2013 Fixture Discussion

[chopperduck]

Good to hear Lions Insider, it just would be good to see a post like that on the official website. It lets all the fans know the clubs stance, because at face value many Vic fans don't see the care from the club. And this is coming from a Brisbane based member.

 

[chopperduck]

Appreciate your input LI.

There were 18 teams in the competition last year, and yet we had 6 games in Melbourne.

The AFL chose us for the Hawks and Demons interstate games, when they had 16 other teams to choose from. They had options. They clearly de-prioritised us.

Hard to argue with this. Swans and Lions should be the first 2 teams to get games in Melb. We should be top priority, not bottom.

 

[maroon and blue]

Family Day at Brunswick Street Oval prior to the start of the season. Will show that the lions are fair dinkum.

 

[LionKing]

Family Day at Brunswick Street Oval prior to the start of the season. Will show that the lions are fair dinkum.

Can't see that happening given our first game is on a Saturday at 1.40pm

 

[Football Pope]

Opening 2 games in Melbourne will struggle to pull a crowd !!

As per this year the last game time & date unknown

Easter Saturday, March 30 - Western Bulldogs (Etihad Stadium 1.40pm) - most folk go away for Easter

Sunday, April 21 - North Melbourne (Etihad Stadium) 4.40pm Sunday twilight game
Big ask to get familys & country folk along to this one- 3 hrs each way from the home town of our captain.

Saturday, May 18 - Essendon (Etihad Stadium 1.45pm)

Saturday, August 10 - Richmond (MCG 1.45pm)

Round 23 TBC - Geelong Cats Simonds Stadium (Venue TBC)

 

[Slax]

Great to see we play Hawthorn in Tassie again, can't wait missed not going down this year.

 

[lionbear]

Potentially no Saturday night games in Vic, that would have to be a first.

 

[maroon and blue]

Can't see that happening given our first game is on a Saturday at 1.40pm

Thousands will attend a date suitable to the club. And you "cant see that happening". Well thank goodness for your comments. If the club really is fair dinkum and want's to grow and engage its Victorian city and country followers it needs to show show commitment. I bet Johnno Brown would be the first to put up his hand.

 

[____]

Personally I'm happy that we only get 5 night home games, one of them being shown FTA nationwide on a Friday Night. I'm also happy with the teams we play twice. I'm also very happy about the fact that we finally get a Saturday arvo and twilight home game.

But as everyone else said I'm disapointed that we only get four games in Melbourne. I looked at the draw and there are no other games at the MCG the same day we play the Dees at TIO. Surely Lions_Insider can request that game gets moved to the MCG at the very least and the Dees move a different home game to TIO. Any Lions away game against a Vic club should only be in Vic or QLD, not Tassie or Darwin. It's ridiculous. I'm in Brisbane, a proud Queenslander and even I acknowledge that our team is part Victorian, our Victorian fans should be able to see our team as many times as possible. You (LI) should be fuming to Vlad and co that about the fact that our way games against Hawks and Dees is in Tassie and Darwin. You guys, running the show should at the very least show public anger at AFL house. And surely as I said, it should be possible for the Darwin game to be moved back to Melbourne in exchange for another game.

 

[Haso]

Surely Lions_Insider can request that game gets moved to the MCG

Doesn't quite work that way.

 

[Roylion]

In short, the Club's influence on obtaining these six games has somewhat diminished with additional teams GWS and Gold Coast joining the competition, and some Victorian-based clubs selling games interstate/overseas - Richmond (Cairns), St Kilda (New Zealand), Western Bulldogs (Darwin), Melbourne (Darwin), North Melbourne (Hobart) and Hawthorn (Launceston).

So what is the "merger agreement" worth these days? In this case Clause 7.2 h.

Despite the obvious challenges that lie ahead, we sincerely hope that our Victorian-based fans continue supporting the team next season.

This is the third time the merger agreement has been broken.

In 2005, the Fitzroy Football Club threatened legal action, but were 'compensated' that year by the Lions agreeing to wear a Fitzroy jumper for one of their Melbourne games.

In 2010, Fitzroy ended up in the Supreme Court over the breaking of Clause 7.2 c dealing with the Lion logo. A settlement was reached between the parties in the end. However as far as I'm personally concerned, the Lions continue to willingly and knowingly break the merger agreement as long as they continue to not use the Fitzroy lion logo as part of their official logo.

So in this third case, how are Brisbane going to compensate Fitzroy fans and the Fitzroy Football Club for the breaking of the merger agreement?

 

[Haso]

So in this third case, how are Brisbane going to compensate Fitzroy fans and the Fitzroy Football Club for the breaking of the merger agreement?

Did the Lions break the agreement, or did the AFL break it? The Lions did not write the fixture.

 

[____]

I was sorta venting, but the club should at least publicly show their anger at AFL house, and surely it should be reasonable for Melbourne to move a different home game to TIO as there are no games at the MCG that day. The club should publicly try to get that game moved back to the MCG, it should be reasonable.

Any home game that a Melbourne based team has against us should always be held in Melbourne or the South East Queensland area. If the AFL are going to piss off one big chunk of our fanbase, they should at the very least make the other side happy, instead of pissing off both sides.

 

[Roylion]

Did the Lions break the agreement, or did the AFL break it? The Lions did not write the fixture.

Nevertheless the agreement has still been broken and it won't be the AFL compensating Fitzroy fans or the Fitzroy Football Club.

Is the merger agreement worth anything at all? Because if it's not, can they let us all know?

Why should I fork out for Lions membership in 2013? It's probably better off going to the Fitzroy Football Club.

 

[Football Pope]

For what it's worth, I can tell you the Club is terribly disappointed that there are only five games in Victoria next season (and just four in Melbourne).

As it does each year, the Club specifically requested a minimum of six games in Victoria. However, that request was not granted by the AFL due to the factors that have been outlined on our website.

In short, the Club's influence on obtaining these six games has somewhat diminished with additional teams GWS and Gold Coast joining the competition, and some Victorian-based clubs selling games interstate/overseas - Richmond (Cairns), St Kilda (New Zealand), Western Bulldogs (Darwin), Melbourne (Darwin), North Melbourne (Hobart) and Hawthorn (Launceston).

While I certainly don't expect those reasons will appease everybody, I can assure you that it wasn't a matter of the Lions purposely 'de-prioritising' it's loyal Victorian fans.

The Club will continue lobbying hard with the AFL to ensure that we return to our desired six matches from 2014 and beyond.

Despite the obvious challenges that lie ahead, we sincerely hope that our Victorian-based fans continue supporting the team next season.

To be honest it's not worth the hard earned readys for membership this year...Money will be allocated for paytv and paying at the gate for the Bomber and Tigers games.

 

[mikey127]

I know people are frustrated about the number of games in Melbourne and so am I but whilst I'm not lecturing let me point out a few things.

We have a very good draw with a tough stretch mid year would we rather have a good draw with less games in Melbourne or a horror draw just to get 1 or 2 extra Melbourne games. With this draw if we make finals and play down here there is your other Melbourne game anyway.

THE BEST THINGS TO DO TO STOP MELBOURNE CLUBS PLAYING US IN tAS DARWIN ETC IS TURN UP IN LARGE NUMBERS WHEN WE PLAY IN MELBOURNE. IF we really turn up on mass and these opposistion clubs realise that playing the Lions in Melbourne brings in good numbers they will not want to move games again us.

 

[Skoob]

And Collingwood travel the least yet again.

Apart from Fremantle and West Coast, we are the ones who travel the most in all the teams, and yet, only have 4 Victorian games.

And that stretch of games from Round 7-14 looks horrible. If we could snare 3 or 4 out of those 8 games, I'll be real happy.
Could finish with 15 wins after having a quick glance at the fixture and the opponents corresponding previous match before us.

Actually I am more disgusted with Hawthorn's fixture.
If you put aside their Tassie games due to proximity and that they are their home games, they only leave the state 4 times.
What concessions are we getting for the disadvantage again?????

 

[____]

Strange what supporting the same two-state team does.

I'm from Brisbane, live in Brisbane, the draw from my perspective is very good. Less Sat Night home games and more games shared around to other timeslots. We finally get a Saturday arvo home game along with a big Friday Night home game blockbuster against our biggest rivals. I got my wish of having Gold Coast away early in the season so I can go to the beach and footy in the same day. I'm happy with the teams we get to play twice.

Yet I find myself venting because a big chunk of my fellow Lions fans living in Melbourne, a city I have never been to, got royally screwed over with only four games in Melbourne, with fellow Melbourne based teams moving their home games against us to Launceston and Darwin when it should be at the MCG. If those games were at the MCG then it would be the perfect fixture IMO. How many games we play in Melbourne has zero effect on me yet I am venting on behalf of my fellow Lions fans.

As I said before and again, the club should at least publicly campaign for the Dee's Darwin home game to be moved to the MCG. Even volunteer to pay some of that money they would get for moving it to Darwin if they must. A big chunk of my fellow Lions fans should get to see our team live as much as possible.

Any Melbourne based team should be playing their home games against us in Melbourne or in South East Queensland. Not Darwin, not Launceston, not Cairns etc.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

Thanks for the explanation LI. But it is simply not good enough!

As a passionate ex Fitzroy supporter since 1973 & now Brisbane Lions member, I simply do not have the desire or motivation to purchase a membership for the club in 2013. I will still watch the Lions games, but will not contribute financially (And please I don't watch a lecture or sermon from anybody on this forum about being disloyal or not true to the cause!) until the Lions get their act together with the Lion logo & the 6 games in Victoria, as per the merger agreement. If that means, not playing a game in Darwin or Tasmania, so be it. In reality we only have 4 games in Victoria in 2013 as it very hard to get tickets for the Geelong game.

If you're going to post like that then expect a reaction from people who don't agree with you, otherwise don't post. You've really anticipated pretty well what the response might be it seems to me. It's one thing to be frustrated, which most of us Melb based supporters are, but threats of withdrawing financial support to the club over things like fixturing are not only pointless and misdirected but also reek of a lack of the loyalty and passion that you say you have. I hope you reconsider.

 

[CallumBartlett]

Just checked out the 2013 fixture and it is a ripper! Very easy draw should see us playing finals in 2013, with a chance real chance at Top 4.

Easy tiger.

 

[Football Pope]

I know people are frustrated about the number of games in Melbourne and so am I but whilst I'm not lecturing let me point out a few things.

We have a very good draw with a tough stretch mid year would we rather have a good draw with less games in Melbourne or a horror draw just to get 1 or 2 extra Melbourne games. With this draw if we make finals and play down here there is your other Melbourne game anyway.

THE BEST THINGS TO DO TO STOP MELBOURNE CLUBS PLAYING US IN tAS DARWIN ETC IS TURN UP IN LARGE NUMBERS WHEN WE PLAY IN MELBOURNE. IF we really turn up on mass and these opposistion clubs realise that playing the Lions in Melbourne brings in good numbers they will not want to move games again us.

If the fixturing allows you to turn up.....Unfortunately Life interferes with the first 2 Victorian games Easter Saturday most families go away for the break....2nd game being a Sunday twilight game instantly stops a lot of folk from Country Victoria from attending - and young family's The time is not user friendly to their commitments.

 

[Loyal Lion]

If you're going to post like that then expect a reaction from people who don't agree with you, otherwise don't post. You've really anticipated pretty well what the response might be it seems to me. It's one thing to be frustrated, which most of us Melb based supporters are, but threats of withdrawing financial support to the club over things like fixturing are not only pointless and misdirected but also reek of a lack of the loyalty and passion that you say you have. I hope you reconsider.

Get off your bloody high horse & mind your own bloody business. I AND I alone will decide IF I will purchase a membership in 2013. I don't give a stuff about your opinion when it has to do with the way I spend my money & how I support my football team.

Lack of passion & loyalty...yere ok. How long have YOU been contributing to Fitzroy & the Brisbane Lions ??? Since 1973 by any chance ???

 

[Ironmonger]

For what it's worth, I can tell you the Club is terribly disappointed that there are only five games in Victoria next season (and just four in Melbourne).

As it does each year, the Club specifically requested a minimum of six games in Victoria. However, that request was not granted by the AFL due to the factors that have been outlined on our website.

In short, the Club's influence on obtaining these six games has somewhat diminished with additional teams GWS and Gold Coast joining the competition, and some Victorian-based clubs selling games interstate/overseas - Richmond (Cairns), St Kilda (New Zealand), Western Bulldogs (Darwin), Melbourne (Darwin), North Melbourne (Hobart) and Hawthorn (Launceston).

While I certainly don't expect those reasons will appease everybody, I can assure you that it wasn't a matter of the Lions purposely 'de-prioritising' it's loyal Victorian fans.

The Club will continue lobbying hard with the AFL to ensure that we return to our desired six matches from 2014 and beyond.

Despite the obvious challenges that lie ahead, we sincerely hope that our Victorian-based fans continue supporting the team next season.

For what it's worth, I'm disappointed that the AFL has chosen to schedule just four games in Melbourne, but I'm also disapointed in the club's response.

“Our Victorian members need to be aware the Club requested six games in Melbourne, however, with the introduction of Gold Coast and GWS, as well as the commercial deals of a number of Melbourne clubs to host games interstate - in our case, Melbourne (Darwin - Rd 17) and Hawthorn (Launceston - Rd 14) - the AFL was unable to accommodate this request in this year’s fixture,” Holmes said.

Of course the Melbourne-based supporters are aware of the existence of comercial deals that require games to be played in other markets. We don't need this pointed out to us, and we certainly don't need it explained to us by the organisation we count on to lobby on our behalf. We are the club's customers and amongst its most important stakeholders. Not its children who need to be educated.

We all know that the games outside of Melbourne tend to be given to the second-class citizens in the league. All the AFL needed to do to honour this agreement was to treat us like second-class citizens one time less. I cannot understand anyone who doesn't regard that as a pretty severe insult.

I understand why the club might decide to keep its criticisms of the fixture a little private, but there certainly needed to be a stronger and much less patronising public response.

 

[mikey127]

If the fixturing allows you to turn up.....Unfortunately Life interferes with the first 2 Victorian games Easter Saturday most families go away for the break....2nd game being a Sunday twilight game instantly stops a lot of folk from Country Victoria from attending - and young family's The time is not user friendly to their commitments.

Don't get me wrong I totally see your point but I'm more thinking of a game like this year against Hawks at the g on a Sunday. Was a pretty good timeslot and there wasn't a great crowd. I know people have other stuff on but I am just trying to say the best thing to do is turn up as much as possible with as many as possible and then the home club won't want to move the game cause they get a good gate in melbourne

 

[irel]

For what it's worth, I can tell you the Club is terribly disappointed that there are only five games in Victoria next season (and just four in Melbourne).

As it does each year, the Club specifically requested a minimum of six games in Victoria. However, that request was not granted by the AFL due to the factors that have been outlined on our website.

In short, the Club's influence on obtaining these six games has somewhat diminished with additional teams GWS and Gold Coast joining the competition, and some Victorian-based clubs selling games interstate/overseas - Richmond (Cairns), St Kilda (New Zealand), Western Bulldogs (Darwin), Melbourne (Darwin), North Melbourne (Hobart) and Hawthorn (Launceston).

While I certainly don't expect those reasons will appease everybody, I can assure you that it wasn't a matter of the Lions purposely 'de-prioritising' it's loyal Victorian fans.

The Club will continue lobbying hard with the AFL to ensure that we return to our desired six matches from 2014 and beyond.

Despite the obvious challenges that lie ahead, we sincerely hope that our Victorian-based fans continue supporting the team next season.

I and others here appreciate your occasional contribution. If nothing more than platitudes and condescending claptrap is offered its best that the club just stays silent as per norm and hope that it weathers the storm.

The annual, usual, repetitive, meaningless "The club will continue to lobby hard" is impotent from its repetitiousness and lack of evidence that there has actually been any lobbying resulting in positive outcomes for the club and its supporters.

You may have noted the level of discontent, disappointment and disillusionment with the management of the club. The lack of respect and clear disregard to do the right thing for the members and supporters not just with the issue of the merger agreement and number of Melbourne games, but the dismissive response to the jumper issue is also reflective and indicative that nothing has changed at the club.

Reviews and strategic plans come and go and it appears they are nothing more than appeasing clichés thrown as crumbs to the masses. Not taking responsibility and transferring the blame to the AFL is poor form and treating us as gullible imbeciles.

It would not have escaped the club’s notice the number of Melbourne games other non Victorian teams have been able to secure in this 18 team competition and none have an actual agreement in place as the Brisbane Lions have with the AFL. Unfortunately the management of the club comes across as ineffective, incapable and pretty much indifferent to what are important issues to a segment of the supporter base.