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

[LoungeLizard]

Yeah Because a hawks vs North game that gets 20,000 at the MCG or Docklands is more exciting than a Port vs crows Showdown that gets 50,000

If you aren't going to read the whole convo, please refrain from quoting me.

 

[Del191229]

Me, usually: Yep, the Grand Final should be played at the home ground of the team that's earned that right.

Me, seeing who started this thread and the usual collection of sooks posting: Victoria invented the game, the MCG is the home of football. It stays there forever. Go invent your own code if you don't like it.

 

[Papa G]

Carn SLF, my argument actually points out why this terrible deal hurts and hinders clubs like yours. For once I'm advocating for the minnows of Malbun.

 

[Freshwater]

When we finally made one I was happy it was at the MCG after watching a lifetime of gf’s there on tv, I wanted to be part of one in the flesh. But the fact that so many of the competing teams members can’t go is disgusting really. I would be more than happy to see it shared around the country. When I read a letter to the Herald-Sun just yesterday by a MCC and MFC member saying he’d been to every Grand Final since 1966 and that his team will be hopefully in the gf with a fair chance of winning one this year but it will be in Perth. And was disappointed the WA gov won’t let him in WA and that it’s not fair! I thought how is it fair that you have been to every gf since 1966? That is what is not fair!

 

[Gameova_]

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.

Buy a box of tissues and use it you sook. Cry me a River interstate flogs

 

[doppleganger]

I’ve just come to accept that it is what it is and it’s not going to change.

I would just argue that if the GF is going to continue to be held at the MCG for the next 1000 years, us non vic teams need too be scheduled to play at least 3+ games a year there for exposure.

Some years non vic teams may only have 1 game a year at the MCG. If that’s where the GF will continue to be held, we need greater exposure to the ground throughout the year.

For example, this year we only played 2 games at the MCG. But then we have played away games against the hawks and saints at Marvel. Now as we have seen with Geelong, a home game simply means a home state game. These games should be played at the MCG instead for non vic teams.

Instead, quite often we are also shafted to played in Tassi for away games instead of at the MCG as well.

Give us increased access to the ground and I am ok with it being at the MCG.

It is a ****ing ground....

Absolutely laughable that fans think playing a Port game in July @ the G in front of 15k fans v North will somehow help them familiarise themselves with a 100k packed GF.

Go check out Collingwood's record in GFs, playing H&A games there doesn't help.

Your away games are played where the home team prefers, I'd much rather go back to the 90s and play teams like Port at Vic Park...but the AFL forced Melbourne teams away from their home grounds, as financially it made more sense to play more games at larger stadiums and not have the maintenance upkeep of all the individual home grounds.

Melbourne teams shafted into these shared home ground arrangements have suffered since, no surprise that Geelong, Hawthorn (Tassie) have performed so well as they created a home ground advantage.

 

[doppleganger]

But the fact that so many of the competing teams members can’t go is disgusting really.

The MCC is the ground that will ensure as many members can get in.

Also have to remember that AFL Members consider themselves club members (they just take up the better offer undercutting their actual club and allowing the AFL to fund battling clubs like Port).

Imagine being a Dog, and it was a "rostered" year in Sydney, and just 10k Dogs members got access to a ticket.

 

[powerrrrrrrrrrrr]

It is a ******* ground....

Absolutely laughable that fans think playing a Port game in July @ the G in front of 15k fans v North will somehow help them familiarise themselves with a 100k packed GF.

Go check out Collingwood's record in GFs, playing H&A games there doesn't help.

Your away games are played where the home team prefers, I'd much rather go back to the 90s and play teams like Port at Vic Park...but the AFL forced Melbourne teams away from their home grounds, as financially it made more sense to play more games at larger stadiums and not have the maintenance upkeep of all the individual home grounds.

Melbourne teams shafted into these shared home ground arrangements have suffered since, no surprise that Geelong, Hawthorn (Tassie) have performed so well as they created a home ground advantage.

In what deluded world is it not a benefit to play an extra game or two on the ground that will host the GFs?

Typical Victorian oh look how disadvantaged we are response meanwhile you only leave the state 4/5 times a year... if that. Yes we feel so bad for Collingwood that gets too play 15 games a year at the MCG because the can’t play down the road where they did 30 years ago

 

[Freshwater]

In what deluded world is it not a benefit to play an extra game or two on the ground that will host the GFs?

Typical Victorian oh look how disadvantaged we are response meanwhile you only leave the state 4/5 times a year... if that. Yes we feel so bad for Collingwood that gets too play 15 games a year at the MCG because the can’t play down the road where they did 30 years ago

Don’t say ‘typical Victorian’. Did you know that Victoria has nearly 7,000,000 people, there are a lot of different opinions. There is a particular divide too in the AFL teams here in Victoria between the larger and smaller Vic clubs. StKilda, Melbourne, North and Bulldogs are large clubs nationally but smaller in comparison and often get unfairly treated by the media here and probably nationally too.

 

[Papa G]

In what deluded world is it not a benefit to play an extra game or two on the ground that will host the GFs?

Typical Victorian oh look how disadvantaged we are response meanwhile you only leave the state 4/5 times a year... if that. Yes we feel so bad for Collingwood that gets too play 15 games a year at the MCG because the can’t play down the road where they did 30 years ago

McGuire instigated the whole move. It has made Collingwood rich. His grubby hands are all over this disgraceful deal. Collingwood benefit more than any. Yet deluded nuffies feel theyd be more advantaged playing at a suburban ground. Wow. Just wow.

 

[powerrrrrrrrrrrr]

Don’t say ‘typical Victorian’. Did you know that Victoria has nearly 7,000,000 people, there are a lot of different opinions. There is a particular divide too in the AFL teams here in Victoria between the larger and smaller Vic clubs. StKilda, Melbourne, North and Bulldogs are large clubs nationally but smaller in comparison and often get unfairly treated by the media here and probably nationally too.

*typical Victorian big club mentality that they run the competition

 

[Papa G]

Don’t say ‘typical Victorian’. Did you know that Victoria has nearly 7,000,000 people, there are a lot of different opinions. There is a particular divide too in the AFL teams here in Victoria between the larger and smaller Vic clubs. StKilda, Melbourne, North and Bulldogs are large clubs nationally but smaller in comparison and often get unfairly treated by the media here and probably nationally too.

The small Vic clubs are used as a pawn, a buffer for the big 4/6 Vic clubs interests.

Often wondered if it would be better to side with the non Vic clubs. At the moment, they are like the kids that sit at the card table at Christmas whilst the other 6 sit at the Dining table. Maybe they are better off spending Christmas at the in laws where they get a seat at the bigger main table?

 

[BF Tiger]

Why haven’t those teams not in Victoria formed a block on this matter? I realise them on their own isn’t enough, but given the way Geelong moans about home finals they could surely be persuaded to join. Throw in a sweetener for St Kilda and North, and that’s 11 of 18 teams applying pressure.

The question then becomes how much does it cost the AFL to break the contract, and is it feasible. I imagine it’s a vast sum of money, but if the AFL are breaking the contract to hold the GF at the MCG then they’re also not required to fixture 10 of the 12 highest attended H&A games there, nor are they required to schedule any finals there. So maybe some leverage there.

Unfortunately Docklands holds only 55,000.

 

[HPKS]

Why haven’t those teams not in Victoria formed a block on this matter? I realise them on their own isn’t enough, but given the way Geelong moans about home finals they could surely be persuaded to join. Throw in a sweetener for St Kilda and North, and that’s 11 of 18 teams applying pressure.

The question then becomes how much does it cost the AFL to break the contract, and is it feasible. I imagine it’s a vast sum of money, but if the AFL are breaking the contract to hold the GF at the MCG then they’re also not required to fixture 10 of the 12 highest attended H&A games there, nor are they required to schedule any finals there. So maybe some leverage there.

Unfortunately Docklands holds only 55,000.

Mate don’t be rediculous. There’s literally a thread on the mb of a club that the AFL virtually made it impossible to survive. It basically killed the club off and abandoned it. If you were north or st kilda you wouldn’t question anything the AFL does.

 

[Ricketz]

I think you can get an AFL membership which allows you to go to home games of your team if you don't live in Melbourne, so your club membership would effectively be your AFL membership in that case.

Look, I'm not actually against rotating the GF in principle. They do it with the Superbowl, of course.

The difference is, the Superbowl can be held at 32 different venues all of which hold around 70,000+.

In Australia, we have one stadium which holds almost twice the capacity of all other stadiums. The MCG is simply the logical venue.

I really like Optus Stadium. I went there once in 2018 and it was fantastic. I think they will do a great job at hosting the Grand Final.

What is the point of having 100k capacity if none of the fans of the teams playing can go to watch it?

 

[Ricketz]

So what'd you reckon, have something like:

22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 MCG
23, 31 AO
25, 33 SCG
27, 35 GABBA
29, 37 OPTUS

Lock them in and don't move the venue no matter who's playing.

As long as you get near capacity, that's the main thing. They have to reserve a certain amount of tickets for fans/members I believe, so it'd be a matter of how many they can sell.

It's better, I definitely wouldn't knock it back - might get to a GF before I die. Still not sure why you need to return to Vic every second year - are Vic fans that fickle they will abandon the game because they only get a grand final as often as everyone else?

 

[Del191229]

Carn SLF, my argument actually points out why this terrible deal hurts and hinders clubs like yours. For once I'm advocating for the minnows of Malbun.

If it makes you sad, I am for it.

 

[Crankitup]

Lol, what a wank comment. We were playing footy in the Riverina in 1881.

Comment of the thread.

 

[Boxhead_31]

The MCC is the ground that will ensure as many members can get in.

Also, have to remember that AFL Members consider themselves club members (they just take up the better offer undercutting their actual club and allowing the AFL to fund battling clubs like Port).

Imagine being a Dog, and it was a "rostered" year in Sydney, and just 10k Dogs members got access to a ticket.

So, you mean like any GF played at the MCG then?

 

[Pavlovs Cat]

OP just moved near the airport - who can he complain about the noise to?

Join a Vic-based competition then complain that it is Vic-based?

If you want to watch a Grandfinal at Football park stay watching the SANFL - oh that's right, both the ground and the comp have decayed.

You were going so well with that post until you revealed your parochial ignorance and arrogance to shine through at the end.

 

[Neale4brownlow]

Perhaps the impossible data entry that would help this debate along is:

How many NEW supporters can see a GF if it moves location?

Yes the MCG has the greatest capacity. But what % of that are just repeat spectators year on year? Why is there value associated with that? Eddie himself has been to every GF for decades.

How is that a good thing? What's the point in hosting the exact same 50-70k crowd every year with less than 30-40k fresh faces.

Money would be a good argument, but they didn't even extract fair value with this deal.

 

[GWT6]

You were going so well with that post until you revealed your parochial ignorance and arrogance to shine through at the end.

Just posting facts.

 

[HPKS]

Perhaps the impossible data entry that would help this debate along is:

How many NEW supporters can see a GF if it moves location?

Yes the MCG has the greatest capacity. But what % of that are just repeat spectators year on year? Why is there value associated with that? Eddie himself has been to every GF for decades.

How is that a good thing? What's the point in hosting the exact same 50-70k crowd every year with less than 30-40k fresh faces.

Money would be a good argument, but they didn't even extract fair value with this deal.

The bolded bit is what’s so terrible about the deal. GF should involve a clean stadium with only competing club members going. Not Eddie or his sons. If it was at the mcg it would be an absolute joke that eddies sons take up a seat over say a Melbourne member.

 

[Farang83150]

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

And Optus

 

[Farang83150]

You mean, like a Victorian when they lose an entitlement?

Or a to stupid to understand why they're riddled with c19 and locked.