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

[doppleganger]

In reality fans of the clubs in the grandfinal only get 10-15k each the rest are corporate or MCC members.

At the G the breakdown is as follows

Competing clubs members 17k each, for 34k total
Competing clubs split up to 5k for families, staff etc.
Other clubs up to 7k who most make decent coin from.
AFL Members 15k
MCC 23k
Corporate/Medallion Club 20k

If it's about making money, just make the tickets in the stadiums that have less than 100k more expensive. For everyone except the fans, make the corporates pay more they will still pay the price of admission.

Just look at the Superbowl the cheapest ticket is $8,000 but the place will be sold out.

It isnt just the fans that attend who contribute to making money.

There are 100k MCC fans who pay each year just in case there team might make it each year and another 200k who are paying to wait 30+ years to get access.

Most clubs offer premium memberships at an inflated price to guarantee GF access if their team makes it....if the 18 clubs arent guaranteed 17k tickets, all 18 clubs will lose $$ they will have to sell less.

Why on earth would anybody want to see the GF have tickets that cost $8k??

And the GF has never been about fairness, always been about letting as many fans to the G as possible. If you choose to live far away from the G, you just have a longer trip....always been that way.

 

[Stabby McGee]

So you admit blatant favouritism exists? The first step is admitting I guess. What a sh*t show. When the Russians or Chinese cheat it is roundly denounced, when a Victorian does it, its you knew what you were getting into. Wow.

And now Victorians are the Russians and the Chinese...

I’m impressed with the hyperbole there, but not enough to call WA and SA North Korea and Iran?

Grow up little man. It’s not a national competition. It’s an expanded VFL that rebranded to try and stop the western whines. I give that a fail

 

[Demonic Ascent]

But nothing in my post denied why it has happened. You raised this, not me.

My posting has been about how to fix it so it's more equitable.

Again you are looking back to justify the Victorian favouritism... I'm more concerned with making it fairer going forward.

It is fair. Adelaide gets 10 home games a year and 2 guaranteed home state derbies. I agree they should show more non-vic sides in prime time games but when advertising companies don't care about small markets like Adelaide/Perth and the sport doesn't rate well in the other large markets of Sydney/Brisbane then it's obvious why channel 7 requests Vic sides in the primetime slots.

The GF is played at the stadium in the country with the largest capacity and the history of being the home of the sport and the home of the GF which has been played there for 120 years. That's not going to change and it is not inherently unfair. You didn't lose the 2017 GF because it was played at the G, you lost because you didn't play well. Just like you won in 97/98 because you were the better team.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

It is fair. Adelaide gets 10 home games a year and 2 guaranteed home state derbies. I agree they should show more non-vic sides in prime time games but when advertising companies don't care about small markets like Adelaide/Perth and the sport doesn't rate well in the other large markets of Sydney/Brisbane then it's obvious why channel 7 requests Vic sides in the primetime slots.

The GF is played at the stadium in the country with the largest capacity and the history of being the home of the sport and the home of the GF which has been played there for 120 years. That's not going to change and it is not inherently unfair. You didn't lose the 2017 GF because it was played at the G, you lost because you didn't play well. Just like you won in 97/98 because you were the better team.

The largest capacity has nothing to do with equity!

You can't even make a coherent argument.

 

[doppleganger]

While I agree with you especially about the whining and I have been guilty of it also the fact remains the Eagles joined a hell of a long time ago now and while we did join the VFL it certainly is not the VFL now, or it shouldn’t be anyway.

Yeah when you joined there was only 1 team based outside Victoria.

They changed the V to an A in 1990.

There are now there are 8 teams based outside Victoria.

Fans can whinge and complain,

Eagles fans are the best at this!

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Yeah when you joined there was only 1 team based outside Victoria.

They changed the V to an A in 1990.

There are now there are 8 teams based outside Victoria.

Eagles fans are the best at this!

Probably true about Eagles fans, most of what they say has merit if we were talking a real sporting competition.
The AFL has become a bit of a joke league, not even sure what the sport is anymore. Rules made on the run, politics dominates the sport.
It is what it is but it’s of such low interest to myself compared to what the sport once was and I find that a little sad. That’s my issue though not anyone else

 

[doppleganger]

The largest capacity has nothing to do with equity!

You can't even make a coherent argument.

What the feck does a GF have to do with equity?

You do realise that the actual concept of the GF itself is inherently "unfair".

How is it "fair" that the best team all season isnt declared the best team? Just beacuse they have 1 bad game?

When the VFL broke away from the VFA, it introduced a regular finals series where games were played not at home but at the G to generate additional interest, exposure and money for the league and a way of differentiating itself from the VFA as they awarded the champion to the team who finished on top.

All Australian football leagues adopted similar practice for finals, they were played at league nominated venues...not at "home" and they were chosen to maximise attandance (and gate receipts) for the league.

What SA and WA fans struggle with is accepting that they chose to drop their respective state league, dropping the Royals to follow an expansion franchise of the VFL the Eagles. Part of that meant abandoning the WAFL GF at Subiaco as there was a bigger better ground that was available to the AFL.

GFs were never "rotated" around in the WAFL, they werent played at the "higher ranked" ground, there was no "equity" the GFs were at Subiaco's ground.

As the Kranky bloke said, nobody forced you to abandon your teams to follow a VFL expansion franchise that you felt was disadvantageous for you...so ridiculous to whine about something you chose to sign up for.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

What the feck does a GF have to do with equity?

You do realise that the actual concept of the GF itself is inherently "unfair".

How is it "fair" that the best team all season isnt declared the best team? Just beacuse they have 1 bad game?

When the VFL broke away from the VFA, it introduced a regular finals series where games were played not at home but at the G to generate additional interest, exposure and money for the league and a way of differentiating itself from the VFA as they awarded the champion to the team who finished on top.

All Australian football leagues adopted similar practice for finals, they were played at league nominated venues...not at "home" and they were chosen to maximise attandance (and gate receipts) for the league.

What SA and WA fans struggle with is accepting that they chose to drop their respective state league, dropping the Royals to follow an expansion franchise of the VFL the Eagles. Part of that meant abandoning the WAFL GF at Subiaco as there was a bigger better ground that was available to the AFL.

GFs were never "rotated" around in the WAFL, they werent played at the "higher ranked" ground, there was no "equity" the GFs were at Subiaco's ground.

As the Kranky bloke said, nobody forced you to abandon your teams to follow a VFL expansion franchise that you felt was disadvantageous for you...so ridiculous to whine about something you chose to sign up for.

How would you like it if all grand finals were played at Optus or Adelaide Oval or SCG or the Gabba?

The fact you can't see it's inequitable demonstrates you are blinded by Victorian favouritism.

 

[doppleganger]

Probably true about Eagles fans, most of what they say has merit if we were talking a real sporting competition.
The AFL has become a bit of a joke league, not even sure what the sport is anymore. Rules made on the run, politics dominates the sport.
It is what it is but it’s of such low interest to myself compared to what the sport once was and I find that a little sad. That’s my issue though not anyone else

The lack of enjoyment probably more to do with professionalism, (defensive tactics and risk aversion have taken away so much of the excitement of the free flowing football of old) and also saturation coverage and it turning into big business, policial correctness and an industry which is about clicks and $$...the larger than life characters arent there any more.

 

[doppleganger]

How would you like it if all grand finals were played at Optus or Adelaide Oval or SCG or the Gabba?

The fact you can't see it's inequitable demonstrates you are blinded by Victorian favouritism.

No different to all WAFL GFs at Subiaco
All NRL GFs in Sydney.

The GF has never been about equity, it always been about just getting the most bums on seats and eyes on the game as possible.

That is the case with every Aussie Rules league going, it was the same in the SANFL too.

If I had an interest in rugby league (i dont) and jumped on board the Melbourne Storm in the NRL, I would get on board and hope to make the trip to Syndey to cheer on the Storm if they made the GF...as that is the heritage and where the big stadium is.

Only a nuffie would start ranting and raving about it being inequitable, as you knew how the competition worked when you joined up.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

No different to all WAFL GFs at Subiaco
All NRL GFs in Sydney.

The GF has never been about equity, it always been about just getting the most bums on seats and eyes on the game as possible.

That is the case with every Aussie Rules league going, it was the same in the SANFL too.

If I had an interest in rugby league (i dont) and jumped on board the Melbourne Storm in the NRL, I would get on board and hope to make the trip to Syndey to cheer on the Storm if they made the GF...as that is the heritage and where the big stadium is.

Only a nuffie would start ranting and raving about it being inequitable, as you knew how the competition worked when you joined up.

Only a nuffie would openly lie & claim the current situation is equitable.

Of course you don't want to change your advantage of playing grand finals on your own home ground.

If they were all played at Adelaide Oval, there would be no end of complaining by the likes of yourself.

If the VAFL wants to truly become an AFL, then it needs to consider the interests of all teams equitably, rather than prioritising Victorian interests as a leftover of the VFL era.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

It is an inequity.

Why do you outright lie.... when other Victorians on this thread have admitted this?

Are you stupid or delusional?

There hasn't been an AFL since 1902!

Yeah, there has. The AFL is the VFL, same continuous competition since 1897.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Yeah, there has. The AFL is the VFL, same continuous competition since 1897.

Same?

Dont recall teams from outside Victoria in 1897.

Why did they change the name from the VFL to AFL if it's the same competition...

 

[Demonic Ascent]

How would you like it if all grand finals were played at Optus or Adelaide Oval or SCG or the Gabba?

The fact you can't see it's inequitable demonstrates you are blinded by Victorian favouritism.

I would understand that if I chose to follow a side which was an expansion team to a WA or SA league and those leagues played their GFs at the premier stadium in those states that it would be pretty stupid as a latecomer to have a tantrum that something that has been happening for over a century must change because it's just not fair.

Do Storm and Broncos fans complain this much about the NRL GF being in Sydney every year?

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Same?

Dont recall teams from outside Victoria in 1897.

Why did they change the name from the VFL to AFL if it's the same competition...

Why did the AFL acknowledge Melbourne won its 13th flag in 2021? Why do we have Norm Smith, John Coleman, Charles Brownlow and Jock McHale medals? In 1925 Hawks, North and Dogs joined as expansion sides, was that a new competition as well? What changed in 1990 other than a rebranding? Why does everyone west of Warrnambool have some kind of inferiority complex?

 

[doppleganger]

If they were all played at Adelaide Oval, there would be no end of complaining by the likes of yourself.

Yeah, why the feck would you play GFs at a venue that meant 50k people missed out on the chance to see their team win a GF...it is idiotic and goes against the principle and how the GF venue is determined in basically all Aussie Rules competitions.

The GF is always played at the largest capacity venue that aligned to the competition.

In the AFL that isnt the Adelaide Oval, so it would be a nonsensical decision.

Only a nuffie would openly lie & claim the current situation is equitable.

I agree, H&A season is filled with inequality...teams like Adelaide playing all 11 home games at their home ground when no Melbourne based team is given that FIXture isnt equitable.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Yeah, why the feck would you play GFs at a venue that meant 50k people missed out on the chance to see their team win a GF...it is idiotic and goes against the principle and how the GF venue is determined in basically all Aussie Rules competitions.

The GF is always played at the largest capacity venue that aligned to the competition.

In the AFL that isnt the Adelaide Oval, so it would be a nonsensical decision.


I agree, H&A season is filled with inequality...teams like Adelaide playing all 11 home games at their home ground when no Melbourne based team is given that FIXture isnt equitable.

Yeah, poor Collingwood player how many times at the MCG? I'm guessing far more than 12... which Adelaide play at Adelaide Oval.

 

[doppleganger]

Same?

Dont recall teams from outside Victoria in 1897.

Why did they change the name from the VFL to AFL if it's the same competition...

LOL

Did the SANFL only start in 1927?

In 1926 the premier South Australian competition was the SAFL.

Why the name change? What changed to make it National?

Was it a new competition or exactly the same competition with a name change?

 

[LoungeLizard]

A simple change of the grand final hosted by the highest ranked team would fix a major issue... but we know the power brokers would prefer to lock the MCG in for another hundred years.

A major issue?

That sounds bad, maybe a boycott or something is in order then, have you tried anything, other than crying on the internet?

 

[doppleganger]

Yeah, poor Collingwood player how many times at the MCG? I'm guessing far more than 12... which Adelaide play at Adelaide Oval.

I am sure if you are wanting an "equitable" fixture the first basic principle would be each team plays their home games at their home ground.

When there are 6 teams that want to play "home" games at the G how many games should you expect an MCG tenant to play at the G in a 22 game season if it was an "equitable" fixture?

 

[Papa G]

Cancel the MCG

I am sure if you are wanting an "equitable" fixture the first basic principle would be each team plays their home games at their home ground.

When there are 6 teams that want to play "home" games at the G how many games should you expect an MCG tenant to play at the G in a 22 game season if it was an "equitable" fixture?

Random or rolling draw. All teams play home games at their home ground.

 

[doppleganger]

Cancel the MCG

Random or rolling draw. All teams play home games at their home ground.

Cancel the MCG, imagine how many GFs Collingwood would have if the GF was played at VicPark!!

Yes, I am all for the random draw - pro the equitable H&A fixture and the random achieves that. The biggest losers there are the WA/SA teams, no guaranteed two Derbies each year...send WC travelling 11 times some years is an equitable outcome in a random draw.

 

[Papa G]

Cancel the MCG, imagine how many GFs Collingwood would have if the GF was played at VicPark!!

Yes, I am all for the random draw - pro the equitable H&A fixture and the random achieves that. The biggest losers there are the WA/SA teams, no guaranteed two Derbies each year...send WC travelling 11 times some years is an equitable outcome in a random draw.

I honestly couldn't give a **** about playing the Crows twice every year. All these faux "blockbusters" can **** off too. That is basically been the point of the thread.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

I honestly couldn't give a fu** about playing the Crows twice every year. All these faux "blockbusters" can fu** off too. That is basically been the point of the thread.

I agree with that. Random, rolling, set draw (eg 1, 4, 7, 10, 13 &16 play each other twice) I'd even consider divisions or conferences - I'd be up for any of these. And provide more equality in the fixture so each team gets games on prime time and each team gets games on late Sunday arvo. It's great the showdown is on a Friday night this year, it's crap that it will be playing second fiddle to Melbourne v Essendon.

 

[refresh]

I am not sure anyone is arguing that the GF location is going to change anytime soon but to argue that in a national competition it is equitable is just flawed.