Certified Legendary Thread China History in the Making

[Lockhart Road]

Gillon McLachlan puts down his wine and steps out into the sun to speak to the dehydrated rabble only metres away. To his disappointment none of us played polo or knew of any good au pairs.
In all seriousness the guy to the left of the man in the Geelong guernsey called out to Gillon until he came out, then the guy gave him a bit of an earnest but light-hearted dig re no Tasmanian teams.

View attachment 687373

Your Geelong provocateur is in the exact spot from where REH was in 2017 yelling: “LR get your arse out here and give me back my Club 1879 (make that 1870) cap you big-noting chardonnay-slurping bastard!”

 

[Boxx]

Beijing was a fantastic surprise. As was the high-speed train ride between them, admittedly on a lovely clear day. For me they're different but both great. I like my little area around East Nanjing road in Shanghai where I now know where to eat and buy groceries. FWIW I don't remember ever thanking you for your information on the Simatai section of the Great Wall, that was quite the experience.

That was easily the best part of our trip - I could have spent an extra week in that region and will do next time!

Dont get me wrong - I loved Shanghai as well, completely different cities...

 

[Powerstufff]

Your Geelong provocateur is in the exact spot from where REH was in 2017 yelling: “LR get your arse out here and give me back my Club 1879 (make that 1870) cap you big-noting chardonnay-slurping bastard!”

And has been noted before he almost lost his backpack at the Bingo bar at the foot of the Charms Hotel. Probably arrived home naked.

 

[Alberton Proud]

Beijing was a fantastic surprise. As was the high-speed train ride between them, admittedly on a lovely clear day. For me they're different but both great. I like my little area around East Nanjing road in Shanghai where I now know where to eat and buy groceries. FWIW I don't remember ever thanking you for your information on the Simatai section of the Great Wall, that was quite the experience.

I visited the Wall at Simatai back in March 1999

Amazing experience

Completely unrestored at that time with the crumbling ruins extending up impossibly steep ridges eventually disappearing into the clouds

The snow dusted watchtowers harbored a few local souls huddled around fires trying to hawk postcards to the handful of tourists who made the journey

On a side note the absolute worst communal toilets I have ever ever visited

Still all very vivid in my mind 20 years on

 

[Lockhart Road]

AFL in Shanghai 2019 press review :

1. INXS song part of St Kilda's Shanghai money-spinner

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...s-shanghai-money-spinner-20190603-p51u2z.html

Port Adelaide's adopted anthem Never Tear Us Apart blared out at the Power's away game against St Kilda in Shanghai in accordance to a commercial deal between the two clubs.

Eyebrows were raised before the start of Sunday's clash between the Saints and Port when the INXS ballad, a staple of the pre-match experience at Power home games at Adelaide Oval, was played despite St Kilda being the officially listed home side for the match.

... The answer lies in the terms of the three-year agreement between the two clubs, whereby the Saints effectively sell the rights to their entire home-game experience, meaning Port, who kickstarted the AFL's push into China, are able to operate the entertainment.


2. Buses take fans to wrong stadium for Shanghai game

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/af...n/news-story/2c6440092f7133f76d6f4b050bdffcff

A mishap by organisers saw busloads of attendees taken to the “wrong stadium” for Sunday’s AFL match in Shanghai, according to Brisbane champion Jonathan Brown.

A crowd of 9,412 was reportedly in attendance for Port Adelaide’s win over St Kilda, down from 10,689 and 10,118 for the two Power v Gold Coast matches in previous years.

But on On the Couch, Brown claimed that a large portion of the crowd was taken to somewhere other than the Adelaide Arena at Jiangwan Stadium.

“It’s poor management by the organisers,” he said on Fox Footy.

“People are complaining about the crowd, Gerard. Now, there should’ve been 20,000 people there.
“It was a sellout, but 10,000 people turned up to the wrong stadium because the buses that were carrying all the tourists and all the locals to the ground went to the wrong ground! And they didn’t make it to the ground!”


3. Illness shuts down versatile Saint in Shanghai

(Acres arrives in Shanghai with gastro bug in system ... probably passed it on to teammates on the plane.)

https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-05-31/illness-shuts-down-versatile-saint-in-shanghai

May 31, 2019 3:47PM

... St Kilda forward Blake Acres is in doubt to face Port Adelaide in China on Sunday after being struck down by illness. Acres missed training on Friday at Jiangwan Stadium ...

 

[TWLS]

Xi Xi Ping. What a cute moniker. If there was a role for a femme fatale or a panda in my Docudrama that is the name I would’ve gone for.

Ha ha I was not even close with my guess. Just looked it up = Xi Jinping.

 

[Powerstufff]

I visited the Wall at Simatai back in March 1999

Amazing experience

Completely unrestored at that time with the crumbling ruins extending up impossibly steep ridges eventually disappearing into the clouds ....

Not really restored in any meaningful way since IMO. I mean there's a cable car up from Gubei Water Town (GWT) to one of the higher access paths. And if you want to walk up to the open section from GWT the path to where it extends down to the river valley is modernised.
Some metal posts with chains on the steeper bits (see photo) but a different approach to safety than in Oz, in fact I don't think it could be opened to the public were it here. And of course lights run along it so when turned on at night it looks spectacular from down in GWT at night.

 

[Powerstufff]

.... A mishap by organisers saw busloads of attendees taken to the “wrong stadium” for Sunday’s AFL match in Shanghai, according to Brisbane champion Jonathan Brown...

Surely some dry humour that has been interpreted wrongly. And if so one poorly prepared minibus. I'm sure we would know if a huge convoy of buses had got misdirected.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Surely some dry humour that has been interpreted wrongly. And if so one poorly prepared minibus. I'm sure we would know if a huge convoy of buses had got misdirected.

During the game - at half time break, Lynch said 400 of Mr Gui's guests on buses went to the wrong venue and hadn't arrived yet. I know traffic is bad in Shanghai and they might have gone to one of the Shanghai soccer grounds, but hard to believe they would have missed the game if it was a true story.

Not sure why Brown said a large portion of the crowd unless he thought only 800 turned up.

 

[Lockhart Road]

During the game - at half time break, Lynch said 400 of Mr Gui's guests on buses went to the wrong venue and hadn't arrived yet. I know traffic is bad in Shanghai and they might have gone to one of the Shanghai soccer grounds, but hard to believe they would have missed the game if it was a true story.

Not sure why Brown said a large portion of the crowd unless he thought only 800 turned up.

Guests and staff of Mr. Gui.

 

[Rexie J]

Guests and staff of Mr. Gui.

Probably suggests someone is headed for an unplanned career change

 

[Lockhart Road]

Burger Theory.

These guys were going to be a million $ partner with PAFC in China two or three years ago. Lot of big talk about selling franchises across China but when it came to the crunch ... no-one answers the phone. Burgers in China. Good one, guys.

Similar business minds to Royal Adelaide Croquet Club who went to Shandong and nearly ended up in jail and who ... believe it or not ... our business-savvy chairman whose name starts with K was recommending that the Club sponsor instead of the other way around, the way it’s meant to be. Right, Kochie? Remember that one?

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/thes...s/news-story/86620cbc2f158ead2ab485dcd3f57c67

Burger Theory in Union St opens again ... for two weeks

 

[ploppy]

The ground would look better if we made the boundary 15m in from original stands at the ends and had no temporary stands..sure it would make it the longest ground in the afl by about 100 metres but it would really open up the play. And they need to build toilets under the stands the porta loos suck. Then give away all the outer tickets to school kids. Though then you couldn’t have as many corporate tents which are the best bit.

 

[bomberclifford]

Burger Theory.

These guys were going to be a million $ partner with PAFC in China two or three years ago. Lot of big talk about selling franchises across China but when it came to the crunch ... no-one answers the phone. Burgers in China. Good one, guys.

Similar business minds to Royal Adelaide Croquet Club who went to Shandong and nearly ended up in jail and who ... believe it or not ... our business-savvy chairman whose name starts with K was recommending the Club sponsor instead of the other way around, the way it’s meant to be. Right, Kochie? Remember that one?

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/thes...s/news-story/86620cbc2f158ead2ab485dcd3f57c67

Burger Theory in Union St opens again ... for two weeks

lol.

The Burger Theory 'venture' into China died two years ago about 6 weeks after it began.
I don't even think it got beyond the planning (dreaming) stage.


RCC in China however, that was another kettle of fish entirely. Not all their fault either. Their biggest crime was naivety and trusting the people that ought to have known better.

 

[Butters Made Me Do It]

Burger Theory.

These guys were going to be a million $ partner with PAFC in China two or three years ago. Lot of big talk about selling franchises across China but when it came to the crunch ... no-one answers the phone. Burgers in China. Good one, guys.

Similar business minds to Royal Adelaide Croquet Club who went to Shandong and nearly ended up in jail and who ... believe it or not ... our business-savvy chairman whose name starts with K was recommending the Club sponsor instead of the other way around, the way it’s meant to be. Right, Kochie? Remember that one?

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/thes...s/news-story/86620cbc2f158ead2ab485dcd3f57c67

Burger Theory in Union St opens again ... for two weeks

Burger Theory had a great product but apparently didn’t know it, or what to do about it.

The branch in Melbourne was a weird side counter at a CBD pub with the weakest public transport connections in the CBD. * all branding, no one checking in on service consistency, very weird.

They changed to roo meat for ethical reasons (but started importing buns from the US?)

I dunno. Could’ve been something, but I guess sometimes a food truck is as much as you can really handle.

 

[OneGreatClub]

Before you meet your handsome prince you have to kiss a lot of toads.

 

[DaTBird187]

I dunno. Could’ve been something, but I guess sometimes a food truck is as much as you can really handle.

I think Melbourne probably realised 726 Burger joints was probably enough.

 

[bomberclifford]

They changed to roo meat for ethical reasons (but started importing buns from the US?)

When your 'strong ethical stance' is overruled by your fetish for a US burger franchise's buns, then you really are on flakey ground.

They could have had an equally good bun made by locals with local ingredients to go with the roo and bush pickles and at least held their ethical standards high.

Importing buns "coz that's what Shake Shack use" was hands down the dumbest move they made.

 

[Butters Made Me Do It]

I think Melbourne probably realised 726 Burger joints was probably enough.

726 Melbourne burger joints are run by people who hate burgers/want to ‘disrupt burgerfoods’

Burger Theory caught Melbourne-itis

 

[OneGreatClub]

 

[Powerstufff]

The ground would look better if .....

The ground can't look any better. It is just not up to what we need but that's been discussed earlier, plus the fact that we seem to have no alternative.
Whatever we do on game day exists only for a week or so and has to be pulled down. We can't build it up in stages, improving on what we had the year before. We start again each year, wheelie bins for ice baths and the like. Even the playing surface isn't looked after in any meaningful way but has to be rejuvenated each year.

.... And they need to build toilets under the stands the porta loos suck. .....

Again we can't make that sort of financial commitment. And if we increase the tickets sold above 10,000 the need for portaloos will increase in proportion.

.... Then give away all the outer tickets to school kids ....

Doesn't improve the situation. It's already obvious that a certain amount of the Chinese are there because they are guests of various patrons/businesses. The disinterested ring-ins are obvious on TV and in real life, and having more of them looks worse than better. The human version of tarps.

 

[Lockhart Road]

AFL China game cost revealed | Herald Sun

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-daily-live-rolling-footy-news-from-around-australia-for-june-7-2019/live-coverage/ee32d276e3f1ad83df45040aa75a92e1

... Gillon McLachlan has defended the AFL’s push into China, saying it will result in more money being poured into the grassroots of the game.
McLachlan, who led the league’s contingent of executives in Shanghai last weekend, said the corporate opportunities of the region were simply too fruitful to ignore.
He said the AFL “breaks even” from the game, while Port Adelaide and St Kilda recorded considerable financial benefit from playing at Jiangwan Stadium.
“(It costs us) not really anything … we might make a few dollars this year … we basically break even,” McLachlan said on 3AW.
“Port Adelaide and St Kilda are both making nearly a million dollars. It’s not costing anything. It breaks even for the AFL and the clubs are making money.
“China is a big market for Australia – and we think we can make money in the end … (to reinvest) in community, women’s football.
“This notion we’re spending money that could have been used elsewhere … ultimately we think it’s a huge commercial opportunity which we can then reinvest.
“There’s a couple of million bucks made net by the clubs, so that helps their club operations.”

... McLachlan admitted he was “a bit” disappointed by the large chunks of empty seats at the stadium, but said it was partly a symptom of the ground’s ticketing arrangements.
“There’s a challenge in the way that the catering and service works that you need to be in a marquee,” he said.
“There’s a lot of people in tents and they need to be allocated a seat.

... The AFL boss said while illness to a number of St Kilda players and staff was unfortunate, it may have been “picked up in Australia or potentially on the plane”. ....

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Gil needs to get Stephen A. Smith to talk to these people who want to be in the marquees when the game is on.

 

[LukeSA]

AFL China game cost revealed | Herald Sun

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-daily-live-rolling-footy-news-from-around-australia-for-june-7-2019/live-coverage/ee32d276e3f1ad83df45040aa75a92e1

... Gillon McLachlan has defended the AFL’s push into China, saying it will result in more money being poured into the grassroots of the game.
McLachlan, who led the league’s contingent of executives in Shanghai last weekend, said the corporate opportunities of the region were simply too fruitful to ignore.
He said the AFL “breaks even” from the game, while Port Adelaide and St Kilda recorded considerable financial benefit from playing at Jiangwan Stadium.
“(It costs us) not really anything … we might make a few dollars this year … we basically break even,” McLachlan said on 3AW.
“Port Adelaide and St Kilda are both making nearly a million dollars. It’s not costing anything. It breaks even for the AFL and the clubs are making money.
“China is a big market for Australia – and we think we can make money in the end … (to reinvest) in community, women’s football.
“This notion we’re spending money that could have been used elsewhere … ultimately we think it’s a huge commercial opportunity which we can then reinvest.
“There’s a couple of million bucks made net by the clubs, so that helps their club operations.”

... McLachlan admitted he was “a bit” disappointed by the large chunks of empty seats at the stadium, but said it was partly a symptom of the ground’s ticketing arrangements.
“There’s a challenge in the way that the catering and service works that you need to be in a marquee,” he said.
“There’s a lot of people in tents and they need to be allocated a seat.

... The AFL boss said while illness to a number of St Kilda players and staff was unfortunate, it may have been “picked up in Australia or potentially on the plane”. ....

So... We make money, Saints make money and the AFL gets a few bucks in as as well, in everywhere else that isn't here it would be deemed a success but no "lol-de-lol crowd numbers"

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

... McLachlan admitted he was “a bit” disappointed by the large chunks of empty seats at the stadium, but said it was partly a symptom of the ground’s ticketing arrangements.
“There’s a challenge in the way that the catering and service works that you need to be in a marquee,” he said.
“There’s a lot of people in tents and they need to be allocated a seat.

So given the AFL are always worried about "the look" and have a massive marketing arm, come out (and Port) before the game ie a month before the game, a week before the game, the day before the game, the day of the game, and say we have sold X # of tickets and Y # of tickets are allocated a seat but have access to the marquees with booze in it, as the Chinese don't let the average punter to buy booze, so don't expect to see those people in their seat as they will be getting pissed in the marquees.

Plus take a back pack camera or two and have them in the full marquees showing the crowd there and cut to them when a goal is scored not a bit of an empty stand with a few fans cheering.