AFL Grand Final It's a grand old poll. On the grand final location.

[Gysberts2Bate]

Home state of the minor premier is a decent option. Would have been a bit odd 2002-2005 bar 2004 and pretty funny in 2015 but largely works well. Adds actual stakes to finishing on top too.

 

[bjwilliams]

Home state of the minor premier is a decent option. Would have been a bit odd 2002-2005 bar 2004 and pretty funny in 2015 but largely works well. Adds actual stakes to finishing on top too.

Requires the AFL to book every stadium in each state for that date all the way in advance, then cancelling them at the end of the year. No stadium would agree to this as they lose the opportunity to have it booked for concerts, functions etc.

Can’t see them going for it. If it’s going away from the G it’ll need to be just a set rotation.

 

[bjwilliams]

Very true. I think preparing months in advance, you'd sell out the venue no matter where it is or who is playing, but would people want Richmond v Collingwood in front of 60k or 100k at the MCG? Or a western derby GF in QLD?

Yeah that’s always my point about this. You can’t have grand finals just scheduled 2-4 weeks out, it doesn’t work. So a rotation is required and that doesn’t guarantee a great spectacle either. I don’t believe it should just stay at the G each year but there will be times when it’s Adelaide v Freo at the SCG or Essendon v Geelong at the Gabba.

 

[LoungeLizard]

Everyone seems to love how the NFL system works.

I vote we have it in the USA.

 

[Coolangatta]

Requires the AFL to book every stadium in each state for that date all the way in advance, then cancelling them at the end of the year. No stadium would agree to this as they lose the opportunity to have it booked for concerts, functions etc.

Can’t see them going for it. If it’s going away from the G it’ll need to be just a set rotation.

Yeah that’s always my point about this. You can’t have grand finals just scheduled 2-4 weeks out, it doesn’t work. So a rotation is required and that doesn’t guarantee a great spectacle either. I don’t believe it should just stay at the G each year but there will be times when it’s Adelaide v Freo at the SCG or Essendon v Geelong at the Gabba.

I agree, but I posted about this on Reddit and it doesn't seem to be popular. They honestly believe you can move the GF 2-5 weeks out and give it to the top of the ladder/highest seed.

They'd definitely lock it in months in advance, but give them that dose of reality and they'll downvote you.

 

[Coolangatta]

I would go with Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide every eight years each, but only when Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide are ready. I think you'd want at least 60k. I don't think you'd have to have a twilight GF because I've been told that the Optus GF didn't make big bucks because Channel 7 paid the AFL more for the twilight broadcasting rights, but because the Victorian government and the MCG take a higher share of the GF revenue in Melbourne.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Strange poll missing the best option.

I like the every 4 years Olympic year idea floated by the media quite a bit.

Every leap year the GF goes to Perth/Adelaide/Sydney/Brisbane on rotation, so each city gets it once every 16 years and there would be a huge build up to it on each occasion.


I say this as a long term MCC member also.

Yep, hold the next 3 at the G to remind us how good it was/is, give the SA Government an opportunity to build a northern stand on the hill and in 4 years time hold it in Adelaide.
Then 3 at the G, NSW, 3 at the G, back to QLD etc. etc.
Would it really hurt to give others a chance, or is it a case of what if they do too good of a job like WA did.

 

[Coolangatta]

Yep, hold the next 3 at the G to remind us how good it was/is, give the SA Government an opportunity to build a northern stand on the hill and in 4 years time hold it in Adelaide.
Then 3 at the G, NSW, 3 at the G, back to QLD etc. etc.
Would it really hurt to give others a chance, or is it a case of what if they do too good of a job like WA did.

Well, realistically, something like that is the best chance we've got.

I can't see them ever ripping up the contract and starting new because someone needs to cough up 500 million with interest, have the offer accepted, and then start from scratch.

But there's nothing stopping them from selling off a few grand finals every 3-5 years without violating the contract.

It doesn't look like the Victorian government is even willing to give us that.

Oh, and my maths was wrong before. I said 60 out of 64, it would be 48.

I think if you had, say, a 48-year deal, the MCG could get 32 of those in an Olympic style rotation system.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Other : always at a neutral venue
MCG if its not Vic v non-Vic, otherwise Perth; unless one WA side is involved, in which case Adelaide. If SCG and Gabba get to 50k+ they also come into the frame in non-MCG years.
The downside, some logistical issues with not knowing the venue until one week out. But that really should not be a problem; scrap the usually tedious "entertainment", and its not like the sponsors can't get flights and hotels once pandemics are finished with. (The non-Vic fans already have to a lot of the time, and without "work" paying for their tickets)

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

No stadium would agree to this as they lose the opportunity to have it booked for concerts, functions etc.

How exactly is that different to the previous three weeks of finals? The AFL might have specific booking requirements for GF venues because of corporates, etc, but there’s no particular reason the stadiums wouldn’t be able to keep that Saturday free relative to the three others they must to some extent be keeping free during September. At least this one offers them the opportunity to make huge bank, compared to say hosting a semi-final.

Obviously there are logistical issues and differences but that’s a problem for the AFL to work out, and something they already routinely do to get the deals they want.

 

[Coolangatta]

Other : always at a neutral venue
MCG if its not Vic v non-Vic, otherwise Perth; unless one WA side is involved, in which case Adelaide. If SCG and Gabba get to 50k+ they also come into the frame in non-MCG years.
The downside, some logistical issues with not knowing the venue until one week out. But that really should not be a problem; scrap the usually tedious "entertainment", and its not like the sponsors can't get flights and hotels once pandemics are finished with. (The non-Vic fans already have to a lot of the time, and without "work" paying for their tickets)

How exactly is that different to the previous three weeks of finals? The AFL might have specific booking requirements for GF venues because of corporates, etc, but there’s no particular reason the stadiums wouldn’t be able to keep that Saturday free relative to the three others they must to some extent be keeping free during September. At least this one offers them the opportunity to make huge bank, compared to say hosting a semi-final.

Obviously there are logistical issues and differences but that’s a problem for the AFL to work out, and something they already routinely do to get the deals they want.

It's difficult to say. It seems extremely unlikely that the AFL would ever scrap the entertainment, though, and therein lies the problem, in addition to the corporate events and social functions preceding the event. You could make the pre-GF bye a permanent addition, so they have two weeks to get it all ready, but it'd be cutting it close. I think if it's actually doable, though, then the highest-ranked seed should choose the venue from a list of those that pass the current AFL caucus for GF standard. Currently, that would be Melbourne and Perth, but the other three cities would attain that standard within a decade, I'm sure.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Currently there are 10 Victorian teams and 8 non Victorian teams, that's 55.55% of teams in Victoria, therefore 55.55% grand finals should be in Victoria.

I would do 6 of the next 10 grand finals in Victoria, but if Tasmania and another WA team come in to make it an even 50-50 split of Victorian/non Victorian teams then having every 2nd grand final at the MCG and rotating the other years makes most sense. Also the game location should be announced a couple years in advance.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

It's difficult to say. It seems extremely unlikely that the AFL would ever scrap the entertainment, though, and therein lies the problem, in addition to the corporate events and social functions preceding the event. You could make the pre-GF bye a permanent addition, so they have two weeks to get it all ready, but it'd be cutting it close. I think if it's actually doable, though, then the highest-ranked seed should choose the venue from a list of those that pass the current AFL caucus for GF standard. Currently, that would be Melbourne and Perth, but the other three cities would attain that standard within a decade, I'm sure.

I still don’t understand what any of this has to do with needing to book out all of the stadiums several months in advance, relative to doing so for other finals, and why that’s an issue, other than what seem like easily workable logistical challenges.

Even if it was, in a year like this one say by August or even July it would have been clear that West Coast and Fremantle weren’t going to finish on top. By round 16 or 17 you could narrow down the potential venues to the MCG, Gabba, Adelaide Oval and Homebush at a stretch with Sydney three games off top spot.

Not to mention that regard of contracts the MCG is always going to be free on GF day - I can’t see a situation where anyone is booking it out for a concert that weekend, let alone another sporting event. Worst comes to worst it’s an almost perfect fallback option.

 

[terrybull]

How about a 5 week Grand Final?

Sydney-Brisbane-Perth-Adelaide-Melbourne.

Scores after each games continues to next.

so the Grand Final has a total 20 quarters in the end.

And maybe both teams can kick the ton when the Final Siren sounds

 

[Johnny Karate]

Bidding system for mine. Could inject more cash into the game (I don’t expect TV rights deals to become better financially), removes the uncertainty of only locking in a venue 4 or 5 weeks out (minor premier option) and the unfairness of it being at one stadium in perpetuity. Would make it a truly National competition.

 

[Turnover]

MCG. Perf with want the Melbourne Cup next.

 

[juss]

Bollocks.
Let's say WCE finish on top of the ladder, and they win through to the GF.
GF should be played at Perth Stadium. They earned it.

I'd be interested to hear how this is unacceptable.

The GF needs to be preset logistically. The highest qualifier home ground doesn't really work with all the other stuff they do.

It's okay to rotate it, because they still means it's preset.

 

[M Malice]

I live in Brisbane and am a traditionalist when it comes to the GF venue, it should stay at the MCG in perpetuity and barring another zombie apocalypse outbreak it will be... at least in my life time.

 

[bjwilliams]

How exactly is that different to the previous three weeks of finals? The AFL might have specific booking requirements for GF venues because of corporates, etc, but there’s no particular reason the stadiums wouldn’t be able to keep that Saturday free relative to the three others they must to some extent be keeping free during September. At least this one offers them the opportunity to make huge bank, compared to say hosting a semi-final.

Obviously there are logistical issues and differences but that’s a problem for the AFL to work out, and something they already routinely do to get the deals they want.

If it's going to happen, you need to agree it then at the start of finals. If top of the ladder gets home Grand Final, does it remain there if they drop out? I.e. Port finish top, West Coast and Sydney play in the grand final at AO? Unless the two week break remains too, but everyone seemed to hate that (myself included).

I think a rolling schedule removes the issues and allows clarity for everyone involved.

 

[Generation X]

Bollocks.
Let's say WCE finish on top of the ladder, and they win through to the GF.
GF should be played at Perth Stadium. They earned it.

I'd be interested to hear how this is unacceptable.

I tend to agree with this. Just as long as the ground is good enough to host it, for example if Geelong is the highest ranked team going into a GF it shouldn't be played at their home ground.

But Covid has given us a chance to re-evaluate how we can improve the game nationally. Imagine what it would do to football in Queensland if Brisbane won the GF in their own state? I'm usually a bit of a traditionalist but the game has always evolved and developed, time for us to be a bit braver

 

[Underarm]

Currently there are 10 Victorian teams and 8 non Victorian teams, that's 55.55% of teams in Victoria, therefore 55.55% grand finals should be in Victoria.

I would do 6 of the next 10 grand finals in Victoria, but if Tasmania and another WA team come in to make it an even 50-50 split of Victorian/non Victorian teams then having every 2nd grand final at the MCG and rotating the other years makes most sense. Also the game location should be announced a couple years in advance.

Are people really going to spend $1500 to stand on the hill at Belrieve to watch a Grand final? That's what it would cost to ensure the AFL make even close to the same amount of $$$.

If they decide 70k is the minimum, then the GF should be split based on the clubs from those 2 states. I.e Perth gets a GF once every 6 years until the other states get a Stadium big enough.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

It will only be a truly national league when St Kilda and Fremantle play a GF in Tasmania

 

[Billy ray]

Always at Metricon

no bias

 

[Coolangatta]

If it's going to happen, you need to agree it then at the start of finals. If top of the ladder gets home Grand Final, does it remain there if they drop out? I.e. Port finish top, West Coast and Sydney play in the grand final at AO? Unless the two week break remains too, but everyone seemed to hate that (myself included).

I think a rolling schedule removes the issues and allows clarity for everyone involved.

Yeah, the rolling schedule is best, but you will inevitably piss people off if there's a western derby GF in Sydney or a Richmond v Collingwood GF in Brisbane. That's why I think the minimum should be 70k.

Hell, if they insist on sticking with the MCG until 2059, they could come out now and say, "Hey, we're going to have GFs in other states from 2060 and beyond, but we want stadiums with the same capacity as the MCG." I'm sure they'd all eventually build them, and if you could get 100k for a Carlton v Essendon GF, who cares if it's in Adelaide?

The only way if you don't do a rolling schedule is to have every state prepare to host, and as we get closer to knowing who the opponents are going to be, they cancel the bookings. But I don't see that happening.

 

[Tippett2Goal]

Yeah, the rolling schedule is best, but you will inevitably piss people off if there's a western derby GF in Sydney or a Richmond v Collingwood GF in Brisbane. That's why I think the minimum should be 70k.

Hell, if they insist on sticking with the MCG until 2059, they could come out now and say, "Hey, we're going to have GFs in other states from 2060 and beyond, but we want stadiums with the same capacity as the MCG." I'm sure they'd all eventually build them, and if you could get 100k for a Carlton v Essendon GF, who cares if it's in Adelaide?

The only way if you don't do a rolling schedule is to have every state prepare to host, and as we get closer to knowing who the opponents are going to be, they cancel the bookings. But I don't see that happening.

No they wont

Stadiums need some pretty massive utilisation to be profitable (from the top of my head I think its something like 48 days/yr), noone is building a stadium the size of MCG in Australia for 1 grand final a year.


EDIT:
And at the end of the day MCG attendance numbers are meaningless anyway, Grand Finals have something like 3.5 - 4.5m television viewers, 30k difference in fan attendance is a nothing figure. (without even taking into account how many tickets are taken up by MCC vs being available to supporters of clubs anyway)