front page of todays herald slime(melbourne)

[magpie_joffa]

Well if some of you feel that several of us have been critical of the way football is heading,please read the front page of the herald slime melbournes daily proganda fix.
Obviously as well as being in bed with the AFL this slime of a publication has now gone to bed with the MCC.
It is telling us,wait for it'PARADISE FOR SPORTS FANS' when do i stop laughing?

note the following has been built for you and myself...

A new super MCC membership offering a permanent reserved seat with personalised video and multiple camera coverage of play up to 10,000 dollars a year.

Sports fans would be able to hire corporate boxes or seats in a box for a day.

A new 300 car park would also be built.

An independent restaurant could be built for daily dining,including during matches.

A bold new entrance for MCC MEMBERS with the gallery of sport moved next to the existent olympic stand area.

Large out door screens to be built with bars
in the marqees area.

And of course this can only be done by removing that grand ole stand that has stood for 72 years.

It is no longer a game for the average supporter,dont be fooled.
It is now a game well and truly for the filthy rich who have no concern for the so called little average supporter like you and myself.

RIP football as we knew it.

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There are only two kinds of people in this world-COLLINGWOOD SUPPORTERS,and those who wish they were!
SHITE here comes COLLINGWOOD to kick your ass forever BLACK AND WHITE,ha ha ha jealousy will be the death of you,SHITE!!!!!

 

[Gonzo]

Joffa

Have to say that I tend to disagree on most of the stuff you write, however in this case I think you are spot on!!!

I (as a mug football follower) can't wait to drive into that new carpark, wander into my new seat with TV, go to the restaurant at half time and wander out to the marquee area to watch the big screens!!!

This shouldn't be a problem with the AFL because with the levy that they are going to put on my ticket to pay for these wonderful new conveniences.

I would have helped pay for these facilities and do you reckon I'll get to use them!!!

FAT CHANCE!!!

 

[Shinboners]

Originally posted by magpie_joffa:
A new super MCC membership offering a permanent reserved seat with personalised video and multiple camera coverage of play up to 10,000 dollars a year.

Why would you want to be watching a personalised video when the game is happening right in front of you? Why not stay at home, or stay in the office, Mr. Corporate Entertainment?

 

[Mr Ripper]

While I'm all for the upgrading and modernising of the G, I can't stomach their belief that football or cricket supporters would be the slightest bit interested in having these superfluous, tacky distractions at their disposal.

I get the depressing feeling that the MCG hasn't learnt their lesson from the Colonial debacle. It might be better PR for them to put in more seats for Joe Public and generate their funding through concentrating on getting more punters through the turnstiles, rather than pandering to big business.

How many bag-of-fruit wearing potential customers are there left in Melbourne, anyway? The corporate sporting dollar has to dry up out sooner or later.

Anyhow, that's all just a layman's opinion, because what I know about financial wheelings and dealings could be etched onto a Smartie shell!

 

[Shinboners]

Originally posted by Mr Ripper:
Anyhow, that's all just a layman's opinion, because what I know about financial wheelings and dealings could be etched onto a Smartie shell!

Considering the number of people who got burned in the dotcom hype, it seems that you wouldn't be alone in that regard.

 

[JUBJUB]

Was there a story on page 1 of todays Herald-Sun ?

All I saw was the picture of Anna Kournikova.

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"Its like something out of the twighlighty show about the zone".

 

[Same Old's]

Originally posted by Mr Ripper:
It might be better PR for them to put in more seats for Joe Public and generate their funding through concentrating on getting more punters through the turnstiles, rather than pandering to big business.

They could start by getting rid of the MCC membership.

 

[Mags]

When reading this story this morning i was almost getting very upset and pissed!

Coz this is the end of footy now and watching it as it is! More Corporate seating instead of public seating. Its turning more into Colonial Stadium! And it gives me the shits!

I wish there was something we the public can do about it!

[This message has been edited by Mags (edited 08 January 2001).]

 

[CJH]

Ha Ha Joffa!

You will easily be able to afford this membership with all the money you will earn from 'Chook Raffle'!!

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This is a hallucination and these faces are in a dream. A computer generated environment; a fantasy island you can do anything and not have to face the consequences.

 

[Same Old's]

Will it still be called the "people's ground", not that it ever was in my opinion.

 

[Carey_is_King]

Attention CJH.

Is my prediction coming true ??

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Trample the Weak,
Hurdle the Dead.

 

[AlfAndrews]

the New M.C.G.=Colonial Stadium on steroids.

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**floreat pica**

 

[AlfAndrews]

Originally posted by JUBJUB:
Was there a story on page 1 of todays Herald-Sun ?
All I saw was the picture of Anna Kournikova.

Ah, yes. This is an age-old tactic of the tabloid press.
Distract the reader with a bit of S*E*X so they don't notice their way-of-life being screwed.

Ah, shit ... that didn't work!!! I was attempting a little trick I learned on Nick's Page ... but it doesn't seem to work here.

DAMN

Now I feel like a right goose. How embarassing.

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**floreat pica**

[This message has been edited by AlfAndrews (edited 09 January 2001).]

 

[InTheBack!]

the argument goes that this skimming of the corporate dollar goes to subsidising the cheap seating for the general public.

The Gabba is ringed by corporate boxes, but there are plenty of cheap seats available.

Also the Docklands stadium I saw had thousands & thousands of ordinary cheap seats available.

I too have an ideological problem with snooty Crown lager sipping idiots perched up in their viewing enclosure. However if they want to part with their money well who cares?

I cannot imagine the MCG will have to exclude any ordinary supporters at any time during the season, except for GF day.

 

[AlfAndrews]

But be warned, InTheBack.

The "cheap seats" you refer to are an endangered species. Progressively less and less of the seating at footy grounds is general admission. There is no doubt that the League would LOVE to have all-reserved seating at all games, just like they do at Football Park ... except more expensive. And the more exclusive you make it ... the more you can get away with charging.

At the end of your post you said, "... except the Grand Final".

Now ... that is a very big EXCEPT, don't you think?

But, I think you'll find that the big blockbuster home-and-away games will gradually become more exclusive also.

Basically, we are heading the way of English soccer ... and there are NO cheap seats at English Premier League matches.

It's only a matter of time.

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**floreat pica**

 

[smokey]

Perhaps the Top and Bottom level of every stand and the seated parts of level 3 should be general admission. There should be 10,000 seats for AFL members all the time, 8,000 seats for MCC members in home and away rounds 20,000 corporate and 60,000 for us.

Smokey

 

[McKenna for PM]

Originally posted by InTheBack!:
the argument goes that this skimming of the corporate dollar goes to subsidising the cheap seating for the general public.

The Gabba is ringed by corporate boxes, but there are plenty of cheap seats available.

Also the Docklands stadium I saw had thousands & thousands of ordinary cheap seats available.

I too have an ideological problem with snooty Crown lager sipping idiots perched up in their viewing enclosure. However if they want to part with their money well who cares?

I cannot imagine the MCG will have to exclude any ordinary supporters at any time during the season, except for GF day.

ITB, Up until 1999 (before the renovations), I could buy a general admission ticket at the Gabba for about $12. Last year, that price went up to $20. Do you really think they subsidise our ticket prices with those of the elite?

Sure, the snots can part with their money, but not at our expense. AFL is a sport for all the yobbos and dickheads out there, that's what makes it what it is. When more of these people force us out, the crowd becomes quieter and more "civilised".

 

[Pessimistic]

There is much skullduggery going on.

Why can't the MCG be 'upgraded' to 120,000 'basic' seats ?

Why can't Waverley sale money go into the MCG, thus lessening the need for 'corporate' dollars with all the crap that goes with it

Or why not leave well alone - the changes are only for the 'mickey mouse' games anyway.

A lot of people prefer the Northern to southern stand anyway. Why impose more of the same on them

-It's one of life's mysteries, the northern stand has 40 rows of seats on ground level compared to 26 in the same space in the southern stand - Yet there seems to be more legroom in the northern stand.

The northern stand is much smaller in height than the southern yet has a bigger capacity - why not rebuild the northern stand in its current seating configuration but bigger - thts where the 120,000 capacity would come from

And the members pavillion - what are they on about - Heritage listing ? It's a fibro roof ?

And not even popular - witness it on some days - empty except for 5 people

 

[Bloodstained Angel]

Well I have a big soft-spot for the Olympic Stand personally.

Its a surprisingly good view from up there. I also find it very handy when you want to go out the back for a ciggie, and its convenient to Jolimont Station.

Sure its looking a bit down at heel these days, and those wooden benches are er, a little uncomforatble but so what ?

- The Olympic Stand is structurally sound
- Its quite a nice piece of architecture
- It has alot of historical significance (1956 and all that)
- Its very well designed with many thousands being able to get in, get a good view and then get out again.

I'm with Pessimistic here, why can't the Olympic Stand just be fully renovated, with modern seating, modern bar and snack areas, modern toilets.

Oh and yes - there is no reason why the Olympic Stand can't be extended upwards to accomodate yet more Gen Admin patrons, hell if the AFL really insists there is plenty of scope for corporate boxes to be put in as well.

cheers

 

[ptw]

I have one word for you gentlemen (and ladies).

T E L E V I S I O N


We see the AFL getting $100m p.a. for T/V rights and we think that is a good thing. $100m up front...no cost involved....straight to the bottom line.

Now condier the average punter on the street.

say 6,000,000 go to games each year $15 each...that's $90,000,000. You then subtract from this all of the costs of running the AFL and you might me left with $45,000,000 say (100% profit...very generous).

That is why the AFL don't give a stuff $100,000,000 NET from 1 customer vs $45,000,000 (max) NET from 6,000,000.

So...is 100,000,000 p.a. good for football ? Where does it go ? The AFL make a lot of money but it can afford now to crap on the average supporter because it no longer relies on them as an income source...especially when you can do away with 100 seats for a corporate box hich seats 12 and make 5 times the dough.

Ultimately though I am happy with the MCG providing corporate facilities (I have even frequented them myself on a few occasions). Not at the total expense of the punter but I would agree with ITB that this trade off is rarely actually noticed.

We do though need to agree why the AFL exists. Is it to make money ? Where should the money go ? How much should go to the players ? How much say should the avaerage punter have when they contribute less than 1/3rd of the total revenue ?


hmmmmmmmmm


ptw

 

[Mags]

Well Im starting to have a soft spot for the Members Stand now.

Leave it there on 1 condiation:

Thats all the Mcc Members get is that stand and that stand only!

They wanna keep the stand then let them have it and they can sit there and no where else!

Mags

 

[Same Old's]

Originally posted by Pessimistic:
It's one of life's mysteries, the northern stand has 40 rows of seats on ground level compared to 26 in the same space in the southern stand - Yet there seems to be more legroom in the northern stand.

From my experience there is definatly less legroom in the Nothern stand compared to the Southern stand.

Originally posted by Pessimistic:
The northern stand is much smaller in height than the southern yet has a bigger capacity -

Are sure about that? The Northern stand starts from the Punt Road end of the Southern stand and finishes up to the members pavilion. Going by that definition the Nothern stand occupies around approximatly 30% of the total capacity of the MCG compared with Southern Stands 45%.

Thus, there's no way that the Nothern stand has more seats than the Southern stand.