Fans want new stadium, not new lights.

[SuperPower]

The stadium can be fixed, but the location sucks big time.

Any money spent on that dive is wasted. Name a main city stadium that AAMI beats? Subi, thats it, and thats getting re built.

We are getting left behind again.

 

[Lightning_Rod]

First, this post isn't directed at you mb2326. I've heard your opinion on this from many other people too.

Sorry, but just how close do people wanna be to the action? Any closer, you'll be on the ground. And what about the players safety? They run into the fences hard enough as it is, it's 10 times worse at TD.

As far as it being a cement jungle in the middle of the suburbs, well, correct me if I'm wrong, aren't all stadiums made from cement, steel, etc. What you want it made from? Glass? In the middle of the suburbs? Subiaco Oval is in the suburbs, so is the SCG. Can't say for the Gabba as I've never been there. West Lakes is a few minutes drive from Adelaide. Big deal.

Sorry, there is nothing wrong with AAMI Stadium. Of coarse the parking could be better, but if you don't like it, catch a bus, walk, ride a bike.

wouldn't mind some of what u are on that's for sure, u haven't travelled from town to west lakes much have you? you haven't for that matter travelled from the north east of adelaide to west lakes. please it would take u 2 hours to walk from the cbd to west lakes, where as if u placed a stadium in the cbd much like a lot of the stadiums around aus it takes a few minutes to walk from a train/bus/tram stop to get to the stadium. you must live in your own little world

 

[beagle2]

Telstra Dome is a privately run stadium. It cost $430mil to build. A lot of money was lost by the owners and operators in the first few years. It started making a profit in 2005, then in January 2006 Ch 7 bought everybody else out and in June 2006 it sold the stadium to a superfund for $330mil. The superfund have to run it and maintain it until 2025 and then hand it over to the AFL for $1. If the superfund invested $330mil at 6% compound interest they would turn that amount into $998mil by 2025. So they have to make decent cash profits of about $30mil per year and then invest those cash profits at 6% or more to be ahead at the end of 2025.

Who pays for this? Mainly footy supporters as they are the biggest users of the ground. That's why breakeven is around 30,000 at TD compared to 15,000 at Waverley Park. That's why the Western Bulldogs and North can't make any money out of the TD and St Kilda couldn't until they got their crowds up over 35,000.

Another important part of the financing of TD is the 5,000 members in the Medallion club. The first 5 years if people wated their own video seat they paid $5,000 joining fee plus $400 per month for 60 months. If you didn't want a video seat you paid $2,500 joining fee plus $350 per month for 60 months. I think this monthly membership fee has increased since 2005. For this you got 40+ games at TD plus 40+ games at MCG plus finals games tickets in weeks 1 and 2 and rights for PF and GF tickets. You can't give this sort of value in SA, so you can't charge these sort of fees in Adelaide, so you have a huge funding hole.

Then there are 3,000 Axcess One members that started at $499 per year which is now called Axcess One premium is about $2,800 per year with a $500 joining fee and you have Axcess One members which costs $990 per year.

Then you look at Telstra Stadium in Sydney. It is another BOOT project, build, own, operate and transfer to the NSW govt in 2031. It cost $615mil to build and was finished by early 1999, was reconfigured for another $50mil after the Olympics. The NSW govt granted monies, lent a zero interest loans and low interest loans a total of about $190mil. The public float in 1999 was a disaster with only about 1/3rd of the expected equity subscribed by the public. It made small profits in it's first 2 years, then a few large losses before starting to break even. It just didn't get enough big events to host and make good money. In February last year the ANZ basically purchased it for $10mil + convered it's $140mil loan to equity and stuck it into one of it's super funds. Ie a $650mil+ asset was only worth $150mil seven years later.

Debt sinks Stadium Australia

http://www.telstrastadium.com.au/index.aspx?link_id=1.170

That's why some of you expecting a TD or TS type facility are dreaming. Ron Barassi got it right when he said "If it's meant to be, it's up to me." So when you come up with the money you will get your stadium.

I know I only get back to SA for 2 or 3 games per year plus any finals, but I enjoy going to Footy Park. My only gripe is not being able to have a beer and watch the game but at least that is changing. I tend to agree with all of what Phhht said.

I know I might be becoming a bit sentimental, but everytime I go to Footy Park, I see the ghosts from my football watching youth. Might be different if I didn't leave SA 15 years ago and watched maybe 100 more AFL game there, but that's the feeling I have. Also what would happen to the great SA footy pre match barbie. Tried it with a few ex croweater mates in the Moore Park fields next to the SCG and it just ain't the same.

Showing its not economically feasible is a waste of time We live in a world where the majority think they can get something for nothing

 

[relapse]

Great post Relapse

Yeah well I really dont like the SANFL, they arent really an entity I feel comfortable with the future of SA football being in their hands. We are already seeing numbers of people staying away from footy in SA. As long as the SANFL makes money thats all they care about, they dont care about the long term viability nor the growth of footy in the state and they will continue to ingore the SA football public until it beings to adversely effect the SANFL before they will address it.

 

[relapse]

Showing its not economically feasible is a waste of time We live in a world where the majority think they can get something for nothing

Most things are economically feasible, its only in SA where this type of mentality prevails whereas other states just go ahead and do it.

 

[Blues08]

you should be hoping Australia gets the Football(soccer) World Cup, then you will be almost guaranteed a new stadium along with other states.

 

[GFCats07]

I would love to see a new AAMI Stadium.. i just cant see it happening!

They were going to give it an update about 3 years ago.. never happened.
It was said that AAMI would someday hold finals.. so much for that!
There are at least 2 games a year at AAMI for the AFL.. id consider the stadium as a let down to adelaide when we could have a stadium much more bigger and better if the council would allow anything!
(practically the same issue as the Victoria Park grandstand)

With the transport issues that are going on it seems to be an ongoing issue of the general public complaining about the way adelaide hosts games/other teams..

cmon adelaide.. they need to do something about it..
and (not sounding mean) but crows and port may lose members because of transport and just the way people dont like going to games at AAMI.

 

[relapse]

We are seeing many no-shows with both Adelaide and Port home matches (which I believe the poor stadium/location etc plays a big part in that) this is being used to justify the decision about the groung being sufficient. The theory from the SANFL that a bigger stadium is not required because AAMI is never at capacity is ridicously flawed logic and is blantantly ignoring the fact that most Adelaide games are actually sold out. They are also ignoring the fact that there is a market of people that want to go to games and cant (through them being sold out) and also the people who have tickets but choose to stay home rather than go to the games.

If you have a look at the football landscape in SA you have the crows who are trapped in a stadium with no ability to further build their membership base due to stadium constraints and you have Port that over the past few years have a slightly shrinking membership base. A new stadium will give the crows a chance to further grow and will give SA football a big shot in the arm which will in my opinion help Port to grow.

The longer this drags on and the longer people are forced to go to AAMI and being fed rubbish that AAMI is state of the art the more we will see the continuing trend of supporters watching the games at home instead of going.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Yeah well I really dont like the SANFL, they arent really an entity I feel comfortable with ....

Nah I would never have come to that conclusion after reading your posts of the last couple of years relapse.

I reckon you dislike the SANFL more than a few one eyed port supporters I know who couldn't stand Max and his mates.

 

[relapse]

Nah I would never have come to that conclusion after reading your posts of the last couple of years relapse.

I reckon you dislike the SANFL more than a few one eyed port supporters I know who couldn't stand Max and his mates.

Just to clarify I dont dislike SANFL football, just the bunch of dinosaurs that are the SANFL commission.

I am just stick of them constantly band aiding AAMI and maintaining football park as some trophy from an era long since past. They clearly have no long term plan to address Adelaide being at their ceiling limit as far as members go and Port's non growth and also pretending that 5-10k people with tickets not attending games each week is normal.

Raising the lights by 20 metres and improving the umpire changerooms is doing nothing to address that, football park is holding back growth of footy in SA and the SANFL's attitude towards it is pretty poor. The supporters are the ones suffering while the SANFL goes on its merryway trying to improve facilities while continuing to ignore its main market (the people that actually go to the football).

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Just to clarify I dont dislike SANFL football, just the bunch of dinosaurs that are the SANFL commission.

I am just stick of them constantly band aiding AAMI and maintaining football park as some trophy from an era long since past. They clearly have no long term plan to address Adelaide being at their ceiling limit as far as members go and Port's non growth and also pretending that 5-10k people with tickets not attending games each week is normal.

Raising the lights by 20 metres and improving the umpire changerooms is doing nothing to address that, football park is holding back growth of footy in SA and the SANFL's attitude towards it is pretty poor. The supporters are the ones suffering while the SANFL goes on its merryway trying to improve facilities while continuing to ignore its main market (the people that actually go to the football).

relapse I know you like SANFL footy as much as I know you don't like the the SANFL old boys clubs. Look it is easy for me to say this living outside SA, but the numbers don't stack up to Adelaide getting a TD or TS equivalent. Maybe something inbetween what is on offer at Footy Park and Adelaide oval and a TD or TS is reasonable, but someone has to be prepared to pay for it.

As much as people might criticise Footy Park, Footy Park was a critical reason why SA footy stood up to the Vics when WA footy couldn't. And for that reason alone I have always been prepared to cut the SANFL a lot of slack.

 

[blackdiamond]

I quite like AAMI Stadium and its location, sure there are things I would like changed about it but not enough for it to be relocated, unless they considered Detroit for a few years.

 

[shaz63]

I read quite a few comments on the advertiser site about leaving the footy at AAMI stadium and let the government spend the money on things that are more important to this state than another footy stadium.

With free footy express buses it has made it easier to get to and from the games.

No one is ever going to be happy with the location and there are a lot of people that want it left in the western suburbs.

The SANFL arent going to pay for a new one to be built, there is no private investor to handover the money to build one and I personally would much prefer the state government to look at upgrading hospitals and hire more nurses and doctors to work in them, plus start building desalination plants to help with the water crisis than spend millions of dollars on building a new stadium. Sorry, but I think there are more important priorities that should be looked at first.

A new stadium would be good in the future but not until we have other more important things

Oh, and we are the only state where you can sit back and enjoy a bbq and few coldies in the carpark before the game. If they build a stadium in the city this will discontinue and watch how many will complain about that. No matter where the stadium is people will find something to complain about.

 

[Cat for Life]

Hey guys, whats wrong with AAMI atm? Would you be looking for extra capacity or better facilities with a new stadium?

 

[Portia]

Both.

We'd also ideally be looking at a greatly reduced area of reserved seating.

 

[Malibu#27]

With free footy express buses it has made it easier to get to and from the games.

It makes it easier for city people to get to games. Why to city folk need it handed to them on a platter (and subsidised by the country fans)

Make bus ride $5 (city fans who think its too expensive quite your bitching - nothing is free), and provide a parking discount for country members.

But of course - in the typical SA government and SANFL style - the footy express inst really a solution to AAMI stadium transport - its a band-aid.

 

[shaz63]

It makes it easier for city people to get to games. Why to city folk need it handed to them on a platter (and subsidised by the country fans)

Make bus ride $5, and provide a parking discount for country members.
But of course - in the typical SA government and SANFL style - the footy express inst really a solution to AAMI stadium transport - its a band-aid.

The footy express leaves from suburbs all over Adelaide not just the city. No matter where country people live they still have to drive to the game.

Surely country people would much prefer to have doctors running the local hospitals, water so that they are able to water the crops etc.

As I said, there are more important issues to be looked at before jumping up and down about a new stadium.

Building it on the Clipsal site isnt going to prevent alot of traffic problems. People will still drive there so that they can then head back to Alberton for the after match presentations.

Have you ever been in the area when there is a concert on at the entertainment centre?? The traffic is banked up for miles.

I live 25 minutes from AAMI and have no problem with driving there and walking 5 - 10 minutes from where the car is parked.

 

[shaz63]

We'd also ideally be looking at a greatly reduced area of reserved seating.

And watch the game day ticket holders complain about that. Some are already jumping up and down and complaining to the club about the northern grandstand being majority unreserved seating.

 

[Malibu#27]

The footy express leaves from suburbs all over Adelaide not just the city. No matter where country people live they still have to drive to the game.

I'm more than aware of what the footy express does - I'm NOT in favour of it being free and subsidesed by the government and other fans.

Surely country people would much prefer to have doctors running the local hospitals, water so that they are able to water the crops etc.

What a narrow minded, insular comment - what does this have to do at all with whether city travellers (by city I mean metropolitan) pay a reasonable fee to go to the footy ?

 

[shaz63]

I'm more than aware of what the footy express does - I'm NOT in favour of it being free and subsidesed by the government and other fans.



What a narrow minded, insular comment - what does this have to do at all with whether city travellers (by city I mean metropolitan) pay a reasonable fee to go to the footy ?

So $5.00 a year on your season ticket is a big deal to have the footy express free of charge to all users. Im more than happy to pay the extra.

Narrow minded?? WTF! So you would rather have footy supporters pay for the bus, have a new multi million dollar stadium than have doctors in all country hospitals! Who's being narrow minded?? Have you ever had a family member or friend that has needed medical attention only to be told there are no doctors in the local hospital and they need to travel hours to the nearest one just to receive treatment?? How would you feel if your wife/girlfriend went into labour and you had to drive 5 hours just so that she can deliver the bub where a doctor is present?? Answer these questions for me please.

 

[Malibu#27]

So $5.00 a year on your season ticket is a big deal to have the footy express free of charge to all users. Im more than happy to pay the extra.

No - I'm saying $5 a week (hell even $2 would do it) for people that actually use the service would mean there would be no need for people that cannot use it paying.

Narrow minded?? WTF! So you would rather have footy supporters pay for the bus, have a new multi million dollar stadium than have doctors in all country hospitals! Who's being narrow minded??

What does footy supporters paying their own way for the bus have to do with doctors in country hospitals ?

Have you ever had a family member or friend that has needed medical attention only to be told there are no doctors in the local hospital and they need to travel hours to the nearest one just to receive treatment??

Yes I was told to go somewhere else by a hospital because the doctor was playing golf - once again what has this got to do with city folk paying their own way for a bus?

How would you feel if your wife/girlfriend went into labour and you had to drive 5 hours just so that she can deliver the bub where a doctor is present?? Answer these questions for me please.

Asking bus passengers to pay a token fee to use the bus is NOT going to make it harder to deliver babies in Wudina.

Having the entire state subsidise city bus passengers because they are too tight arsed to shell out a couple bucks is a band-aide measure which I dont know will even significantly affect crowds.

 

[Paralowiepower]

Oh, and we are the only state where you can sit back and enjoy a bbq and few coldies in the carpark before the game. If they build a stadium in the city this will discontinue and watch how many will complain about that. No matter where the stadium is people will find something to complain about.

Not sure about that, been to plenty of pre match BBQs and drinks before the game at the MCG.
And speaking of that, Grand Final day cost us $5 to park at the G compared to $10 at Football Park.

The SANFL are crooks.

 

[Andre]

Or there's always option C - the SACA and SANFL bury the hatchet and Adelaide Oval is expanded and updated to a 60k capacity with modern facilities. Theres almost zero parking there, but given it's 5 minutes walk from the train station, the trams and buses to every suburb it doesn't matter.

Then again the chances of the SANFL heirarchy pulling their egos out of their arses and doing that is so close to zero a new number may need inventing.

 

[Malibu#27]

The SANFL are crooks.

Hence my point re: reducing parking. (or at least have discount available for those that dont have an option buty to drive)

 

[Macca19]

First, this post isn't directed at you mb2326. I've heard your opinion on this from many other people too.

Sorry, but just how close do people wanna be to the action? Any closer, you'll be on the ground. And what about the players safety? They run into the fences hard enough as it is, it's 10 times worse at TD.

Its the camber of the stands at Footy Park which is the issue, not how close the boundary line is to the fence. Its a bit of an issue. You do feel miles away at Footy Park compared to other grounds as it was built similar to Waverley which was worse.