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

[port_adelaide_1870]

There is no doubt it isn't.

The Grand Final MUST be at the MCG for it to count as a real Grand Final. Last year did not feel like a Grand Final at all, nor will this year. Non-Vics need to remember they are guests in this league.

Piss off with that “guest” BS. We are just as much important to this comp as the Victorian teams.

 

[HTT]

The whole MCG crowd argument is a bit of a furphy. Sure there's 100,000 people in the ground but look at how many club members are allocated tickets this year at Optus vs how many are allocated to the MCG in any year. It won't be much different because one third of the MCG is made up by MCC and AFL members.

The delicious slice of irony that will come out of Melbourne making the Grand Final this year is all those MCC Demon supporting members will miss out on seeing their team play in the GF after waiting decades, and for decades they've attended Grand Final's they really had no right attending when you consider legitimate club members miss out.

MCC members I'll concede, but any long term deal involving rotating the GF would include a large portion of the stadium allocated to AFL members. It's literally just a cordoned off section of the MCG, wouldn't need any extra facilities.

 

[kickazz]

Come back when you have a 100,000 seat stadium that you can fill every year for it.

Or, by the way, a stadium that can take those numbers you’re listing for the big games. Because right now Richmond have 100k members, Collingwood have around that, Carlton have 80k.

The benefits of having a huge supporter base for the code in Melbourne.

Take out the Melbourne Cricket Club's allocation and Perth Stadium starts to get pretty close in available tickets.

 

[HPKS]

MCC members I'll concede, but any long term deal involving rotating the GF would include a large portion of the stadium allocated to AFL members. It's literally just a cordoned off section of the MCG, wouldn't need any extra facilities.

If the new contract came back with less mcc members for the gf & less hangers on with an increase in competing club members the capacity argument has traction but the bs extras/mcc mb is what annoys most people. Imagine a grand final with the fever pitch of 100k competing club members, now then viccos would have an argument. Prelim finals have 1000x more atmosphere than what we get now. Face it the AFL admin failed the game in finances, theatre & growing the game when it came to the contract.

Oh you can add AFL members to that. It’s a joke that the AFL competes with clubs for members.

 

[Atomboy]

We were literally a prison colony. Corruption would almost definitely be the Australian way.

Not much has changed in Australia since the days of the Rum Corp.

Corruption runs deep in Australia and is modus operandi for the bulk of our political and business “elite” (who move between either side regularly in order to ensure that the balance is maintained).

 

[sobrave]

Gotta love the cogent and convincing arguments put forward by Vic trolls here.


"Hurh hurh it's our league huh huh".

That's all you've got? If the afl disbanded and it went back to state based suburban clubs EVERYONE loses.

The reason this is an issue is the AFL pretends that it runs a national competition. It should make more than a token effort at fairness and equalisation.

 

[Atomboy]

This sounds like an airport begging for a new housing subdivision to gain new infrastructure to save the run down thing from going belly up.

Reads more like an airport looking to do an expansion and the state government buying land off a related party for 10 times the cost.

 

[kickazz]

I like the tradition of the MCG, but I am for rotating in some way, similar to Superbowl. In a way it would make MCG grand final years extra special for us Victorians.

Who knows what other great traditions could arise from other cities hosting a few times?

If nothing else it would become competitive - cities trying to improve upon the ideas of others can only be a good thing.


Sometime when assessing change, the inertia of the status quo can be quite powerful - and I think a good exercise is to try and imagine the reverse, and what the reaction would be. In this case, the reverse is this: The grand final is currently rotated among the states, with the MCG getting it more because Vic have about half the teams. Then a proposal is made to have it at the MCG every year. What would the reaction be?

 

[Papa G]

The funny part is capacity is a requirement of NFL Super Bowl candidates, far from irrelevant.

Not counting last years COVID game, I counted 8 other Super Bowls with crowds in the 60 thousands. All apart from the first one occurring in the last 30 years.

 

[HPKS]

Reads more like an airport looking to do an expansion and the state government buying land off a related party for 10 times the cost.

Whichever way you look at it the airport was dirt poor and broke looking forward a saviour

 

[HTT]

Not counting last years COVID game, I counted 8 other Super Bowls with crowds in the 60 thousands. All apart from the first one occurring in the last 30 years.

Remind me which stadiums in Australia can host crowds above 60k.
I’ve got the MCG and ANZ Stadium.

 

[HPKS]

I like the tradition of the MCG, but I am for rotating in some way, similar to Superbowl. In a way it would make MCG grand final years extra special for us Victorians.

Who knows what other great traditions could arise from other cities hosting a few times?

If nothing else it would become competitive - cities trying to improve upon the ideas of others can only be a good thing.


Sometime when assessing change, the inertia of the status quo can be quite powerful - and I think a good exercise is to try and imagine the reverse, and what the reaction would be. In this case, the reverse is this: The grand final is currently rotated among the states, with the MCG getting it more because Vic have about half the teams. Then a proposal is made to have it at the MCG every year. What would the reaction be?

It’s poor finance and forward planning on the AFL’s part. Open tender would have smashed that contract to pieces and grew the game at the same time. It shouldn’t be rotated it should be put out to tender on year by year basis with the proviso of 60-70k stadiums & a clean stadium. Non of this mcc member, scg member, AFL member bs just competing clubs fans gaining a ticket.

 

[Turnover]

Papa has a problem.

 

[HPKS]

Remind me which stadiums in Australia can host crowds above 60k.
I’ve got the MCG and ANZ Stadium.

Seating Capacity

Optus Stadium is a multi-purpose venue seating 60,000 people in AFL mode. It also hosts cricket, rugby league and union, football (soccer) and entertainment events.

optusstadium.com.au

 

[HTT]

Seating Capacity

Optus Stadium is a multi-purpose venue seating 60,000 people in AFL mode. It also hosts cricket, rugby league and union, football (soccer) and entertainment events.

optusstadium.com.au

Above

 

[Elmer_Judd]

There is no doubt the game is better when the grand final is moved across Australia,

every 10 years should be like this
MCG
Optus
MCG
Adelaide oval
MCG
Gabba
MCG
SCG
MCG
MCG

6 grand finals at the MCG, 4 others across other stadiums

That actually seems fair, and would be happy if the AFL signed off on it, but they never would .

 

[HPKS]

Above

So if it’s 60,001 that’s ok. Some of the s**t you viccos write is pathetic. What next if it’s your arbitrary 70k and Optus or AO increase to that it’ll magically become 75k.

 

[Elmer_Judd]

The funny part is capacity is a requirement of NFL Super Bowl candidates, far from irrelevant.

Tampa Bay Bucs was the first team to win the Superbowl in their own stadium/city for God knows how long last season.

Having The SB in a different city every year doesn't lessen the magic of the occasion, in fact it enhances it.

 

[HPKS]

That actually seems fair, and would be happy if the AFL signed off on it, but they never would .

Shouldn’t be set in stone. Yearly tender. Would have smashed that current contract to pieces in any way financially you want to look at it.

 

[HTT]

So if it’s 60,001 that’s ok. Some of the sh*t you viccos write is pathetic. What next if it’s your arbitrary 70k and Optus or AO increase to that it’ll magically become 75k.

If you go back you'll see I didn't set the standard of 'in the 60 thousands'
Imo 70k should be absolute minimum, excluding stadium members.
MCG is 75k on this count.

 

[HPKS]

Tampa Bay Bucs was the first team to win the Superbowl in their own stadium/city for God knows how long last season.

Having The SB in a different city every year doesn't lessen the magic of the occasion, in fact it enhances it.

Exactly!! It’ll highlight in a few weeks this absurd notion that only Melbourne can do grand final week.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

If the crowd number is such an important factor as some like to say then wouldn’t logic dictate that it would be written into the contract?

In that were the case the MCG/Victorian government can’t fulfil their contractual obligations so why do they get extra games/years added onto their existing contract?

I’ve been to two winning grand finals (2006 and 2018) and there’s absolutely nothing special about it being in Melbourne. Other non-MCG finals have even had a better atmosphere despite having less fans in attendance.

The contract stinks.

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

 

[HPKS]

If you go back you'll I didn't set the standard of 'in the 60 thousands'
Imo 70k should be absolute minimum, excluding stadium members.
MCG is 75k on this count.

I agree 70k. Piss off those extra members full stop imo. You want to go see your side in a gf go get yourself a club membership and help support your club. Not some boomer who’s only there for the “occasion” cause they detract from the day. Go look at a prelim, which you most likely have, and it has 1000x the atmosphere of a gf.

 

[HPKS]

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

Subiaco was a relic from a bygone era just like what the mcg will become in a decade. Optus shits on the mcg every day of the week and in a few weeks the nation will see it first hand. I lived in Richmond, back of swan street. The mcg is overrated full stop.

 

[wagstaff]

Have you ever thought it weird that McGuire always barracks for Carlton, Collingwood's supposed sworn enemy? It's because he's desperate for the rivalry to get back to what it was in VFL times. It's another chance to promote Collingwood and Collingwood's preeminence and most importantly, more cash for Collingwood.

Haha this is so true. McGuire has been pumping up Carlton for eons, doubtless because in the 70s/80s it was the biggest game of the year.

These days it's receded massively, mainly because they've rarely been good at the same time. Since they last met in a final in 1988 they've only been in the same finals series I think 4 times.

But that won't stop McGuire hyping up what a big deal the match is whenever he can.