Return to Princes Park: MARCH 2017

[Dadadadaaaaaa]

people in the country and people who dont live near train lines

not everyone is an inner city hipster ******

I live in Geelong and have no problem getting to and from Princes Park. Simply drive to North Melbourne station where there is loads of free all day parking on a weekend. Hop on the train, wait a couple of stops to get to Royal Park Station which is at most a 7 minute walk from the ground. No futher than walking from West Footscray to the Whitten Oval.

You can't really use that as an excuse for hating the ground, tbh no one really can. You just need to be smart about getting there. The only parking at the MCG or Etihad costs you $30 anyway, apart from that there isn't any real close parking at any of the Melbourne grounds, not just Princes Park.

People try to use the "parking" the main point for AFL matches not to be played there, when in reality that is complete nonsense. Gonna have to come up with some better reasons than that and the fact that OP's think its a "shithole" just because their team got flogged every week there for the best part of 30 years by Carlton.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

I live in Geelong and have no problem getting to and from Princes Park. Simply drive to North Melbourne station where there is loads of free all day parking on a weekend. Hop on the train, wait a couple of stops to get to Royal Park Station which is at most a 7 minute walk from the ground. No futher than walking from West Footscray to the Whitten Oval.

You can't really use that as an excuse for hating the ground, tbh no one really can. You just need to be smart about getting there. The only parking at the MCG or Etihad costs you $30 anyway, apart from that there isn't any real close parking at any of the Melbourne grounds, not just Princes Park.

People try to use the "parking" the main point for AFL matches not to be played there, when in reality that is complete nonsense. Gonna have to come up with some better reasons than that and the fact that OP's think its a "shithole" just because their team got flogged every week there for the best part of 30 years by Carlton.

Parking at the g is $10, not $30

 

[aCunningPlan]

people in the country and people who dont live near train lines

not everyone is an inner city hipster ******

It's not that hard to get there. I went to the JLT, got the V/Line to Spencer Street then got the train to Royal Park and went on a lovely 15 minute walk to the ground. It was very simple.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

It's not that hard to get there. I went to the JLT, got the V/Line to Spencer Street then got the train to Royal Park and went on a lovely 15 minute walk to the ground. It was very simple.

remember last time i went was a round 22 game against rfc and carlton - things have changed a bit

off mem, for a period in the 90's i think the upfield line wasn't operated during sundays. I think there was a lot of misunderstanding that it was running on saturdays at all by those outside the northern suburbs, which is why the tram from Flinders was hit so hard

 

[Dadadadaaaaaa]

Parking at the g is $10, not $30

Really? I swear it is $30 at Etihad. Not too sure about the G though

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Really? I swear it is $30 at Etihad. Not too sure about the G though

Etihad is def $30, unless you park a bit away

Yarra park is $10, but if that is full/closed youre looking at $20-$30 depending upon where you end up going (ie tennis centre or flinders street

 

[drunkill]

Etihad is def $30, unless you park a bit away

Yarra park is $10, but if that is full/closed youre looking at $20-$30 depending upon where you end up going (ie tennis centre or flinders street

Bad news mate... https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...or-major-sporting-events-20180314-p4z493.html

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Bad news mate... https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...or-major-sporting-events-20180314-p4z493.html

This will get ugly, expect a s**t fight on game day for spots in the tennis centre and the two near the phoenix on flinders.

I go in with my old man, so train isnt an option for us

 

[Billy ray]

so, who were the two (or more) princes that princes park was named after?

 

[bombersfan4000]

It's not that hard to get there. I went to the JLT, got the V/Line to Spencer Street then got the train to Royal Park and went on a lovely 15 minute walk to the ground. It was very simple.

That is all well and simple! But to the masses of people who attend games now days complain that Etihad/ marvel stadium is difficult to get to

 

[JackFlash]

Princes Park is the greatest fiasco in the past 50 years...Built in 1892 all the residents and housing came later, the ground is located perfectly and should've been expanded and light towers built. Stuff the residents who chose to live near a stadium that had already been there 100 years by the time the VFL became the AFL. I liken it to people who complain about a new runway at the airport being built after they move to Greenvale! All of Carlton's modern day problems can be traced back to the loss of Princes Park as a playing venue. They lost everything with that decision. Games should still be played there (at least 5 per year) It's easy to get too, you have a train (Royal Park) Upfield line from Southern Cross, Trams up Royal Parade from Flinders street and the metro tunnel Parkville station due in 2026. It's madness not using it for AFL games.

 

[Silent Alarm]

The recent indifference and boredom, and general disillusionment with the AFL could be reversed to a degree with some heart and soul brought back. If you want to have generic catch-all teams in New South Wales and Queensland that's fine, but also latch onto every other club's character. If you're a 150-year-old club then maybe trade off that great history and use your own ground. Especially when it's possible.

People going to suburban grounds would really add to the atmosphere and feel of the modern game.

Keep the generic, two stadium model in the 2000s.

Every competition has retro rounds, throwback strips, the Milwaukee Bucks even played in a complex they haven't for 30 years with the old court design and everything... football needs to latch on, too.

 

[its been done]

Every competition has retro rounds, throwback strips, the Milwaukee Bucks even played in a complex they haven't for 30 years with the old court design and everything... football needs to latch on, too.

We can't have a retro round anymore because Eddie Everywhere complains like a 5 year old who got told he can't have candy whenever some other club wants to wear black and white guernseys for one round and with Docklands now under AFL ownership there is no way Gil will want Carlton transferring even a single game from Docklands to Princes Park, plus no time slot available for Princes Park is prime time friendly since Carlton now own Friday nights

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Every competition has retro rounds, throwback strips, the Milwaukee Bucks even played in a complex they haven't for 30 years with the old court design and everything... football needs to latch on, too.

The Milwaukee Bucks probably paid for that themselves. None of these Carlton jokers who want Princes Park back want the club to pay for it.

 

[Teagueeee15]

The Milwaukee Bucks probably paid for that themselves. None of these Carlton jokers who want Princes Park back want the club to pay for it.

I believe that a fan paid for the replica of the old court to be made and used for that game and afterwards it was sanded down and donated to be used at another arena in Wisconsin.

The Bucks old arena is still active, despite them being gone for nearly 30 years. There’s still NCAA division 1 games being played there, so the changing over of the court was all that really needed to be done.

The Bucks are moving again into a newly public funded arena for next season, so it’s a little ironic that this arena will outlast the Bradley centre that the Bucks currently play in.

 

[Lex22]

I live in Geelong and have no problem getting to and from Princes Park. Simply drive to North Melbourne station where there is loads of free all day parking on a weekend. Hop on the train, wait a couple of stops to get to Royal Park Station which is at most a 7 minute walk from the ground. No futher than walking from West Footscray to the Whitten Oval.

West Footscray station is across the road from the Whitten Oval, Royal Park is what 15 minutes from Princess Park? It’s a lot further.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Access probably is straightforward for a VFL game in front of 200 people or a pre-season game where nobody cares if they miss most of the first quarter. 24,000 people, paying good money, wanting to get in before bouncedown of a proper game wouldn't be.

 

[Fizzler]

Access probably is straightforward for a VFL game in front of 200 people or a pre-season game where nobody cares if they miss most of the first quarter. 24,000 people, paying good money, wanting to get in before bouncedown of a proper game wouldn't be.

It’s a pain on the tram between Flinders St and Princes Park when there’s a game on and feels about 3x longer than going there in your spare time.

 

[The King!]

I wasn’t around when it happened but why did hawthorn move there ? Just because their own ground was s**t?

 

[Fizzler]

I wasn’t around when it happened but why did hawthorn move there ? Just because their own ground was s**t?

I think it might’ve had something to do with the lack of space to expand thanks to local residents.

 

[its been done]

I wasn’t around when it happened but why did hawthorn move there ? Just because their own ground was s**t?

I think it might’ve had something to do with the lack of space to expand thanks to local residents.

Actually it was because Glenferrie was literally impossible to expand, there was and still is, the train line to the eastern suburbs to the south, the old Kew railway line, now Hilda cres to the west, Linda cres to the north and private buildings at the time of relocation to the east. I think they chose to relocate home matches to Princes Park because Carlton probably offered them a decent deal to play there, and that would've resulted in the Hawthorn stand being built for their members during Hawthorn games

 

[DidakDelight]

Just wait until the Blues are back up the top of the ladder and are run properly off field.

They won’t muck around and will be playing a few games a year back at Princes Park.

Outsourcing Events managements companies it wouldn’t be hard to set up a couple of show case games each year.

Picture this...corporate marquees set up outside the ground, packed pubs before the game,and a packed house for a game against GWS or Gold Coast, follow that up with a bustling Lygon street post game.

Membership packages will be sold especially for these princes park showcase games and fans will pay extra to return to their spiritual home once, twice or three times per year.

All the negative nellies can bang on about the condition of the place but people will still go. In fact people from other teams will go if they are able to get a ticket.

There will be a massive market for one- off show case matches to be held at Suburban grounds once a year.
All it will take is a ballsy CEO and some astute event management and promotion and everybody from the clubs the AFL and local communities will benefit.

Carlton are in one of the better situations to jump on board this train.

 

[drunkill]

That would be nice, but the CEO has stated he wants to grow membership and end up with more games at the MCG, probably attempting to get and 7/4 or 8/3 home game split between the MCG and Docklands. (Currently 5/6 as we've taken an extra docklands game while attendance is low to help the clubs bottom line)

But hey, never say never. As long as a redevelopment doen't remove capacity it will be possible in the future, especially if the Heroes stand is demolished and rebuilt in another decade or two.

 

[DidakDelight]

I think the future is not so much to redevelop and grow a ground like Princes Park but to renovate the existing facilities like toilets and seating and social club.

To play games they would utilise event management companies similar to how the Grand Prix and Horse racing do it.

The events managements companies can assist with bringing in portable seating (and grand stands if applicable) set up marquees outside, set up temporary fencing, digital video scoreboard and goal line cameras.

The club along with the council and consultants would need to measure and survey standing room areas to establish standing room sections and ascertain capacity per section. Remap the capacity of the venue and ensure every seat is numbered and accounted for. Liaise with Ticketek so they can allocate tickets as per the new capacity.

I am not a Carlton supporter but I would pose the question. If there was an annual game or two played at Princes Park including VFL curtain raiser would you pay a premium to go to it?

I’m talking around $100 for the cheapest standing room seat.

I think there is a market for boutique suburban AFL games which people would pay a premium to go to and would make an occasion out of it and plan their seasons around.

Carlton is a different beast due to their ladder position but if timed with their rise up the ladder this is something they could benefit from without rebuilding the stadium.

Could increase to two or three games per season max in the long term and sell memberships around it.

Thoughts ?

 

[Fizzler]

Just wait until the Blues are back up the top of the ladder and are run properly off field.

They won’t muck around and will be playing a few games a year back at Princes Park.

Outsourcing Events managements companies it wouldn’t be hard to set up a couple of show case games each year.

Picture this...corporate marquees set up outside the ground, packed pubs before the game,and a packed house for a game against GWS or Gold Coast, follow that up with a bustling Lygon street post game.

Membership packages will be sold especially for these princes park showcase games and fans will pay extra to return to their spiritual home once, twice or three times per year.

All the negative nellies can bang on about the condition of the place but people will still go. In fact people from other teams will go if they are able to get a ticket.

There will be a massive market for one- off show case matches to be held at Suburban grounds once a year.
All it will take is a ballsy CEO and some astute event management and promotion and everybody from the clubs the AFL and local communities will benefit.

Carlton are in one of the better situations to jump on board this train.

I have no doubt that people will show up, and I would love to go to PP and watch Port play Carlton (we’re pretty low drawing in Victoria) but there’s just too much wrong with Princes Park right now. People will go, but I’d be willing to bet one good kick and you could knock down the Gardiner Stand. There’s broken glass windows outside the Heroes Stand, the Legends Stand is a terrible design and aye end up being too far from the game and if someone’s in front of you then you can barely see. There’s graffiti in most stands and Princes Park is kind of used as a store room for the Blues with old signage, wooden seats and even turnstiles dumped around the place. Hopefully the Blues can do something good with Princes Park. Ideally you’d go back to before the Legends Stand was built, get them to build a two tier stand and refurbish the Gardiner Stand and not take out any seats. I saw this photo of Princes Park and it’s almost hard to believe it’s the same ground since they’ve changed so much.