Western Bulldogs and their partnership with Ballarat a success

[King Harold]

The Cairns games were pretty good to go to and combined them with a holiday... and we're unbeaten up there.

Loved going to Cairns , went every year and getting a little sun on the back but stuffed if I am driving to Ballarat in the middle of winter.
Predicted this before the season , it's just a debarkle .
I may be getting grumpy , but the world is ever increasingly being run by nuff nuffs , including the AFL.

 

[dogwatch]

Loved going to Cairns , went every year and getting a little sun on the back but stuffed if I am driving to Ballarat in the middle of winter.
Predicted this before the season , it's just a debarkle .
I may be getting grumpy , but the world is ever increasingly being run by nuff nuffs , including the AFL.

Take it easy Hal. Agree it's not like the good ol' days when you ran the world (I know, I know ... that was over 950 years ago)
Bex. Lie down. Etihad next week.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

I went to the GCS game, and really enjoyed the whole Ballarat experience. Drinks and a quick lunch at the Hop Temple, a quick walk to the train station to catch the bus to the stadium. Lots of nice food trucks at the ground, nice loos, a selection of alcohol and food. A bus ride back to the Hop Temple, which was buzzing with doggies after a win and then a drive back to the Bellarine, just over an hour away. It was fine, but it was May. I would not even contemplate it in July.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Hi Dogwatch, I'm sure we've met many times before. Well, at least now I know one member who wants to go to a game in Ballarat, but still none who've actually been. I hope you can make the trip down next year, that'll boost the attendance up to 6452 and coming from Canberra you'll already be prepared for the weather, the country match atmosphere and the spartan facilities

As I said earlier, in my sphere of family, friends, and acquaintances of 40 -50 Dogs members and supporters none of them have been or want to go. This includes people who attend almost all Melbourne based games, club functions, training etc. In fact it's a lively topic of conversation amongst us and most of the commentary is anything but complimentary of the club for taking us in this direction.

Our attendance for home games at Etihad during 2016 averaged almost 33k. For the 4 games against interstate teams we averaged just over 27k. Unfortunately the key to our attendances is having a competitive, successful team out on the park. How would those crowd figures translate financially under whatever the new deal is at Etihad with the AFL ? Who knows !!

AFL matches played in front of crowds the size of yesterday's are an embarrassment. The stark contrast with the crowd that went to the MCG on Saturday makes you wonder if we're even playing in the same competition. Not that we're in anywhere near the same stratosphere of support as the Tigers and Pies, but if we continue down this path we'll just wither on the vine.

For the most part the people who are supporting or making arguments for playing in Ballarat are generally making fairly good cases, but the reality is that the vast majority of our 43,300 members and assorted supporters have voted with their feet and put them up on the couch.

I’m a member and I went with two other members and caught up with another member at the GCS, game.

 

[Mattdougie]

Loved going to Cairns , went every year and getting a little sun on the back but stuffed if I am driving to Ballarat in the middle of winter.
Predicted this before the season , it's just a debarkle .
I may be getting grumpy , but the world is ever increasingly being run by nuff nuffs , including the AFL.

Sooooooooo many nuff nuffs not even 10 bex can help mate.

It’s amusing watching them scramble and still try to dribble positives that don’t exist, or will in 2373 years

 

[ringa5]

In ten years time when our membership in the region increases.And we truly represent
Western Victoria the initial growing pains will be forgotten.Until then bring two of Goldcoast, GWS ,Freo or Port before mid June.

 

[Dogs 13]

I’m a member and I went with two other members and caught up with another member at the GCS, game.

So, there's four, plus Pugz and Dogwatch who would like to go one day. Oops I forgot Martyn.

Rightio

 

[maddog37]

It worries me the players dislike playing here fairly strongly.

 

[Dog 36]

For all it's negativity with regards to Ballarat games it still provides an insight and the feel of how footy use to be at the suburban grounds.

Cold, windy, close to the action, hot pies, cold beer, cash only, standing in the outer etc etc maybe we have become soft under the roof of Etihad playing in artificial conditions on a s**t hard surface built on top of a car park.

If one plans the trip well to Ballarat and a little luck with the weather it's a great afternoon.

 

[Dog 36]

Perfect venue to have a bigfooty get together and watch the game as a crew. No need to reserve seats to sit together everyone stands, close enough to the action to make analysing easier followed by big statements, close enough to bark orders at players, easy to move around whilst standing to talk to various people etc etc there's an idea

 

[darklake]

It worries me the players dislike playing here fairly strongly.

Nobody likes their nuts frozen.

 

[TiAn_]

I’m a member and I went with two other members and caught up with another member at the GCS, game.

My mates and I went to the first two Ballarat games. Loved it. We’re all Prem Gold H&A members and MCC members and enjoyed the novelty of it. Plus the food is sensational.

Ameet Bains reached out to me (and probably many others) on Twitter after the last game. They took the crowd drop off seriously and embraced feedback. I was pleased to see they implemented discount tickets for members after their review.

I suspect the fixturing will be the next priority and will be (AFL willing) much better next year.

It’s probably also worth nothing that if they keep the ticket price, an 11 game home member could theoretically go to both Ballarat games and the two replacement games, gaining entry to 13 games from an 11 game membership for an extra $10.

 

[Southern 8]

Perfect venue to have a bigfooty get together and watch the game as a crew. No need to reserve seats to sit together everyone stands, close enough to the action to make analysing easier followed by big statements, close enough to bark orders at players, easy to move around whilst standing to talk to various people etc etc there's an idea

I can see it now. All in brawl on the outer wing hill, the commentators wouldn't of seen anything like it.

 

[TiAn_]

Well there you go. Lock in a couple of sunny days in Ballarat next year!

 

[maddog37]

Getting a big screen that works would be handy too.

 

[DelRe]

For all it's negativity with regards to Ballarat games it still provides an insight and the feel of how footy use to be at the suburban grounds.

Cold, windy, close to the action, hot pies, cold beer, cash only, standing in the outer etc etc maybe we have become soft under the roof of Etihad playing in artificial conditions on a s**t hard surface built on top of a car park.

If one plans the trip well to Ballarat and a little luck with the weather it's a great afternoon.

I’d agree in terms of comparatives - Waverley was no fun trip coming from the west with no additional PT and the nickname arctic park gave a reasonably accurate prediction of the likely conditions. Appreciate that’s in the past but even now Kardinia / GBH (pun intended) is no better to get to than Ballarat with often no better conditions. I’m a little surprised at the level of angst in the thread over two games against smaller sides.

What’s left as an alternative:

Cairns - seems profitable but this years game shows the weather risks as well and to me it has the more desperate feel of we’ll play anywhere for money (put Darwin and Alice in the same bucket).

China - Seems PA owns this. Would get good money possibly but personally not in favour of it.

Tasmania - Seems owned by Hawks and North.

Etihad - seems we don’t make money.

WO - not AFL ready apparently.

Overall there really aren’t many strong options. I guess you could add Geelong but that feels a bit like being the poor cousin at Princes Park again.

 

[perro_loco]

Perfect venue to have a bigfooty get together and watch the game as a crew. No need to reserve seats to sit together everyone stands, close enough to the action to make analysing easier followed by big statements, close enough to bark orders at players, easy to move around whilst standing to talk to various people etc etc there's an idea

I am totally in for that. If it is organised please invite. will be really happy to meet some of you in person and share a couple cold ones a pies. count me in if it eventuates. not been to Ballarat but support the idea.

 

[Mingo]

4- members shouldn’t have to be told what games they can and can’t attend and then be made to pay more to attend one they don’t want

Dunno how people can complain about this. The fixture is released the year before and unless you're automatically renewing your membership it's released before most people have purchased their membership. You know what you're getting for the money you're spending.

 

[King Harold]

Nobody likes their nuts frozen.

I think Walt Disney had his done ?

 

[lachy]

Dunno how people can complain about this. The fixture is released the year before and unless you're automatically renewing your membership it's released before most people have purchased their membership. You know what you're getting for the money you're spending.

I think Mingo a large percentage do have automatic renewal and we went from 10 games at Etihad to 9 and prices did not drop to reflect this which even with no increase in price is still a 10% drop in value.

Not a concern for me personally as membership is more of a donation, but would be and is an issue for a lot

 

[TiAn_]

I think Mingo a large percentage do have automatic renewal and we went from 10 games at Etihad to 9 and prices did not drop to reflect this which even with no increase in price is still a 10% drop in value.

Not a concern for me personally as membership is more of a donation, but would be and is an issue for a lot

How is it a 10% drop in value for an average member when both Ballarat games are replaced by games in Melbourne? The number of games a membership grants access to is exactly the same. In fact, as I posted above, members can now effectively add on the two Ballarat games for $10, gaining access to 13 games.

I agree with Mingo, it’s an illogical argument. If anyone with auto-renew is that unhappy with 1 replacement game being at the G and not Etihad, they can just cancel their membership and get a refund when the fixture is released 4 months before the season starts.

 

[Mr. Walker]

Anyone know how much money we get for going to Ballarat each year?

 

[lachy]

How is it a 10% drop in value for an average member when both Ballarat games are replaced by games in Melbourne? The number of games a membership grants access to is exactly the same. In fact, as I posted above, members can now effectively add on the two Ballarat games for $10, gaining access to 13 games.

I agree with Mingo, it’s an illogical argument. If anyone with auto-renew is that unhappy with 1 replacement game being at the G and not Etihad, they can just cancel their membership and get a refund when the fixture is released 4 months before the season starts.

Do you actually understand SEATING. What part of you do not get reserved seating in replacement games which is 60% of what you pay in a gold seating membership are you not understanding. You are paying actually slightly more for a reserved seat for 1 less game. The club makes the most money for reserved seat members. These are the members not turning up and with the great venture could not even if they all wanted to.

Support this poorly executed adventure all you want and say those opposing have illogical arguments but at least understand that over 70% of member revenue comes from members who reserve their seats and replacement games at Etihad do not replace what they have been forking out for their reserved seat and no longer have. Unless significant changes are made to this adventure, which when signed actually has the provision for 3 AFL games, this will not only not work in Ballarat but will begin to impact on higher paying ordinary members we already have.

And your argument that those unhappy should just cancel their membership, including a seat, which often are entire families, means what exactly? Because people don't like being dictated to or believe in poorly run and executed propaganda, we don't need them lets chase the newbies from elsewhere

 

[mambavino]

Do you actually understand SEATING. What part of you do not get reserved seating in replacement games which is 60% of what you pay in a gold seating membership are you not understanding. You are paying actually slightly more for a reserved seat for 1 less game. The club makes the most money for reserved seat members. These are the members not turning up and with the great venture could not even if they all wanted to.

Support this poorly executed adventure all you want and say those opposing have illogical arguments but at least understand that over 70% of member revenue comes from members who reserve their seats and replacement games at Etihad do not replace what they have been forking out for their reserved seat and no longer have. Unless significant changes are made to this adventure, which when signed actually has the provision for 3 AFL games, this will not only not work in Ballarat but will begin to impact on higher paying ordinary members we already have.

And your argument that those unhappy should just cancel their membership, including a seat, which often are entire families, means what exactly? Because people don't like being dictated to or believe in poorly run and executed propaganda, we don't need them lets chase the newbies from elsewhere

Amen! You hit the nail right on the head Lachy.

 

[DelRe]

Amen! You hit the nail right on the head Lachy.

If you cut through the argumentative bits though it’s not really that far apart. You get the game back but lose the seat which is partially offset by potentially getting another game I think they’re saying (I haven’t looked at the specifics myself).

Sounds more like a teething issue that the club could work through (arguably should have foreseen) and to a degree already had with some of the changes made.

Annoying if you’re affected by but not quite a make or break I’d hope.