Relocate to MCG

[Red White Blue]

We should reconsider our posistion as a tenant of Telstra Dome.

Its costs us money to play there.....

We have a terrible win / loss ratio.....

The protected environment adversely affects club's to play
in the weather eg St Kilda, Essendon

Whilst we were thr first to sign up, we have a substandard deal
compared to the other tenants.

Its time we start playing our home games at the MCG !

 

[BloodyRedHead!]

I concur. 'Doglands' is killing us in every way imaginable.

 

[dogman22]

I've got no problem at all with this - both for the club and myself!!!

Club - lower break-even cost, outdoor atmosphere, softer ground (less stress-related injuries), playing where you have to play to win in September

Personal - I'm an AFL Club Support Member, therefore have access to the AFL Members Reserve, right on the wing. Against Hawthorn and St. Kilda, I sat right where the coaches entered the ground at breaks - even shook Rohde's hand after the Hawthorn game!!!!

 

[BloodyRedHead!]

even shook Rohde's hand after the Hawthorn game!!!!

In some countries don't they cut off the hands of ----- ???

 

[gocats]

Build up the Whitten/Western Oval, bring back EJ and save the Bulldogs. 20K-25K all seater (and standing room) with a lot of corporate facilities around ground for smaller businesses to get into, how much you think???

Footy back in the Western Suburbs. Would be great for AFL and the Western Bulldogs. Bulldogs could play home games at Whitten Oval and play blockbusters at TD (Bombers/Pies). Would do a lot for their finances IMO, look at the Cats situation.

Other teams could play lower drawing games at Whitten Oval, which boosts the Western Suburbs and Doggies as well.

Maybe those who own Telstra Dome wouldnt mind investing in it. 2 Stadiums for them?!? So they wont lose and waste money on TD for low attendance games.

Its worth having a crack!

Dogs will not continue to survive at Telstra Dome...

Give them life, give them EJ Stadium.

 

[BloodyRedHead!]

I believe we have been discussing this previously.
The redevelopment money being considered is around the same as what KP
has used to build itself up.
We would love to have a home-ground advantage, suburbian footy still has a place and can be used (KP is not really the suburbs to most victorians -sorry!)

The seats, and selling some reserved seats, will take care of itself, let alone having the local community as well.
Anything that makes us cash is better then the Dome (oh, except selling games interstate!!!) Also a proper western suburbs presence, with competitive team, will stop the grass fire that is Soccer wiping out the western region footy clubs.

 

[lachy]

I believe we have been discussing this previously.
The redevelopment money being considered is around the same as what KP
has used to build itself up.
We would love to have a home-ground advantage, suburbian footy still has a place and can be used (KP is not really the suburbs to most victorians -sorry!)

The seats, and selling some reserved seats, will take care of itself, let alone having the local community as well.
Anything that makes us cash is better then the Dome (oh, except selling games interstate!!!) Also a proper western suburbs presence, with competitive team, will stop the grass fire that is Soccer wiping out the western region footy clubs.

Unfortunately there is NO possability of us going back to the Whitten oval for home games. Therefore we have to chose between Telstra and the MCG and even though Telstra is a better option for me, I beleive the MCG would be a better option for the club.

 

[gocats]

Unfortunately there is NO possability of us going back to the Whitten oval for home games.

Why?

 

[BloodyRedHead!]

No, the issues lay in several areas which could be fixed by a proper redevelopment. Namely:

Seating, Corporate support areas, viewing, adequate utilities (toilets food)

Being forbidden to conduct small games there, while suffering killing blows in costs from elsewhere means the AFL will be questioned.

Carlton is different because they can grow into the grounds they are going to, and more importantly need cash they are being offered.

POINT:
Whats the point in getting AFL money if they continue to kill us off by forcing us to an expensive venue? Our club is then further damaged, will not be independent.
If they are committed to us long term (as a victorian entity)
then to reject our bid to play the Ports /freos /coasters/ other interstaters
at a place like WO will show that they can't be relied on or believed in.
That then damages the membership and this self-fulfilling policy of saying we have no members is perputrated. And we can't get the growth associated with the new members that have walked through our door in the past 3 years!

 

[scoreboardend]

Build up the Whitten/Western Oval, bring back EJ and save the Bulldogs. 20K-25K all seater (and standing room) with a lot of corporate facilities around ground for smaller businesses to get into, how much you think???

Footy back in the Western Suburbs. Would be great for AFL and the Western Bulldogs. Bulldogs could play home games at Whitten Oval and play blockbusters at TD (Bombers/Pies). Would do a lot for their finances IMO, look at the Cats situation.

Other teams could play lower drawing games at Whitten Oval, which boosts the Western Suburbs and Doggies as well.

Maybe those who own Telstra Dome wouldnt mind investing in it. 2 Stadiums for them?!? So they wont lose and waste money on TD for low attendance games.

Its worth having a crack!

Dogs will not continue to survive at Telstra Dome...

Give them life, give them EJ Stadium.

I`m with you all the way gocats, we won`t survive at the Dome and EJ Stadium certainly has my support. Unfortunately with the AFL just having their greatest victory over their nemesis Carlton by getting rid of Optus Oval and their evil ground rationalisation plans finally complete, we ain`t got a chance in hell of resurecting Whitten Oval BUT i`m prepared to fight with my bulldog brothers and sisters for what is right SO let the revolution begin. "gocats for president".

 

[gocats]

I`m with you all the way gocats, we won`t survive at the Dome and EJ Stadium certainly has my support. Unfortunately with the AFL just having their greatest victory over their nemesis Carlton by getting rid of Optus Oval and their evil ground rationalisation plans finally complete, we ain`t got a chance in hell of resurecting Whitten Oval BUT i`m prepared to fight with my bulldog brothers and sisters for what is right SO let the revolution begin. "gocats for president".

Cheers,

But seriously the Doggies should talk to the owners/management of Telstra Dome. This will be good for them if they had both grounds IMO. The AFL wont put much into it, or if they can get the Western Suburb community involved.

I think it would succeed. But thats my opinion.

Kardinia will do wonders for geelong soon.

 

[scoreboardend]

Cheers,
Kardinia will do wonders for geelong soon.

Agreed and good luck with it.

 

[Goodfella]

Agree, get us back to a wind swept wet ground.

We kicked 7 straight in the last quarter in horrible conditions at Manuka against the roos.

Maybe we need something else to think about apart from the airconditioning.

 

[lachy]

Why?

No parking and the WO is not a REGIONAL ground like Kardinia Park so governments would be unlikely to support the development required to bring it back to AFL standard. Remeber doclands is less than 10k away. What is the nearest ground to the Bellarine Peninsula, the Western District and the city of Geelong.

I would love to play at the WO but it is not going to happen so it is better focussing on alternatives to help the club prosper.

 

[Cyberdoggie]

Agree, get us back to a wind swept wet ground.

We kicked 7 straight in the last quarter in horrible conditions at Manuka against the roos.

Maybe we need something else to think about apart from the airconditioning.

no airconditioning at the dome!
just a roof.
and smoke cloud after the breaks!

 

[Cyberdoggie]

why go to the mcg,
it's a terrible ground to watch footy from,
as a lowly peasant such as myself, you are forced to
sit looking into the sun or behind the goals,
you are fricken miles away from the action,
and when the new stand is complete you won't be able to see
jack s&*t because the entire ground will be in shade but the top deck
will be in sun.

Don't you people remember year of the dogs,
when we moved to the mcg and lost a heap of cash.
The ground was empty and we sucked.
That was the catalyst for us moving to a more convenient location.
Sure the docklands is expensive, why i dont' know and can't understand,
but it's the best ground going around.

 

[ARDENSTREETforever]

As much as i like your plans to move to the MCG.
It will not work, for the smaller clubs.
At the moment, to break even at Telstra Dome is 26,500.
To break even at the MCG is 28,000.
For us smaller clubs to get these crowds when not playing well is basically not going to happen.

 

[ARDENSTREETforever]

PS the atmosphere is awesome at the Dome when you get a roll on...
Even with a half filled stadium (Eg: Next week: North vs Dogs) Probably only get 25K there.

 

[BulldogMike]

If we can keep Telstra Dome as our home ground i would prefer that. Easier to break even gate money wise and is certainly a comfortable ground. I personally rate the Telstra Dome my favourite venue.

 

[nguyen]

As much as i like your plans to move to the MCG.
It will not work, for the smaller clubs.
At the moment, to break even at Telstra Dome is 26,500.
To break even at the MCG is 28,000.
For us smaller clubs to get these crowds when not playing well is basically not going to happen.

where do you get your numbers?

 

[Cyberdoggie]

where do you get your numbers?

that's what they say but i don't understand the figures to
be honest.

We all get our memberships so why does it matter if we attend or not?
how do they calculate that they need a certain amount to break even.
doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Sedat!]

PS the atmosphere is awesome at the Dome when you get a roll on...
Even with a half filled stadium (Eg: Next week: North vs Dogs) Probably only get 25K there.

We did draw 68,000 at the MCG in Rnd 22 1998 (battle for top spot). I take your point though. Probably the best solution from a financial perspective is to have 3 home matches at Marrara, all bank-rolled by the AFL/NT Govt. Say we play Freo, West Coast and Port there. We then play a couple of home games at Optus against "local" interstaters (ie: Swans, Lions). Losses will be minimal at worst, with break even at around 12,000 (most likely even make a tidy profit, with local Swans and Lions supporters not missing a chance to see their team in action in Melbourne). The remainder of our home matches against Victorian clubs should be at the Dome (I say that through gritted teeth because I hate the place). The MCG is not feasible for us as we will not draw bigger crowds there than the capacity of the Dome. Happy to play 3 away games at the MCG against Victorian teams, and have these as member's "home" games as compensation for the 3 Darwin games. What needs to be set in stone is that we cannot travel interstate more than 5 times in total, so only 2 actual away games in addition to the 3 Darwin games. That gives us 18 matches in Melbourne.

 

[Fossie 32]

that's what they say but i don't understand the figures to
be honest.

We all get our memberships so why does it matter if we attend or not?
how do they calculate that they need a certain amount to break even.
doesn't make sense to me.

It must go on the number of non members attending which is a fairly constant % of the total I assume.

 

[dogsbody]

It all depends upon the break even figures and our capacity to draw above that figure. If break even was 20,000 at the G but we could only draw 19,000 whilst breakeven was 25,000 at Docklands but we could draw 26,000 (out of the rain, closer to the Western Suburbs etc) then we'd be better off at Docklands, even though the break even figure was much higher.

 

[39 Memories]

Telstra is better for watching matches, though being a peasant and going to the top level is not as good as sitting at Level 1 or 2. Why don't they allow people to fill up Level 1 in the non-reserved areas rather than having a lot of empty seats? Don't mind if we move to the MCG as I like attending sporting events there but I hate the top level, it's too far away from the action. Optus will be available next year so could maybe play some games there. We certainly play better away from Telstra.