on me a little bit and I can get the job done for them.

"Man it felt good to get the first one out of the way. It really did."

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