Gutted

[tragicforces]

It should be on the first page.
When you registered to get tickets you would have been given a receipt number you check on there to see if your number was pulled out.

Thanks found it. Luckily my number's come up !!

Commiserations to all those fans that missed out... i agree it sucks and i would be similarly aggrieved if i had missed out

 

[Bomber Man]

Just checked the website and found I have missed out on a ticket to the GF. Absolutely gutted.

to the AFL and their corporate Grand Finals.

Just out of curiosity, how many games did you go to this year and did you make it to their other finals?

 

[TheBrownlowMan37]

Atleast you're not "guttered" like a few WC fans were when they first got the news of Judd's depature. Lol pick up a book, people!

 

[Chris who]

say for instance Perth built a 70,000 seat stadium and football park increased as well. Wouldnt it be great for the highest qualifying team to host the GF? Would eliminate coporates and at least real fans would make it. As you all have been complaining about not being able to get a seat .... whats the point of having the game held in your home town?

Pipe dreams i know but i guess im sick of a victorian based league especially when to interstaters play there for the GF

 

[Chris who]

Atleast you're not "guttered" like a few WC fans were when they first got the news of Judd's depature. Lol pick up a book, people!

Ye who has not sinned may cast the first literary stone

 

[shibz_1989]

say for instance Perth built a 70,000 seat stadium and football park increased as well. Wouldnt it be great for the highest qualifying team to host the GF? Would eliminate coporates and at least real fans would make it. As you all have been complaining about not being able to get a seat .... whats the point of having the game held in your home town?

Pipe dreams i know but i guess im sick of a victorian based league especially when to interstaters play there for the GF

I see your point, but to me, being an interstater (and not having made a gf ) the whole fun about having the grand final in Melbourne is the travelling over there, the staying in a hotel and all that sort of thing. I guess you could say I can't wait til Freo do it, so I can experience this...the whole driving over and stuff. I guess seeing my mates do it last year (actually got a phone call from two of them because they got stuck in a lift in a hotel the Thursday before!) made me look forward to it more.

It should stay in Melbourne.

 

[cancat]

The atmosphere on Friday night at the Prelim was twice as good as the Grand Final is likely to be. The reason why is that the preliminary final crowd contained twice as many actual supporters of competing teams (probably even more).

As usual, the Grand Final will be out of reach of the average footy fan. The crowd will be largely comprised of corporate spivs, sponsors and "theatre-goers" attending their one game of the year, where they get to look and act totally out of place amongst the minority of real fans who are lucky enough to get in.

Around 22,000 seats are allocated to the Melbourne Cricket Club, which despite boasting that it is "arguably the biggest sporting club in the world" never fills all its seats at the GF (last Friday was a one-off - expect to see hundreds of empty Members seats again at this year's Grand Final - just like all the other ones).

A further 5000 seats now are allocated to $5000-a-year Medallion Club members. And we all know what passionate die-hards they all are.

Furthermore, each of the 16 clubs gets their allocation of 1,000 tickets which they then on-sell to the corporate spiv market, often in package deals worth over $1,500 each, in what can only be described as legalised scalping. After all the other so-called "sponsor obligations" are accounted for, only 25,000-odd tickets are left for real fans - the members of the competing clubs.

Unfortunately, Comrade Dimetriou and the AFL are completely indifferent to this issue. There is nothing to stop them from reducing the outrageous amount of tickets which go to the corporate "on-seller" market, but each year they do nothing.

To add insult to injury, this year the Comrade's great new marketing ploy has been his new "exclusive" Grand Final ticket - the so-called "Centre Square" - all yours for a mere $1,995.

When the AFL spends thousands advertising expensive corporate spiv packages like "Centre Square" yet allocates barely one-fifth of all tickets to real supporters, it is depressingly clear where its priorities lie. Comrade Dimetrious purports to be a left-wing socialist when it suits him, but when it comes to the Grand Final, he and the AFL are as elitist as they come.

It seems the league would rather have a Grand Final crowd full of apathetic corporate spivs than passionate battlers who really care.

While Grand Final day will once again belong to the spivs, Prelim Final day is the battlers' Grand Final. At least we had a great game and a great crowd last week.

Top post mate.

 

[TheBrownlowMan37]

Ye who has not sinned may cast the first literary stone

Not hitting space or the 'r' key, is hardly the same as thinking it's guttered and not gutted lol.

 

[Rosso]

It's the "Grand Final Packages" that are a disgrace. $1,500 is the cheapest I've found and that's for an average ticket, a two course meal and drinks at Brunch. So let's break it down. A ticket $150, two course meal $50 and a six pack of Crownies $15. Unless the Grand Final footy records costs $1,285 this year I think this is the biggest scam in Australia. Yes you get some former players that'll give you their tips but you get that for free on the radio or for a couple of bucks in the paper.

The other ones for $2,200 include 2 nights accomodation in the city which is pointless for most Victorian footy fans as they happen to live in Victoria.

Drives me nuts.

 

[PowerOfThePussy]

Just out of curiosity, how many games did you go to this year and did you make it to their other finals?

Went to both finals and probably about 8-9 games throughout the year.

Cant get to as many as I used to these days but the GFC is my main passion in life, hence I am gutted.

Was at the 89, 92 and 94 G/Finals. And all of the finals in those years and since.

Not a happy camper - devastated actually. Will try to get tickets some other way but I don't have a lazy 4 grand for my girlfriend and I lying around, so will most likely have to have a party at home with friends, but clearly not the same as being there. I have waited my whole life for a Geelong Grand Final win and to not witness it live is going to be a travesty for myself and many other die hard fans if we happen to get up.

 

[vealesy]

Top post mate.

yeh top post, but at the end of the day, its the real true supporters that keep the game alive in its true worth to these corporate mugheads.

who cares who gets to go and who doesnt, as long as the game is as important to the real fans as it should be, there will be no detrimental aspects to it.

the game is still enjoyed and appreciated more by the real supporters more than any wannabe wanka ever could.

 

[AFL4ME]

My sympathies to you. Last year there were a few people outside the G with their mobile number on a placard wanting a ticket, not sure if they managed to get one but it could be worth a go. I know it may cost a few bucks extra but this does not happen often.

We had a similar ballot for the measly allocation of tickets and many WCE fans missed out, some fans had already bought airfares and accommodation in advance (otherwise the corporate's rip you off big time). I felt like I won the lotto when we got tickets.

It is hard enough for your team just to make a GF and let alone win one and you being lucky enough to be there to watch it..I did it last year, I can strike that one off my list.

Geelong have a great chance this year...try the placard, you never know!

All the best

 

[cancat]

yeh top post, but at the end of the day, its the real true supporters that keep the game alive in its true worth to these corporate mugheads.

who cares who gets to go and who doesnt, as long as the game is as important to the real fans as it should be, there will be no detrimental aspects to it.

the game is still enjoyed and appreciated more by the real supporters more than any wannabe wanka ever could.

I suspect the real supporters who miss out on tickets when the corporate tossers get them will care.

 

[PowerOfThePussy]

My sympathies to you. Last year there were a few people outside the G with their mobile number on a placard wanting a ticket, not sure if they managed to get one but it could be worth a go. I know it may cost a few bucks extra but this does not happen often.

We had a similar ballot for the measly allocation of tickets and many WCE fans missed out, some fans had already bought airfares and accommodation in advance (otherwise the corporate's rip you off big time). I felt like I won the lotto when we got tickets.

It is hard enough for your team just to make a GF and let alone win one and you being lucky enough to be there to watch it..I did it last year, I can strike that one off my list.

Geelong have a great chance this year...try the placard, you never know!

All the best

Cheers - thanks for the wishes AFL4ME.

Round 1 is over, but I certainly haven't given up hope yet. Extremely disappointed but I will exhaust every avenue to try to get a ticket.

 

[FootyJunkie]

It should stay in Melbourne.

For historical and financial reasons, I can't see it ever leaving the MCG. Not in my lifetime. Only chance if Telstra Stadium in Sydney goes to 100K or MCG is out of action for a year like in '91.

 

[vealesy]

I suspect the real supporters who miss out on tickets when the corporate tossers get them will care.

yes like me, i am in that category, im just suggesting an attiutude to take on if you are one of them.

who cares, as long as THE CLUB is in the game.

we all need to remember that the GFC is more important than any player or supporter as the CLUB includes all of us,

no need to fizzle the passion, fo shizzle

 

[a1118374]

i'd like to see a games attended system. wouldnt help me as an interstate carlton member) but would be fair. if you attend all games (surely this is recorded) the you should be top of the list. tough on those who miss out. would encourage crowds more also. just a suggestion

 

[Labyrinth]

The worst part is knowing supporters of the non competing teams will have a good chance of getting tickets through MCC and AFL memberships. I had tickets in the AFL members stand at last years GF and was sitting near 4 other WCE supporters and 10 Swans supporters. The rest of the crowd was wearing Collingwood, Essendon, Carlton etc colours and hardly made a noise all game.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

There is certainly too many seats reserved for the corporates.

According to this: http://afl.com.au/Portals/0/afl_docs/2007_AFL_GF_Tickets_180607.pdf "5000-15000" for "AFL Entitlements/Contractual Obligations" and "4500-5000" for "Medallion Club Members". 20,000 for corporates is WAY too many.

The MCC also takes up way too many, but short of building our own MCG there isn't much we can do about that.

 

[PowerOfThePussy]

Further to my plight.

I now find out that my sister (first year of watching the Cats semi-seriously) and her husband (Brisbane Lions supporter) and their kids got tickets through the ballot. I am finding it extremely difficult to be happy for them when I have missed out. Of course I am happy for my sister and I hope she has a great day, but the whole process is a really really depressing affair. At least in previous years, it was up to me. This year I feel I have had control taken away and for it to be decided by picking names out of a hat is really difficult to take when your name doesn't come up.

One of the saddest days of my life today and I am feeling totally non-plussed about the whole thing. Thanks a lot AFL.

I know it's the luck of the draw but I am so down and gutted today. Has left such a bitter taste in my mouth.

 

[Will.B.Worth.Da.Waite]

That hurts mate....
I know it wont help this year, but maybe look at a higher level membership
package,one that guarantees a g/f ticket,thats what i do, i couldnt stand the pain of missing out...

Is that a guarantee even ifyour club isn't in the g/f, or only if you make the g/f?

 

[dan warna]

i was a saints member in 97 and didnt' get a ticket I've since upgraded to social club membership which should guarantee me a ticket SHOULD we ever make it that far again

i empathise with you.

in defence of corporates they throw the big money around.

even some of your clubs allocation goes to the sponsors.

the reality is that clubs make deals with sponsors, free tickets, speaking etc, and the club rides with the sponsors when successful, corporates get good marketling when linked to winning teams, hence st kilda out of the finals struggling to find a sponsor. in return they want to give their clients tickets to the footy.

football isn't a sport for us anymore, its a business, and the footballers are paid the same as middle income folks when they walk through the door.

volunteers in the professional roles are nearly extinct and a football club has a turnover of between 21m (st kilda) to 50m to 60m for the football clubs at the top end.

even the teams with big memberships (say 40k,) would be struggling to get 8m to 9m from memberships the rest comes from the sponsors and the AFL.

the AFl gets its money from sponsors.

the sponsors need to sell stuff so the tix go to their clients.

of the 1k tixs opposition teams get 800 to 900 will go to the teams sponsors.

with the 20k MCC members there, it doesn't leave much for the honest fan.

in 97 i knew a bunch of folks either going to the game or giving away tickets to the game who had nothing to do with st kilda or adelaide. In my frustration, I did report someone who I knew was dealing with blacmarket tickeets when he was advertising them for 1.8k each! (he had 100 tickets or so confiscated and I know he paid 100 to 300 each) and I also dobbed in someone who had received a ticket as a kickback for doing someone dodgy.

i was bloody furious.

all I can do is try and ensure that I dont miss outagain by buying one of hte higher category memberships at st kilda, and hopefully I wont miss out again.

I realise this costs $$$ and lots of them, and it isn't fair on folks who go to most H&A games, it isn't fair on folks who support their team in rain, sleet, out waverley etc, but thats the reality of anderson/demetriou and their wish for theatre goers rather than football fans.

in the face of upheavals at st kilda i wonder if I'll ever see a premiership, but like a good victim, I make my funds donation to st kilda every year.

i do hope you get to scam tickets, i suggest you ring around your friends in the military, coles, toyota, etc if they are in admin or middle/senior managememtn roles.

 

[PowerOfThePussy]

Is that a guarantee even ifyour club isn't in the g/f, or only if you make the g/f?

I'm not entirely sure how it works. I must admit it was my fault for not checking it out properly at the time of purchasing my family membership. The GFC staff member did not mention anything at all about a September member because if they had of I definately would have got that one.

But as I said my own fault for not looking into the memberships better.

Further to your question, i think it only guarantees you a ticket if your team makes it.

 

[AngelEyes]

I think it should be done on how long you have been a member and if you took tickets to the last grand final. With the rules:

1. If your team hasn't made the Grand Final in the last 5 years - tickets are given to Members in order of when they joined the club i.e. the eighty year old lady who has sat in the outer for the last 50 years gets a ticket over the bandwagoner supporter who joined up last year. This also gives an incentive for people to keep their memberships in bad times. The people who stick with the club through the bad times get the ticket.

2. If your club has been to a grand final in the last 5 years - a ballot is conducted to randomly select who should be able to go. Similar to this year. I would do something like people who didn't go to the last one get 2 balls in the ballot, people who went to the last one get one ball in the ballot. Or perhaps even allocate them to people who didn't take up their ticket allocation last time - this would also mean people would use their tickets themselves rather than dish them off to non-members and others if they didn't go.

I don't know, its hard, the AFL needs corporates and fans.

 

[plod]

buy the ticket from your sister...