Third Stadium in Melbourne

[Sphynx]

The ideal spot was E-Gate, right next to North Melbourne station. But they built the west gate tunnel above ground through that area so the location is no good anymore.

There was an idea floating around of Gosch's paddock. With an oval running ENE to WSW (ie East-West but tilted clockwise by 22.5deg). A stadium the size of Marvel fits within the space (see below), so a boutique 30-35k seat stadium would fit fine.

Consolidate the precinct, and put the money into rebuilding richmond station west of punt road (with an entrance east of punt road). Deck over the railway line to link the MOPT to yarra park and punt rd oval.

Feasibility wise, it becomes the home of the Melbourne Stars, and any ODI/T20 International cricket over the summer (Dec-Jan). The VICs would still play majority out of Junction Oval. Outside of this, it gets used for lower drawing AFL games, and replaces ikon park for the AFLW. Would help the AFL to expand the season duration and give more flexibility for scheduling games.

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That's only one part of E-Gate.

The other section of it is going to be the site of the new $12b Royal Melbourne/Royal Womens Hospital.

Ideally you have to tap into the new Metro tunnel stations.

So it should be either Arden St or Princess Park with the new Arden and Parkville Metro Stations.

Both should honestly be feasible AFLW hubs in the City. The larger one could definitely act as the 3rd AFL mens venue if in the 20-25k capacity range.

Both are no brainers for $100-$200m in investment for womens sports imo. You could get 10-15,000 in seating and amenities at both stadiums for that, still maintain the training facilities of both clubs and still maintain a local football ground feel.

 

[Gerard_waitley]

That's only one part of E-Gate.

The other section of it is going to be the site of the new $12b Royal Melbourne/Royal Womens Hospital.

Ideally you have to tap into the new Metro tunnel stations.

So it should be either Arden St or Princess Park with the new Arden and Parkville Metro Stations.

Both should honestly be feasible AFLW hubs in the City. The larger one could definitely act as the 3rd AFL mens venue if in the 20-25k capacity range.

Both are no brainers for $100-$200m in investment for womens sports imo. You could get 10-15,000 in seating and amenities at both stadiums for that, still maintain the training facilities of both clubs and still maintain a local football ground feel.

What's the case for another stadium?

 

[bomberlegend2007]

What's the case for another stadium?

You would build it as the first purpose built AFLW ground, which can also host men’s matches. Every AFLW Grand Final in Melbourne will be hosted there.

Make it 30k seater with the choice of expanding if the women’s game grows further.

 

[Mr north man]

How about this for an idea.
Let’s build a ground in the South East Suburbs as Sandown racecourse is still for sale.
We have the MCG and Marvel that cater for supporters that live close to the city and in the northern and western suburbs.
The south east has had nothing since Waverley was sold one of the worst decisions made in this sport.
You can build a 60K stadium with a roof and put Hawthorn and St.kilda out there and offer Carlton,Collingwood,Richmond and Essendon $1 million to play 1 game there for the first 3 years.
If the stadium was built there you can build a mono rail from Monash University to the ground and on to Dandenong and with East Link 5 minutes down the rd that would take supporters North and South.

 

[Cubs2Lions]

How about this for an idea.
Let’s build a ground in the South East Suburbs as Sandown racecourse is still for sale.
We have the MCG and Marvel that cater for supporters that live close to the city and in the northern and western suburbs.
The south east has had nothing since Waverley was sold one of the worst decisions made in this sport.
You can build a 60K stadium with a roof and put Hawthorn and St.kilda out there and offer Carlton,Collingwood,Richmond and Essendon $1 million to play 1 game there for the first 3 years.
If the stadium was built there you can build a mono rail from Monash University to the ground and on to Dandenong and with East Link 5 minutes down the rd that would take supporters North and South.

Was thinking about the AFL should build a 25-30k stadium in SE of Melbourne, preferably in Dandenong which is a growing city in Victoria, to be the centre of AFLW and host minor AFL matches as well.

 

[Mr north man]

Was thinking about the AFL should build a 25-30k stadium in SE of Melbourne, preferably in Dandenong which is a growing city in Victoria, to be the centre of AFLW and host minor AFL matches as well.

Dandenong was talked about as a home for an A League Soccer expansion team a few years back that near the Train Station a few years back.
I think that plan was for 15K stadium and the area wouldn’t be big enough for an AFL stadium as where a aground would work and if built right would be sensational as you could have the ground plus open parkland on the way into the ground you have 2 hotels next to the ground on one side plus train station on the other side next to the Dog Track and car parking so it would be a winner.

 

[robo_1]

During Brayshaw’s tenure, we were originally laying down groundwork with Ballarat before the Dogs with a view to possibly playing some games there down the line. However, after we signed the first deal with Hobart in 2012, the AFL intervened and insisted that the Dogs replace us in that region because they didn’t want us developing two secondary markets at once. It’s funny how things turn. Although it’s still early days and literally nothing has been announced so we’ll just have to wait and see if anything happens.

I’ve never understood why both north and dogs can’t play games at ballarat? Dogs only play a couple I’m sure ballarat council would be happy to have north play a couple too

 

[JohnZ]

How about this for an idea.
Let’s build a ground in the South East Suburbs as Sandown racecourse is still for sale.
We have the MCG and Marvel that cater for supporters that live close to the city and in the northern and western suburbs.
The south east has had nothing since Waverley was sold one of the worst decisions made in this sport.
You can build a 60K stadium with a roof and put Hawthorn and St.kilda out there and offer Carlton,Collingwood,Richmond and Essendon $1 million to play 1 game there for the first 3 years.
If the stadium was built there you can build a mono rail from Monash University to the ground and on to Dandenong and with East Link 5 minutes down the rd that would take supporters North and South.

How does MCG/Marvel cater to the North/West suburbs but not the South/East? It's smack bang central.

Any major stadium (especially if built under the guise of being for AFLW/VFL games) needs to be central. No better place than gosch's paddock imo. Melbourne FC needs a training base and could be used by them during the week (as well as the AFL/VFL umpire training base which is needed - they currently use IKON park).

 

[catters05]

I’ve never understood why both north and dogs can’t play games at ballarat? Dogs only play a couple I’m sure ballarat council would be happy to have north play a couple too

And play one against each other for the Ballarat cup.

 

[ArchAtM32]

I think there is. Build another one before teams like Collingwood and Richmond look to build their own i.e EPL clubs.

How do clubs with an asset base of 50 million ish fund a stadium of 65+ thousand in direct competition to the government owned 100,000 seat stadium and league owned 50,000 seat stadium?

 

[EBERT THE KING]

How do clubs with an asset base of 50 million ish fund a stadium of 65+ thousand in direct competition to the government owned 100,000 seat stadium and league owned 50,000 seat stadium?

Private investment.

 

[Rob]

Private investment.

That's easy to say, but it would require a very long term commitment from clubs to play home games there to warrant the private money.

Which the AFL would never sign off on as they have already committed 50 odd games a year to the MCG and wouldn't want to take games from Docklands.

 

[EBERT THE KING]

That's easy to say, but it would require a very long term commitment from clubs to play home games there to warrant the private money.

Which the AFL would never sign off on as they have already committed 50 odd games a year to the MCG and wouldn't want to take games from Docklands.

Yep, it would.

Would also be the easiest return on investment you would ever see from these investors.

If a club builds their own stadium they control everything. Corp suites, merch, food and bev, entertainment. The works.

The return would be massive.

 

[Rob]

Yep, it would.

Would also be the easiest return on investment you would ever see from these investors.

If a club builds their own stadium they control everything. Corp suites, merch, food and bev, entertainment. The works.

The return would be massive.

That is true, but the capital cost is even more massive. You'd think a minimum of $1 billion, possibly more.
You'd need at least 4 clubs pooling their resources to be able to pay for that. Which would be pointless given they already get the MCG and Docklands relatively cheaply.

 

[Dockerau]

There is no need for a third stadium. The MCG and Marvel are in perfect locations and suit us well. If clubs need extra home games they sell games to regional areas and make some coin.

NM will be wanting to find a replacement for Hobart and I predict a regional area like Bendigo will fill that need. Lavington is also another quality ground that could host NM games.

to be fair a 30k seater wouldn't be handy, in Sydney every NRL or club of another code c seems to be able to get a home ground plus a large stadium to play out of

a third stadium would be handy for clubs like north or bulldogs and AFLW games

 

[Teen Wolf]

That reminds me, I re-did my mock-up a little while ago. Posted in other places, but may as well do it here too:



MCG and PRO redevelopments notwithstanding (just use your imagination there), this is what the precinct will be when all the wishes of the current tenants and stakeholders are weighed up.

It'll take another ~20 years before the Victorian government fully commits to it (sparked by an early renewal of the AFL Grand Final contract). But you don't need a crystal ball to know you haven't even seen Melbourne, Olympic, and Yarra parks' final form.

 

[errant bounce]

Cleaning up the rail lines with the track coverings will be massive. brings it all together, makes it feel like the precinct it is, and having that greenery'll be a huge benefit. dropping Swan Street for at least a hundred metres would be worth it, too – have it as part of the Richmond Station upgrade; be a huge safety improvement and, again, bring the whole precinct together.

Not sure about the need for another arena, though, and even less sure about the second stadium – it'd be a shame to have every sporting event happen in the same couple of kilometres.

Not to mention it'd root scheduling. you wouldn't be able to have any overlap. even if you had a Southern Cross-sized Richmond Station, the idea of having 50-to-130,000 people all using the same trains, trams, cafes... it's nuts.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Not to mention it'd root scheduling. you wouldn't be able to have any overlap. even if you had a Southern Cross-sized Richmond Station, the idea of having 50-to-130,000 people all using the same trains, trams, cafes... it's nuts.

As opposed to now, wherein spectators just descend on the precinct at random times and hope there isn't a clash?

Turns out everything is already worked around big games at the MCG, and it's not difficult: 95k for the Anzac Day AFL match is followed by 25k for the Anzac Night NRL match at AAMI Park. That's the point of scheduling.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

AFL considering new boutique stadium in Melbourne

The AFL is open to developing a new boutique stadium to be the home of AFLW as it looks to consolidate venues

www.afl.com.au

It's happening, but only at a 15 000 capacity.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

AFL considering new boutique stadium in Melbourne

The AFL is open to developing a new boutique stadium to be the home of AFLW as it looks to consolidate venues

www.afl.com.au

It's happening, but only at a 15 000 capacity.

WO would be perfect and a fair bit of work has already been done recently. 15,000 wouldn’t be hard to achieve.

Ikon made weird decisions, no crowd to the right of screen which has no room etc.

Not sure where RESA is at.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

WO would be perfect and a fair bit of work has already been done recently. 15,000 wouldn’t be hard to achieve.

Ikon made weird decisions, no crowd to the right of screen which has no room etc.

Not sure where RESA is at.

I honestly think each club ought to have their own home stadium in the women's competition, like they currently do, instead of centralising it. I get that it's more expensive and not as accessible, but it actually builds some community, something missing from the modern men's competition.

 

[Teen Wolf]

The AFL had bigger plans for AFLW at North Port Oval, but have been foiled at practically every turn. I would call that dumb luck. The concept of a centralised venue is instantly undermined if it isn't located within a few hundred metres of a major train station.

I honestly think each club ought to have their own home stadium in the women's competition, like they currently do, instead of centralising it. I get that it's more expensive and not as accessible, but it actually builds some community, something missing from the modern men's competition.

They will never get rid of the smaller suburban grounds altogether. But the average football supporter isn't attending these venues more than 1-2 times per year.

Eventually it'll be about 75% of Victorian AFLW games played at Carlton, Geelong and a new central ground. It's more a question of whether this will take closer to 5 years or 25 years.

 

[Rob]

I honestly think each club ought to have their own home stadium in the women's competition, like they currently do, instead of centralising it. I get that it's more expensive and not as accessible, but it actually builds some community, something missing from the modern men's competition.

Yep, exactly. Why the AFL would involve themselves in a club problem has me stuffed. It's going to end in clubs forced to play games at some communal venue against their will.

 

[Turbochook]

Hang on I thought all new AFL stadiums required a roof?

 

[Teen Wolf]

Yep, exactly. Why the AFL would involve themselves in a club problem has me stuffed. It's going to end in clubs forced to play games at some communal venue against their will.

If it's just another club's home ground with added seats, then there'll certainly be a shitstorm.

But they'd all be lining up to play at a truly brand new central venue, such as the mythical Gosch's Paddock stadium.