Sydney Showgrounds (Spotless Stadium)

[Kwality]

The Wanderers at Spotless in the short term:
The Wanderers looked at several places to call home while Pirtek Stadium is demolished and replaced with a larger venue that will accommodate up to 35,000 people.
After lengthy consultation with members and other stakeholders, it's understood the club have decided on the two Olympic Park stadiums.
Spotless' 24,000-capacity oval-shaped AFL pitch will host a number of games, while the Wanderers are poised to announce on Wednesday that high-profile fixtures such as those against Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory will be played next door at the 83,500-seat ANZ Stadium.
The Wanderers will play their final game in the current Pirtek Stadium on Friday night
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/31210984/wsw-to-call-olympic-park-a-league-home/

 

[Land of the Giants]

Will Giants be playing finals at this boutique venue?
I would think ANZ would be available on stand by.

Do you reckon they'd need more than 25,000 for their first home final?
More importantly, would they need more than 40,000? If they wouldn't get 40k at ANZ then it's not worth having a Final in a mostly-empty stadium that's not even your home ground.

If we qualify for a home final, I think we can confidently assume it will be at Spotless Stadium. The only teams that might sell it out would be the Swans, or maybe Collingwood. If that happened, the AFL might move it - but not necessarily to ANZ Stadium.

Some time ago there was a post on the Swans board suggesting all big-drawing AFL finals in Sydney would now be played at the SCG. The author is usually quite well informed.

I would be furious if we were forced to move a sold-out home final to the SCG.

 

[hitthepost]

If we qualify for a home final, I think we can confidently assume it will be at Spotless Stadium. The only teams that might sell it out would be the Swans, or maybe Collingwood. If that happened, the AFL might move it - but not necessarily to ANZ Stadium.

Some time ago there was a post on the Swans board suggesting all big-drawing AFL finals in Sydney would now be played at the SCG. The author is usually quite well informed.

I would be furious if we were forced to move a sold-out home final to the SCG.

It'd be s**t if the Giants had to host the Swans at the SCG for a final simply due to capacity. I'd rather see an absolute sell-out at Spotless than that or having to use ANZ.

 

[John Tron]

my favorite place

 

[MightyHawks]

If we qualify for a home final, I think we can confidently assume it will be at Spotless Stadium. The only teams that might sell it out would be the Swans, or maybe Collingwood. If that happened, the AFL might move it - but not necessarily to ANZ Stadium.

Some time ago there was a post on the Swans board suggesting all big-drawing AFL finals in Sydney would now be played at the SCG. The author is usually quite well informed.

I would be furious if we were forced to move a sold-out home final to the SCG.

Unless you are playing the Swans, I think you'd host a final at Spotless and the AFL would love nothing more than putting up the sold out sign

 

[Land of the Giants]

Unless you are playing the Swans, I think you'd host a final at Spotless and the AFL would love nothing more than putting up the sold out sign

I'm sure we'll be hosting home finals at Spotless and we'd love them to sell out.

But if we finish above the Swans on the ladder and qualify for a home final against them, there's no way that should be played at the SCG for any reason. It wouldn't be credible.

 

[MightyHawks]

I'm sure we'll be hosting home finals at Spotless and we'd love them to sell out.

But if we finish above the Swans on the ladder and qualify for a home final against them, there's no way that should be played at the SCG for any reason. It wouldn't be credible.

I think it'd be terrific for the Giants to host the Swans in a final at Skoda and for it to be the hottest ticket in town - the AFL can't buy that publicity

However they have form with Etihad tenants hosting finals at the MCG

 

[Land of the Giants]

I think it'd be terrific for the Giants to host the Swans in a final at Skoda and for it to be the hottest ticket in town - the AFL can't buy that publicity

However they have form with Etihad tenants hosting finals at the MCG

It's different in Melbourne. All matches are played at Eithad or the MCG. The home ground advantage isn't what it was, except for Geelong. It's the same for Port and the Crows, or the Eagles and the Dockers. A home final means the home team supporters get preference for tickets.

But that is not the case in Sydney. Even though their finals record at ANZ was excellent, the Swans have made it absolutely clear they think the SCG gives them an advantage. It would be a joke asking us to host them at the SCG in what was supposedly our home final.

P.S. It's not Skoda anymore - they haven't sponsored us for a few years. It's now Spotless Stadium.

 

[MightyHawks]

It's different in Melbourne. All matches are played at Eithad or the MCG. The home ground advantage isn't what it was, except for Geelong. It's the same for Port and the Crows, or the Eagles and the Dockers. A home final means the home team supporters get preference for tickets.

But that is not the case in Sydney. Even though their finals record at ANZ was excellent, the Swans have made it absolutely clear they think the SCG gives them an advantage. It would be a joke asking us to host them at the SCG in what was supposedly our home final.

P.S. It's not Skoda anymore - they haven't sponsored us for a few years. It's now Spotless Stadium.

Joke it may be, but don't be shocked

The Dogs reckon they'd have beaten the Crows last year if the final had been at Etihad - having that game at the MCG was a massive free kick to the Crows

 

[incubi]

Joke it may be, but don't be shocked

The Dogs reckon they'd have beaten the Crows last year if the final had been at Etihad - having that game at the MCG was a massive free kick to the Crows

Would have won at Etihad but we do need to get better at the G, problem being is the only team to have less games there since 2012 is Brisbane.

On topic though, all GWS games should be at Spotless, geographic differences are an important part of the GWS experiment and playing games at the SCG would destroy that, also being able to say sold out would be great for marketing

 

[Red Crow]

The AFL has said countless times that it is "home state" advantage, not "home ground" advantage in the finals. They always play it at the biggest stadium possible. Etihad (or Simonds once) only get finals if there is another game on the same day at the G.

I don't neccesarily agree with it, but thats the model they've gone with for the last ten years or so (Etihad did host a couple of random finals even though the G was free in its early years).

If they stick to that, I'd expect Giants and Suns to play finals at ANZ and the Gabba under this policy. Even though the Swans have moved all home games to the SCG, the AFL said finals would still likely be played at ANZ. That is, until the day it gets reconfigured to a rectangular venue, then SCG would get the games.

 

[Billy ray]

suns better not play finals at gabba!

 

[Land of the Giants]

Even though the Swans have moved all home games to the SCG, the AFL said finals would still likely be played at ANZ. That is, until the day it gets reconfigured to a rectangular venue, then SCG would get the games.

If the AFL schedule any more finals at ANZ, the Swans will scream.

And if we're forced to play what is supposed to be our home final against the Swans at the SCG, we will scream.

 

[Red Crow]

If the AFL schedule any more finals at ANZ, the Swans will scream.

And if we're forced to play what is supposed to be our home final against the Swans at the SCG, we will scream.

Bulldogs screamed last year but that didn't do them any good.

Like I said, I don't agree with it, but thats the policy they've been running with. Common sense would see Giants play finals at the Showgrounds (and Suns at Metricon) but the AFL and common sense don't always go hand in hand.

 

[hitthepost]

I'm more coming around to a concept that Finals are played at a team's actual home ground UNLESS the anticipated crowd if played at the larger stadium would be more than 150% (say) of the smaller stadium's capacity, or you're playing at the home ground of the other team. I think there still has to be some element of getting the big crowd involved.
EG Giants vs Geelong final would be at Spotless unless it's anticipated that by playing it at ANZ they would get 36,000.
Swans v Geelong final would be at SCG unless it's anticipated that by playing it at ANZ they would get 72,000.

Bulldogs v Geelong final would be at Etihad unless it's anticipated that by playing at the MCG they would get 85,000.
Geelong v Crows final would be at Simonds unless it's anticipated that by playing at Etihad they would get 50,000 (perhaps 140% of Simonds would be more workable).

A Geelong v Bulldogs final would not be played at Etihad. If it was going to get more than whatever number it'd be at the MCG so that Geelong aren't hosting WB at the Dogs' home ground.

It would, of course, need a re-writing of the contracts for finals.

 

[Land of the Giants]

I'm more coming around to a concept that Finals are played at a team's actual home ground UNLESS the anticipated crowd if played at the larger stadium would be more than 150% (say) of the smaller stadium's capacity, or you're playing at the home ground of the other team. I think there still has to be some element of getting the big crowd involved.
EG Giants vs Geelong final would be at Spotless unless it's anticipated that by playing it at ANZ they would get 36,000.
Swans v Geelong final would be at SCG unless it's anticipated that by playing it at ANZ they would get 72,000.

Bulldogs v Geelong final would be at Etihad unless it's anticipated that by playing at the MCG they would get 85,000.
Geelong v Crows final would be at Simonds unless it's anticipated that by playing at Etihad they would get 50,000 (perhaps 140% of Simonds would be more workable).

A Geelong v Bulldogs final would not be played at Etihad. If it was going to get more than whatever number it'd be at the MCG so that Geelong aren't hosting WB at the Dogs' home ground.

It would, of course, need a re-writing of the contracts for finals.

Not sure why the loading figure is 50%?

And not sure how you accurately forecast it?

 

[hitthepost]

Not sure why the loading figure is 50%?

And not sure how you accurately forecast it?

50% is a number I simply used - I said "50% (say)" in my post.

What do you mean by "forecast"?

 

[Land of the Giants]

50% is a number I simply used - I said "50% (say)" in my post.

What do you mean by "forecast"?

With forecasting, I was referring to how the AFL decides to move a final from a smaller venue to a larger one. There must be a decision made at a predetermined time based on ticket sales.

 

[JD Tomahawk]

Whatever happened to what's fair and just.... Everyone has a home ground and if they earn the right to host, they should be able to. It's just all about money money money.

 

[hitthepost]

With forecasting, I was referring to how the AFL decides to move a final from a smaller venue to a larger one. There must be a decision made at a predetermined time based on ticket sales.

It's not a decision to move a match, it's a decision on where to schedule a match in the first place, based on what crowd the AFL anticipate they'd get.
The AFL would have a ballpark idea of how many people would rock up to a GWS v Geelong qualifying final if played on a Saturday night. Do they expect a full house at Spotless? How many more tickets could they have sold if it was at ANZ? Would they be getting significantly more at ANZ than they could fit at Spotless?
Using their anticipated attendances (as I said), they'd decide before they announce the fixture for that week of finals after the matchups have been decided.

 

[Land of the Giants]

It's not a decision to move a match, it's a decision on where to schedule a match in the first place, based on what crowd the AFL anticipate they'd get.
The AFL would have a ballpark idea of how many people would rock up to a GWS v Geelong qualifying final if played on a Saturday night. Do they expect a full house at Spotless? How many more tickets could they have sold if it was at ANZ? Would they be getting significantly more at ANZ than they could fit at Spotless?
Using their anticipated attendances (as I said), they'd decide before they announce the fixture for that week of finals after the matchups have been decided.

Whatever the methodology, if we finish above the Swans on the ladder and earn a home final against them, it's not credible for our home final to be played at their home ground. They've be getting rewarded for finishing below us on the ladder.

 

[hitthepost]

Whatever the methodology, if we finish above the Swans on the ladder and earn a home final against them, it's not credible for our home final to be played at their home ground. They've be getting rewarded for finishing below us on the ladder.

Here's what my concept stated:

concept that Finals are played at a team's actual home ground UNLESS the anticipated crowd if played at the larger stadium would be more than 150% (say) of the smaller stadium's capacity, or you're playing at the home ground of the other team.

Therefore, if it was a GWS v Sydney final, it would NEVER be held at the SCG. Even if ANZ no longer existed.
As to whether it'd be at ANZ, that would depend on the status of that stadium as a home ground of either team. Far as I know it's no longer a Swans home ground, and so a GWS v Sydney final could be played there if whatever attendance expectation threshold was met.
Similarly, Geelong wouldn't host WB at Etihad, WB wouldn't host Collingwood at the MCG, nor would GC host BL at the 'Gabba.[/QUOTE]

 

[Billy ray]

But say GC v Coll at the gabba would be a joke. No home ground advantage for suns with both suns and pies probably playing the gabba the same number of times in any year.

 

[hitthepost]

But say GC v Coll at the gabba would be a joke. No home ground advantage for suns with both suns and pies probably playing the gabba the same number of times in any year.

Similarly Geelong v WB at the MCG. No system will be perfect - not when there's more than just "home ground advantage" at play anymore. At least it's not GC v Collingwood at the MCG to meet the MCC/AFL agreement quotas. At least Collingwood would have to fly and GC would be in their own beds the night before and after the game.

 

[Sydney Bloods]

If the AFL schedule any more finals at ANZ, the Swans will scream.

And if we're forced to play what is supposed to be our home final against the Swans at the SCG, we will scream.

we'll both have finals at ANZ until the redevelopment begins.

once that happens we'll get the SCG and you'll get them at Spotless

the NRL will not get the club's signing off on moving to ANZ unless it's a rectangle and the olympic park precinct needs government funds if they want to prevent the stadium from become obsolete as parramatta and moore park are getting upgrades which can service clubs just as well and parramatta is already close to meeting its quota, putting pressure on ANZ to agree to the rectangle design.

with no AFL at ANZ at all the only time olympic park is making money from the AFL is when you guys are playing. It makes economic sense to have giants supporters have a strong association with the Olympic park precinct because it helps them in future when it comes to redeveloping the area.

the showgrounds will offer a better deal than the SCG in order to have finals at the venue.