Certified Legendary Thread China History in the Making

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May 26, 2017
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‘Our own vision of footy in Shanghai should extend beyond ourselves.’

Correct. But you have to secure your own position financially first, before you can go out and about winning hearts and minds, and when you do there has got to be a formula followed that makes the philanthropy profitable, too.

Our priority from the start of the China Strategy has been the future financial security of the Club.

Our aim was to keep the AFL at arm’s length until we deemed the time was right to bring them in. When Gui fell from heaven it was appropriate to bring in Gill McLachlan in April 2016 in Shanghai to assist and broaden our sales pitch to commercial partners, not to bring it to a sudden vulnerable stop.

Our leadership strayed from the original sensible logical basic path the moment the PAFC board forced it to give up on momentum because it was costing too much, more than they were expecting, and the revenue was not meeting targets, by a long way, because the structure was not put in place to secure the revenue ... because structure needs time to function and costs money ...

Classic Catch 22.
I am not good into business jargon, but isn't this "catch-22" you described simply "investment"?
 
Now we're past setup issues the problem is Jingwan Stadium is an awful venue. No shade. No toilets*. The wrong shape, so that even the increasingly clever setup of temporary seating exaggerates the appearance of emptiness.
Then there's the operation on the day. A Saints' supporter I spoke to was really taken aback at long lineups for water. And that you couldn't get a beer unless you'd paid for one of the $200+ tickets. He said he and his brother were enjoying Shanghai but once at Jingwan was enough. I felt like the grizzled old soldier talking to the new recruit when I said it was streets ahead of the 1st year.
There have to be better venues available and I know it will cost more but Jingwan itself will knock this game over.

* portaloos in use but they start closing them off in the 3rd quarter for cleaning transporting away.
That's the problem there isn't in a massive city that has very little free land or open space. There would be no point building something near the airport 60km from the centre of town.

This game only happens if Mr GuI underwrites it and it only happens in Shanghai. Dermie on SEN said the AFL only identified 21 possible venues in all of China for a match when they looked in 2009-10 before the NAB cup game in 2010. The city is dominated by rectangle sports stadiums.

ShanghaI stadium where the Reds/SPIG soccer team play has an athletics track around it that the IAAF use for their Diamond League meet in May. They arent going to let us grow grass over the athletics track. Plus it's capacity is about 60,000 so we don't need a stadium that big. The Diamond League meets only get about 15,000 attend.

We are stuck with the stadium. The CEO of one Shanghai''s biggest real estate development firms would have a fair idea what is available in his city. It needs about $10m spent on it but it ain't worth it for the locals to plough that much into it or Ports/AFL for 1 game a year.

It's a classic Chinese patient slow build.
 
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I am not good into business jargon, but isn't this "catch-22" you described simply "investment"?
‘Catch 22’ is to do with insanity versus sanity, as you mentioned ... no way out ... dilemma ... rock and a hard place ... stuff like that ...
 
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/busi...a/news-story/692e3884c7f776899cf908a08bac429a

The design and construction of the $350 million Cultana Solar farm will be done by a Chinese firm with experience in the sector.

Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance has announced that Chinese company Shanghai Electric will design and build its $350 million Cultana Solar Farm just outside Whyalla.

The 280 megawatt solar farm received development approval last month, and construction is hoped to start early in the new financial year.

About 350 jobs are expected to be created during construction of the farm, which is part of an overall one gigawatt renewable energy plan.
 
May 26, 2017
20,818
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https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/busi...a/news-story/692e3884c7f776899cf908a08bac429a

The design and construction of the $350 million Cultana Solar farm will be done by a Chinese firm with experience in the sector.

Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance has announced that Chinese company Shanghai Electric will design and build its $350 million Cultana Solar Farm just outside Whyalla.

The 280 megawatt solar farm received development approval last month, and construction is hoped to start early in the new financial year.

About 350 jobs are expected to be created during construction of the farm, which is part of an overall one gigawatt renewable energy plan.
Now, let's bring them to us.
 
Now, let's bring them to us.

Andrew Hunter said in an interview that Shanghai Electric were already involved with the club in some capacity.
 
Andrew Hunter said in an interview that Shanghai Electric were already involved with the club in some capacity.
Can anyone pinpoint that typical Andrew Hunter / PAFC ultra-generalisation?
 
Jul 2, 2010
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AFL Round 11

Crowd in Darwin 10,634 - Magnificent. Carnival atmosphere.
Crowd in Western Sydney 7,581. Meh nothing to see here.
Crowd in Shanghai 9,412. Disgraceful. Waste of time. Junket.

The difference is one of those had a very visible crowd...and the lower you go down that list, the worst it gets. Purely from, a visual point of view. Everyonme should know by now that the crowds in china at this game are barely relevant to the desired outcomes.
 
Can anyone pinpoint that typical Andrew Hunter / PAFC ultra-generalisation?

Well, I did see match signage for Shanghai Electric and Sinopec during the game if that helps?
 
Well, I did see match signage for Shanghai Electric and Sinopec during the game if that helps?
Sinopec no connection but a bloody good connection.

If Shanghai Electric signage was in evidence that’s a good sign.

Groan.
 

Bennie the Nurse

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As someone who has made the trip to Shanghai....... and will be there again next year......... I think my opinion should count for something.
Firstly if you haven’t been there........ do yourself a favour......... it’s BRILLIANT. !!!
The playing surface is magnificent......... but the creature comforts at the stadium are almost nonexistent.
No shade, no shelter ......... this should be addressed......... it is a big consideration towards people not sitting in the outer. Last year it rained throughout the game and this year it was approaching mid 30s in direct 🌞 sun.
The sponsorship, income and business growth potential to Port Adelaide, St Kilda and the AFL makes home game income look like a Saturday afternoon chook raffle.
The media exposure is second only in viewing audience to the AFL Grand Final.
Without serious income streams such as are and will be generated in China 🇨🇳, Clubs like Port and the Saints will cease to exist.......
 
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Ishikawa

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Jul 18, 2018
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AFL Round 11

Crowd in Darwin 10,634 - Magnificent. Carnival atmosphere.
Crowd in Western Sydney 7,581. Meh nothing to see here.
Crowd in Shanghai 9,412. Disgraceful. Waste of time. Junket.

To be honest the GWS crowd on the weekend copped a lot of stick from the same sort of nuffys who'd comment on Shanghai.
 
... The media exposure is second only in viewing audience to the AFL Grand Final ....
After the game we were at a place that would call up whatever sport you asked for on the TV screens (no, not The Camel) and they pulled up our game in Chinese. It was magnificently presented by whoever* it was and it was intriguing to see it as it was presented there. Unlike Foxtel/Channel 7 the pre-match was shown with firstly an Australian Indigenous group dancing and chanting, and then the Chinese responding with a dragon dance. Commentary was really enthusiastic and excited in tone even though I speak minimal Chinese.
Bennie if you saw one of the Cheer Squad fall over carrying the banner out that was me, tripped over by one of the Saints banner crew who joined us.

Lockhart Road maybe you can help with this. The little bit of English lettering used was Great Sport I think. I can't find anything by that name on an internet search. It'd be good for people here to see the enthusiastic way it was presented for Chinese audiences
 
CC1F36FC-1CB2-4765-893E-C0667F75D26F.png
 
Some pre-game colour.

Edit: I should add this was in an area under the stands where the combined Port and Saints cheer squads were getting ready to take the combined run-through banner out. You see a few of our caps etc. Everyone non-AFL who was to go on the ground at some stage was in this area; cheer squads, the Auskickers and little leaguers, the two dragon crews and their massive puppets, the two Chinese teams who played an exhibition match post game, about 20 security personnel. Could barely swing a cat until the dragons went out.

 
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