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

[Ian Dunross]

Any sane person understands that having the Grand Final, basically in perpetuity, at your home ground, home city or home state is an advantage to varying degrees. This is beyond doubt.

The AFL has gifted the Grand Final to the MCC for a further 32 years, for what amounts to beans. $225 million for an upgrade of the “Docklands Precinct” a stadium/area which most Melbournite’s seem to despise any rate, some ongoing upkeep of the MCG and some money for women’s AFL facilities in Victoria. That’s it. For a 32 year contract? If you chuck in the MCG small upgrades and the Women’s facility upgrades in the 1 state, they basically sold the rights to the AFL Grand Final for around $10 million a year. An event that creates up to $100 million a year, in a normal year for the Victorian economy. What do you reckon $10 mill will buy you in 2058? A 3 bedder in Box Hill North? Complete madness. The AFL/MCC/Vic Government collusion on this has been extraordinary.

Whilst the actual Grand Final being held at the MCG every year is really, really corrupt, especially at the non commercial price they paid for it, it isn't even the most contemptuous facet of the disgraceful deal.

The MANDATED 10 of the top 12 highest drawing games must be played at the MCG is the most unfair, disgraceful and biased part of this deal. Why? Well look how this happens, who it benefits and why. What it means is that the AFL actively promote Marquee games, all at the MCG, almost always in stand alone spots. Who benefits? Exclusively the big Melbourne teams. Its why we have ANZAC Day, Dreamtime at the G, Queens birthday "tradition", the Easter Monday Geelong/Hawthorn "Blockbuster". It’s why Sheedy’s hair brained “Farmers Game” has been tried.

The rest of these AFL promoted "Blockbusters" are shared amongst the big 6 Vic teams depending on who's in form or they are scheduled early in the season when hope is still high. Again, who benefits? These specific teams because they get huge gate takings and huge exposure, with all the associated sponsorship and commercial benefits this brings. When did the AFL ever really promote a game, like properly promote a game that wasn't an MCG Blockbuster? I mean a Showdown hasn't ever been on a Friday night FFS.

McGuire's grubby hands are all over this deal. He's the conduit between the MCC/AFL and State Govt. Collingwood of course benefit the most from it. 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.

With Perth now (in Non COVID times) regularly getting 55k to their games, the bar has now been lifted, to get 10 of the highest drawing games at the MCG to fulfill their disgraceful shitty contract, they’re going to have to try even harder to push these MCG "Blockbuster" games.

Bias, Non Commercial, Nepotistic, Corrupt, partisan, dishonourable.

Post of the year

 

[Ian Dunross]

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.

Lol go back to the VFL mate.

 

[W.C. Fry]

Not at all. This competition has been around for over 120 years and for the overwhelming majority of those years the Grand Final has been played at the MCG. It is not only the home of the competition but the home of the sport with the very first games played in Yarra Park over 160 years ago. It's history, it's heritage and it's here to stay.

Feel free to go back to supporting the SANFL if you like but the fact is the interstate sides had their opportunity in the 80's and they blew it. Supporters jumping ship to support the Eagles and the Crows was the final nail in the coffin for the WAFL, SANFL and any chance for a national breakaway competition separate from the VFL.

Keep banging your head against the wall though.

Such a terrible argument. Those decisions were made so long ago that close to half the people it affects wasn't even alive at the time.
We didn't choose to join anything.

What other traditions from the 80's should footy keep?

When the Eagles were formed in 1987 the oldest club in footy, the MFC had fielded a whole 4 indigenous players in their whole history and not a single indigenous player on its list in 1987.

Nah Eddie, it was like that in the 80's when your parents chose you to join the world. Keep banging your head!

 

[Coolangatta]

I think eventually they will settle on a rotating system similar to this.

Their biggest worry would be something like an Essendon Collingwood GF being played interstate but you would easily get enough traveling fans. Besides, 90% of the tickets are corporate anyway (which is a different issue...)

Regarding the financial aspects, I feel like that is a slight simplification of the matter. Considering the costs of Grand Final tickets and packaging a 100k crowd vs a 55k crowd is a significant difference.


I'm torn as a Victorian I want it at the MCG every year because nothing compares to Melbourne on GF week. The whole week build-up, parade, and the game, I just don't think you would get the same in any other state. However, as a supporter of an "interstate" team, I'd love to see a more fair rotation of the ground so its not just MCG teams benefiting every year....

That needs to **** off along with the half-time entertainment.

But what you said is a valid point. Do you play those all-Victorian grand finals interstate if it's scheduled there, or change it to the MCG and swap with the venue that was supposed to host it? That's an option, but if you don't swap, what happens if there's a derby or showdown grand final? A QClash in Sydney? Derby GF at the SCG? Showdown at the Gabba? It wouldn't be right.

I think, say, a 2028 GF at the SCG should get changed to Optus if it's Freo-Eagles (get rid of the pre-finals bye and have a pre-GF bye) and then whenever the next Optus GF was supposed to be, give that to the SCG.

 

[LoungeLizard]

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.

 

[Freomaniac]

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.

come back to me when your state is corona virus free. lol

 

[greatwhiteshark]

By the time the MCG contract is finished clubs will be privately owned, there will be no salary cap and there is veirtually no chance of there being 18 clubs. Player and management greed will eventually make the sport solely about money.
The GF contract is the least of the worries facing this game long term.

 

[Coolangatta]

Or ask every team (if they have the highest ranking) where they want to play the GF out of the following choices: MCG, Optus, Adelaide Oval, Gabba, SCG (should ANZ be an option?). You don't even need to do that, though, because it's obvious what every club would choose except for GWS and the Suns if they end up in a GF against their rival.

But, if you **** the corporates off, keep the pre-GF bye permanent, and **** off the half-time entertainment no one gives a shit about, then you don't have to decide the GF venue until the night of the second prelim.

 

[master bate]

Any sane person understands that having the Grand Final, basically in perpetuity, at your home ground, home city or home state is an advantage to varying degrees. This is beyond doubt.

The AFL has gifted the Grand Final to the MCC for a further 32 years, for what amounts to beans. $225 million for an upgrade of the “Docklands Precinct” a stadium/area which most Melbournite’s seem to despise any rate, some ongoing upkeep of the MCG and some money for women’s AFL facilities in Victoria. That’s it. For a 32 year contract? If you chuck in the MCG small upgrades and the Women’s facility upgrades in the 1 state, they basically sold the rights to the AFL Grand Final for around $10 million a year. An event that creates up to $100 million a year, in a normal year for the Victorian economy. What do you reckon $10 mill will buy you in 2058? A 3 bedder in Box Hill North? Complete madness. The AFL/MCC/Vic Government collusion on this has been extraordinary.

Whilst the actual Grand Final being held at the MCG every year is really, really corrupt, especially at the non commercial price they paid for it, it isn't even the most contemptuous facet of the disgraceful deal.

Way to leave out the biggest commitment.

The MCG's Great Southern Stand will be upgraded to ensure the ground's capacity is maintained above 100,000 as a state-of-the-art venue.

AFL.com.au understands a complete rebuild of the Great Southern Stand is the MCG Trust's ultimate plan, but it could still be several years, even a decade or more, away.

Completely rebuilding the Southern Stand will probably cost over 1 Billion and result in a stand that on it's own has more capacity than any other aussie rules stadium in the country apart from Optus. The MCC can pick up the vast majority of that cost and pay the loans on the back of the grand final and other big games, with the state and feds probably chipping in for infrastructure works linking the MCG to the tennis centre and Richmond/a new station.

 

[HPKS]

At the Olympics, do you just watch for the Opening Ceremony and don't give a toss about the sports being played?

Don’t watch the Olympics

 

[Rich01]

When were other grounds and/or state governments given the opportunity to bid for the Grand Final again ?.

I assumed it was the usual backroom deal done to benefit the Victorian football mafia or did I miss the public tender document ?.

Why are you arguing with me about this? I’m not defending the process that took place.

 

[Rich01]

And you wonder why the non victorian football followers feel totally let down.

Agree 100%.

And if the AFL and your state governments don’t give a toss, there’s nowhere for you to turn unfortunately.

 

[JackFlash]

It's a non-argument, the MCG will always be the host of the Grand Final and so it should be, the contract is until 2059 and it should be extended even longer until 2100. No doubt Australia's biggest and the best stadium will undergo a re vamp in that time. probably in the next few years. Hopefully, Western Australia is no longer part of Australia and we do away with West Coast and Fremantle altogether! They can have their own league again! The Emperor can put on his own games!!! It's all nonsense.

 

[Papa G]

Considerably better than any other sport in Australia, and the AFL is not "Victorians". The CEO is from SA, the Chairman is from WA (although I understand they apparently count as Victorians now).

Like many Victorians I am not really a fan of the GF deal and hopefully it gets revisited. Should be rotated between the participating states.

Outside his perfect enunciation, there's very little South Australian left in Gil.

 

[Bostonian]

Crowd capacity is irrelevant. We need to follow a model like the NFL where the game gets rotated to different cities. The fact that our league has a deal with the mcg is unprofessional

Except it doesn't get rotated to every city in the NFL though does it.

The NFL has a specific check list in place that determines who will hold the Superbowl which rules out some cities of ever being in contention.

Part of that list is a section that states a stadium MUST have at least a minimum of 70,000 seats.

So your suggestion that crowd capacity is irrelevant is obviously very relevant to the model you want to base it on.

 

[The 747]

Outside his perfect enunciation, there's very little South Australian left in Gil.

Of course He's been corrupted by the Victorian

 

[Bostonian]

come back to me when your state is corona virus free. lol

How old are you?

Who the **** uses "lol" anymore?

 

[sherb]

Not at all. This competition has been around for over 120 years and for the overwhelming majority of those years the Grand Final has been played at the MCG. It is not only the home of the competition but the home of the sport with the very first games played in Yarra Park over 160 years ago. It's history, it's heritage and it's here to stay.

The first game of first-class cricket in Australia was played in Launceston, we don't see too many Test matches being played there. So I'm not sure that aspect of your argument holds much weight.

But, seeing as how Australian Football has been played in Tassie since the 1850s (according to Wiki at least) I'm happy to use your argument to put forward a case for the Grand Final being played there.

The point is, Australian Football has a rich history in all the states. This year saw the 140th anniversary of the first game being played on the SCG for instance - you know, in NSW, a state that isn't Victoria.

To put it bluntly, it's an Australian game, not a Victorian one. Self-entitled Victorians need to start accepting and/or realizing that.

 

[Minotaur2]

How many times do you need to be told, It's the VFL, it was expanded and invited some interstate franchises.

If you haven't noticed by now ( you never will ) the AFL is about money and Victoria is where the money is.

Best just go back to the leagues you come from if you don't like it.

Careful what you wish for - VFL needs the rest of the country more than the rest of the country needs VFL. When non vic clubs realise this and step into their power they will start calling the shots on these things.

 

[LoungeLizard]

Careful what you wish for - VFL needs the rest of the country more than the rest of the country needs VFL. When non vic clubs realise this and step into their power they will start calling the shots on these things.

How about trying it?

How about trying something instead of waiting for Victoria to do something and then follow.

Has your club ever done anything other than whinge?

 

[MF]

Non-Vics need to remember they are guests in this league.

Actually we've been part of the league a lot longer than many of the Vic-based teams so we'll remember no such thing.

 

[Kwality]

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.

These numbers are impressive, bit like the Eagles, yet H&A games arent sell outs ... club members at GFs, is it 40k ?

 

[Underdog]

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

Perth Stadium

FACTS

• Optus Stadium can hold 61,266 fans for the Grand Final

Optus Stadium to host once in a lifetime AFL Grand Final

Optus Stadium has been confirmed as the custodian of Australia’s ultimate sporting event - the 2021 Toyota AFL Grand Final.

optusstadium.com.au

 

[HPKS]

How old are you?

Who the fu** uses "lol" anymore?

you plonker

 

[Percel]

Not having the final at the MCG would be very much an Aldi grand final, looks, smells and feels right, but just has a weird taste.

At least keep it away from the tin pots in SA.