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Saints to star in footy light show
Stephen Rielly | April 5, 2007
EVERY football club seeks the spotlight, St Kilda appears to want a new stage.
Inspired by the animated tribalism which made so many of Melbourne Victory's biggest games at Telstra Dome over the summer a boisterous experience richer than the actual play itself, the Saints are expected to introduce a series of theatrical touches to their first night home game, against Carlton in round six on May 4.
Darkening sections of the ground, if not the playing surface, to bring a stage-like focus to important moments in the game or to encourage greater crowd interaction during breaks or quieter moments in the game have been considered, as has the idea of a limited form of crowd segregation which, if agreed to, would be to encourage fans to mass in their colours and share in the experience of being united against the opposition.
It is understood that thought has been given to highlighting goal-kickers or huddles by dimming lights in parts of the ground and brightening them in others.
St Kilda president Rod Butterss first spoke with the AFL about the concept of creating a spectacle-like football-going experience last November.
The positive response he received then led him to discuss in January the idea with Channel Seven and Telstra Dome, specifically the stadium's chief executive Ian Collins, who had also been impressed by the sense of occasion he witnessed at the A-League champion's bigger matches last year.
"That's where the idea came from. At times during those matches I found myself just watching the crowd which was as much a participant in the experience as the players and the game were. It was fantastic," Butterss said.
St Kilda, the AFL, Telstra Dome and Channel Seven have since had a small committee working on the innovations for round six.
Butterss said the "touches" planned for the game would, at first, be "built around the game but later they may involve the game itself", and he said that logistical issues such as reserved seating might at first make the encouragement for fans of either persuasion to congregate problematic.
"One of the objectives is to create the sort of experience where a young boy or girl will, after being a part of it, nag their parents to come back not merely to see the Saints but to be a part of something bigger than the game itself," Butterss said.
"Our meetings with the AFL and then Channel Seven and Telstra Dome have been really positive and everyone is keen on the idea of producing a new or different type of AFL experience.
"It still has to be footy but we want it to be unique and capable of enhancing the experience, of adding to game."
Butterss said it was not only the at times euphoric spectator experience at Victory games that prompted his consideration of how St Kilda could enhance its matches, but the realisation that heavily coached AFL football is at times offering fewer moments of high drama.
"It's our observation at St Kilda that because the game is becoming more clinical, with fewer one-on-one contests and numbers behind the ball and tempo football, at times that takes away from the spectacle," he said.
"So at those times we need to give our supporters and people at the game another or additional experience.
"And at Telstra Dome we've certainly got more of a staged environment available to us.
"Combine that with the available technology and I think there are some possibilities and ideas worth exploring.
Good work on copying the game you supposedly hate, dont want to emulate, and all. It seems like that "What has better atmosphere" thread has been owned by an AFL man himself saying that quite obviously, soccer has.
Saints to star in footy light show
Stephen Rielly | April 5, 2007
EVERY football club seeks the spotlight, St Kilda appears to want a new stage.
Inspired by the animated tribalism which made so many of Melbourne Victory's biggest games at Telstra Dome over the summer a boisterous experience richer than the actual play itself, the Saints are expected to introduce a series of theatrical touches to their first night home game, against Carlton in round six on May 4.
Darkening sections of the ground, if not the playing surface, to bring a stage-like focus to important moments in the game or to encourage greater crowd interaction during breaks or quieter moments in the game have been considered, as has the idea of a limited form of crowd segregation which, if agreed to, would be to encourage fans to mass in their colours and share in the experience of being united against the opposition.
It is understood that thought has been given to highlighting goal-kickers or huddles by dimming lights in parts of the ground and brightening them in others.
St Kilda president Rod Butterss first spoke with the AFL about the concept of creating a spectacle-like football-going experience last November.
The positive response he received then led him to discuss in January the idea with Channel Seven and Telstra Dome, specifically the stadium's chief executive Ian Collins, who had also been impressed by the sense of occasion he witnessed at the A-League champion's bigger matches last year.
"That's where the idea came from. At times during those matches I found myself just watching the crowd which was as much a participant in the experience as the players and the game were. It was fantastic," Butterss said.
St Kilda, the AFL, Telstra Dome and Channel Seven have since had a small committee working on the innovations for round six.
Butterss said the "touches" planned for the game would, at first, be "built around the game but later they may involve the game itself", and he said that logistical issues such as reserved seating might at first make the encouragement for fans of either persuasion to congregate problematic.
"One of the objectives is to create the sort of experience where a young boy or girl will, after being a part of it, nag their parents to come back not merely to see the Saints but to be a part of something bigger than the game itself," Butterss said.
"Our meetings with the AFL and then Channel Seven and Telstra Dome have been really positive and everyone is keen on the idea of producing a new or different type of AFL experience.
"It still has to be footy but we want it to be unique and capable of enhancing the experience, of adding to game."
Butterss said it was not only the at times euphoric spectator experience at Victory games that prompted his consideration of how St Kilda could enhance its matches, but the realisation that heavily coached AFL football is at times offering fewer moments of high drama.
"It's our observation at St Kilda that because the game is becoming more clinical, with fewer one-on-one contests and numbers behind the ball and tempo football, at times that takes away from the spectacle," he said.
"So at those times we need to give our supporters and people at the game another or additional experience.
"And at Telstra Dome we've certainly got more of a staged environment available to us.
"Combine that with the available technology and I think there are some possibilities and ideas worth exploring.
Good work on copying the game you supposedly hate, dont want to emulate, and all. It seems like that "What has better atmosphere" thread has been owned by an AFL man himself saying that quite obviously, soccer has.