Western Bulldogs and their partnership with Ballarat a success

[CarnTheScray]

Ever consider that of the AFL teams that play home games at alternate venues, the Western Bulldogs unarguably get the best deal by far? If you consider that Melbourne plays three games per season in the NT, North play 450 km away on an island as do Hawthorn 3-4 games a season, the Suns play their games 1600 km away in Cairns, and GWS 270 km South in Canberra, Saint Kilda seem to get shafted anywhere and everywhere, and Port Adelaide get bloody China. So the rest of us would simply hate to have your sad predicament of enduring a one hour drive from Footscray to Ballarat twice a footy season. It must be awful for the Bulldogs fans. I feel for you

That’s why I say this is one of the best decisions the club has made. Don’t need to travel to Tasmania or Shanghai or Alice Springs like Saints Hawks Melbourne and still gives us a level of security with finances.

 

[CarnTheScray]

How again do the 44,000 members or even half the 44,000 members fit in the 11,000 capacity ground again to make it a viable option?

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How do the 70,000 Hawks members get to tassie to make it viable?

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

How many times have all 44,000 members turned up for a game? We struggled to get 20,000 against Gold Coast in a home game a few weeks ago.

 

[lachy]

How do the 70,000 Hawks members get to tassie to make it viable?

Again MCG Tennant replacement games MCG not a majority reserved seat stadium

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[lachy]

How many times have all 44,000 members turned up for a game? We struggled to get 20,000 against Gold Coast in a home game a few weeks ago.

So at least 10,000 of them cannot go to Ballarat, that is good value for members???

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[lachy]

There is one reason and one reason only why we play in Ballarat now and should for the foreseeable future, the money we not only get via the government for the actual games as well as the grants opening up at our other venues. This is what makes it a great deal for the club and those who negotiated it were visionary.

Let's not pretend it is something it is not for our members

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[Munnez]

Really feel that the club is playing the long game on the Ballarat venture. Each year there is further development, eventually I can see it turning into a 25-35k fully seated stadium not unlike Cat park.
And long term term Ballarat are going to put in a train stop to make it more accessible. Ultimately in the short term it's not good for the average supporter but will pay off in the long run IMO

 

[Northernsoul74]

Really feel that the club is playing the long game on the Ballarat venture. Each year there is further development, eventually I can see it turning into a 25-35k fully seated stadium not unlike Cat park.
And long term term Ballarat are going to put in a train stop to make it more accessible. Ultimately in the short term it's not good for the average supporter but will pay off in the long run IMO

What is the long game though? To play more “home” games there?

 

[CarnTheScray]

How many times have all 44,000 members turned up for a game? We struggled to get 20,000 against Gold Coast in a home game a few weeks ago.

Don’t use this year as a basis for crowds.

But 2019 we drew around 23k? I think against Gold Coast.

 

[CarnTheScray]

Again MCG Tennant replacement games MCG not a majority reserved seat stadium

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One of our replacement games was free access to Collingwood at the MCG in 2019.

So because of Ballarat you pretty much get two away game entries for free.

 

[lachy]

One of our replacement games was free access to Collingwood at the MCG in 2019.

So because of Ballarat you pretty much get two away game entries for free.

MCG our home ground now with our member seats?

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[Mutt]

How again do the 44,000 members or even half the 44,000 members fit in the 11,000 capacity ground again to make it a viable option?

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How do half the members attend in Darwin, Canberra, Cairns, Hobart, Launceston, Aukland, ******* China?

We have to sell games to balance the books...just as many others clubs must. Better to have a good proportion of our members be able to attend at a ground an hour up the road than have to fly interstate or overseas.

 

[Roogal]

How again do the 44,000 members or even half the 44,000 members fit in the 11,000 capacity ground again to make it a viable option?

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The same way 4 million Manchester United members world-wide (but mostly from England) squish into their 66,000 capacity home ground? Or spare a thought for Colllingwood, Richmond, Essendon and Carlton when they face off against each other (even at the MCG). Of course how do we fit 80,000 Hawthorn members onto the Spirit of Tasmania and shoehorn them into the 21,000 capacity UTAS Stadium, or 48,000 Melbourne supporters into the 12,000 capacity TIO Stadium or the 6,000 capacity Tegear Park. Geez, and don't even get me started on how they managed to get Saint Kilda's 50,000 members ino Townsville's 10,000 capacity Tony Ireland Stadium ... it wasn't pretty Let's just say that it takes a lot of Vaseline, good will and piggy-backing.

It seems that the only ones laughing might be North Melbourne. There's plenty of room at the Blundstone Arena for the entire club membership of 39 and it's cheer squad consisting of two men and a dog (named Colin).

... anyway, enough of the cude humour. Hopefully I've lightened the mood and you get the bigger picture.

Here's a sobeing thought. No AFL venue in the future will be big enough to accommodate an entire team's membership. West Coast, Fremantle, Port Adelaide, Adelaide and Sydney Swans already have memberships that exceed the capacities of their home grounds and their members deal with it. As Melbourne based teams memberships continue to grow above 55,000 then you might well argue that Marvel Stadium is too small. Already now, as I indicated in the opening of this post, there are now many members of bigger teams who are regularly disappointed when their games sell out at both of Melbourne's main venues.

The truth is that as members of smaller club's we're actually spoiled by the surity and knowledge that 94% of our games will not be sell-outs at this point in time, but that won't be the case for much longer and you're going to have to accept it. Keep in mind that in about ten years time your Club's membership will on current projections grow to 55,000 and you may find it very hard and competative to get into a live game of footy at Marvel.

 

[CarnTheScray]

In this particular game he actually could because the COVID capacity limit for Marvel at the time this game was played was still approx 40,000. So yes his point stands.

There was a time change for that game AND crowds are down something like 25-30% across the board for every team in Victoria this year.

 

[CarnTheScray]

MCG our home ground now with our member seats?

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If thats what you meant. I just replied with what I thought you were asking. It took me a few minutes to try and understand your original comment.

 

[Norm De Guerre]

How do half the members attend in Darwin, Canberra, Cairns, Hobart, Launceston, Aukland, ******* China?

We have to sell games to balance the books...just as many others clubs must. Better to have a good proportion of our members be able to attend at a ground an hour up the road than have to fly interstate or overseas.

Its the same illogical argument that I heard from a Richmond supporter as to why they shouldn't play GWS at Marvel this week. One where they have 100,000 members and the vast majority will be locked out of the stadium. This obviously ignores the fact that one cannot take pets to the footy.

Just because you have a membership doesn't mean you want or can go to every possible home game. Good on those that can, but they would be a small percentage of our overall membership base in my view. Personally pre-pandemic I'd go to 4-5 games a year and Ive been to 0 post. Yet the perceived loss of value that I get through not maximising my membership has never been a disincentive for forking out full freight for a pair of SC memberships.

My support for the club runs deeper than my own self interest.

 

[Munnez]

What is the long game though? To play more “home” games there?

I don't see it as selling more home games but more securing the clubs long term future. It's a growth corridor between Melton and Ballarat, it's a great opportunity to build a long term supporter base and have our own boutique stadium in the longer term.
Also doesn't hurt in the relationship building in terms of WO redevelopment. So I get in the short term it doesn't do much for supporters but in the longer term a lot of those issues will be resolved with a bigger capacity at MARS and add in a train station and suddenly a lot more accessible to fans and possibly seating costs dropped so it's just like any other home game.
How good would it be to have our own fortress only an hour away.
Maybe it's pipe dreaming but that is what I think the club is aiming for!

 

[Northernsoul74]

I don't see it as selling more home games but more securing the clubs long term future. It's a growth corridor between Melton and Ballarat, it's a great opportunity to build a long term supporter base and have our own boutique stadium in the longer term.
Also doesn't hurt in the relationship building in terms of WO redevelopment. So I get in the short term it doesn't do much for supporters but in the longer term a lot of those issues will be resolved with a bigger capacity at MARS and add in a train station and suddenly a lot more accessible to fans and possibly seating costs dropped so it's just like any other home game.
How good would it be to have our own fortress only an hour away.
Maybe it's pipe dreaming but that is what I think the club is aiming for!

Sounds like a lot of investment for just 2 games though.

 

[Munnez]

Sounds like a lot of investment for just 2 games though.

We aren't tipping a lot in and MARS is going to be a multi use venue from what I can tell from previous posts. And Ballarat gets to say they are investing in bringing high quality events to the region

 

[Mattdougie]

Really feel that the club is playing the long game on the Ballarat venture. Each year there is further development, eventually I can see it turning into a 25-35k fully seated stadium not unlike Cat park.
And long term term Ballarat are going to put in a train stop to make it more accessible. Ultimately in the short term it's not good for the average supporter but will pay off in the long run IMO

And why would the bulldogs care about that unless they long term plan to play more games there which I’d bet the vast majority of fans and members have no interest in.

I personally couldn’t care in Ballarat build a 50000 seat indoor stadium, I have no interest in is playing there(or anywhere) and the continued rubbish attendances proof most don’t either.

My membership each year is always two games short as I refuse to attend this game I have no support for. I accept the club wants the money but would much rather poor cash into Whitten oval and play two games there.

Ballarat has added next to no membership jump to our figures and never will imo

 

[Pugz89]

We aren't tipping a lot in and MARS is going to be a multi use venue from what I can tell from previous posts. And Ballarat gets to say they are investing in bringing high quality events to the region

It already is multi use. Has hosted Western United A League games and Crusty Demons events already as well as two AFL games, GWV Rebels NAB League home games and I'd assume BFL games as well.

 

[Munnez]

And why would the bulldogs care about that unless they long term plan to play more games there which I’d bet the vast majority of fans and members have no interest in.

I personally couldn’t care in Ballarat build a 50000 seat indoor stadium, I have no interest in is playing there(or anywhere) and the continued rubbish attendances proof most don’t either.

My membership each year is always two games short as I refuse to attend this game I have no support for. I accept the club wants the money but would much rather poor cash into Whitten oval and play two games there.

Ballarat has added next to no membership jump to our figures and never will imo

That's fine you have your opinion on it totally your right and maybe yours is the consensus opinion of yhe majority of supporters. I choose to see it a little differently than yourself in that I think the club is trying to future proof itself through strategic alliances. And possibly I am wrong time will tell the story

 

[ringa5]

And why would the bulldogs care about that unless they long term plan to play more games there which I’d bet the vast majority of fans and members have no interest in.

I personally couldn’t care in Ballarat build a 50000 seat indoor stadium, I have no interest in is playing there(or anywhere) and the continued rubbish attendances proof most don’t either.

My membership each year is always two games short as I refuse to attend this game I have no support for. I accept the club wants the money but would much rather poor cash into Whitten oval and play two games there.

Ballarat has added next to no membership jump to our figures and never will imo

How about a 50000 indoor stadium in Werribee or Melton...Be the envy of every club.And Ballarat isn't that far away...

 

[Boristown]

And why would the bulldogs care about that unless they long term plan to play more games there which I’d bet the vast majority of fans and members have no interest in.

I personally couldn’t care in Ballarat build a 50000 seat indoor stadium, I have no interest in is playing there(or anywhere) and the continued rubbish attendances proof most don’t either.

My membership each year is always two games short as I refuse to attend this game I have no support for. I accept the club wants the money but would much rather poor cash into Whitten oval and play two games there.

Ballarat has added next to no membership jump to our figures and never will imo

Good luck with that, the AFL won’t allow WO to become an alternative stadium when they recently purchased nearby Marvel for billions. It’s also a built up residential area now, council wouldn’t go for it either.

The fact is the Bulldogs need the money from selling a few games.

Imagine your bleating if they were still shipping out to Cairns twice a year lol

 

[mackem]

At least with the Ballarat games I can afford to go but can't afford to go to any of the interstate games.