Growing concerns that the new Perth Stadium threatens WA football

[Defacto]

There are growing concerns from those involved in WA football that the new Perth stadium could threaten the future of WA football. Their concerns are around a new stadium deal that could see a reduction in the returns the WAFC receives from the existing deal at subiaco oval. The WAFC is responsible for managing and developing football within the state. Everything from junior football, to the state leagues, to AFL talent pathways and even community/amateur football. The money generated from the existing subiaco oval stadium deal provides the funds to do this

Any reduction in the stadium deal means a reduction in money available to the WAFC to manage football in the state, likewise it also means a reduction in revenue for the eagles and dockers

Here is a piece from someone that is concerned with the new stadium deal and its affect on WA football
http://www.watoday.com.au/comment/l...m-kill-grassroots-wa-football-20150615-ghnqjz

Both our AFL clubs are on winning streaks. Interest in the WAFL is high. More than 178,000 males and females of all ages in 531 clubs and 56 leagues based in towns, cities and communities between Kununurra and Esperance and, from the coast to our eastern border, play what is the only truly Australian game on around 390 ovals.

The game is growing at around 10 per cent a year and there are more than 4,000 accredited coaches, 516 umpires and you don't have to be Einstein to work out that all this must cost a shedload of money.

And it does.

Around $15 million every year gets puts back into grassroots footy. That and the thousands of volunteers who give up their time to coach, administer and take part in the game are what makes it all happen.

That $15 million comes from the Eagles, Dockers and operating Domain Stadium. Should any one of those stop contributing, WA footy will struggle to survive.

The thing about footy is that everything relates to everything else. Change in one area impacts all areas of the game. And my alarm bells are ringing.

Footy's move to the new Perth Stadium changes everything.

the other concern being raised is that the new stadium might not significantly increase the seat allocation to the eagles and dockers and therefore not address the membership waiting list experienced by WCE fans. there is talk that any seat capacity in the new stadium (basically 40k to 60k) will be significantly eaten up by tickets allocated to the west australian governement in the form of tourism packages and super tickets as a way to partially fund the investment the government is making

i hope that the AFL and WAFC stand firm on the stadium deal and do not agree to anything that will negatively impact the game in WA or its fans. they should be advantaged by the move not disadvantaged so that the government can say they built a new stadium

 

[whatwhatsaywhat]

Sounds exactly like the concerns around Adelaide Oval, none of which have proven to be founded as yet.


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[Eshay187]

i can't imagine there would be thousands and thousands of seats worth of "tourism packages" per game.

 

[Farang83150]

i can't imagine there would be thousands and thousands of seats worth of "tourism packages" per game.

Agreed, seems a strange concern.

 

[Altum Volantes]

Likely coming out of WAFC who are obviously going to have less money and control of WA footy.

Pretty much one of the big stumbling blocks we've had for decades around the prospect of getting a new stadium. Amoung others...

 

[Defacto]

i can't imagine there would be thousands and thousands of seats worth of "tourism packages" per game.

10k is a number that has been rumoured to be made available for tourism

last week there was an article stating there would be 10k reserved for the government for super tickets. also said there would be a minimal increase on the WCE seat allocation

 

[wedgetail]

Any reduction in the stadium deal means a reduction in money available to the WAFC to manage football in the state

The AFL will just have to step in and fund WA local footy... like they do on the east coast.

Most of these noises are coming from the WAFC, who risk losing a powerbase.... which in itself isnt actually a problem. I see no issue with who manages grassroots footy, so long as it gets done.

 

[master bate]

So 40k will go to 60k but due to the Government getting greedy the actual return to the clubs and WAFC could diminish?

I would hope not. Good on the author for getting on the front foot though so at least everyone is aware of it.

Good luck to Freo and West Coast fans in hoping they configure the ticketing at the stadium to give members and footy fans priority and don't end up with a medallion club style white elephant. Say no to super tickets (which is what I presume he means by that term).

 

[Farang83150]

10k is a number that has been rumoured to be made available for tourism

last week there was an article stating there would be 10k reserved for the government for super tickets. also said there would be a minimal increase on the WCE seat allocation

Sounds like a bizarre figure.
What are super tickets?

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Not an issue because it'll obviously never be built.

How long have they been talking about this?

 

[Defacto]

here is the articles on seat allocation:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-10/seat-allocation-details-of-new-perth-stadium-revealed/6534444

About 10,000 general admission seats will be allocated to the public for AFL matches at the new Perth stadium at Burswood.

Mr Barnett emphasised the public would have ready access to the taxpayer-funded stadium during the AFL season.

"What I have been insistent upon, right from the beginning, that there be a significant, a large number of general admission tickets, and there will be," he said.

"General admission to the public will be pretty well right on 10,000 seats, which I think is a very adequate allocation.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/28464718/risk-to-sports-at-new-stadium/

The Barnett Government has refused to guarantee football and cricket that they will be no worse off financially by moving to the new $1.4 billion Burswood stadium.

With the Government in sensitive negotiations with the Fremantle Dockers, West Coast Eagles and WA Cricket Association about terms for using the stadium, Treasury’s top official in charge of the project admitted yesterday that the Government had made no promises the codes would be better off.

 

[master bate]

By the way won't the WAFC operate the new stadium? Or will the Government turn it over to a new level of bureaucracy who won't actually have anyone's interest besides their own profits?

 

[wedgetail]

obviously never be built

...except for the 3 cranes onsite, lift shafts that have topped out and all the pier caps sticking out of the ground.

 

[Defacto]

Sounds like a bizarre figure.
What are super tickets?

basically the best seats in the stadium are reserved and then sold as season membership at a higher rate by the WA Gov or stadium operators, outside of the WCE/Freo. similar to the medallion club at etihad

 

[Altum Volantes]

Sounds like a bizarre figure.
What are super tickets?

Guaranteed win for your team.

 

[Kangayroo]

Not an issue because it'll obviously never be built.

How long have they been talking about this?

Under construction

 

[Defacto]

By the way won't the WAFC operate the new stadium? Or will the Government turn it over to a new level of bureaucracy who won't actually have anyone's interest besides their own profits?

its up for tender. 3 parties have applied from memory. the company run by mike fitzpatrick, the WAFC and one other i cant re-call could be the AFL or another private company

 

[Bunk Moreland]

...except for the 3 cranes onsite, lift shafts that have topped out and all the pier caps sticking out of the ground.

Beauty, sounds like they'll have it ready for round 1 2097.

 

[Sydney Bloods]

so basically nobody wants to have to pay for new stadiums and upgrades? Its a brand new stadium and they didn't expect a smaller return in the short term?
Its etihad all over again.

 

[Farang83150]

Guaranteed win for your team.

So we'd get to choose our own umps(as the vics say we do now) or do we get allocated a huge amount of frees per game (as the vics say we do now)!!

 

[master bate]

its up for tender. 3 parties have applied from memory. the company run by mike fitzpatrick, the WAFC and one other i cant re-call could be the AFL or another private company

I'll put my money on the company run by Mike Fitzpatrick thanks. Otherwise West Coast v Collingwood Friday night just became West Coast v GWS Saturday twilight etc

 

[Defacto]

The AFL will just have to step in and fund WA local footy... like they do on the east coast.

Most of these noises are coming from the WAFC, who risk losing a powerbase.... which in itself isnt actually a problem. I see no issue with who manages grassroots footy, so long as it gets done.

the AFL is open and honest about the game currently having a cost issue. it will be fanciful to think the same amount of funds will be made available from the AFL to develop the game in WA. any discussions on increasing WA funding have gone down like a lead balloon. the AFL just dont get how large the state is and the challenges with managing the game in a state with many remote areas

also this doesnt just affect the WAFC, it affects the WCE and freo who are owned by the WAFC. they currently receive very good returns from the existing stadium deal. from memory 70c in the dollar after paying an annual licence fee to the AFL. a change of stadium operator or a reduction in the deal will mean a loss of revenue for the eagles and dockers.

 

[Farang83150]

I'll put my money on the company run by Mike Fitzpatrick thanks. Otherwise West Coast v Collingwood Friday night just became West Coast v GWS Saturday twilight etc

Surely he wouldn't do that to his place of birth!!!

 

[Defacto]

so basically nobody wants to have to pay for new stadiums and upgrades? Its a brand new stadium and they didn't expect a smaller return in the short term?
Its etihad all over again.

this is exactly why WCE, Freo and WA football fans should be concerned

as a supporter of a victorian club with etihad as its home ground, i know how this one ends. my bet is AFC and Port fans could also relate

 

[King Elvis]

Sounds exactly like the concerns around Adelaide Oval, none of which have proven to be founded as yet.


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...

You missed the massive storm over the fact that both Clubs smashed expectations and actually delivered a worse than projected result?