Ballarat supporters meet the President

[ivan rassmussen]

Peter Gordon came over tonight with acting CEO Michael Quinn to meet Ballarat-based supporters. Unfortunately I'm on the move a bit tonight so will post more detail tomorrow, but PG spoke for a bit them took questions. Topics covered included:
- the Ballarat venture (main reason for catch up)
- $750 offer from Freo to move game
- how well we are travelling (and how impressed he is with the captain and coach)
- changed relationship with HO since his previous tenure
- the off-season upheaval, mainly a few questions about Griffen, about future list management
- a question about changing the name back to Footscray (VFL team has that covered, club is WB)

Sorry, running out of time, will add more tomorrow.

 

[DexterTan]

Peter Gordon came over tonight with acting CEO Michael Quinn to meet Ballarat-based supporters. Unfortunately I'm on the move a bit tonight so will post more detail tomorrow, but PG spoke for a bit them took questions. Topics covered included:
- the Ballarat venture (main reason for catch up)
- $750 offer from Freo to move game
- how well we are travelling (and how impressed he is with the captain and coach)
- changed relationship with HO since his previous tenure
- the off-season upheaval, mainly a few questions about Griffen, about future list management
- a question about changing the name back to Footscray (VFL team has that covered, club is WB)

Sorry, running out of time, will add more tomorrow.

Oh what! You tease!

 

[ivan rassmussen]

Sorry, I never did come back and update this thread... mainly because the same night I attended PG's talk in Ballarat turned out to be the night that cammo78 passed away, and I've found it hard to get back to this board for more than the occasional post since then.

I've forgotten a few things in the interim, but the three main ones that stick in my mind that weren't in my OP were:

- the plan for 2 future Ballarat home games (hopefully from 2017 onwards, but PG thought that was optimistic) is to play the two SA sides each year, turn it into an event. Try and encourage SA fans to make the trip by bus/train, get WB fans across from Melbourne. Not set in concrete, but that is the plan at this stage;
- he mentioned that JMac and Michael Quinn (acting CEO) were both heavily involved in recent re-signings, and to expect more (plural). Since that night Liber Jr has been announced, I suspect there will be others soon based on PG's comments that night;
- the club is hoping to open an office in Ballarat by the end of the year. Not just to liase with fans, but to work with businesses, and local sporting groups. They don't want to be seen to be treating Ballarat as a 'second' home, but want to fully commit to the area, run clinics, establish connections with local sporting leagues (football and others). He said they would probably look to have volunteers help staff the office. Will be interesting how it will work - will it be full-time? Where will it be located (would have to be fairly central to be effective)?

Anyway, when the next visit from PG to Ballarat occurs, I'll try and take some notes on the night, rather than trust my memory.

Cheerio

 

[go you pups]

That's a great initiative to play the SA sides in Ballarat.

We get no favours from the AFL with no current stand alone marquee fixtures that nearly every other team is afforded except us, North and St Kilda. Least they could do.

It also takes an hour and a half or so off travel for the SA supporters so it would give an opportunity for them to even drive across for the game, stay at a motel overnight then drive back the next day, or do it all in a day, it would also give the area a potential tourism boost those weekends.

 

[TempleKelvington]

Sorry, I never did come back and update this thread... mainly because the same night I attended PG's talk in Ballarat turned out to be the night that cammo78 passed away, and I've found it hard to get back to this board for more than the occasional post since then.

I've forgotten a few things in the interim, but the three main ones that stick in my mind that weren't in my OP were:

- the plan for 2 future Ballarat home games (hopefully from 2017 onwards, but PG thought that was optimistic) is to play the two SA sides each year, turn it into an event. Try and encourage SA fans to make the trip by bus/train, get WB fans across from Melbourne. Not set in concrete, but that is the plan at this stage;
- he mentioned that JMac and Michael Quinn (acting CEO) were both heavily involved in recent re-signings, and to expect more (plural). Since that night Liber Jr has been announced, I suspect there will be others soon based on PG's comments that night;
- the club is hoping to open an office in Ballarat by the end of the year. Not just to liase with fans, but to work with businesses, and local sporting groups. They don't want to be seen to be treating Ballarat as a 'second' home, but want to fully commit to the area, run clinics, establish connections with local sporting leagues (football and others). He said they would probably look to have volunteers help staff the office. Will be interesting how it will work - will it be full-time? Where will it be located (would have to be fairly central to be effective)?

Anyway, when the next visit from PG to Ballarat occurs, I'll try and take some notes on the night, rather than trust my memory.

Cheerio

The ground won't hold that many will it? I don't see why we'd play the SA teams there. It would be better to play GWS and GC there. Lucky to get 14,000 to one of the games against them. so they will go close to maxing out Ballarat. Port perhaps but certainly not the Crowbots, they travel to docklands anyway.