AFL considering interstate grand finals

[oak79]

Why should Victorians have to travel interstate to watch the Grand Final at an inferior stadium after our state government spent $500 million keeping the Grand Final at the MCG until 2057??

If a Grand Final in Sydney is relying on Victorians to fly in, then maybe it's not a city worthy of hosting a grand final

The WA government spent over a billion - so why should we have to travel to an inferior stadium in Melbourne?

 

[Senor M]

The WA government spent over a billion - so why should we have to travel to an inferior stadium in Melbourne?

I didn’t know that the Western Australian state government signed a long term agreement with the AFL to host the Grand Final as part of the construction of Optus Stadium

 

[Senor M]

Rubbish, it would be sold out in advance just like the mcg

Would you not travel to Sydney if the tigers had a grand final there?

Grand Finals shouldn't rely on interstate travel to host an event.

All cities have capacities regarding the number of visitors they can have for an event --- incoming flights, accommodation, etc.

Relying on Victorians to fly to Sydney to sell out Accor Stadium is evidence that Accor Stadium isn't ready to host an AFL Grand Final. If Sydney can't see out Accor for their number 1 sport, they can't for the AFL.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Psssshhhhhh grand finals should only be held at 100,000 seat venues or nowhere!

So not the MCG?

 

[Xtreme]

So not the MCG?

You can fit 100,000 people there

 

[My_Username]

So imagine also adding flights and accomodation that have been quadrupled to said ticket prices.

You realise that a game in WA would have far higher ramp up of flights and accommodating prices, don't you?

The logic is pretty simple...Melbourne is a much bigger city, and thus has lots more accommodation available (and flight capacity...it's not just Melbourne and Perth involved here after all, and when it is, Perth is the bottleneck, and thus the reason for higher prices).

So “more numbers” only works when it’s for what you want.

What 'more numbers'?

Any additional TV viewers for the GF would be negligible. Do you really think there are huge numbers of people NOT watching the GF because of the timeslot?

 

[My_Username]

Grand final should be held at the venue of the highest finishing team

Yeah, because you can throw the whole event together in under a week.

It's not like they're already planning for and working on the 2026 GF at the MCG.

These events don't just get thrown together overnight.

 

[Hydatina Physis]

Yeah, because you can throw the whole event together in under a week.

It's not like they're already planning for and working on the 2026 GF at the MCG.

These events don't just get thrown together overnight.

Fair point, still reckon its possible. Pre GF bye, if AFLHQ stopped being so incompetent maybe they could manage it. There's ways

 

[Dirty Bird]

It's a shit hole. AFL hasn't been played there in what -15 years?

3 years - Hosted Sydney Derby in 2022

 

[oak79]

I didn’t know that the Western Australian state government signed a long term agreement with the AFL to host the Grand Final as part of the construction of Optus Stadium

And that's a big part of what's so dodgy re the MCG-AFL-Vic agreement.

Why was that only on offer for 1 state ... ?

 

[Dirty Bird]

In theory its fine, but does the average fan think the prices will remain the same. The leafue also wont reduce the corporate tickets, so that means less tickets for the little guy.
The average price will also sky-rocket. They arent going to lose 40k seats without a trade off.

But you don't have to feed the AFL/MCC members at other grounds.

Once the new Brisbane stadium opens, and if you use Accor, the average fan will have MORE access everywhere else than the MCG.

 

[sumavich]

The WA government spent over a billion - so why should we have to travel to an inferior stadium in Melbourne?

Was way over $1 billion

 

[Senor M]

And that's a big part of what's so dodgy re the MCG-AFL-Vic agreement.

Why was that only on offer for 1 state ... ?

Instead of complaining about it, but not doing anything about it—- maybe ask your local state politican why an agreement to host the Grand Final in WA after 2037 wasn’t negotiated with the AFL before money was invested into Optus Stadium.

Optus Stadium was already completed before the 2018 contract extension.

 

[Colonial]

You realise that a game in WA would have far higher ramp up of flights and accommodating prices, don't you?

Yeah but then WA fans wouldn’t have to pay it. When it’s held in Sydney, other states would have to pay to get there too, etc etc etc
It’s called sharing.

The logic is pretty simple...Melbourne is a much bigger city, and thus has lots more accommodation available (and flight capacity...it's not just Melbourne and Perth involved here after all, and when it is, Perth is the bottleneck, and thus the reason for higher prices).

Yeah it’s very simple. It’s called sharing so it’s not just the same states mortgaging a house to get there.

What 'more numbers'?

There are plenty but it doesn’t change the fact that only Vic fans get to catch a train.

Any additional TV viewers for the GF would be negligible. Do you really think there are huge numbers of people NOT watching the GF because of the timeslot?

Lol no. No they wouldn’t.
Yes I do think the numbers would be much bigger on prime time.

 

[SC_Power]

I’m gonna push this barrow, the AFL should consider interstate-only prelim finals unless both teams are from Victoria.

 

[My_Username]

Yeah but then WA fans wouldn’t have to pay it. When it’s held in Sydney, other states would have to pay to get there too, etc etc etc
It’s called sharing.

Yeah it’s very simple. It’s called sharing so it’s not just the same states mortgaging a house to get there.

There are plenty but it doesn’t change the fact that only Vic fans get to catch a train.

It's called, the AFL makes more money that way.

If you want the AFL to make, $10 Million less (in many cases it's be more), are you OK with them taking that money away from your club? What about less money for development in NSW?

Lol no. No they wouldn’t.
Yes I do think the numbers would be much bigger on prime time.

much bigger...

So you think there are hundreds of thousands of people out there thinking 'gee, I'd like to watch the AFL grand final, which is already the highest rated TV show almost every year, by a long way, if only it was a few hours later'.

Seriously?

 

[JHF1870]

We'll keep Gather round and Perth can host the Grand Final in alternating years.

 

[Walshawk]

If the are remotely serious about growing the game in Western Sydney, the GF needs to be played at ACCOR. Surely if 70k interstaters come to town it will make a splash there. Or at least a ripple.

 

[HBFlanker]

If the are remotely serious about growing the game in Western Sydney, the GF needs to be played at ACCOR. Surely if 70k interstaters come to town it will make a splash there. Or at least a ripple.

That would be an extremely expensive sugar hit. Only way that makes a decent impact is if GWS is in it.

 

[Angus Young]

You literally can't have a flipping Grand Final in a 50k stadium

No one can go, it looks shit.. Pathetic.

Maybe Perth only other place.

 

[Miluxx]

No thank you. Grand final to stay at the MCG. The place is remarkable. Hope this never changes.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Be interesting to see how they do it.

The northern side was rebuilt 20 years ago and they didn’t move it as it was done in stages - 2003 and 2004 GFs had 80k.

Southern Stand is a bit different as it faces the TV and so would look terrible - I’m sure that would play into their thinking. Also the fact they could sell it interstate for huge money - not something they would have considered back then.

I think it would basically be a bidding war between Sydney, Perth and Adelaide.

 

[shaqsuns]

I have been to a Gabba grand final and a few other Grannys in non-covid affected eras. And I can tell you that there is nothing better than Grand Final footy at the MCG.

You have the marches from Flinders Street over the Birrarung Marr, the footy festival, the parade, 100k footy loving nuffies, etc.

It doesn't get any better.

I know its expensive, but if I could fly to Melbourne every year and do it all over again..... I would!!!!

 

[Dazzler9]

The 2021 GF was the most aesthetically pleasing, FWIW, of all grand finals. Perth Stadium is basically a smaller version of the G, but without sh!t seats. Looks mint for twilight games.

More Perth GFs please.

 

[The Tilt]

Be interesting to see how they do it.

The northern side was rebuilt 20 years ago and they didn’t move it as it was done in stages - 2003 and 2004 GFs had 80k.

Southern Stand is a bit different as it faces the TV and so would look terrible - I’m sure that would play into their thinking. Also the fact they could sell it interstate for huge money - not something they would have considered back then.

I think it would basically be a bidding war between Sydney, Perth and Adelaide.

Yep. The most likely outcome is the GF goes somewhere else for one year while the Southern Stand gets rebuilt, as happened in 1991. Assuming it happens before the Brisbane Olympics, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide are the only viable options (I would have thought Adelaide the least likely).