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

[Captain_Bender]

Ah, so THAT'S where the Ignore function is....

Isn't it typical of South Australian's to feel a chip on their shoulder over their superiors in Victoria.

 

[Engimal v3]

I know we Tasmanians can get a bet tiresome with the "Tasmania vs Australia" stuff, but **** me dead is this Vic vs WA/SA shit boring lol

 

[frenchconnection]

I’ve watched finals at Subiaco, Optus and the MCG and can comfortably say the MCG atmosphere was miles better than both the alternatives. Optus was reasonable but the Subiaco finals didn’t even muster up the atmosphere of a big home and away game at the G

Don't know why you even mention Subiaco Oval now seeing as it is dead and gone.

 

[skipper kelly]

Need the contract tracers to look into it.

 

[Captain_Bender]

The entire South Australian identity, revolves around trying to prove themselves to Big Daddy Victoria.

 

[Freomaniac]

Lot's here crying how the league should be ran.

Here's an idea, go to your club, tell them you ain't buying a membership any more until something is done.


Who wants to bet it will be crickets, none of you will do a thing.

Nah....


For once I see positive things with this corona virus being rampant. It shows the true colours of out AFL leaders.

I am sure Rupert murdoch is a good bloke and care for the poor.

 

[Righteo]

Capacity and population interest in the league.

More than 1 in 10 Melbournians hold an AFL club membership. That’s without consideration for AFL members or the MCC. (About 12%)

For the record, Perth is about 7%.
Adelaide is about 8.5%.

The reality is that Melbourne isn’t just the ground with the biggest capacity, it’s also the place with the most supporters of the code. Both in physical numbers and as a proportion of the population.

That fact isn’t going to change anytime soon.

Oh shit, you were being serious.

 

[Paul Kersey]

The entire South Australian identity, revolves around trying to prove themselves to Big Daddy Victoria.

It is pretty ****ing weird.

 

[Captain_Bender]

It is pretty ******* weird.

Such a sad little insecure state aren't they.

 

[Dan26]

This is part of the issue in being able to share the final around. You are able to grow the actual game and get it in front of more fans. I have been to attend one afl grand final (2010 draw). I had to book at the start of the season and was going whoever was playing.

Now I love football I have gone to nearly every game at Optus since it’s been built. I lucky enough to have mates that are all eagles supporters and always have spare tickets, then having my own 24 year dockers membership means that I have gone to nearly every game. I went to all the neutral games e.g Sydney vs gws aswelletc

Now because this is going to be a one off game, every man and his dog are going to try and buy tickets and more than likely I will miss out. If it was shared around a bit I know that at least I would be able to get a ticket in the next few times it was in Perth.

Obviously not anyone’s fault for being in the position where they could go 29 times, but it would be great to share the game around.

You could go 29 times as well. You can be an AFL member outside of Victoria and take up a club support package for your club (meaning you become a member of your club). Once you become a full member, you have full entitlements to attend the Grand Final, and all other finals at the MCG also.

All you need to do is book a flight, which in the modern age is ridiculously easy.

Victorians aren't the only ones who are AFL members.

 

[Freomaniac]

Well I’m here to tell you that Melbourne (the MCG) is the Vatican of football.

The big show should be at the G..always

well the MCG or Victoria for that matter is unlikely to host the grand final in 2021 at this rate if the covid situation runs rampant.

 

[Dan26]

I hope that everyone watching Footy Clasisfied right now, watching Caroline, Eddie, Ross and Lloyd waxing on about going to the GF year after year, and appreciate that this is basically an impossibility for non-Victorians, in an Australian competition.

Complaining about not being able to go to physically to the Grand Final is different to having the Grand Final always played at one venue. They are not the same thing. If the Grand Final was at the Adelaide Oval every year, I could still go every year. All I need to do is buy a ticket and get on a plane.

But hey, congrats on keeping locked away for yourselves, something that would be cherished by supporters in every other state.

It's not "locked away" from people like you being able to attend. If you try to get tickets through the normal channels (which is difficult, admittedly, whether the Grand Final is at the MCG or Adelaide Oval) you are able to attend the Grand Final at the MCG every single year. All you need to do is buy a ticket and get on a plane or drive over. Outside of Covid, there are no border restrictions and no reason (if you can get a ticket) to not be able to go to the game.

You act like the game at the MCG being a one hour flight away from where you live somehow stops you being able to go. As if Melbourne is located in a separate Universe, that, under normal circumstances, no one else can travel to.

 

[Freomaniac]

Playing it at the MCG every second year is a neat idea, but do you shift it if you get a derby GF at the SCG or a showdown at the Gabba or do you say, "fu** it." and leave it where it is because you're willing to have a Carlton v Collingwood GF at Adelaide Oval?

good point

Hell I dont care if the AFL grand final is out side of victoria every 3-5 years.

As I said, Andrew Demitriou actually wanted a Grand final at home bush as a one off experiment to expand their growth in NSW

 

[FreoFan85]

You could go 29 times as well. You can be an AFL member outside of Victoria and take up a club support package for your club (meaning you become a member of your club). Once you become a full member, you have full entitlements to attend the Grand Final, and all other finals at the MCG also.

All you need to do is book a flight, which in the modern age is ridiculously easy.

Victorians aren't the only ones who are AFL members.

This is a little naive. Just book a $1000 flight per person, book in a couple of nights of accommodation for a family of 5 at another expense, plus the cost of the tickets, plus the afl membership (however much that sets you back). Put that onto my family of 5 of which I already pay $2,400 for a year membership… you can see the price starts to add up dramatically. So no I don’t think I could manage to make it 29 times at that rate I might as well pay the Victorian government contract out myself

Obviously that is just my situation and there are thousands of other individuals that might have family in Melbourne etc that can offset the cost… or be in the position that money just doesn’t matter.

As opposed to the ability for others to potentially purchase a ticket and hop on a train ride in.

 

[FreoFan85]

To follow on from my previous post. The AFL membership that you are talking about (Silver level) can’t get details on gold. Costs $62.50 a membership per month, which gives you access to 40 games at the G or Marvel along with some other benefits. Really quite reasonable even without the finals benefit.

Our membership packages cost approx$599 (depending on seating) for 11 games as an individual.

 

[Freomaniac]

The grand final should never be held in sh*t stain minnow hillbilly states such as South Australia

Random question, have you ever been to Adelaide? lol

Have you tasted west end beer? lol

 

[Lagooner]

The only thing worse than those West End ads is the beer itself.

 

[Quinz]

The idea that you can't complain about a system because 'you joined it lol' is as brain-dead as it is wrong. You have no chance of changing a system if you aren't part of it.

- It was once an unfair stipulation that all finals had to be played in Victoria. That changed.
- It was once unfairly mandated that there was a game at the MCG every week of the finals. That changed.
- It is now an unfair rule that the GF is at the MCG. That will change. Everyone involved knows this, that's why this MCG deal was rushed through.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

But, but.....the history of the game is in Victoria.

FIRST GAME ON SCG – NSW Australian Football History Society Inc

Ummmm

The first game of football to be played on the SCG was a game of Australian football (then called Victorian football)

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Do you think it’s harder for. Vic side to win a flag or a non vic side? I am not talking making the GF I am talking winning the Flag. I think it’s very hard for all clubs but I honestly believe it’s a tad easier being a Victorian club than a non Vic club. The travel simply must take some toll?

It's pretty hard to win the flag if you don't make the GF

 

[00Stinger]

Which clubs were they? Even Brisbane was forced to play half its games on the GC. I assume you will be happy to play home games in Geelong? Poor old Melbourne clubs staying in 5 star resorts after thinking they were going to be the ones advantaged with all the non-vics hubbing at the start of the season.

Port have had a dream ride, not sure what you are up in arms about

I'm sure the Melbourne players would be happy to take a 45m drive down to Geelong while sleeping in their own beds

Plus last year there were NO games in Victoria for almost the whole season and no interstate teams in the grand final.



Sent from my SM-G981B using Tapatalk

 

[Shane Heard]

The entire South Australian identity, revolves around trying to prove themselves to Big Daddy Victoria.

I know we Tasmanians can get a bet tiresome with the "Tasmania vs Australia" stuff, but fu** me dead is this Vic vs WA/SA sh*t boring lol

As a Victorian who moved to WA 15 years ago, I can say that 99% of born and bred Western Australians here never mention SA ever. It’s all most like the state doesn’t exist in their eyes.
Adelaide is the city you fly over to get to Melbourne and drive through stopping 2 or 3 times for fuel.

The “ eastern state” thing in WA only refers to Vic and NSW. Queensland is just a holiday destination like bali.

SA is the wastelands.

 

[Gavin Excell]

OP does raise a reasonable point about the league getting value for money for its premier event.

For what it’s worth I support a rotation of the GF away from Melb.

You identify the state hosting well in advance and build in a bye week between prelim and GF giving time for supporter bases to prepare to travel. People who know US sport better than me would be able to advise that’s how they run the super bowl

 

[JimmyBC]

As a Victorian who moved to WA 15 years ago, I can say that 99% of born and bred Western Australians here never mention SA ever. It’s all most like the state doesn’t exist in their eyes.
Adelaide is the city you fly over to get to Melbourne and drive through stopping 2 or 3 times for fuel.

The “ eastern state” thing in WA only refers to Vic and NSW. Queensland is just a holiday destination like bali.

SA is the wastelands.

You sure do think about Adelaide a lot Shane.

 

[OnlyPowerForever]

Complaining about not being able to go to physically to the Grand Final is different to having the Grand Final always played at one venue. They are not the same thing. If the Grand Final was at the Adelaide Oval every year, I could still go every year. All I need to do is buy a ticket and get on a plane.



It's not "locked away" from people like you being able to attend. If you try to get tickets through the normal channels (which is difficult, admittedly, whether the Grand Final is at the MCG or Adelaide Oval) you are able to attend the Grand Final at the MCG every single year. All you need to do is buy a ticket and get on a plane or drive over. Outside of Covid, there are no border restrictions and no reason (if you can get a ticket) to not be able to go to the game.

You act like the game at the MCG being a one hour flight away from where you live somehow stops you being able to go. As if Melbourne is located in a separate Universe, that, under normal circumstances, no one else can travel to.

Yes, actually the cost to 2-3 people for travel, accommodation, tickets, time off work, living expenses, etc is a significant sum.
Certainly compared to the ticket and tram to the ground.

Id struggle to make that work if my team were playing. Certainly not if my team wasn't.

Now make that 5,000 people. Now make that 50,000.

But I bet you still don't see the problem.