Autopsy AFL Game Day experience is getting worse every year.

[108CAM]

Awesome - lets also bring back one long concrete wall feeding into an open sewer to be a urinal and put a limit of two toilets in the G for women.

When I need to use the toilet, It's a decision of Do I go now and risk missing something spectacular in the game or hold it in until the siren sounds and rush down to the toilets and beat the crowd?


Another thing that I've noticed is that whenever they show shots of the crowd, the cameras always seem to be pointed within a certain section of the stands so it takes some of the fun out of the "Am I going to be on the Big Screen?" aspect.

The MCG has also lifted its ban on aluminium drink cans which is a step backwards in terms of safety.
We've also lost the Four & Twenty people who would walk down the stairs during the game with their trays of pies and sausage rolls.

There's also lots of controversy around the content of some of the advertising, both at the grounds and on TV, and how it's affecting young children.
It mostly involves horror movie trailers being shown during AFL games In 2019, there was 2 instances of horror movie ads being shown during AFL games which caused anger with parents and frightened their kids.

 

[Demon13304]

Name one of those apart from the GF that gets 100k?

The first 2 games of this season sold out, but just didn't reach capacity. In a smaller ground (let's say about 80k seats) could mean only 70k show up. Blame MCC/AFL members and no shows for that one.

 

[laverton_nuffy]

There are a lot of people who enjoy the community level of footy. Or any sport really. Just less of them than ever before.

You get to know players & club volunteers. Its quite sociable really.

Those who have only ever gone to mass sports events like VFL/AFL have no idea.

The AFL have dominated the media like never before, so they crush the lower leagues for attention & support. Thats been the sad thing about the rise of the AFL.

Local footy is so much better than AFL for all the reasons you’ve mentioned above

 

[Frederico_WA]

Local footy is so much better than AFL for all the reasons you’ve mentioned above

Moved into a small (5k pop) regional town in WA recently and am very much looking forward to the season

 

[Vincent Hanna]

I miss throwing the dunny rolls and torn up Records (usually packed some loose leaf note pad also) after every goal.
I miss the baked spuds at Waverley.
I miss watching my team win finals/flags

Other than that, the gameday experience is pretty decent these days - the atmosphere of a massive crowd at the G cancels out any negative aspects in my mind.

 

[pixels]

When I need to use the toilet, It's a decision of Do I go now and risk missing something spectacular in the game or hold it in until the siren sounds and rush down to the toilets and beat the crowd?


Another thing that I've noticed is that whenever they show shots of the crowd, the cameras always seem to be pointed within a certain section of the stands so it takes some of the fun out of the "Am I going to be on the Big Screen?" aspect.

The MCG has also lifted its ban on aluminium drink cans which is a step backwards in terms of safety.
We've also lost the Four & Twenty people who would walk down the stairs during the game with their trays of pies and sausage rolls.

There's also lots of controversy around the content of some of the advertising, both at the grounds and on TV, and how it's affecting young children.
It mostly involves horror movie trailers being shown during AFL games In 2019, there was 2 instances of horror movie ads being shown during AFL games which caused anger with parents and frightened their kids.

I hate seeing unsolicited horror movie trailers. Especially when I'm home alone lol

 

[Papa G]

The MCG is meant to be the best stadium in the world.

Despite the propaganda and almost religious brainwashing of the Victorian public from birth, this statement isn't anywhere close to true.

 

[btdg]

The Docklands is a very uninviting stadium.
The MCG is all concrete with no historical stands left.
Both these stadiums have no grass, no trees, wall to wall advertising, digital video adds on the fences, expensive junk food, expensive beer.
The upper deck at the G is unwatchable.
The security and bag checks are over the top.

Let's face it, it's all designed for corporate sponsor exposure on TV now.

If I were to make changes I would:
1/ Stop selling the catering and alcohol rights and provide normal priced food and some healthy food.
2/ Get rid of digital advertising
3/ Bring back white apparel for all umpires. Take advertising off umpires and off the ball and off goal posts.
4/ Provide a grassed area and trees .
5/ Cut the price of upper deck tickets in half.

My feeling is that the goal should be to enhance the experience of 'footy' itself and looking to help people make a full 'day' for their money, with the focus on the footy. Weirdly, the goal should be for people to spend more money and believe it money well spent (ie: if it is going to cost $200 for 4 people to get tickets and food, try to get people spending $300 and have that feel 'cheap' for the experience they get). Fans whose team is playing interstate should expect to be able to travel, get a full day of footy entertainment for their expense, and have it be a once a year highlight even if their team gets flogged.

1. Add a quality aspect to the catering. Sell the rights to a broader variety and include within the upgraded stadium designs a variety of options (a la the MCC members, but for plebs too) - bars, pizzeria with outdoor seating that spills into the grassy area outside, a good quality restaurant, better quality takeaway (Guzman Y Gomez etc). More space in food areas to sit and talk pre-game. Keep the catering going post-game (not night games) so people can stick around a bit.

2. Play double headers with women's footy. And not always the women as the precursor. Play 2:10 games for the men at the MCG, and then play the same women's teams at 7:00pm in a night match, and let people stick around (see the restaurants, bars etc). This should be every saturday at the MCG and Docklands, perhaps with men/women in opposing 'slots'.

3. Use the grassy area and/or places like the open space at Docklands and Birrarung Marr to set up a footy festival on game days, that runs for the full duration above (say, 11:00am - 6pm). Have footy players (injured, young guys on the list not playing etc) there to meet fans, have ex-coaches, competitions, rides for the kids, face painting, etc.

4. Get rid of digital advertising, and particularly get rid of all gambling advertising in the venues. That includes paid promotions and on-field announcers.

5. Upgrade the cheer squads for each team - make them a featured part of the experience. I want big 90s style floggers, card-board cutouts, banners the size of the Hindenberg blimp, songs and chants for each team. Maybe even give clubs 2000 tickets (including free tickets for visiting fans) and make them free, and challenge clubs to build the best (family friendly) cheer squad they can. But let the fans bring the colour and energy every week

6. Umpires back in white I like. That includes trenchcoats for goal umpires.

7. Get rid of stupid match day entertainment and focus on the footy. I don't think the ground announcer interviewing past player ever adds anything, to be honest. I'd rather just play some music during the breaks, throw some stats up on the screen, perhaps show some highlights of the home team from the first half, and that's all we need. Half time = kids playing little league games. It's about the footy, remember.

8. Challenge clubs to get their members to matches by offering financial incentives. This will sound weird, but disconnect gate revenue from this, and focus instead on bums on seats. Give clubs a fixed bonus tied to their end of year payout from the league for fans attending. Right now, Carlton and Geelong have 160,000 members combined and 60,000 go on match day. Clubs have an incentive NOT to have members attend, because to some extent they can double dip (sell memberships for money, then sell to walk-ups). Flip that relationship and clubs start thinking of ways to get people in the door (maybe membership discounts for attending, bonuses on merchandise, etc) = more fans in the stadium = better atmosphere = more food and drink sales, etc.

That's probably my starting point. The TLDR is: make match day a bigger and better footy experience, one that is totally unique to footy and focus on filling stadiums

 

[madmug]

Despite the propaganda and almost religious brainwashing of the Victorian public from birth, this statement isn't anywhere close to true.

I would think any new major stadium would be superior to the MCG in many ways.

However, the game is still the most important thing.

 

[Freomaniac]

Local footy is so much better than AFL for all the reasons you’ve mentioned above

Yep.... I have no issues going to SANFL games.

You follow a team in the SANFL?

I follow south Adelaide despite living in the port Adelaide area

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

My feeling is that the goal should be to enhance the experience of 'footy' itself and looking to help people make a full 'day' for their money, with the focus on the footy. Weirdly, the goal should be for people to spend more money and believe it money well spent (ie: if it is going to cost $200 for 4 people to get tickets and food, try to get people spending $300 and have that feel 'cheap' for the experience they get). Fans whose team is playing interstate should expect to be able to travel, get a full day of footy entertainment for their expense, and have it be a once a year highlight even if their team gets flogged.

1. Add a quality aspect to the catering. Sell the rights to a broader variety and include within the upgraded stadium designs a variety of options (a la the MCC members, but for plebs too) - bars, pizzeria with outdoor seating that spills into the grassy area outside, a good quality restaurant, better quality takeaway (Guzman Y Gomez etc). More space in food areas to sit and talk pre-game. Keep the catering going post-game (not night games) so people can stick around a bit.

2. Play double headers with women's footy. And not always the women as the precursor. Play 2:10 games for the men at the MCG, and then play the same women's teams at 7:00pm in a night match, and let people stick around (see the restaurants, bars etc). This should be every saturday at the MCG and Docklands, perhaps with men/women in opposing 'slots'.

3. Use the grassy area and/or places like the open space at Docklands and Birrarung Marr to set up a footy festival on game days, that runs for the full duration above (say, 11:00am - 6pm). Have footy players (injured, young guys on the list not playing etc) there to meet fans, have ex-coaches, competitions, rides for the kids, face painting, etc.

4. Get rid of digital advertising, and particularly get rid of all gambling advertising in the venues. That includes paid promotions and on-field announcers.

5. Upgrade the cheer squads for each team - make them a featured part of the experience. I want big 90s style floggers, card-board cutouts, banners the size of the Hindenberg blimp, songs and chants for each team. Maybe even give clubs 2000 tickets (including free tickets for visiting fans) and make them free, and challenge clubs to build the best (family friendly) cheer squad they can. But let the fans bring the colour and energy every week

6. Umpires back in white I like. That includes trenchcoats for goal umpires.

7. Get rid of stupid match day entertainment and focus on the footy. I don't think the ground announcer interviewing past player ever adds anything, to be honest. I'd rather just play some music during the breaks, throw some stats up on the screen, perhaps show some highlights of the home team from the first half, and that's all we need. Half time = kids playing little league games. It's about the footy, remember.

8. Challenge clubs to get their members to matches by offering financial incentives. This will sound weird, but disconnect gate revenue from this, and focus instead on bums on seats. Give clubs a fixed bonus tied to their end of year payout from the league for fans attending. Right now, Carlton and Geelong have 160,000 members combined and 60,000 go on match day. Clubs have an incentive NOT to have members attend, because to some extent they can double dip (sell memberships for money, then sell to walk-ups). Flip that relationship and clubs start thinking of ways to get people in the door (maybe membership discounts for attending, bonuses on merchandise, etc) = more fans in the stadium = better atmosphere = more food and drink sales, etc.

That's probably my starting point. The TLDR is: make match day a bigger and better footy experience, one that is totally unique to footy and focus on filling stadiums

I don't think asking people to spend more money is the answer myself.

 

[btdg]

I don't think asking people to spend more money is the answer myself.

Why? The issue isn't the cost, it is the experience/value for money.

A Carlton membership costs $460 for reserved seats, and from attendance figures the average is to go to about 5 games. It is already costing most people close to $100 just to get in the door. Then I get to pay $20 for garbage food which I have to queue for 30 minutes to get during half-time, and try to eat sitting back in my seat while gambling ads blare at me.

The problem is not the marginal costs on top of that. It's that the game is fine, and everything else seems crap - the food, the 'entertainment', the ads, all designed to eke money out without providing any real value