Beyond the GF – Why the MCG Contract doesn’t pass the Stink Test

[The_Wookie]

10 out of 12. Sorry my mistake. The corruption is greater. It is so blatant. Borderline criminality.

Not even close to criminal. And yet again, look on your own side of the border. Stadium deals were done everywhere, its a fact of life, as port supporters of ALL people should know - theyve been bitching about them since 1997.

 

[Papa G]

Doesn’t seem to bother the Eagles. Richest club in the league by a far margin.

This is why I laugh at people (Victorians) that can't grasp the concept that West Coast is easoly the biggest club in the land. No AFL/League leg ups what soever. Doesn't matter. They are on a different level.

 

[tombomb]

Lol. I know travel has been restricted, but you probably need to travel when the world opens back up.

Dunno what that means.

But I'd still rather play the Grand Final at the MCG than Adelaide Oval.

 

[The_Wookie]

This is why I laugh at people (Victorians) that can't grasp the concept that West Coast is easoly the biggest club in the land. No AFL/League leg ups what soever. Doesn't matter. They are on a different level.

You know why? Stadium deal. They got a very good one. One that wasnt available to any other club in the league, except Geelong and much later, Gold Coast.

Theres some irony in that the 1989-90 collapse of IPL is thought to have been avoidable if they had the same deal the Crows had with the SANFL (according to Soaring). But since the WAFC took over and the Eagles got their fixed arrangements in place its been daylight and none.

 

[Papa G]

Dunno what that means.

But I'd still rather play the Grand Final at the MCG than Adelaide Oval.

You said close to the best venue in the world. It isn't.

 

[tombomb]

You said close to the best venue in the world. It isn't.

History, size, location. It's not even a debate.

The MCG is one of the great venues of the world.

 

[doppleganger]

You said close to the best venue in the world. It isn't.

Southern Stand is a 30 years old, dated and falls short compared to more modern stadiums...as to be expected.

Good thing that as part of the GF extension that the MCC will upgrade the Southern Stand.

 

[Walshawk]

You said close to the best venue in the world. It isn't.

Name a better 100k+ venue.

 

[DaTBird187]

Name a better 100k+ venue.

 

[JimmyBC]

Not even close to criminal. And yet again, look on your own side of the border. Stadium deals were done everywhere, its a fact of life, as port supporters of ALL people should know - theyve been bitching about them since 1997.

What do you expect our choices of stadium deals have been horrifically shite & slightly less horrifically shite.

 

[Walshawk]

No roof. Very shallow rake. Is this the best anyone can do?

 

[DaTBird187]

No roof. Very shallow rake. Is this the best anyone can do?

Having been in both the MCG is soulless. A big soulless concrete jungle.

Shit beer too.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

What do you expect our choices of stadium deals have been horrifically sh*te & slightly less horrifically sh*te.

You need a better CEO so they stop negotiating crap deals for your club. This goes for Vic clubs with bad deals also, stop signing on to crap deals.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Southern Stand is a 30 years old, dated and falls short compared to more modern stadiums...as to be expected.

Good thing that as part of the GF extension that the MCC will upgrade the Southern Stand.

MCG is great, every time I go there which is only generally once every couple of years I get chills. Just the history of the place I love More than anything else.

 

[JimmyBC]

You need a better CEO so they stop negotiating crap deals for your club. This goes for Vic clubs with bad deals also, stop signing on to crap deals.

You are assuming there's wiggle room in SA football politics, it's fighting for an inch the whole way.

 

[Papa G]

MCG is great, every time I go there which is only generally once every couple of years I get chills. Just the history of the place I love More than anything else.

Yeah those historic cement blocks of the Southern stand erected in the year I finished High school make me wonder why people want to see Petra, the Acropolis or the Colosseum.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Really veered away from my original post. Stevie Wonder can see the GF at the big concrete soulless bowl forever and a day for a pittance is corrupt and unfair, that is beyond doubt and inarguable from a rational perspective.

Its the insidious other benefits that come with it. Through this corrupt contract, the same clubs get enormous State/AFL Sponsored leg ups called "Blockbusters". The 8 out 10 mandated biggest crowd rule. Generally stand alone games, nationally broadcast and promoted like no other games, all at the MCG. All with same teams.

The Opening Round snorefest between Richmond and Carlton. Never have either of these sides been good at the same time but will draw a crowd because first game/hope still exists.
Anzac Day. Collingwood v Essendon. Hijacked and commercialised to benefit the same 2 teams.
Easter Monday: Hawthorn v Geelong. Has been pumped due to a long period of good games. As the 5th/6th Victorian clubs whether it can stand the test of time, who knows, but the AFL will do its damnest to promote it
Queens Birthday: Melbourne v Collingwood. An anachronism from VFL days of yore that nobody cared about but Eddie kept up because it gave Collingwood another promotional free kick. Melbourne given a leg up they never deserved. But, but .....tradition
Dreamtime at rhe MCG: Richmond v Essendon. Well Sheeds invented Aboriginal footballers, is synonymous with both clubs and their colours make up the Aboriginal Flag. Cha Ching.

There's 5 of the 8 there just there. Chuck in a Collingwood v Carlton game early in the year with that sh*t voice over guy showing footage from the 70s and 80s, there's 6.

Every other club and every other ground do not get the benefits of this level of promotion. This Non competitive contract simply favours the MCC, Vic Government and the "Blockbuster" same olds. Reprehensible. You can see why the same douchebags from the same clubs vigorously defend it.

Yeah that's what happens when you have a rich history dating back over a century and a city full of rabid footy fans. Perhaps the other clubs could come up with some ideas to sell to the AFL, Melbourne and Sydney had an Anzac night thing in the early 2000s for a few years - but I doubt anyone else will care if they play the WA derby on West Australia Day when the rest of the country is at work.

 

[doppleganger]

MCG is great, every time I go there which is only generally once every couple of years I get chills. Just the history of the place I love More than anything else.

Yep, so many huge events and gatherings...which is something special about the place.

That is something special, especially compared to US where NFL owners often build brand spanking new venues at entirely different locations...you get the wizz bang facilities but lose history.

But in terms of facilities, toilets, access Southern Stand is behind more modern stadiums....as to be expected now that it is 30 odd years old.

Thankfully the GF deal will see an upgrade.

 

[bh90210fan]

Name a better 100k+ venue.

Id rather watch the game at the pub than stuck up the top of the Southern stand. No interest in watching ants running around.

 

[doppleganger]

No roof. Very shallow rake. Is this the best anyone can do?

Talk about an old concrete bowl!!

Barcelona's Camp Nou: Pigeon nests, droppings and decay in 'deplorable' report

Barcelona overlooked serious hygiene issues at the club's 100,000-seat Camp Nou stadium, according to the company tasked with filing the report.

www.espn.com

 

[Demonic Ascent]

I love seeing this thread bumped, reminds me I live a 20 minute train ride from the premier footy stadium in the country where the GF will be held for at least the next 37 years. I know if the Demons make the GF I'll have a ticket and won't have to worry about flights, accommodation etc and can just enjoy the game. I love knowing that it's unlikely to change in my lifetime or my kids lifetime so when they get their MCC memberships that I've signed them up for they'll be able to go to the GF each year if they want to do so.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

I love seeing this thread bumped, reminds me I live a 20 minute train ride from the premier footy stadium in the country where the GF will be held for at least the next 37 years. I know if the Demons make the GF I'll have a ticket and won't have to worry about flights, accommodation etc and can just enjoy the game. I love knowing that it's unlikely to change in my lifetime or my kids lifetime so when they get their MCC memberships that I've signed them up for they'll be able to go to the GF each year if they want to do so.

I can’t even imagine what this sport will look like in 37 years, I see radical changes to how this comp is in that time. I don’t see any possibility that a salary cap will be in place in 37 years and if it is the amount will be massive with a much lower floor. Private ownership I still think will hit our sport eventually. Player managers and the players themselves greed will wipe out clubs.
The least concerning thing in 37 years will be where the GF is. Will be best of 3 by then anyway. Glad I won’t be around to see it . But huge change will continue to come over our game and you simply can’t be naive to think it won’t.

 

[kranky al]

You still havent grasped that eagles "home advantage" in a game isnt balanced.

Lets say a full home advantage when one team is at home, there preferred ground, no travel, own bed, regular routine, in front of packed house of rabid fans and opponents fly and barely have any fans is worth 10 points

Eagles v Melbourne at Optus, +10 eagles and -10 dees.

But the return game is Dees v Eagles in Darwin....that isnt a +10 game to Dees and -10 to Eagles, as Dees advantage is eroded as they fly, routine interupted, away from fans etc

It is the non-Melbourne teams who enjoy this reduced "away disadvantage".


The leg up is because the non-Melbourne teams have retained home advantage whilst seeing there away disadvantage reduce.

You WA wowsers twist yourself in knots to tell us how arduous travel is...whilst at the same time claiming a Melbourne team that sells "home" games and travels still enjoys a full advantage when travelling, not playing in front of fans, and having their routine disrupted.

The demons home ground is the mcg.

We are quite happy to play them there - we do t get to play the mcg enough as it is!!!

If your busted arse broke clubs choose to sell games to wherever - its not our fault - theres too many clubs in one city.

 

[doppleganger]

The demons home ground is the mcg.

We are quite happy to play them there - we do t get to play the mcg enough as it is!!!

If your busted arse broke clubs choose to sell games to wherever - its not our fault - theres too many clubs in one city.

Who is saying it is your fault?

It was the AFL who forced Melbourne to play games at Etihad instead of the G, why would Melbourne ever opt to play a home game at Etihad??

So instead of losing money at a ground where they also lost home ground advantage as fans hated it, the club decided to at least make some $$.

The FIXture is designed to minimise travel, and has been favouring non-Melbourne clubs for decades, thankfully now they dont get the away "home" game anymore.

You are just too daft to comprehend that the Eagles problem isnt Melbourne clubs, it is that your in Perth on the other side of the ****ing continent.

Relocate a Melbourne team to Tassie
Relocate a Melbourne team to Canberra
Relocate a Melbourne team to Newcastle

You still have 16 of the 18 teams on the east coast, 1/3 of teams Melbourne, the G still the main stadium and the Eagles will still be travelling further than anyone else.

You wowsers will still be sooking that the Eagles have to go to Tassie and Canberra, and that everyone is out to get the poor Eagles.

Most importantly, you still wont be able to walk down to the GF like you could in the WAFL days....and that isnt fair.

 

[kranky al]

Who is saying it is your fault?

It was the AFL who forced Melbourne to play games at Etihad instead of the G, why would Melbourne ever opt to play a home game at Etihad??

So instead of losing money at a ground where they also lost home ground advantage as fans hated it, the club decided to at least make some $$.

The FIXture is designed to minimise travel, and has been favouring non-Melbourne clubs for decades, thankfully now they dont get the away "home" game anymore.

You are just too daft to comprehend that the Eagles problem isnt Melbourne clubs, it is that your in Perth on the other side of the ******* continent.

Relocate a Melbourne team to Tassie
Relocate a Melbourne team to Canberra
Relocate a Melbourne team to Newcastle

You still have 16 of the 18 teams on the east coast, 1/3 of teams Melbourne, the G still the main stadium and the Eagles will still be travelling further than anyone else.

You wowsers will still be sooking that the Eagles have to go to Tassie and Canberra, and that everyone is out to get the poor Eagles.

Most importantly, you still wont be able to walk down to the GF like you could in the WAFL days....and that isnt fair.

What isnt fair is that one states team get every gf.

What is fair is that its shared between all the srates.