MCG may be football-free next July

[sherb]

Why?

You don't think these clubs have supporters?

 

[Carlo]

This will be ******* awesome.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Really? The MCG is not the "Home of Football"????? Really?????

The MCG is the "Home of Cricket" in Australia - no question - Cricket Australia is based in Jolimont for that very reason.

You might want to pop on over to England and tell the folks at Lord's - The Home of Cricket - that they aren't actually the Home of Cricket though.

http://www.lords.org/

Of course I was referring to Australia, Just didn't think I had to spell it out. I know about the historical significance of Lord's, I've been there to see Australia play.

The 1933 VFL Grand Final attracted a crowd of 75,754 (the first Grand Final played after the Southern Stand was fully opened).
http://afltables.com/afl/seas/1933.html

Can you tell me when the first time was that there was a sporting crowd in Sydney in excess of 70,000????????

Many many many decades hence I would suggest, but I await your answer.

I really don't know what you are arguing here, or its relevance to what I have said, all I came into this thread for, was to state that the afl shouldn't be allowed to encroach upon the cricket season, and shouldn't be allowed to throw the Vics off the MCG. As for this tournament, I am happy to have it melbourne, the afl will just have to work around it.

 

[McCrann]

In terms of the effect on next season, it's not all that significant. One weekend where the AFL will play 3 games at Docklands, Geelong at Kardinia Park & Hawthorn in Launceston. The next weekend the soccer will be on the MCG on Friday night, but AFL will get the ground back on the Saturday. Not a huge imposition.

Of course the AFL doesn't want a rival event up against its games, that's understandable. And to say nothing when being pushed aside for cricket one week and soccer the next would make the AFL look like a soft-touch doormat - so they'll have to kick up a minor stink in the hope of extracting some sort of minor concession.
But legally the AFL doesn't have a leg to stand on, and there's nothing the AFL can do to stop it. There'll be a few days of posturing and outrageous statements, but then it'll die down. The soccer players will come in July and then go, and it'll be back to business as usual. I don't think anyone should lose too much sleep over it.

Exactly right - A sensible post. AFL aren't too worried about this, but they sure wouldn't like being ignored and not being forewarned.

It's called working together. And for those who still have a "bee in their bonnet" about the Soccer World Cup Bid. Get over it.

The AFL were very accommodating actually. Its purely spin to suggest they weren't. It is pure lunacy to suggest they should have to shut down their season for two months to make way for another sport, a direct competitor. Does anyone here really think the NFL for instance would ever agree to something like that?

Outrageous.

 

[pinot]

You don't think these clubs have supporters?

it's not like that... poor run clubs are just exposed and punished. fans know this - the thrill for these clubs is to stay alive or not get relegated...opposite end of spectrum you have tiny Eibar that has been promoted to the La Liga (Spanish 1st division that is 2% of the value of Real Madrid) but will take on all the big clubs. It's going to be great...like 300 movie

 

[sherb]

it's not like that... poor run clubs are just exposed and punished. fans know this - the thrill for these clubs is to stay alive or not get relegated...opposite end of spectrum you have tiny Eibar that has been promoted to the La Liga (Spanish 1st division that is 2% of the value of Real Madrid) but will take on all the big clubs. It's going to be great...like 300 movie

I think we need to revisit what you originally said, as you seem to have forgotten. In particular the bolded:

That's part of the game - promotion, relegation poor run clubs die (so what who will miss them?). At least half of the list is still a registered club BTW.

Your list is BS - sorry to say

The answer is that their supporters will miss them. Irrespective of the reason for the club's downfall.

 

[McCrann]

Forbes disagrees with your inaccuracies and/or lies or just ignorant. Not sure which - but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mme45hiih/1-uefa-champions-league/

NFL comes in about 11th one spot in front of world series of poker.

Factually wrong statement mate. I checked your link.

But I take your point.

I did say "annual sporting event"

So you can cross out 2 (FIFA World Cup) & 3 (Euros).

Actually, the Superbowl is at No. 6 anyway, not 11.
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mme45hiih/6-super-bowl/

That makes it 4th in an annual sense.

And I would further clarify and say "domestic". Yes - I didn't say that before, so I am changing my argument slightly, but that is what I intended. (Believe it or not at your will and pleasure).

According to ranking you've provided (by Forbes) though, that put's Baseball at No. 1 - as the "Richest Annual Domestic Sporting Event" - ahead of the NFL, and then the FedEx Cup.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Has Eddie called them traitors yet?

 

[McCrann]

there wouldn't even be an AFL comp if the AFL didn't prop up or bail clubs out.

no such luck in Europe. clubs manage their affairs. just like any business really.

That's the way the AFL has decided to manage things (following the NFL model) and that's fair enough. Your point is valid. But, they're different systems.

One thing I would say, watch out for the fate of many heavily indebted Soccer clubs when the Global Financial Crisis returns (probably next year - GFC II).

Many many Soccer clubs in Europe will go bankrupt (The AFL will also face this problem, but because of the way the comp here is managed it's a lot easier for the AFL to impose a 10% wage cut across the competition by fiat in order to keep things healthy and viable than it is in one of the European leagues).

If you don't think that is possible, I'm afraid you don't know your history. Look up "Debt deflation" and the US Housing Bubble Crash while you're at it. (And that advice goes for anyone. A grand palace built on debt is a grand palace built on sand).

Can anyone here tell me what happens to Manchester City if Iran bombs and invades Abu Dhabi? Man City are toast. (Not saying that's about to happen, but you'd be a fool to discount the possibility entirely).

Just like you'd be a fool to count on the success of (Russian) Chelsea in the coming years. Abramovich is likely to have Chelsea confiscated off him at some point by the UK Government.

 

[pinot]

I think we need to revisit what you originally said, as you seem to have forgotten. In particular the bolded:


The answer is that their supporters will miss them. Irrespective of the reason for the club's downfall.

The decline of the club is highlighted years before the actually deregistration as they get relegated year on year 99% of the time new owners buy the club on the very cheap and rebuild pending on supporter base and commercial agreements. I don't know of a club that has average capacity of 5000 at minimum & deregistered. Not one club..if they do get deregistered its because they are unable to pay wages in the very low divisions. Not Division 2-3-4 etc but lower amateur divisions

 

[McCrann]

Why? Small clubs have been given the opportunity to be very rich clubs in England.. Cardiff, Southampton and others the opposite is true as well - poorly run rich clubs crash and burn.. That's the cut throat nature of world football. Not much we can do on sentimental value - it's been working since the 1850s it's what it is. Its like giving Xavier college the opportunity to play AFL then conquering all before them...

five different AFL grand final winners past 10 years
four different EPL winners past 10 years

south Melbourne and Fitzroy are no longer with us.. not football club has ceased to exist that has played in the premier league 20 years ago. so whose business model is better?

Cute stat but wrong. (2004-2013).

Port Adelaide
Sydney Swans (2)
West Coast
Geelong (3)
Hawthorn (2)
Collingwood.

I make that 6 in 10 actually. And the last 4 years have seen 4 different champions. Of course, your argument is likely to be better in a year's time when it probably will be 5 different winners in 10 years unless Port Adelaide can win again (or North Melbourne).

Who's business model is better? As the Chinese might say (in reference to the French Revolution if you're aware of the quote) - "It's too early to say".

Clearly though, the business models of South Melbourne & Fitzroy were sheizenhausen. (sp?).

 

[Bardo State]

Pumped for this. I couldn't give a * who calls which sport what or which is more popular or whatever.

Get to see some of the biggest soccer teams in the world live with minimal interference to the AFL season.

 

[McCrann]

it's not like that... poor run clubs are just exposed and punished. fans know this - the thrill for these clubs is to stay alive or not get relegated...opposite end of spectrum you have tiny Eibar that has been promoted to the La Liga (Spanish 1st division that is 2% of the value of Real Madrid) but will take on all the big clubs. It's going to be great...like 300 movie

Haha, I love stories like that as well - we all know how the 300 movie ended though. One of my cousins played for Osasuna some years back actually.

 

[Bouvet_Island]

Can anyone here tell me what happens to Manchester City if Iran bombs and invades Abu Dhabi? Man City are toast. (Not saying that's about to happen, but you'd be a fool to discount the possibility entirely).

Well, if we're making bizarre hypotheticals, what happens if an atomic bomb is dropped in the heart of Melbourne?
Bearing in mind over that 50% of the people on the planet who follow AFL would live within the blast zone, the entire league would be toast, not just one team.

 

[pieman123]

Hey mate it aint called football in Victoria its SOCCER and always will be to the vast majority of Victorians/Australians!By trying to get name football excusiively for soccer you just piss off millions of people that dont follow the sport in Australia and consider their AFL or NRL to be Football.
BTW because its the "champions league" playoff you wont know who is playing till after the soccer is finished in Europe.

Its the Champions Cup a pre season tournament, not a Champions league 'playoff' you obviously have NFI.

 

[JackFlash]

that might be difficult considering the AFL won't confirm what they're going to do until October when the schedule is released. This tournament will have to be locked in soon. Australia isn't only the only country seeking the likes of Real Madrid & Barcelona to play on their turf.

and that's moot anyway. the clauses in the agreements allow the Vic Govt and the MCC to ultimately go above the AFL on the matter. even if AFL scheduling is considered, this year's scheduling doesn't aid the AFLs cause at all.

the best indication the Vic Govt have of what the AFL might do next year is the most recent season. the AFL dropped the ball.

Then the Victorian Government is placing the game in jeopardy. With the World Cricket Cup already causing a headache with scheduling why would Napthine put up a wall to prevent the AFL from rectifying a problem they now recognise and wish to correct? Attendances are well down and the Essendon saga, match scheduling and ticket pricing have worn down the average footy fan and people are not going to the game. The AFL cannot afford another mediocre season in 2015. I would prefer Real Madrid & Barcelona to play elsewhere.

 

[*Paul*]

Can you tell me when the first time was that there was a sporting crowd in Sydney in excess of 70,000????????

Might've been this one in 1932
http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/ashes-series-1932/game-1/australia-vs-england/summary.html

 

[pazza]

At least the AFL has had some warning about this now and can alter it's fixture as it sees fit.

What we are also forgetting is that the MCG ground staff can easily change the ground at pretty short notice (line markings and posts), so it could yet be the case that the MCG stages AFL games anyway if necessary.

 

[giggler99]

It just sounds like people don't want to give the MCG to football for a weekend or two out of nothing but spite. It's not like the AFL can't manage and history suggests (look at the 2014 fixture) that the MCG will barely be used for a weekend or two during the season anyway.

How long can we call ourselves the "sporting capital of the world" when so many Melbournians refuse to acknowledge sports outside of Australian Rules football? Any real sport fan can see the benefit of having the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona come to town (even if it means the AFL compromises for a week or two).

The most logical post in this thread.

 

[kaypee]

I would do anything to be in the atmosphere again! Been involved in nothing like it and seen three AFL grand finals live.

Go to a rock concert if you want a singalong

 

[Fitzcray]

Why can't these soccer cultists play their inconsental games in Sydney at grounds that never get filled anyway.
Soccer is out to get footy and that former rugby boss Gallop is doing his best to faver his old code.
He never liked footy when he was boss of the rugby and this is a way of getting revenge.

 

[aCunningPlan]

Go to a rock concert if you want a singalong

Yeah what kind of pathetic club would do something like that?

 

[pinot]

Go to a rock concert if you want a singalong

Ask the players whether they like this stuff pre game to put in a hot performance

 

[mikeythemoocow]

As long as the soccer games arent played at 6.30 Sunday night I dont see how they would clash with an AFL game.

 

[Kwality]

Has Eddie called them traitors yet?

Are you suggesting Eddie has a conflict of interest at the MCG & wasn't playing a straight bat when he ran off at the mouth criticising the WAFC scheduling of a Rugby Test at Pattos@Subi. Goddamn traitor!