New Stadium required

[BlueTouchPaper]

This thread is actually pretty funny given that. Some people genuinely believe that you can take a fixture that would draw 20k at Docklands or the MCG, play it at some shitheap ground in some backward location miles from anywhere, and expect that it would still draw even close to 20k. ****en dreaming.

Take that back!

 

[dan warna]

FFS, the AFL was petitioned by clubs that were sick of playing home games to **** all crowds there. They forced the AFL to buy out Carlton so that they didn't have to play there anymore.

Go back and look at some of the crowds for games played there. Under 15,000 was almost the norm for non Carlton games, and under 10,000 was pretty common as well. That Princes Park isn't used anymore is purely a club driven initiative. If you want a reason as to why a cheap stadium is a shocking idea, go back and look at why we no longer play there. Melburnians will not show up to 3rd rate venues.

This thread is actually pretty funny given that. Some people genuinely believe that you can take a fixture that would draw 20k at Docklands or the MCG, play it at some shitheap ground in some backward location miles from anywhere, and expect that it would still draw even close to 20k. ****en dreaming.

Living in glen waverley I used to go to waverley park to crowds of between 20k and 60k usually and the saints made a profit almost every game, then going to collo stadium (which was beautiful IMO especially with young kids, though murder to travel to ). where the saints bled money for 3 or 4 years.

I'd say the crowds at waverley would have brought more money to the hawks and saints than TD ever did.

That said, the hawks at the MCG make good money.

 

[Strike Swiftly]

Suburban stadiums don't work. They need to be central for public transport purposes (Vline).

Madison Sq Garden (Knicks) is a far easier place to get to than say, Ziod Stadium (Nets)

 

[dan warna]

Suburban stadiums don't work. They need to be central for public transport purposes (Vline).

Madison Sq Garden (Knicks) is a far easier place to get to than say, Ziod Stadium (Nets)

really? waverley park was very profitable for decades despite not getting any work on it done.

 

[Ron The Bear]

really? waverley park was very profitable for decades despite not getting any work on it done.

Not quite true, they did add lights and the fabulous sepia-tone scoreboard!

 

[Strike Swiftly]

really? waverley park was very profitable for decades despite not getting any work on it done.

Say you lived in Bendigo and relied on public transport. How would you get to Waverley park?

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Say you lived in Bendigo and relied on public transport. How would you get to Waverley park?

If you lived in Bendigo and relied on public transport there are lots of places you cant go.
If you live in many suburbs of melbourne and rely on our antiquated model of public transport your life sucks.
If you live in a lot of areas of Australia and rely on public transport your life sucks.

Public transport in Australia sucks, and a system that was a good idea at the turn of the previous century is no longer a good idea, even if they can get their new ticketing system to work.

 

[dan warna]

Say you lived in Bendigo and relied on public transport. How would you get to Waverley park?

I would suggest that if you are coming in from bendigo, driving to waverley was relatively easy compared to driving and parking at the MCG or TD.

I lived in berwick for 4 years and the MCG and TD was about 2 hours away by public transport on a sunday. Victoria park, windy hill, western oval and victoria park were all murder to get to (and murder to be at ) as a teenager from glen waverley (1980s), into richmond or flinders street and switch, usually on a saturday morning leaving at 10 ish so i can see be there at about 12 and see the second half of the ressies.

If i lived in bendigo, everywhere would be difficult.

the point is there are about 4 million people in melbourne, about 2/3 of the live east of the city , 1.3m east of waverley road.

Waverley park had crap public transport (glen waverley station and then a bus).

It was well serviced by roads though, princes freeway, wellington road, princes highway. etc, and it had a tonne of parking, you could fit 20,000 cars there if not more.

Waverley was profitable, serviced 1 million plus people when it was built, and pissed off john cain junior so much he threatened to pass laws banning it as it potentially broke the monopoly the MCC had with AFL finals

 

[Axcellence]

As I remember it... No new stadiums can be contracted beyond the existing ones until 2014 (docklands deal).

The best option for 25k stadium in 2014 would be amy parks

 

[PP34]

Demolish the shithole that is Etihad Stadium or make it fit more. But seriously they should bring back Princess park.

 

[dan warna]

Demolish the shithole that is Etihad Stadium or make it fit more. But seriously they should bring back Princess park.

I like etihad tbh, but we could do with a stadium around 70k that isn't beholden to the MCC.

Wouldn't mind if it was west with parking if it was say before laverton, it would be an ok drive, and frankly faster than parking in southbank (because im a cheapie) and walking up. Would prefer if they could find a 'waverley' sized block of land in the south east, or east though.

 

[PP34]

I like etihad tbh, but we could do with a stadium around 70k that isn't beholden to the MCC.

I don't because apparently paying hundreds of dollars to the AFL for a membership means that you sit up in the heavens there. Thank god I get good tickets from other sources occasionally.

 

[JHF1870]

We don't need a new 80,000 capacity stadium. We need a boutique stadium of about 25-000-30,000 for the low drawing games. Should revamp an inner city ground.

Before anyone says it, not Optus Oval. It's now a training base and it was so non-neutral that everyone hated it.

Agreed. I don't think there has been a +50k game between a non Victorian side in the regular season. Correct me if I'm wrong. Leave those games for the smaller stadium for greater revenue returns. If the AFL wants clubs to be more viable, and thus hand out less funds. build a smaller cost effective stadium like Skilled Stadium. So Melbourne play North Melbourne, play at a 30k ground.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Etihad IS smaller and cost effective. Dont confuse greed with cost.
Does anyone think Melbourne Victory were paying anywhere near as much as the AFL clubs have to.

 

[pazza]

It was well serviced by roads though, princes freeway, wellington road, princes highway. etc, and it had a tonne of parking, you could fit 20,000 cars there if not more.

If you had a shovel to dig the thing out after you bogged it!

 

[azza29]

Left-field idea: double headers at Etihad. Say, North vs Dockers followed by Bulldogs vs Adelaide. Would attract 15-20k supporters each from North and Dogs, plus 5k neutral/away. Home clubs split the profits - they wouldn't make a huge amount but at least they wouldn't be losing money on a sub-20k crowd. Of course there would be a few logistic issues to work out, but overall the clubs would be better off.

 

[Underarm]

I don't because apparently paying hundreds of dollars to the AFL for a membership means that you sit up in the heavens there. Thank god I get good tickets from other sources occasionally.

"the heavens" as you call it at etihad is akin to sitting at the front of the top stand at the G.

A double header at the dome wouldnt solve anything. supporters from the first game come in, make a mess and leave when there game is finished. supporters from the second game come in only 20 minutes before their own game the crowd wouldnt look as full as you might think.

 

[cappa35]

Etihad IS smaller and cost effective. Dont confuse greed with cost.
Does anyone think Melbourne Victory were paying anywhere near as much as the AFL clubs have to.

They also don't open up as many sections nor have as many staff on for Melbourne Victory games, and the stadium is in use for a shorter period of time. Half the number of players/staff per team who get paid less and have far fewer costs throughout the year plus lower operating costs for the clubs themselves.

In short, you are right. Clubs can easily profit off playing games at Etihad by cutting costs. They refuse to do that. Hence, we bitch and moan about "stadium deals" when in reality the clubs that lose money (including Carlton) are spending beyond their means (at the current time).

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Etihad's costs and profits should also not be confused. The cost saving thing is just that they dont want to give away something for nothing.

 

[MeestaNob]

It would be brilliant if facilities were upgraded to allow Whitten Oval to host small games versus the interstate clubs (Freo, PA, GC, GWS).

Approx 20K (maybe 25K at a stretch?) patrons, good home team crowd and atmosphere, predominately standing room only except for the seating in the existing grandstands - would be marvellous. Also, they'd make a fortune off games like that, much like Geelong do with their Kardinia Park arrangements.

 

[nobbyiscool]

I always thought if they were going to build a 25,000 seater they should keep it in the melbourne park precinct and develop punt road. would be a great location.

there's no need for another big stadium - they just need to better fixture the grounds and games they have.

 

[HappyChappy35]

It would be brilliant if facilities were upgraded to allow Whitten Oval to host small games versus the interstate clubs (Freo, PA, GC, GWS).

Approx 20K (maybe 25K at a stretch?) patrons, good home team crowd and atmosphere, predominately standing room only except for the seating in the existing grandstands - would be marvellous. Also, they'd make a fortune off games like that, much like Geelong do with their Kardinia Park arrangements.

I personally would love to see this happen but considering the powers at the AFL most likely wouldn't let it be, this idea is more of a pipe dream than not. It could at least be used for NAB Cup/practice matches perhaps?
Still think Princes Park should be used as a third Melbourne stadium, as I've already stated. Would act as a money spinner for the smaller clubs along with Carlton themselves, eliminate unsightly crowds of 15,000 for North/Dogs/Dees v interstate clubs, and alleviate the constraints of only having two venues in Melbourne to fixture matches on every weekend.

 

[Red Crow]

Agreed. I don't think there has been a +50k game between a non Victorian side in the regular season. Correct me if I'm wrong. Leave those games for the smaller stadium for greater revenue returns. If the AFL wants clubs to be more viable, and thus hand out less funds. build a smaller cost effective stadium like Skilled Stadium. So Melbourne play North Melbourne, play at a 30k ground.

Can't help the temptation of proving a Port supporter wrong, so:

Adelaide:
Round 15 2008 v Collingwood, MCG, 52592

Brisbane Lions:
Round 6 2004 v St. Kilda, Docklands, 52529
Round 12, 2004 v Essendon, Docklands, 50003
Round 19, 2003 v Collingwood, MCG, 61868
Round 10, 2006 v Collingwood, MCG, 54820

Fremantle:
Round 1, 1997 v Collingwood, MCG, 51883

Sydney:
Round 21, 1996 v Essendon, MCG, 69237
Round 21, 2007 v Collingwood, MCG, 63842
Round 11, 1998 v Essendon, MCG, 62866
Round 7, 1998 v Collingwood, MCG, 57894
Round 21, 2009 v Collingwood, MCG, 54400
Round 21, 1998 v Melbourne, MCG, 52614
Round 3, 1999 v Essendon, MCG, 50324

West Coast:
Round 19, 1999 v Essendon, MCG, 55096
Round 10, 2008 v Collingwood, MCG, 52968
Round 10, 2011 v Collingwood, MCG, 52560

This doesn't mean I disagree with the notion of a smaller "boutique" stadium in Melbourne though. But living down Geelong way and having to usually drive to Geelong and then catch a train to Melbourne for Crows games, I'd hate for those games to be way out east or in Ballarat/Bendigo. It surely has to be central to cater for the vast majority.

There may be a large population living out east, but how many of them are seriously going to attend North Melbourne v Adelaide at Dandenong??

 

[grizzlym]

bump..

 

[millsy29gopies]

I agree there does need to be a 25,000 capacity stadium in Melbourne. I'm thinking, if possible, that a ground should be upgraded, like Junction Oval?, as to starting a new stadium from scratch, although it would be hard to find a suitable specifications.

In 15-25 years time though, I'm thinking a new 80,000+ stadium. If Melbourne were to host the Olympics, I don't think the MCG should be used, a new stadium should be constructed. This would play into the hands of the AFL.