New proposal for Ballarat development.

[Goady138]

LOL, first I heard of that.

Still....18th biggest city in the country and someone's suggested putting a team there? Absurd.

You don't think anyone between Geelong and Bendigo would be interested?
Not to mention Maryborough and the rest of the golden triangle.
Laugh out loud you say.

 

[Rob]

You don't think anyone between Geelong and Bendigo would be interested?
Not to mention Maryborough and the rest of the golden triangle.
Laugh out loud you say.

Be a few. Mostly supporters of other clubs. Virtually no corporate support.

Long long way from being able to sustain an AFL club. Tassie would be miles ahead of them, and they're not really close either.

 

[Kwality]

...less than 2 hours from Melbourne by car or train.

They wont go for 8 games, but I reckon a similar type deal to North, hawthorn and GWS will work for them - 7/8 Melb, 3/4 Ballarat. Im honestly amazed this hasnt been done before. the answer to some victorian clubs issues may well almost literally be in their backyard.

so is Ballarat organising funding? Geelong style or Tassie taxpayers or will the AFL fund it?

 

[Goady138]

Be a few. Mostly supporters of other clubs. Virtually no corporate support.

Long long way from being able to sustain an AFL club. Tassie would be miles ahead of them, and they're not really close either.

The Bulldogs will only be playing a few games a year in Ballarat buddy.
A full time Tassie team would be good.

 

[Rob]

The Bulldogs will only be playing a few games a year in Ballarat buddy.

I know that. I was replying to a suggestion that they will effectively relocate there.

 

[The_Wookie]

so is Ballarat organising funding? Geelong style or Tassie taxpayers or will the AFL fund it?

Tourism Victoria.

 

[Kwality]

Will the Vic Govt (through Vic Tourism ?) support the Ballarat initiative as the Tassie Govt has done?

Will the Vic taxpayer support the Bulldogs with comparable $s to the Taswegians ?

 

[The_Wookie]

Will the Vic Govt (through Vic Tourism ?) support the Ballarat initiative as the Tassie Govt has done?

Asked and Answered. Yes they are.

The Western Bulldogs and the State Government announced a major partnership that will support the delivery of their shared commitment to bring AFL games to Ballarat.

Premier Daniel Andrews joined Western Bulldogs President Peter Gordon and Ballarat local and Bulldogs Vice-Captain Jordan Roughead at Eureka Stadium on Friday to announce the new five-year partnership that will support the Bulldogs to strengthen ties with Ballarat and promote Western Victoria.

Under the partnership, the Bulldogs will wear Ballarat-branded shorts, starting tonight in the 2nd Elimination Final against the Adelaide Crows at the MCG.

The Ballarat brand will be promoted across Bulldogs platforms and branded assets under the long-term agreement.

A central element of the partnership will also include investment in the delivery of Western Bulldogs community programs in Western Victoria.

ref: http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2015-09-12/bulldogs-ballarat-boon

Will the Vic taxpayer support the Bulldogs with comparable $s to the Taswegians ?

No mention on the amount of money involved, but if they get a clean stadium and cheap use, then they are already well ahead of playing at Etihad.

 

[Rob]

Significantly larger than Launceston (Population 86,000-89,000 and growing at an annual growth rate of 0.5%). Ballarat's current population is around 103,000 (growing at an annual growth rate of 1.8-1.9 percent per annum over the last 10 years). According to ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) projections it's forecast to grow to between 126,000-136,000 by 2030. By comparison, Launcestion will reach a population of around 96,000-98,000 by 2030.

A projected summary is at this link. Accordong to several media sources, Ballarat is effectivrly the fastest growing inland city in Australia and the 3rd fastest growing regional city after the Gold Coast and Townsville. There are a few Melbourne metropolitan council areas in Melbourne which are growing substantially faster including South Morang, Wyndham, Werribee and Packenham. Ballarat has boomed over the last several years due to a number ofd factors including the upgrading of rail services and relative cummuter access to Melbourne, significantly cheaper real estate prices, and the opening of large expanses of land around the city for residential development.

Not interested in bagging out Ballarat (hell, I quite like the place), but it's simply too small to be anything other than a place where a couple of games will be played at any time in the next 50 years.

You probably want to check your stats too, it's growing at about the same rate as the rest of the country (marginally higher), less than Melbourne as a whole, and there are quite a few other regional cities that are growing faster than it. Bunbury, Geraldton, Sunshine Coast and Gladstone are a few. Darwin as well if you want to call it regional. Bunbury's probably a comparable place - about the same distance from the capital and similar populations (nearly double the growth rate though). Major difference being that no-one's suggesting a team be based there.
Funnily enough, Ballarat's actually growing at a marginally faster rate than the Gold Coast at the moment. Little bit of a difference in base populations though.....

 

[Kwality]

Asked and Answered. Yes they are.

ref: http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2015-09-12/bulldogs-ballarat-boon



No mention on the amount of money involved, but if they get a clean stadium and cheap use, then they are already well ahead of playing at Etihad.

Words can be cheap, words from a politician more so - the Taswegians have put their money where their mouth is, & the clubs involved have their bank deposit records to prove it, not limited to a stadium deal. Time will tell whether Ballarat is a plus for the Bulldogs.

 

[incubi]

estate prices, and the opening

Words can be cheap, words from a politician more so - the Taswegians have put their money where their mouth is, & the clubs involved have their bank deposit records to prove it, not limited to a stadium deal. Time will tell whether Ballarat is a plus for the Bulldogs.

Our shorts had a ballarat logo added to them at the end of last season, they havent released the design for the 2016 playing shorts but i presume will be that. The club referred to it as a multi million dollar sponsorship over i think a 5 year term at first.

 

[Kwality]

Good question, the AFL is not contributing a cent at this stage. It is an enterprise being funded the State of Victoria, the Ballarat City Council, and interested Local Investors. As far as I am aware, and anybody can correct me if I am wrong, the North Ballarat Sports Club are not contributing a cent as they only rent the ground at a poultry sum of about $8000 per year.

poultry..

How would the 'interested Local Investors' get a return on the investment?

 

[Gigantor]

poultry..

How would the 'interested Local Investors' get a return on the investment?

selling eggs?

 

[DERIBERATE]

Not interested in bagging out Ballarat (hell, I quite like the place), but it's simply too small to be anything other than a place where a couple of games will be played at any time in the next 50 years.

So is Geelong.

Beautiful town btw. Ballarat that is.

 

[The_Reaper]

Geelong is near twice the size of Ballarat and has a team for historical reasons

 

[Kwality]

poultry, paltry ... "pedestrian" or as most news readers and journalists on TV pronounce it "PREdestrian"

Listen for it on any Channel 7, 9 or ABC news cast.

&

How would the 'interested Local Investors' get a return on the investment?

 

[kaypee]

Long term I'd say Western Bulldogs will become a western suburbs/ ballarat/ Melton / Sunbury team. Geelong: Lara, Hamilton, surfcoast, bellarine and Warrnambool. North Melbourne are the problem, as much as I love them. Probably divided between whatever stadium replaces docklands and Hobart

 

[The_Wookie]

replaces Docklands?

 

[kaypee]

replaces Docklands?

I can see docklands getting shunted in 20 years. It's sort of unloved, developers would love that piece of land. I understand it will be a boon when the afl takes it over, but I just don't reckon it's a a hundred year stadium.

 

[The Blue Baggers]

Do you know how big Ballarat is? It's smaller than Launceston.

Incorrect refer abs

 

[Gigantor]

I can see docklands getting shunted in 20 years. It's sort of unloved, developers would love that piece of land. I understand it will be a boon when the afl takes it over, but I just don't reckon it's a a hundred year stadium.

Hmmm, when are the AFL ever again going to get another prime piece of real estate which is so close to the CBD? right next to a major rail station with country lines (and which also happens to be on the right side of the city for clubs such as North, the bombers and the dogs - Footscray Road leads right to it and Arden St is walking distance.

It's true, people whinge about it - but people will whinge about anything.

 

[Kwality]

Old money ...

 

[madmug]

Old money ...

The thing about 'old money' is that they keep it. They dont spend it. Most development comes from the entrepreneurial types who take risks & punts.

 

[madmug]

Quite true, the Roos have never settled. They've flirted with Canberra, Ballarat, Hobart and now Werribee. Bendigo has its links with Essendon and I am pretty sure that other teams are actively gunning for the Shepparton/Wangarratta/Benalla and northern Victoria market.

I always thought Bendigo had a history with Carlton??

 

[The_Wookie]

I always thought Bendigo had a history with Carlton??

definitely does, goes back to zoning days. but Essendons VFL side for a number of years was Bendigo too until 2013 IIRC