Should the GF be played at a Neutral venue?

[Obeanie1]

Yes. No doubt the GF should be played at a more neutral venue. It should also be played at the home of football. So the question is - how to make the MCG a more neutral venue.

One easy fix is the team who finished higher gets to chose field dimentions closer to their home ground.

Basically we move the white lines in like in cricket. Very simple and the game stays at the MCG.

 

[telsor]

One easy fix is the team who finished higher gets to chose field dimentions closer to their home ground.

Basically we move the white lines in like in cricket. Very simple and the game stays at the MCG.

In principle, sure, but there would need to be limits. The obvious would be that he boundary doesn't get too close to the fence, but to a lesser degree you also wouldn't want it getting too far from the crowd (both for crowd enjoyment and TV ascetics) either so in practice there is probably only a few meters of variation available.

Other potential moves would be...

Some allowance could be made for a few more seats being available to non-Vic clubs fans although how much would vary a bit depending on the teams. (basically trying to balance out the 'neutrals' not really being all that neutral...It can't fully happen but a few thousand seats can probably be found). Alternatively, make AFL memberships more worthwhile outside of Vic, and with more of them, there would be more non Vic fans eligible for those seats....I dare say non Vic clubs wouldn't like this option very much though, because they wouldn't want to be 'taxed' on their members like Vic clubs are.

As has often been said all clubs should get games there during the year, but weighted towards the 'top' teams...Make finals and you should get at least 2, probably 3 games at the MCG the following year (exactly how many is a matter of practicality...They've got to come from somewhere and not mess up the home teams fixtures too badly).



Of course, the big problem with all of this is...why bother? Sure, it would help with the core problem, but none of it would stop the whining, so why mess with things when it wouldn't have any effect on what they're really trying to achieve? (the AFL being all about PR after all) A year or two later it the complaints would be as bad if not worse. (example being when the AFL made a big effort to renegotiate the deal in order to ensure that the first 3 weeks almost always get home finals....The long term PR benefit of that is negligible for the league...the focus of the complaints just moved to the GF).

 

[dean33]

Should be a full night GF too, it's 2018 people, the light globe's been around for a while now we have the technology.

Hmmmm night grand final in Perth hey? What time does that make the start in the eastern states, 9.30 - 10:30pm? Seems reasonable. Will be a much better time for all our European fans...

 

[dean33]

One easy fix is the team who finished higher gets to chose field dimentions closer to their home ground.

Basically we move the white lines in like in cricket. Very simple and the game stays at the MCG.

So the next time Sydney are in the grand final we move the goal posts to around the 50m arc?

 

[Mningasimisonda]

Just leave the grand final at the G. Only reason to move it is to be closer for fans in say an Adelaide vs Port final, not play at a different neutral venue.

The MCG holds 100,000 and is part of the spectacle that makes the grand final so big. Melbourne's obsession with AFL helps too. Could maybe work in Adelaide or Perth with a bigger stadium, but wouldn't think of putting it elsewhere.

 

[Tallest]

Hmmmm night grand final in Perth hey? What time does that make the start in the eastern states, 9.30 - 10:30pm? Seems reasonable. Will be a much better time for all our European fans...

Yeah that's a fair point and obviously the time would have to be altered if it ever moves to Perth.

I'd like to see it rotated on a 5 year cycle, something like this.
MCG - Day
AO - Night
MCG - twilight
Perth - Day
MCG - Night

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Granted TV revenue is the big bread winner, but at the end of the day HQ will add up the $$$ from gate receipts and TV; 40k less tickets is 40k less in revenue $$$ and to be honest I don't think they'd be prepared to give it up otherwise a change in the GF venue after 2037 would already be in discussion at an official level

I don’t think it will ever be moved but if it did it would be bid out to the highest bidding cities and what they pay would more than cover the shortfall in attendance.

 

[Hank Heavenly]

The comp needs a quality 100,000 seat stadium in Sydney. Cant see another city justifying the expense. Then a neutral venue could be a possibility.

Logistics is one issue to overcome but it isnt impossible.

Melbourne and Victoria would fight tooth and nail on this. Not sure what the AFL GF generates economically but it would be significant.

Wont happen untill the current MCG deal expires.

So if a NSW team is in the GF against a Vic team, how does this create a "Neutral" venue?

Yeah that's a fair point and obviously the time would have to be altered if it ever moves to Perth.

I'd like to see it rotated on a 5 year cycle, something like this.
MCG - Day
AO - Night
MCG - twilight
Perth - Day
MCG - Night

Wants and even and fair distribution of the GF...

... Leaves out 2 competing states in GF allocation (2/5 = 40%)

 

[Ian Dunross]

Must remove the MCC members when comparing ground capacities.

Even discounting them, MCG still some 20,000 larger than the other grounds.

But closer to AO and OS capacity.

 

[dean33]

Yeah that's a fair point and obviously the time would have to be altered if it ever moves to Perth.

I'd like to see it rotated on a 5 year cycle, something like this.
MCG - Day
AO - Night
MCG - twilight
Perth - Day
MCG - Night

Nothing for the northern states?

 

[Joao]

Nonsense....Hollow it out to form the new stadium!

The rock is not the best shape for that, not as round as it looks in landscape shots.

 

[telsor]

The rock is not the best shape for that, not as round as it looks in landscape shots.

I know...but hopefully the widest bit will fit a ground, and we can use the odd shaped bits for hotels, shops, and a casino.

 

[smasha]

Richmond wins a flag,oppos want the grand final moved.



#weareeveryonesgrandfinal

 

[Joao]

I know...but hopefully the widest bit will fit a ground, and we can use the odd shaped bits for hotels, shops, and a casino.

If we are happy to have the capacity at less than 500k then I think that's ok. It has a circumference of like 10km so should be able to squeeze a decent casino/hotel etc in it alongside the 250k stadium.

 

[Tallest]

Nothing for the northern states?

Ideally yes, but I think the MCG, AO and Perth are all in a class of their own, a class above anything in Sydney and Brisbane, ANZ could host but it needs work.

 

[captain cotch 9]

Im shocked and amazed to be sitting here reading this thread from a Cats supporter..

 

[Holy Rioli]

A strong argument could be made that West Coast beat Hawthorn in 15'?

Did we watch the same game? It could of been played on Mars, the only difference being Darling's s**t would of floated that day.....

Yeah but that 2014 Grand Final was pretty competitive right? I think for the likes of Parker, Jetta and Rohan they may have been on Mars instead of at the game that day.

 

[Holy Rioli]

Well it's pretty simple, there are multiple reasons that the Grand Final MUST be held at the MCG

1) It's contracted
2) No other stadium has anywhere near the capacity (and ANZ stadium is a shithole)
3) Like it or not, even with the exceptions, there is a strong historical link to playing it at the MCG.

Look, I don't want to be one of those people that bitches about a topic being discussed again - it is a footy forum, so go for it.

But with no disrespect to our interstate clubs or their fans, Melbourne and the MCG IS the home of footy - that's where the GF will stay.

I'm not against evolving, so point 3 holds no weight for me. But points 1 & 2 make it pretty clear the MCG is the place to be until it is no longer contracted to be played there, and there is a better stadium to play it at.

 

[Holy Rioli]

A strong argument could be made that the last 5 Grand Finals could easily have been won by the loser at a neutral venue, and it just so happens the winner had a huge advantage in the game by playing at their home ground (aside from the Dogs who were still at an advantage at the MCG against the Swans).

This begs the question, should the Grand Final be played at a Neutral venue to make the contest a fair one.

The Grand Final being at the MCG gives the Melbourne based teams too much of a huge leg up...

I’m sure Gil would be keen on this as he is trying to turn the AFL into the NFL, who change venues for the Super Bowl each year and it might be time for the AFL to follow suit.

Perhaps in 2018 or 2019, the GF could be at the new Perth stadium as neither WA team is close to making a Grand Final at this stage...

It's probably why Geelong lost the 2008 grand final when you think about it.

 

[Proper Gander]

The rock is not the best shape for that, not as round as it looks in landscape shots.

would be alright if you sort of built some scaffolding up the skinnier sides of it and then you could balance a big, grassed disc on it. The spectators could form a vast circle around the outside and sort of watch the game unfold via smartphones receiving live feed from private drones. I haven't been to the rock personally but I would probably go just for this.

 

[telsor]

would be alright if you sort of built some scaffolding up the skinnier sides of it and then you could balance a big, grassed disc on it. The spectators could form a vast circle around the outside and sort of watch the game unfold via smartphones receiving live feed from private drones. I haven't been to the rock personally but I would probably go just for this.

Air traffic control of all those drones would be a pain.

Far easier to just have the roof be a series of interconnected HD video cameras, configured to be sort of like a fly eye, and you can shift from camera to camera at will, with all points covered.

 

[telsor]

Ideally yes, but I think the MCG, AO and Perth are all in a class of their own, a class above anything in Sydney and Brisbane, ANZ could host but it needs work.

That's the thing though...Once you start on 'class of their own' then you basically get back to the MCG being the only place to hold it because it's a clear step up from AO & Perth (certainly a bigger step that from those grounds to SCG & Gabba).

Of course, when you go the other way you're hosting the GF at showgrounds in front of 20K.

 

[Kram]

MCG is now the 3rd best footy stadium in the country, definitely should be looking at rotating the game.

 

[Surely Paul]

Next question.

 

[Surely Paul]

MCG is now the 3rd best footy stadium in the country, definitely should be looking at rotating the game.

Since it's the best stadium in the world, it would seem both difficult and impossible for it to be the 3rd best in Aust...