MCG needs to increase capacity

Should State/Federal Government redevelop MCG to increased capacity?

  • Yes

    Votes: 134 49.1%
  • No

    Votes: 139 50.9%

  • Total voters
    273

Remove this Banner Ad

dickballsack

Club Legend
Dec 15, 2009
1,379
1,428
Sydney
AFL Club
Collingwood
The blame is misguided - which is exactly what the afl want. The reason the GF tickets are hard to get is simply because of the AFL corporate allocation they sell off for massive profits. Below is from the afl site.

1.Competing Club Members 16,000 - 40,000

2. AFL Clubs (18) 0 - 7,000
3. MCC Reserve 16,000 - 26,000
4. AFL Members 13,000 - 23,000
5. AFL/Medallion Club Members 3,000 - 5,000
6. AFL Entitlements/Contractual Obligation 5,000 - 30,000
7. Competing Clubs 0 - 5,000
Total100,000 (approx)
 
Oct 22, 2008
17,318
19,556
Geelong
AFL Club
Essendon
Time to find a new ground in that case, surely the Vic gov will step in to correct this wastage of their asset. An additional 10000 tickets to interstate visitors = an extra 10000 tourists spending money in the local economy, rather than locals who don't need accommodation, travel, eat at home, etc.
Find one then. There's a reason the MCG is the greatest venue in Australia.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

pebblestone

Former Child
Richmond Tigers - 2017 Player Sponsor Richmond Tigers - 2016 Player Sponsor
May 23, 2011
6,137
11,682
3121
AFL Club
Richmond
$650 a year shouldn't get you free entry into the grand final. The AFL ****** up allowing it.
It doesn't. It gives you the ability to go in a ballot to maybe be drawn for free entry to the GF. FYI I have not been successful in the ballot for many years.
Those whoa re willing to queue up all night can have the walk-up seats, of which there are a few thousand. Queueing is for suckers.
 
Sep 13, 2015
18,683
48,481
Hillary Step
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
76ers
Here is simple idea

As part of your mcc memberships your required to go ....or Give the seat to someone who can go

If you don’t you are fined 500 bucks ......do it two times then sorry your membership is revoked ....seeya piss off.

Sorry I’ve not sympathy for rich toffee nosed mcc members who dont show up ......yeah they would then come ...problem solved .....yup I’ll get shouted at again in this forum...but seriously every seat on grand final should be filled ...


It’s the people’s game ...I’m disappointed when I see 95,000 at a gran final when we know 105,000 could fit in if everyone went
The GF is almost always full. Last year, for example, 100,021 showed up. That means across the whole stadium, 3 seats/standing spaces were vacant.
 

McOrist

Club Legend
Aug 17, 2009
1,886
3,107
The East
AFL Club
Collingwood
There's basically only two stands at the 'G now - the Southern/AFL Members stand and the Ponsford/MCC/Northern stand.
You would have to demolish or close off half the ground to expand or re-build to increase capacity.
This would decrease the capacity for years during the construction -and all this for just a 'problem' that is there for only one day each year.
Unnecessary.
 

Konrad2709

Team Captain
Jun 3, 2012
455
630
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Galloping Ducks, Borussia Dortmund
It doesn't. It gives you the ability to go in a ballot to maybe be drawn for free entry to the GF. FYI I have not been successful in the ballot for many years.
Those whoa re willing to queue up all night can have the walk-up seats, of which there are a few thousand. Queueing is for suckers.
It does though.
The ballot isn't free, but $10, which is the cost of a reserved seat throughout the year.
However anybody can walk up, if you don't mind standing in a bar or sitting in the nose-bleeds, then you can rock up any time and usually walk in.
I missed the ballot last year, so I queued... first time in my entire life the Tigers were in the GF and damned as hell I wasn't going to miss it!
I started queuing the night before around 18:00-19:00, managed to get in the first section on the concourse at the gates before it was closed and people had to queue on the grass. Managed to get front row, level 2 seats, right in front on the coaches box. It was perfect!
 
1. A portion of the reserve is allocated via a completely random ballot. If you get a seat, you can give it up if you decide to not go. I forget the % of all seats, it might be 9k of the 23k.

Pretty certain it's a 45-55 split, not complete sure which way though. Probably 45 balloted.

2. The rest are walk up seating, which the members and committee have deemed the fairest method. It was challenged a few years ago.

What's the story here?

3. If be a given time the reserve isn't at capacity, the MCC will use social media to announce the release of seats to restricted members, then potentially provisional members. The MCC wants the reserve full and normally it is.

I feel in the age of social media that the club could do better on this, especially with regard to restricted members gaining access based on club support.
 

roacheee

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Aug 25, 2015
6,944
16,156
AFL Club
Richmond
Interesting.

Especially the bit about the premier threatening to legislate.

Now you would hope that a threat like that would result in a counter- threat to send it interstate.
Do you in any way shape or form believe the stuff you write?
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

ItsAllAboutMe

Norm Smith Medallist
Dec 22, 2006
9,545
11,314
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur
The ground is already a soleless concrete jungle with zero atmosphere when their is less than 70 000 in... how many times a year does it exceed 70k? Not enough to justify an increase unless they are going to build the boutique stadium and keep MCG for blockbusters a bit like they do with Wembley in London.
 

Konrad2709

Team Captain
Jun 3, 2012
455
630
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Galloping Ducks, Borussia Dortmund
Pretty certain it's a 45-55 split, not complete sure which way though. Probably 45 balloted.
http://www.mcc.org.au/my-mcc-membership/grand-final-ballot
13k out of 23k, makes ~55% balloted. You are correct sir, I apologies! Not sure why I had 9k in my mind.

What's the story here?
I don't recall a lot of details, but I do recall reading about them investigating alternative arrangements to a random ballot. I quick search doesn't reveal anything, hopefully somebody can shed more light! I'm not sure if 'challenge' gave the wrong connotation, sorry! I think it was a consultative process to work out if there was another scheme that members preferred.

I feel in the age of social media that the club could do better on this, especially with regard to restricted members gaining access based on club support.
Ideas?
The MCC uses Twitter/Facebook (I don't know about others) to keep all members in the loop on GF day with respect to seating. They provide updates on the morning queue, estimates on whether it'll be opened to Restricted Members and what the process will be (i.e. buying a ticket). I'm not sure what they could do better.
 
I don't recall a lot of details, but I do recall reading about them investigating alternative arrangements to a random ballot. I quick search doesn't reveal anything, hopefully somebody can shed more light! I'm not sure if 'challenge' gave the wrong connotation, sorry! I think it was a consultative process to work out if there was another scheme that members preferred.

Ah, so not dissimilar to how every few years they check if we'd still prefer alcohol only in the bars. But yeah, initially I thought someone got all shitty at the AGM or something. :p

Ideas?
The MCC uses Twitter/Facebook (I don't know about others) to keep all members in the loop on GF day with respect to seating. They provide updates on the morning queue, estimates on whether it'll be opened to Restricted Members and what the process will be (i.e. buying a ticket). I'm not sure what they could do better.

It might be impractical, but I was thinking a GF week access ballot of some sort for restricted members with listed clubs where you receive a number in the queue. If by 1:30 it looks like it won't fill up (and really, one hour before, who isn't there already), it's announced that numbers 1-200 or whatever are eligible to purchase entry. I reckon if your team is playing and you're in the first 100 then you're likely to stay close by to get in.

The current system seems to make it more random and less worthwhile IMO. Refreshing FB at random intervals during the morning just so you know you can go to the gate to maybe buy a ticket. Adding some structure to it would be handy.
 

Konrad2709

Team Captain
Jun 3, 2012
455
630
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Galloping Ducks, Borussia Dortmund
It might be impractical, but I was thinking a GF week access ballot of some sort for restricted members with listed clubs where you receive a number in the queue. If by 1:30 it looks like it won't fill up (and really, one hour before, who isn't there already), it's announced that numbers 1-200 or whatever are eligible to purchase entry. I reckon if your team is playing and you're in the first 100 then you're likely to stay close by to get in.

The current system seems to make it more random and less worthwhile IMO. Refreshing FB at random intervals during the morning just so you know you can go to the gate to maybe buy a ticket. Adding some structure to it would be handy.
Ah, I see your point now.

I haven't been in that situation, since I became a full member before even bothering about the GF. Yeah I have wondered in the past how people deal with that, once the message is out, hordes of people would be rushing to the gate!

At least these days Yarra Park is full of activities and stuff to do while you wait. So if you don't get in, it's not a total loss.
 

bigfatcorn

Debutant
May 27, 2011
146
109
AFL Club
West Coast
Find one then. There's a reason the MCG is the greatest venue in Australia.

the greatest? really.

It's terribly outdated and watching games there sucks unless you're lucky enough to sit near the ground.

The only pros for MCG are that it fits the most, and its proximity to Melbourne.

Etihad is a superior stadium to the MCG, and Optus Stadium is by far the best stadium in Australia right now for a live sport experience, even the worst seats at optus give a pretty damn good view.
 
Oct 22, 2008
17,318
19,556
Geelong
AFL Club
Essendon
the greatest? really.

It's terribly outdated and watching games there sucks unless you're lucky enough to sit near the ground.

The only pros for MCG are that it fits the most, and its proximity to Melbourne.

Etihad is a superior stadium to the MCG, and Optus Stadium is by far the best stadium in Australia right now for a live sport experience, even the worst seats at optus give a pretty damn good view.
Etihad is pretty poor, that you rate it higher than the 'G is telling.

The 60001st seat at the MCG is still pretty good viewing. That cannot be said about optus.
 
I think there is a fascination with the number 100k. If it's under it feels disappointing. If it was increased to a capacity of say 102-104k and we got 100k plus every grand final no matter who was in it the uproar decreases.

Reckon the 100k figure stems from the fact everyone knows the ground holds that, so noticeably less than that stands out.

Due to sight screens the capacity on Boxing Day is only like 96-97k, but I imagine a crowd of 94k feels far more disappointing than it really is.
 
Dec 29, 2000
23,402
20,544
AFL Club
Adelaide
What if they make the Superbowl, surely they could give you standing room? It's an outrage.

Anyone can buy a Super Bowl ticket as long as you are prepared to pay the price - it’s not like the AFL. Most stadiums only hold 70k-75k. Tickets aren’t allocated to season ticket holders from my understanding.

Went to the 2015 SB (Patriots vs Seahawks) and paid $3,700- via NFL TicketExchange or you could also use Stubhub.
 
Back