Skilled Stadium vs Telstra Dome

[gocats]

Should the cats play all home games at Skilled Stadium after the redevelopment?

Instead of playing 3 so called money grabbing games at TD.

After seeing this,

"The Cats played their third home game at Telstra Dome for the season last night and Costa deplored the cost of the stadium. He said a crowd of 20,000 at Skilled Stadium returned more than $450,000, while 40,000 at Telstra Dome returned less than $160,000."

from http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/02/1059480610476.html

There doesn't seem to be any point in playing home games at TD. They could setup a membership for Melbourne fans to see CAT away games in Melbourne maybe?

We could play all games at Skilled Stadium, maybe build the ground up a bit more in the future, more support from the town with the likes of Essendon and Collingwood returning to play at Kardinia.

What do others think?

 

[Turbocat]

Gocats
As much as I would like to see all of our home games at the CatStad., I cant see the Goodfellas at AFL HQ giving it the nod. The Dome has been built, they will schedule games there and it has to be used.End of story. They have made the bed of all the Vic clubs and now all the clubs will unfortunately be made to lie in it, all be it some like Essendon can have the "silk sheet" deal. The clubs were duded on the numbers but the Dome is now built and will have to be maximized as the AFL have an interest in it. Its not all bad however,its popularity has risen and the appeal of inside footy on a rainy day has gained acceptance. When first built the Cats had their eyes on 5 to 6 Home games a year , so maybe we are lucky that their numbers were crook. In my perfect world the Cats could play 9 at Catland every year with at least one game against one of the big Melbourne clubs to give value to the watcher at the Cattery. If it’s a sell out broadcast it live, at least then the Cats would be on the Free to Air. 2 home games at either the Dome or the G depending on how we are traveling is reasonable as when we are up and flying we can draw the 50,000+ crowd. I think from memory a 35,000 game at the Dome is equal to 20,000 in Geelong, so a 45,000 crowd against the Pies is always better Melbourne.
TC

 

[jim boy]

I think 35000 at the dome is break even, 20000 at Skilled is about $200,000 profit. Personally I like the dome and it's important we play there as matches there tend to get better national exposure, which is very important for the bottom line.

Ideally we would play all home matches at Skilled, it's where I grew up watching matches etc and I still enjoy going there. And on the raw figures alone, we would make as much money playing anyone at Skilled as we would at the Dome.

Playing at the G would be better, if you get 60-70,000, then you make far more money. It's a pity that we just don't play there anymore.

 

[Turbocat]

Jim Boy
I think you might be right on the break even point, so considering we just about get 17,500 to 20,000 at any match at KP, it would probably be better to look at what attendance at the Dome would give the 200,000 profit (37500 ?)and which teams could we consistently draw this number.
TC

 

[storrma29]

td

collingwood and essendon travel to geelong? wont happen
To lose our 3 home games at telstra dome and play them at kp
might make short term financial sense, But decreased melbourne games will mean decreased exposure and in turn decreased members(from melb)
The 9 home games at kp would be the interstaters plus melb cartlon hawthorn or st kilda
For a lot of melb members the choice to SIT under the roof at td and see us play say essendon (on a cold wet day in july)or stand in those wet conditions at kp (coz to sit costs more)and watch say freo...is an easy decision
Supposedly the geelong market for membership growth has reached its potential(to the amazement of sheedy and many others) so the push is on for melb members
9 games at geelong 5or 6 interstate that leaves only7 or 8 away games in melb .....not a good way to increase melb members
When kp is up to standard ie all seater and not so expensive then yeah more home games might be on the cards

ps im a melb based member who dosent mind standing in the rain but i usually cant get too many people interested to jump in the car and head down the highway with me.