Analysis Stadium deals - what, how, when - why we need a new one and the SA footy paradigm shift happening

Just on the Atlanta Falcons and Mercedes Benz Stadium, I got it slightly wrong, it is owned by the state government of Georgia's World Congress Center Authority, BUT stadium management rights are given to the Atlanta Falcons owners.

Back in January of 2018 after the first season of its use by the Falcons, I put up a graphic showing how cheap their prices are, eg $2 hotdogs, $2 sodas (with unlimited refills) and $5 beer etc, introducing the lowest prices in the NFL, at this post linked below as well as a video of the President and CEO explaining why and how they did it.

On the 5AA sports show this morning, I heard producer Leith Forrest talk about the stadium and how this year they have reduced hot dogs down to $1.50 and compared that to AO hotdogs of $8.90. He did a few other comparisons, but I think most prices have stayed the same in Atlanta but IIRC, he said beers are $6, when they were $5 two years ago see.


Here is an ESPN story I also posted about what they did and then achieved in their first year;

Steve Cannon, CEO of the AMB Group, Blank's holding company, told ESPN that although food and beverage prices were 50 percent lower in its new Mercedes-Benz Stadium than the prices in the Georgia Dome the previous year, fans spent 16 percent more ........
...... The new stadium also had 65 percent more points of sale and 1,264 more beer taps than the Georgia Dome did as well as self-serve soda machines.......... Merchandise sales were also up 88 percent.


Above quoted is Steve Cannon who is CEO of the holding company that owns the Falcons, the Atlanta MLS team and manages the stadium. In the video below its the CEO and President of the Atlanta Falcons, Rich Mckay, before the 2017-18 season kicked off, explaining why they took the approach they did

The Falcons play 8 games a year there + potential finals and sell out the 77k capacity each game. The MLS team Atlanta United play 17 home games + finals + Cup games there. For MLS games they limit attendance to 45k for most games and open it up to the full 73k for big drawing games.

Atlanta United's first year in the MLS was in 2017, but they played their first 8 games at Georgia Tech's stadium before Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened.

In 2018 season they had 11 games of 44-45k crowds and 6 of 70-73k. The soccer max capacity is 73k. They played 3 finals there for 70k+ crowds and 1 cup games for 44k.

Atlanta United's average crowds for the 3 seasons at the stadium, just for the league part of the season, ie not finals or cup games, have been 48.2k, 53.0k and 52.5k which puts them in the top 30 or so club averages in the the world game. Edit 10th in the world for 2013-18 home game averages according to this sites 44th monthly report of this Swiz site - CIES Football Observatory is a research group within the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES).

They overtook the Seattle Sounders in their first season at the stadium as the biggest drawing MLS team. Their crowd averages is more than 250% higher than the MLS average crowd per game. Atlanta isn't full of massive bias towards soccer compared to rest of USA and a lot of the other teams play in fancy new stadiums. The stadium's food and beverage pricing helps them achieve these outstanding attendance figures.

So they have these prices for 25-30 games of sport a year.

This is what CEO Rich Mckay says in the video

How did we do it? We did it by being very purposeful in our concession interviews,
to say we're going to control the experience. We should get out into the street
and if the hotdogs are 2 bucks that's what the hot dogs should be.

I think we looked at it as though the fan has earned this right, they pay us their money,
our tickets in the NFL are not inexpensive, and we can't use this as an opportunity
to hit them harder. We have to use this as an opportunity to delight them, and they go and
say wow, that was incredible.

 
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PowerBaz

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Good read RussellEbertHandball

So when the shortfall comes are
The SANFL going to want more of the pie to cover it? And SACA....
 
It indirectly jeopardises both clubs if it fails...
particularly given hotel profits seem to go direct to SACA and SANFL rather than going through the SMA which might suck up profits to cover debt
 
It makes perfect sense that even though the SANFL and SACA have demonstrated total incompetence in managing their respective stadiums and codes, the SA government handing them the keys to a half billion dollar redeveloped Adelaide Oval still wouldn't be enough. Have to have the hotel and get someone else to pay for it. We're well past time to remove the SANFL and SACA from the table, pay them a stipend and stop their reckless, financially illiterate behaviour.
 
Aug 14, 2011
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It makes perfect sense that even though the SANFL and SACA have demonstrated total incompetence in managing their respective stadiums and codes, the SA government handing them the keys to a half billion dollar redeveloped Adelaide Oval still wouldn't be enough. Have to have the hotel and get someone else to pay for it. We're well past time to remove the SANFL and SACA from the table, pay them a stipend and stop their reckless, financially illiterate behaviour.

Can someone explain to me how the SA model differs from WA going forward, is it simply the WAFC not the SANFL?
 
Can someone explain to me how the SA model differs from WA going forward, is it simply the WAFC not the SANFL?
what is the wa model going forward, to juxtapose the sa model against?
 
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Can someone explain to me how the SA model differs from WA going forward, is it simply the WAFC not the SANFL?

As far as Im aware - the real simple version

  • WAFC have no direct stadium involvement - except rental and its AFL clubs - but do get an $11 million a year dividend from the Government for the first decade, partly guaranteed by the AFL.
  • SANFL are directly involved in stadium management via the SMA, receiving direct revenues from stadium events during their specified period of the year, for at least 20 years.
 
Aug 14, 2011
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what is the wa model going forward, to juxtapose the sa model against?

Not far from what I questioning, so bear with me.
The AFL clubs in WA pay the WAFC (dividends or royalties?), the WA govt are the major funder. Things changed when the new sradium opened, all sports deal with the venue manager ( Tourism WA have significant role).
In SA, the SMA seem to have their claws into the AFL clubs (like the MCC in Melbourne), are the clubs now owned by their members.
I'm claiming nil real knowledge on the subject.

Note I'd not read the Wookie above when I posted.
 

El_Scorcho

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particularly given hotel profits seem to go direct to SACA and SANFL rather than going through the SMA which might suck up profits to cover debt

Jesus Christ. So they do something against our wishes where once again, we take all the risk and they take all the gravy.

The State Government has s**t the bed so hard on this.
 
particularly given hotel profits seem to go direct to SACA and SANFL rather than going through the SMA which might suck up profits to cover debt

Did SA Parliament amend the Act to allow that level of thievery/avoidance of the AO maintenance fund, or was that little governance step skipped out of incompetence or something worse?

Sorry I live in SYD and other airport lounges these days so I don’t get to read Adelaide Wow much. I rely on this forum for “all the news that’s fit to print” (among other things).


On iPhone using recycled electrons, via BigFooty.com mobile app
 

Alberton Proud

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Exactly, keep fans happy they keep coming, upset them and they'll stop.

prices weren't to bad when the stadium opened, now they're ridiculous!!!.

I hate saying this, but If I want a summer sport fix I may attend an NBL match at the Entertainment Centre instead of going to the AO, mainly to see what it's like.

Ticket Prices for half decent seats at the 36's are extortionate
 
Ticket Prices for half decent seats at the 36's are extortionate

I paid over $2000 USD for two upper level seats for Game 6 the NBA finals in 2014.

$115 AUD for lower level seats at the 36ers is about right.
 
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