Current AFL Stadium Redevelopments

[Greasyrhys]

With the Adelaide Oval redeveloment, I wonder if any of the current bucket seats at AAMI Stadium would be transferred to AO for the new stands? Unlikely to happen but it's possible.

 

[The_Reaper]

Would Albury-Wodonga by a suitable regional venue?

Would draw crowds from the Riverina in addition to country Victoria.

 

[stmookeyj]

With the Adelaide Oval redeveloment, I wonder if any of the current bucket seats at AAMI Stadium would be transferred to AO for the new stands? Unlikely to happen but it's possible.

They may get transferred like their old steel bench seats to local clubs for their grounds instead.

 

[brucetiki]

They may get transferred like their old steel bench seats to local clubs for their grounds instead.

I think some of the current Adelaide Oval seats are also going to local clubs. I suspect the same will happen with the current AAMI Stadium seats.

 

[Rob]

Would Albury-Wodonga by a suitable regional venue?

Would draw crowds from the Riverina in addition to country Victoria.

Have to say I thought the same thing after seeing what a dump the ground at Ballarat is on the weekend. There doesn't look to be one single building on the ground that would even come close to being AFL standard. Yet Albury has a much better ground that would need less money to bring it up to scratch, has a bigger population than Ballarat (admittedly by only 10k) and it's far enough away from an AFL ground to create demand within the city (i.e 4 hours), as opposed to Ballarat whose residents are within an hour and a half of Melbourne and Geelong - so if they want to go to the footy it's pretty easy to.

Given that, why would you bother with Ballarat? It's not like you're going to convert any of the population.

 

[Prince Imperial]

Have to say I thought the same thing after seeing what a dump the ground at Ballarat is on the weekend. There doesn't look to be one single building on the ground that would even come close to being AFL standard. Yet Albury has a much better ground that would need less money to bring it up to scratch, has a bigger population than Ballarat (admittedly by only 10k) and it's far enough away from an AFL ground to create demand within the city (i.e 4 hours), as opposed to Ballarat whose residents are within an hour and a half of Melbourne and Geelong - so if they want to go to the footy it's pretty easy to.

Given that, why would you bother with Ballarat? It's not like you're going to convert any of the population.

Having attended the match I completely agree. I posted this on another thread but North Ballarat is just plain awful. It is located nowhere near the rail station or town centre. There is zero embankment which made it very difficult for most people to see, though being 6'3 that wasn't too much of a problem for me. There are hardly any facilities and they only had one gate into the joint which led to huge lines outside.

It would be a complete waste of money for either the Federal or State governments to put 10s of millions into the place that North are agitating for. I am very doubtful that North would want to play there from 2025 when the League takes over Docklands and financial returns are likely to be far better.

The difficulty with the Albury option is political as it is in NSW and the government there has already plonked a lot of money into AFL grounds in Sydney.

 

[finders]

Nth Ballarats ground is not an option but if North/AFL/ STATE/ Federal govts want to waste 20-30 million bucks just to get the shitheap of a ground stuck in the middle of nowhere somewhere up to scratch they will rue the decision.

The money would be better spent in Hobart to really improve Bellrieve Oval.

 

[Rob]

The difficulty with the Albury option is political as it is in NSW and the government there has already plonked a lot of money into AFL grounds in Sydney.

Hadn't thought of that. How is infrastructure funded in Albury-Wodonga? From my memory of the place (and it's been a while since i've been there), the main CBD is actually on the Albury side of the river. So does the Victorian government not fund anything on that side, even though plenty of Wodonga residents would use it?

I would have thought a decent stadium in Albury-Wodonga (no matter what side of the river it's on) should be joint funded as it's going to be a facility for residents of both.

 

[Prince Imperial]

Hadn't thought of that. How is infrastructure funded in Albury-Wodonga? From my memory of the place (and it's been a while since i've been there), the main CBD is actually on the Albury side of the river. So does the Victorian government not fund anything on that side, even though plenty of Wodonga residents would use it?

I would have thought a decent stadium in Albury-Wodonga (no matter what side of the river it's on) should be joint funded as it's going to be a facility for residents of both.

Albury is the larger part for sure. I think Whitlam introduced some Albury-Wodonga co-operative scheme but I suspect these days what happens on each side of the border is dependent on the relevant state government. Of course the Feds may put in some money but I think both state and federal seats are very safe conservative so they're is not the political attraction like there is in Ballarat and Geelong.

 

[Jacob Jackson]

Does anyone know the seating capacity of each of the individual training fields for the afl teams?

 

[Kwality]

Have to say I thought the same thing after seeing what a dump the ground at Ballarat is on the weekend. There doesn't look to be one single building on the ground that would even come close to being AFL standard. Yet Albury has a much better ground that would need less money to bring it up to scratch, has a bigger population than Ballarat (admittedly by only 10k) and it's far enough away from an AFL ground to create demand within the city (i.e 4 hours), as opposed to Ballarat whose residents are within an hour and a half of Melbourne and Geelong - so if they want to go to the footy it's pretty easy to.

Given that, why would you bother with Ballarat? It's not like you're going to convert any of the population.

Its another kite flying exercise.

If North were dinkum it'd play lower drawing games at Geelong.

 

[The_Reaper]

Its another kite flying exercise.

If North were dinkum it'd play lower drawing games at Geelong.

I'm really not sure why the Bulldogs or the Roos haven't experimented with playing 1-2 games in Geelong.

 

[brucetiki]

I'm really not sure why the Bulldogs or the Roos haven't experimented with playing 1-2 games in Geelong.

I think they have looked at it but the AFL have said they can't

 

[magic_johnson!]

Two years ago Geelong offered the Bulldogs to play a few games there, but the Bulldogs said no. I think the AFL have gradually come around to the idea, it's the struggling Melbourne team's decision

 

[Slax]

Whilst the North Ballarat option appears dead, the AFL must do something about a small stadium in Melbourne. 3 games on the weekend couldn't attract a crowd of over 20,500.

 

[jethro11]

How often do you have the 3 smallest melbourne teams all playing against interstate teams on the same weekend. What's wrong with playing them at Etihad and the G?

Pointless waste of time and money.

 

[millsy29gopies]

How often do you have the 3 smallest melbourne teams all playing against interstate teams on the same weekend. What's wrong with playing them at Etihad and the G?

Pointless waste of time and money.

Have to disagree with you there, there is the need for a 27,000 seater in Melbourne/Victoria. The fact that there are only 2 stadiums is a pretty terrible tbh. North, the Dogs and even Melbourne could use it for games against interstate clubs. Better atmosphere etc.

 

[jethro11]

Have to disagree with you there, there is the need for a 27,000 seater in Melbourne/Victoria. The fact that there are only 2 stadiums is a pretty terrible tbh. North, the Dogs and even Melbourne could use it for games against interstate clubs. Better atmosphere etc.

I would like a boutique stadium in Melbourne, but the AFL and the government aren't going to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a new stadium (which would only be used 20 times max a year) just for atmosphere.

You'd be doing well to get Melbourne moving away from the G for more than a couple of games a year. The dogs and North could really only play interstate teams there as well. Not worth it.

 

[arkie]

I would like a boutique stadium in Melbourne, but the AFL and the government aren't going to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a new stadium (which would only be used 20 times max a year) just for atmosphere.

You'd be doing well to get Melbourne moving away from the G for more than a couple of games a year. The dogs and North could really only play interstate teams there as well. Not worth it.

The government don't really help the AFL either. They pump money into other sports for some reason.

 

[Yorkes_87]

I think some of the current Adelaide Oval seats are also going to local clubs. I suspect the same will happen with the current AAMI Stadium seats.

Yes, both my local cricket and footy clubs got these seats.

Have to disagree with you there, there is the need for a 27,000 seater in Melbourne/Victoria. The fact that there are only 2 stadiums is a pretty terrible tbh. North, the Dogs and even Melbourne could use it for games against interstate clubs. Better atmosphere etc.

Just about any of the old suburban grounds could accomodate that couldn't they? Princess Park? Windy Hill?

I don't see the need to spend hundreds of millions on these flash stadiums like Metricon and Skoda. I'm sure the Gold Coast stadium could have accommodated nearly all games without such a dramatic upgrade. Same with Adelaide Oval, its rarely going to be filled except maybe for the Showdown and it won't be the same watching cricket there anymore either. The design is probably as good as it would be for a modern stadium but apart from the hill the stands are like a bowl and look almost the same all the way around. Hopefully the cricket can still get a good atmosphere though. Both my parents are rather angry about the oval being "runied".

About Skoda stadium, that has got to be the worst design for a stadium I've seen. The scoreboard behind the goals with a round backing looks like a giant dog's bone or some toy. What on Earth is with the light towers? How many does it need and why is there 6 in one half of the ground and 2 spread on the other? Never seen something so ridiculous in my life.

 

[aCunningPlan]

Ballarat is a rusted on AFL city, being the quickest growing regional Victorian city projected to have 125,000 in the next two decades. I could see three games attracting 15,000 with many Melbournians making a trip of it. Eureka Stadium has a wonderful surface but next to no spectator facilities, and being stuck between two close roads it's pretty well screwed expansion wise. If it wasn't for the centre wicket I wouldn't be surprised if they try to play a pre-season game at City Oval. If the government and North are willing to put in the money I think a new ground at Victoria Park would work well with shuttle buses from the ground to the oval.

 

[MattF185]

Melbourne won't get another stadium. As much as I want another 30,000 stadium to be used by North, the Bulldogs and Melbourne, it sadly won't happen. What a tragic. It is so sad.