Dogs Refuse The Move

[Bender571]

Allowing the dogs to play "home" games at their oppositions home ground for financial benefit starts the league on a slippery slope.

What's next, Geelong playing "home" games at the Pies, Hawks, Blues, Tigers, and Bombers home ground for financial benefit?

 

[ep2018]

A bit of a dick move by Freo if I'm reading the article correctly. They basically offered the gate to Bulldogs, so Freo wouldn't be any worse off than if the game was in Melbourne, but they get to play at home, lol, as if the AFL would allow that.

Pretty ironic, considering their tantrum about how North were trying to sell a home game to West Coast was the reason the AFL didn't allow it.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Yeah, no. It's not a compromise, the MCG is a CRICKET ground, they let the AFL use it, and the CWC had absolutely zero impact on the AFL, the MCG was perfect for Round 1 when it was made available.

It's not at all the definition of "working together". Not at all.

Actually it is, and both sports have contracts. The MCG have it for the summer, the AFL have it for the winter and a bit before. Basically they are the two tenants with major events in there when possible.

The A League should really think about having set contracts. Maybe in the future play the GF at a set stadium- that may be Ethiad.

 

[DoggyStyle]

If push comes to shove then I am sure we would be delighted to relocate the game to the Whitten Oval.

 

[blue harvest]

There was no compromise necessary for the Asian Cup, it was played in January, well before even the AFL pre-season started and only used one common stadium - ANZ, which was never, ever going to be used for a pre-season match anyway. The Cricket World Cup was also played before the AFL season started, and again, utilized the MCG, which the AFL don't commonly use for pre-season. So it's not an apt comparison.

wtf?
The AFL started the season late and moved the GF to October to cater for the world cup at the G. I'd call that a compromise.

 

[Underdog]

There is also the issue of their members have bought season tickets and will also lose out on one of their ticketed matches.

This point seems lost on many.

Bulldogs have 30,754 members. If you have to reimburse even just 15,000 of them with $20 for a single missed game, you're looking at $300,000. That also doesn't include premium memberships.

All of a sudden that $750,000 is not nearly as attractive.

 

[Mr Eagle]

Or for once the A-League should ******* book the stadiums out well ahead of time like a professionally run competiton would do.

That's crazy talk. Don't talk crazy, you crazy person.

 

[Astro_]

Good chance Dogs vs Freo could be 1 vs 2, a game I would love to watch at the ground.

Plus, myself and 18 of my mates have Westerners tickets for that game which we paid $250 each for and booked back in February. It's our annual pi$$ up. So if the game was moved to Subi or elsewhere I wouldn't be surprised if my mates burnt Eithad down.

 

[peppy la pew]

A bit of a dick move by Freo if I'm reading the article correctly. They basically offered the gate to Bulldogs, so Freo wouldn't be any worse off than if the game was in Melbourne, but they get to play at home, lol, as if the AFL would allow that.

Like Harris said, you don't die wondering. The offer was made in March when the Doggies were considered a bottom 4 team on the rise.

750k is a fair bit of coin for a club like the doggies, who will struggle to get 25k people anyway.

Good on the Doggies, I would be filthy if the shoe was on the other foot.

 

[peppy la pew]

You watch, the dogs will end up taking the offer. Push will come from above.

Well Gillon has put the kybosh on it, so expect it to be moved to Skilled Stadium at the 11th hour

 

[blue harvest]

Speaking of booking stadiums in advance in case they are needed for finals, have the AFL booked ANZ stadium for a Friday AND Saturday prelim? Or have they just booked it for Friday again and hope that it all falls into place?

 

[Ice-Wolf]

This point seems lost on many.

Bulldogs have 30,754 members. If you have to reimburse even just 15,000 of them with $20 for a single missed game, you're looking at $300,000. That also doesn't include premium memberships.

All of a sudden that $750,000 is not nearly as attractive.

You can fit 12,000 into the Whitten Oval, but the A-League will need to compensate for the move of the game, reserved seat holders and general members and just the general inconvenience.

I really think the AFL should look at increasing the capacity of the Whitten Oval to at least 20,000 so that the Dog's can play a couple of games there a year.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Speaking of booking stadiums in advance in case they are needed for finals, have the AFL booked ANZ stadium for a Friday AND Saturday prelim? Or have they just booked it for Friday again and hope that it all falls into place?

Pretty sure the AFL have booked it Friday and that should be fine.

 

[Kram]

I really think the AFL should look at increasing the capacity of the Whitten Oval to at least 20,000 so that the Dog's can play a couple of games there a year.

Yeah that sounds like a real wise investment of the league's money.

 

[Ice-Wolf]

Yeah that sounds like a real wise investment of the league's money.

Lets call it compensation for the Bulldogs and Saints doing the lions share of paying off Etihad for the other clubs.

20-25k Whitten and Moorabbin Ovals could be just what the doctor asked for. They'd be great reserve and Women's League venues.

 

[juss]

750k for 1 relocated game, not a bad deal for a club not that profitable off field. Would have really helped. Still, if they get the 4 points at home, and eventually play finals because of it, it might be worth it, if not, probably a missed chance.

 

[Kermit]

You can fit 12,000 into the Whitten Oval, but the A-League will need to compensate for the move of the game, reserved seat holders and general members and just the general inconvenience.

I really think the AFL should look at increasing the capacity of the Whitten Oval to at least 20,000 so that the Dog's can play a couple of games there a year.

Would love it but will never happen. I remember the AFL taking our home game at Whitten Oval away from us in 1997 due to "the poor ground conditions". Don't remember them moving games from say, Skilled Stadium when the ground wasn't perfect- they have no problems shoving us around. We use to sell a home game to Darwin- until the AfL decided that Melbourne and Richmond deserved to share it with us and then Melbourne could replace us all together. The AFL didn't knock Freo's plan on the head for the benefit of us- they did it so other power clubs wouldn't be disadvantaged that Freo got an extra home game (ie- the diffenence between the dockers finishing 2nd or 3rd for example).
All power for Freo giving it a try. Glad we rejected it by laughing at the proposal

 

[Riccardo11]

Actually it is, and both sports have contracts. The MCG have it for the summer, the AFL have it for the winter and a bit before. Basically they are the two tenants with major events in there when possible.

The A League should really think about having set contracts. Maybe in the future play the GF at a set stadium- that may be Ethiad.

That's not actually what "compromise" means.

The A-League is set up so that the team finishing higher hosts the GF. It's been that way for 10 years and I doubt this issue will see them change that, they'll probably just be more careful if they have to book Etihad again.

 

[Sttew]

$750,000 is a lot of money. They should have taken it.

Pay Ryan Griffin's salary

 

[Riccardo11]

wtf?
The AFL started the season late and moved the GF to October to cater for the world cup at the G. I'd call that a compromise.

I'd call that doing what they had to do because the owners of the stadium decided to schedule another event there at the time they wanted to use the ground. That's not compromise, that's acceptance.

Similar to what the AFL is asking the FFA to do.

 

[kaiserchief13]

750k for 1 relocated game, not a bad deal for a club not that profitable off field. Would have really helped. Still, if they get the 4 points at home, and eventually play finals because of it, it might be worth it, if not, probably a missed chance.

Since they obviously don't need the money the AFL should stop giving them handouts

 

[Kermit]

$750,000 is a lot of money. They should have taken it.

It isn't so much when you consider the commercial implications for the Bulldogs- like all clubs, we get sponsorships which have certain requirements in regards to exposure and match day advertising, not to mention the corporate benefits given to the sponsors. Add this to the members who paid for a membership for 11 home games (including the replacement game for our Cairns game), the reserved seat holders, the coterie groups which run events on game day and believe me, that $750,000 doesn't end up being much at all. And of course, that is all before you consider the on field implications. Not too sure that Sydney would be thrilled if they had to play a final in Perth rather than Sydney because of the extra home game advantage to Freo.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

That's not actually what "compromise" means.

The A-League is set up so that the team finishing higher hosts the GF. It's been that way for 10 years and I doubt this issue will see them change that, they'll probably just be more careful if they have to book Etihad again.

Then the A League should change the system or book the grounds. You can't come squealing when you make an error and expect the major tenant to compromise...well just because. Doesn't work like that.

 

[Riccardo11]

This point seems lost on many.

Bulldogs have 30,754 members. If you have to reimburse even just 15,000 of them with $20 for a single missed game, you're looking at $300,000. That also doesn't include premium memberships.

All of a sudden that $750,000 is not nearly as attractive.

Just out of curiosity, do you know how much would the Bulldogs would reasonably expect to make at Etihad from a crowd of, say 25,000.

Not looking to start anything, but the door has been opened and I'm interested in the comparison.

 

[Riccardo11]

Then the A League should change the system or book the grounds. You can't come squealing when you make an error and expect the major tenant to compromise...well just because. Doesn't work like that.

FFS.

When, in the 14 billion times you've brought this up have I even come anywhere near to suggesting that? Have I not conceded on this exact point numerous times?

The FFA made an error, that ONCE AGAIN has been acknowledged many, many, many times. Nobody is expecting the booked game to be switched for no reason whatsoever, and if you think that, you are either deliberately trying to start something or simply somehow failing to comprehend the situation.

Please, do my blood pressure a favor and don't reply to me again unless you have a new point to make.