Question about seating at the MCG

[OzBomber]

Noticed that they've closed the whole top deck for the Southern Stand. I'm really dissapointed by this.

On the final day of the test last year when there was only 5,000 there you could walk wherever you wanted around the ground. Even Day 3 when there was around 35,000 there weren't many security guys around (I was able to go sit on level 3 and 4 without a question beind asked). There was not a problem, yet why do they close half of it when there's a crowd of 60,000 for a T20.

I don't see why it should be closed because of financial reasons having to pay people when there's rarely staff up there anyway. Not to mention that people do like to watch the cricket from a higher vantage point. I don't want it to become like the Gabba where half the ground is closed. It just looks crap on tv.

Another point I'd like to raise is the AFL members seating. No one sits there during summer except for Boxing Day. I say open it up to the general public as General Admin. Would make it so much better.

 

[EFL Boy]

I am sure a big majority of the crowd that went today would have been planning on sitting in the shade too.

 

[OzBomber]

Just noticed on tv that the top of the Olympic stand is shut as well. Wouldn't be surprised if the Ponsford is also closed. Pretty dissapointing by the MCC.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Just noticed on tv that the top of the Olympic stand is shut as well. Wouldn't be surprised if the Ponsford is also closed. Pretty dissapointing by the MCC.

Saves them a hell of a lot of money.

 

[OzBomber]

Saves them a hell of a lot of money.

Which is exactly my point. Why was every single stand and bay open on Day 5 of the test last year when there was only 5,000 at the ground?

 

[ManWithNoName]

Which is exactly my point. Why was every single stand and bay open on Day 5 of the test last year when there was only 5,000 at the ground?

Maybe they learnt from that mistake?

 

[Johnson#26]

it was pretty poor, both for the t20 and odi tonight. allocated seating for such a fixture? rubbish. particularly when there wasn't any shade in the southern stand during australia's innings. money or not, they've got to open the whole venue, and make it available to anyone who pays the price of admission (bar the mcc and afl members).

 

[Bombers_Forever]

They just don't want to have to pay for security in every area, and of course they need people to watch everyone because beach balls are a serious threat.

They shouldn't force people into the sun. They should have opened up the "shaded areas" and let people who even have allocated seating to move over there. It is better for all concerned.

 

[OzBomber]

Prices are way too high as well. $31 for a concession and $39 for an adult. $15 for kids as well. Make the tickets more like the footy. I think it's somewhere around $20 for a concession ticket to go to the footy (Don't quote me on that though I could be way off).

 

[clarkoscluster]

I must admit it's a little bewildering. The MCC are more then happy to open up the entire ground for a low-drawing AFL match eg Melb-Adel which drew around 14k from memory?? Yet for the Bushrangers T20, they shut an entire stand (the Ponsford) and only opened the top decks of the others when they were forced to. There was 43k there that night! People also love the freedom of moving around and finding their preferred vantage point. there's no reason to be shutting off sections of the ground and making matches of this nature fully-ticketed. They don't even have ushers up the top if it's a small crowd so surely cost-cutting isn't the issue...

 

[OzBomber]

I reckon nearly 3 quarters of the ground will be closed tomorrow with the footy on as well.

Not even the Windies care about htis match. Gayle supposedly wants to finish the game early and go watch the footy.

Haven't been to an ODI this year but I'll be sure to get to the T20, and ODI next year. Considering it's in school holidays. Being in VCE makes it hard to take days off school.