Docklands Stadium (Marvel Stadium) - Discussion

[Gibbsy]

DOCKLANDS STADIUM
(ETIHAD STADIUM)

Location: Docklands, Melbourne
Opened: 2000
Owner: James Fielding Funds Management
Operator: Melbourne Stadiums Limited
Capacity: 56,347
Previous names: Colonial Stadium (2000-2002); Telstra Dome (2002-2009)

Memorable events:
Regular AFL games since 2000
2003 Rugby World Cup quarter finals
E. J. Whitten Legends Game

Feel free to use this thread to talk about everything to do with the stadium. Facilities, transport, ground surface, your favourite moments, childhood memories, etc. ​

 

[azza29]

Great for AFL.
Great for T20, possibly better than the MCG for the short form of the game.
Terrible for just about anything else, especially those sports requiring a rectangular field.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Terrible for just about anything else, especially those sports requiring a rectangular field.

Why is that?

I'm curious. People here complained about watching Rugby at Subi because the action was too far from the grandstand. Yet you have a stadium with moveabe seating for rectangular sports but you hate it. I must be missing something.

 

[Pessimistic]

Designed from the outset to 'condition' fans to pre book and hence pay more - like in AFL markets outside melbourne.

Say no more.

Has good points but it's true to its design brief

 

[azza29]

Yet you have a stadium with moveabe seating for rectangular sports but you hate it. I must be missing something.

They only move the seating in once in a blue moon. Apparently it wrecks the turf (which sounds like a design flaw with the stadium IMO). So 99% of the time there's a big open space between the seats and the field.

At least we now have a superb alternative in the imaginatively named Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

 

[Red Crow]

They only move the seating in once in a blue moon. Apparently it wrecks the turf (which sounds like a design flaw with the stadium IMO). So 99% of the time there's a big open space between the seats and the field.

At least we now have a superb alternative in the imaginatively named Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

Firstly, call it Swan Street Stadium. That should be its "non-commercial" name (even though technically that stretch of road is now Olympic Boulevard). It makes it sound like a more traditional football ground.

The problem with moving the seating in at Docklands is not so much the turf. Its the cost of moving the seating in, which is passed onto the club/organisation hosting the event.

To move the seats in, small patches of turf are removed and tracks laid down for the stands to slide out on. This is obviously reversed to move it back to oval mode. Once the stands are moved in, large bridges have to be erected to enable fans to actually get to their seats from the concourse.

Doing all this costs lots of money, and Collo doesn't just do it out of the kindness of his heart. This is why Melbourne Victory don't do it for their games. IIRC only two Victory games have had this, one was the 2009-10 Grand Final, which is an FFA event so they would have foot the bill. The other was a random game against Newcastle I think, which from memory was done because the FIFA cronies were in town and they wanted to show off the ground actually being used in rectangular mode.

Its a shame it doesn't happen more often, because the atmosphere at the GF was amazing. I was at the corner flag only a couple rows back, and looking behind me all I saw was a wall of people.

Where I was sitting I was pretty close to the field of play, but those on centre wing are still a fair distance away.

It also reduces capacity by a bit, because the "corners" of the ground can't be used. The first two grand finals had over 50K attendance, but this one was only 45K ish, and was packed. Note the empty corner in the distance:

 

[azza29]

The problem with moving the seating in at Docklands is not so much the turf. Its the cost of moving the seating in, which is passed onto the club/organisation hosting the event.

Fair enough - I can understand leaving the normal configuration for your average Victory game with 15-25k attending. But I wonder if cost is the reason they're not moving the seats in for the state of origin match later in the year.

 

[RodneyMaynard]

perhaps the disruption to the turf on the wings in the middle of the AFL season made the reconfiguration impossible for Origin I?

 

[stmookeyj]

They'd probably sell more tickets anyway for Origin 1 in oval configuration, same for the Lions Rugby Test in 2013 (which I'm hopeful of attending).

 

[The_Wookie]

I found it interesting that the Saints got 60k from signage rights at Etihad. Didnt think the clubs got that, and its the first ive heard about it in any case

 

[nick1408]

The stadium was in rectangular format for Victory vs Galaxy. It didn't seem quite right though.

 

[darellkonner]

But I wonder if cost is the reason they're not moving the seats in for the state of origin match later in the year.
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[erpel9999]

They lose about 6-8000 seats by moving the stands in. The 4 corners are blocked and can't be sold.

They won't move the stands in if the game is expected to be at or near capacity.

 

[aussie1st]

Would be such a useful stadium for international cricket matches having that roof available but obviously ain't going to get many matches with the MCG around.

 

[Stats Man]

they need to do something about the bottleneck in leaving the ground at the spencer st station end. theyre doing something already, but still i do wonder how it will go with the bigger crowds.

concrete jungle though..and the new highrises around the ground arent a good look.

 

[PP34]

Cannot stand Etihad Stadium. Never liked it and never will, I wish we never signed that deal with Collins the ****.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Why do people hate Etihad?

Try playing out of Subi every fortnight.

 

[PP34]

Why do people hate Etihad?

Try playing out of Subi every fortnight.

I hate it because I pay lots of money for an AFL membership and everytime Carlton plays there I have to sit up in the heavens. Absolute joke.

 

[Kwality]

I hate it because I pay lots of money for an AFL membership and everytime Carlton plays there I have to sit up in the heavens. Absolute joke.

What is it about Carlton that makes you reject joining the club?
Why do you pay the AFL not Carlton?

IF the AFL Members Club got the big A would you stay home & watch TV
or

join Carlton Football Club?​

 

[Kwality]

Why do people hate Etihad?

Try playing out of Subi every fortnight.

Go the races, or the Museum, the Art Gallery ... then again go to the footy, enjoy the game & accept the ambience is sub standard. As long as its a good game.

Where is the bikky barrel these days in Perth, you might get priority membership .. find a lion park, grab your Malvern Star, its free for Poms ...

 

[LB#16]

they need to do something about the bottleneck in leaving the ground at the spencer st station end. theyre doing something already, but still i do wonder how it will go with the bigger crowds.

concrete jungle though..and the new highrises around the ground arent a good look.

What are they actually building out the front of the stadium? Have been to Melbourne a few times in the past couple of months and have noticed the construction blocking the view of the stadium from southern cross.

 

[The_Wookie]

What is it about Carlton that makes you reject joining the club?
Why do you pay the AFL not Carlton?

IF the AFL Members Club got the big A would you stay home & watch TV
or

join Carlton Football Club?​

Probably because there are more benefits to being an AFL member on club support. The club makes exactly the same amount of money it would have normally, and you get access to the AFL members reserve at the G.

 

[Kwality]

Probably because there are more benefits to being an AFL member on club support. The club makes exactly the same amount of money it would have normally, and you get access to the AFL members reserve at the G.

IF you believe that Wookie:
1 + 1 = whatever you want it to be.

So the AFL Members Club is better value for money compared to Carltons offering ...

 

[PP34]

Probably because there are more benefits to being an AFL member on club support. The club makes exactly the same amount of money it would have normally, and you get access to the AFL members reserve at the G.

Exactly.

 

[grimface_87]

they need to do something about the bottleneck in leaving the ground at the spencer st station end. theyre doing something already, but still i do wonder how it will go with the bigger crowds.

Can't do anything about it any more, since there is a new building under construction thats now in the way!