Dons aim to be 'G-whizzes in 2016

[Tassieboy]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-04/bombers-aim-for-more-mcg-matches-in-2016

ESSENDON will look to play more games at the MCG next year as it considers the best mix for its 2016 fixture.

Of the Bombers' 11 home games this season, seven were set at Etihad Stadium and four at the MCG.

The club has been a major tenant of the Docklands venue since it opened in 2000, with its stadium deal more lucrative than those afforded to rivals.

But chief executive Xavier Campbell said the club was examining ways to increase its presence at the MCG as its membership base topped 60,000 for the second successive season.

"We acknowledge that the MCG is the home of football and our players love playing there, I think our fans love going there and we know that finals football is played at the MCG," Campbell told AFL.com.au.

"For all those reasons, you would always love to be playing more games of football at the MCG, and we're open to exploring what that looks like moving forward around our home game mix."

The Bombers spent nearly a decade playing their home games at the MCG after leaving Windy Hill at the start of the 1990s.

They, the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda crossed to the new Docklands stadium for home games in 2000. They played their 150th match at the venue on Sunday against the Dogs.

This year they played a home game against Geelong at Etihad Stadium, which drew a crowd of more than 40,000, and in previous years have played traditional rival Hawthorn there.

Moving that type of contest to the MCG would see the Bombers have a 6-5 split of Etihad and MCG home games.

"Etihad Stadium is a great partner for us and there's no doubting that. But we need to always operate in the best interests of our members and our members enjoy going to Etihad, but they also acknowledge the importance of the MCG to the bigger picture," Campbell said.

The club is working through its fixture requests for next season, having been disappointed to have only received two Friday night slots (both against North Melbourne) in 2015.

Campbell hopes the Bombers' struggles on the field this year won't impact any decision to schedule them in the prime Friday night spot.

"We certainly haven't produced form to the level we would have liked, but I'd like to think we have a really strong group of young players coming through coupled with a really good group of 25 to 30-year-olds as well," he said.

Another marquee game is being developed by Kevin Sheedy in his role as the club's innovation manager, with the match to be centred on the country market of football fans.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-04/bombers-aim-for-more-mcg-matches-in-2016

So effectviely Essendon are seeking to break their unwise contract with Docklands and transfer at least one extra game to the MCG which will likely mean we won't see Geelong or Hawthorn at Docklands again.

I am skeptical that our request will be approved, but it would be great if we are successful.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

About time.

 

[Doss]

I'd love to see it but I doubt it will lead to anything in practice.

 

[yodellinhank]

Recent club surveys have been asking about comparative opinions on etihad and MCG.

Interestingly made me think about how etihad has much more of a home for essendon feel than the 'G. But the 'G is my favorite place in the world.

I wonder if I will receive money back on my 7 game membership if it turns into a 6...

 

[JD11]

I really wanted us to become the dominant 'Etihad team'. I'm unconvinced we're any better off at the MCG at this stage.

We can sell the 40k at Etihad (if the team was going well), and totally control the atmosphere, that would be very imposing for the opposition. At the MCG it spaces out and doesn't feel as one-sided.

 

[lenny2013]

Give me the G any day over Etihad.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

I really wanted us to become the dominant 'Etihad team'. I'm unconvinced we're any better off at the MCG at this stage.

We can sell the 40k at Etihad (if the team was going well), and totally control the atmosphere, that would be very imposing for the opposition. At the MCG it spaces out and doesn't feel as one-sided.

Yeah but the G is where finals are played.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Agree with Doss. Can't see it happening.

Who the * signs a 25 year contract? Strange decision that the membership was filthy with from memory.

 

[LeeARM]

Give me the G any day over Etihad.

I'll take Etihad on a day where it's pissing down with rain.
Ideally it would be good to start and end the season with games at the G and play at Etihad during winter, which isn't much different to this year, just move the Melbourne game.

 

[ManWithNoName]

I'll take Etihad on a day where it's pissing down with rain.
Ideally it would be good to start and end the season with games at the G and play at Etihad during winter, which isn't much different to this year, just move the Melbourne game.

Maybe I'm strange but couple of weeks ago I was at the Tigers/Freo game before going to our game against Port. It was about 8 degrees, windy, and raining on and off. Absolutely freezing. But I still preferred it. To me Etihad can feel too sterile at times. Like you're going to the theatre. The G can still feel like you're going to the footy, braving the elements. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

[Doss]

I'll take Etihad on a day where it's pissing down with rain.
Ideally it would be good to start and end the season with games at the G and play at Etihad during winter, which isn't much different to this year, just move the Melbourne game.

Looking at the fixture this year, my single issue was the Melbourne and Geelong games. Swap those two and I wouldn't really have a problem, although ideally I'd rather all home games against Victorian teams be at the MCG.

 

[DapperJong]

me mcc

me want

 

[LeeARM]

Maybe I'm strange but couple of weeks ago I was at the Tigers/Freo game before going to our game against Port. It was about 8 degrees, windy, and raining on and off. Absolutely freezing. But I still preferred it. To me Etihad can feel too sterile at times. Like you're going to the theatre. The G can still feel like you're going to the footy, braving the elements. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

Are you sure it had nothing to do with the MCG game being between two teams in the top 5 while the Etihad game was a dead rubber?
I can't really disagree about Etihad being sterile but it doesn't make me hate the place.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Are you sure it had nothing to do with the MCG game being between two teams in the top 5 while the Etihad game was a dead rubber?
I can't really disagree about Etihad being sterile but it doesn't make me hate the place.

I'm not talking about the games themselves. I'm talking about the venue and atmosphere. There's something about sitting in the rain at the footy. Like "* you I'm here and I'm not going anywhere".

 

[LeeARM]

I'm not talking about the games themselves. I'm talking about the venue and atmosphere. There's something about sitting in the rain at the footy. Like "**** you I'm here and I'm not going anywhere".

Definitely depends on how well we're doing. It was raining by the end of ANZAC Day 09 which made it even better but it makes the game so much worse when you're getting convincingly beaten.

 

[Bombers_95]

Would be a good result. I'm almost up for getting MCC and more Bombers games there the better I reckon. Apparently the 2nd most supported team in MCC is Bombers.

 

[Gumby2Hurley]

Sweet, i won an AFL silver membership this year for next year so the more games i can watch at the G the better.

 

[Stopher]

I would've thought Essendon would be a sure thing for extra Friday night games next season, given they've fulfilled the 'underperforming traditional Vic powerhouse' role to perfection. Worked brilliantly for Collingwood, Carlton and Richmond!

 

[calyam]

Yeah but the G is where finals are played.

So you're saying we don't really need to play at the G?

 

[LB#16]

One thing that has always irked me is the sharing of home games between the two venues. The inconsistency between a red and black cauldron at Etihad and a watered down atmosphere against Melbourne at the G, despite similar crowd numbers, is irritating.

ANZAC Day, Dreamtime and finals should be played at the MCG, every other home game at Etihad.

 

[Doss]

One thing that has always irked me is the sharing of home games between the two venues. The inconsistency between a red and black cauldron at Etihad and a watered down atmosphere against Melbourne at the G, despite similar crowd numbers, is irritating.

ANZAC Day, Dreamtime and finals should be played at the MCG, every other home game at Etihad.

Why should we play Carlton at Etihad?

 

[LB#16]

Why should we play Carlton at Etihad?

They're a rabble

Perhaps they could be the exception, maybe throw in the 'rivalry' excuse. But Melbourne, Geelong, Hawthorn should never be at the MCG if it's an Essendon home game IMO. Especially Melbourne.

 

[ManWithNoName]

One thing that has always irked me is the sharing of home games between the two venues. The inconsistency between a red and black cauldron at Etihad and a watered down atmosphere against Melbourne at the G, despite similar crowd numbers, is irritating.

ANZAC Day, Dreamtime and finals should be played at the MCG, every other home game at Etihad.

Tbf the day of the Melbourne game this year it was about 4 degrees and a monsoon was predicted.

 

[Doss]

They're a rabble

Perhaps they could be the exception, maybe throw in the 'rivalry' excuse. But Melbourne, Geelong, Hawthorn should never be at the MCG if it's an Essendon home game IMO. Especially Melbourne.

The normal size of the crowd needs to be a greater consideration.

I agree as far as Melbourne goes but I'd rather our home games against Hawthorn and Geelong are at the MCG.

 

[Tassieboy]

Looking at the fixture this year, my single issue was the Melbourne and Geelong games. Swap those two and I wouldn't really have a problem, although ideally I'd rather all home games against Victorian teams be at the MCG.

If we were ever top 4 again, Sydney would likely draw over 55k at the MCG were they performing too. In Round 21, 1996 we played Sydney in front of 69,237 at the MCG. And in Round 11, 1998 the crowd was 62,866. These crowds which would clearly be impossible today at Docklands.

So too would:

• Geelong (75,129 - 1994)
• Geelong (75,632 - 1996)
• Footscray (67,157 - 1998)
• Geelong (61,089 - 1998)
• West Coast (55,096 - 1999)
• North (68,831 - 1999)
• Footscray (55,230 - 1999)
• Geelong (61,783 - 1999)
• St Kilda (62,928 - 1999)