Ground 'rationalisation'

[frenchfri12]

The AFL are actually using more grounds now than they would be if clubs were still using their currently usable home grounds, and those clubs would actually be making a profit, since they would be getting all of the ticket income without giving Etihad a slice. This year the AFL are using 15 grounds, and 16 if ANZ hosts a final. If you were to reopen suburban home grounds for Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Western Bulldogs, St. Kilda, North Melbourne and Hawthorn (leaving Melbourne and Richmond at the MCG as they are essentially their home ground) you'd be using 15 stadiums. If you kept Hawthorn at the MCG, and St. Kilda at Etihad (since their home grounds have been out of use for 60 years, and even North, who have been out of use for 40, and played their low drawing games at their traditional home grounds, you'd be using 13, and there'd be no reason for clubs to sell their home games to other locations. So why don't the AFL recommission local grounds?

 

[telsor]

The AFL are actually using more grounds now than they would be if clubs were still using their currently usable home grounds, and those clubs would actually be making a profit, since they would be getting all of the ticket income without giving Etihad a slice. This year the AFL are using 15 grounds, and 16 if ANZ hosts a final. If you were to reopen suburban home grounds for Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Western Bulldogs, St. Kilda, North Melbourne and Hawthorn (leaving Melbourne and Richmond at the MCG as they are essentially their home ground) you'd be using 15 stadiums. If you kept Hawthorn at the MCG, and St. Kilda at Etihad (since their home grounds have been out of use for 60 years, and even North, who have been out of use for 40, and played their low drawing games at their traditional home grounds, you'd be using 13, and there'd be no reason for clubs to sell their home games to other locations. So why don't the AFL recommission local grounds?

1) Recommissioning those grounds would cost money.
2) It would cost the AFL it's (future) ownership of Docklands.
3) The AFL wants games sold to other locations.
4) Minimum games contract at MCG.
5) Several of the old home grounds are no longer possible grounds (council issues not least).


So while the (vic) clubs might gain, the AFL would lose from this, therefore the AFL will never allow it.

 

[hitthepost]

The AFL are actually using more grounds now than they would be if clubs were still using their currently usable home grounds, and those clubs would actually be making a profit, since they would be getting all of the ticket income without giving Etihad a slice. This year the AFL are using 15 grounds, and 16 if ANZ hosts a final. If you were to reopen suburban home grounds for Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Western Bulldogs, St. Kilda, North Melbourne and Hawthorn (leaving Melbourne and Richmond at the MCG as they are essentially their home ground) you'd be using 15 stadiums. If you kept Hawthorn at the MCG, and St. Kilda at Etihad (since their home grounds have been out of use for 60 years, and even North, who have been out of use for 40, and played their low drawing games at their traditional home grounds, you'd be using 13, and there'd be no reason for clubs to sell their home games to other locations. So why don't the AFL recommission local grounds?

You're proposing how many AFL-standard venues in Melbourne, of varying capcities?

The AFL are using 3 venues in Victoria, and the rest due to clubs being interstate. Home games being played interstate by Vic teams is pretty low really, and spreads the game to places that can't sustain a full-time team (Alice Springs, Darwin, Cairns), or where the AFL don't seem interested in putting a full-time team (Tasmania). GWS play in Canberra partly to play the game there and partly due to their ground getting used for the Sydney Show.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

So why don't the AFL recommission local grounds?

Yes, why doesn't the AFL spend a shitgazillion dollars to build another seven Etihad Stadiums in the same city?! It makes perfect sense!

 

[frenchfri12]

Yes, why doesn't the AFL spend a shitgazillion dollars to build another seven Etihad Stadiums in the same city?! It makes perfect sense!

or you know, they could just open the ******* gates... not hard...

 

[The Blue Baggers]

Would love to see the blues playing @ PP again

Collingwood's too big to return to VP

Docklands needs Essendon

Punt road is well located for smaller tiger games

St Kilda should return back to Moorabbin

Bulldogs should return back to WO , but more likely to play games in Ballarat

North are more likely to play extra games in Hobart

Not sure where the Hawks could go back to

 

[Teen Wolf]

or you know, they could just open the ******* gates... not hard...

What ******* gates? They'd have to be built/re-built in most cases, just like lights (unless you want to tear up the broadcast contracts as well) and a long list of other basic things you haven't bothered to consider. Your proposition is naive, but to not even acknowledge it would cost a tonne of money suggests you're being deliberately obtuse.

 

[frenchfri12]

What ******* gates? They'd have to be built/re-built in most cases, just like lights (unless you want to tear up the broadcast contracts as well) and a long list of other basic things you haven't bothered to consider. Your proposition is naive, but to not even acknowledge it would cost a tonne of money suggests you're being deliberately obtuse.

It dosent cost money, people can just go in and dance around

 

[bombersfan4000]

I think that the AFL have got the balance just about right. We have to remember that the local counciks own those old suburban grounds and would inherit the bills for maintaining and operating them. Rate payers around Victoria are already fed up with yearly rate increases above inflation, it would be a hard sell to many inner city dwellers. Carlton, North Melbourne, and Collingwood are a lot more developed and gentrified to what they used to be back in the old days. I suspect that many in Collingwood, Fitzroy and Carlton would kick up a hell of a stink if new stadiums were developed in their neigborhoods. Look at all of the fuss that they made when the government proposed building a road tunnel hundreds of feet under them.

What gets me in NSW for the nrl the state and federal government build and fund those club grounds, all the nrl clubs do is build a league's near it. In Victoria the clubs funded all their own suburban ground. For football in Victoria the federal & state governments do little for the AFL

 

[bombersfan4000]

docklands is all privte not a cent of government money went in to it. the MCG is mainly privatly funded as well but there as contracts in place as to how many and what games are to be played at the MCG

metricon was built for the Suns but mainly with the COmmonwealth games in mind. the Qld government is better than the Vic government as they also built the titans stadium on the GC as well as the reds union side they built and regularly up dated

that 2 billion figure that you claim the AFL had is crap as look up how old Subiaco is & how crap it is, then look up how old football park is? SA and WA deserve a modern stadium especially when you consider the support and long term view how much money the AFL teams make

 

[Roogal]

Victorian stadium upgrade plan likely by end of year, says State Government


Jon Pierik - The Age (11 October 2017)

The state government continues to debate the merits of a wide-ranging revamp of sports stadiums that could lead to two venues being upgraded to become the home of women's football. A government task force is assessing a series of stadium and precinct proposals expected to significantly impact the face of elite and community spectator sport across Victoria.

"It all depends on the other stakeholders involved. The AFL have their own ideas about what they would like to see at Etihad, and it's a matter of finding middle ground with government," Eren said. "You have got to consider it is a privately owned facility, unlike other sporting grounds we have, which are publicly owned. We certainly want the best stadiums in the world to be right here in Melbourne."

The costing for the Etihad Stadium plan was due to have been released in July but has been delayed. The government did not allocate any funds in this year's budget, preferring to primarily focus on the $271.5 million third-stage redevelopment of Melbourne Park. Eddie McGuire's suggestion of a new $1 billion stadium near the MCG was not considered because there was no official submission.

Central to several of the proposals will be ensuring they are equipped for men's and women's sports, particularly with AFLW and VFLW expanding. Carlton's Ikon Park has emerged as one proposed home of AFLW. It's understood the Blues have discussed their proposal at a State and Federal level. Proposals have also been put forward by other clubs, including the Western Bulldogs who could develop the Whitten Oval and their second home venue at Ballarat.

"The AFLW is also a matter for the AFL. Ikon Park is pretty good but that's up for discussion. There are some various ideas about where all that should be. Maybe it's a couple of grounds that will accommodate AFLW," Eren said. "Any stadium that is over 3000 capacity is being looked at. We are looking not only in Melbourne but broadly as well ... Simonds Stadium is probably the MCG of regional Victoria. It's about Eureka Stadium at Ballarat, it's about Simonds Stadium at Geelong – it's about all the stadia we have and how we can improve on it."

The need for better facilities for women's football comes as it was confirmed nine of Victoria's 10 AFL clubs will have teams in the VFLW next season. The Blues, Tigers, Collingwood, Essendon and St Kilda will now be among those clubs with stand-alone teams. North Melbourne will not have a stand-alone side but already have a relationship with VFLW club Melbourne University.

Nine clubs have confirmed their participation in VFLW division one, with several existing clubs to make a call by the end of the month. Blues AFLW coach Damien Keeping said the new licence would strengthen the pathway for women's football. "The VFLW program will work alongside our senior women's side, meaning there will be a strong continuity and alignment for our players in the program," he said. The Magpies will have former AFLW defender Penny Cula-Reid as coach of the VFLW side. Essendon chief executive Xavier Campbell said the Bombers would also establish a pathway for junior female talent with the Calder Cannons. "We are committed to providing a positive contribution to the development of the game at a grassroots level. Our VFLW team will also train and play at Highgate Reserve in Craigieburn and, when the fixture allows, our VFLW players will return to play for their local clubs," he said.

The Bombers were overlooked for an AFLW licence last month but will be able to reapply in time for the 2021 campaign.

 

[Roogal]

docklands is all privte not a cent of government money went in to it. the MCG is mainly privatly funded as well but there as contracts in place as to how many and what games are to be played at the MCG

metricon was built for the Suns but mainly with the COmmonwealth games in mind. the Qld government is better than the Vic government as they also built the titans stadium on the GC as well as the reds union side they built and regularly up dated

that 2 billion figure that you claim the AFL had is crap as look up how old Subiaco is & how crap it is, then look up how old football park is? SA and WA deserve a modern stadium especially when you consider the support and long term view how much money the AFL teams make

The Victorian State Government footed $90 million (the AFL $160 million and the MCC the rest) toward the Northern Stands (Ponsford, Members and Olympic Stands) at the MCG before the 2006 Commonwealth Games after the Federal Government renegged on its promised funding for that project. Consider that the Great Southern Stand was entirely funded by the Hawke Government in the late 80's to be ready for the 1992 Cricket World Cup and also as part of Melbourne's failed 1996 Olympic Games bid. GMHBA Stadium in Geelong has had 90% of it's recent redevelopment both Federally and State funded and Ballarat's Mars Stadium has been entirely State funded so far. Also please consider that this year's State Budget has also allocated $3.6 million for the preliminary planning and design work for Stage 5 of Geelong's GMHBA Stadium redevelopment.

Consider that the Victorian Government this year have spent $262 million toward major redevelopment at Melbourne Park and that there are millions being earmarked to be spent upgrading Etihad Stadium despite being privately owned. Stage 5 of GMHBA Stadium will cost in the vicinity of $70 million, bringing the total government moneys invested there to upwards of $220 million since 2012. Ballarat's Mars Stadium has had $21.9 million invested so far and will likely have at least another $30 million spent there in the next few years.

The State Government in Victoria spend very generously on sports infrastructure and in fact in recent years its the Federal Government who have dragged their feet on all forms of infrastructure spending in Victoria. To their credit, the Victorian State Government do a marvellous job offsetting the disparity in Federal funding for QLD and NSW when compared with Victoria. If you consider that Victoria gets just 77¢ of every $10 handed out by the Commonwealth for infrastructure, you'd wonder why the Federal Government are overlooking Australia's fastest-growing state?

The Federal Treasury's forecast budget figures speak for themselves with $2.05 billion set aside for Victorian road, rail and regional projects over the four-year budget period (2016-2019). That represents 7.7 per cent of the national total – well below the state's 25% share of the national population. Contrast that to $8 billion for NSW (more than 30 per cent of the national total), and Queensland, which gets a 29% slice, while Western Australia only gets 12.2%.

When you consider that Victoria's population increased by 123,000 in 2015/16 and 150,000 in 2016/17, and that Melbourne has added exactly 1 million people since 2006 (or the equivalent of a Toowoomba to its boundaries each year) then you get appreciation that a lot more money needs to be poured into Victoria's creaking railway and patched-up road network. Probably a priority (I'd say) well ahead of new stadiums.

 

[Kwality]

The Vic Govt has no problems putting assets on the MCC Balance Sheet, not so keen doing the same thing for the AFL ?