Western Bulldogs and their partnership with Ballarat a success

[BallaratBulldog]

Crowd:
6,450

Conditions played an impact becuase they sold close to 8k tickets.

 

[The Inbetweener]

If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. So let us have it, how do we grow the game, increase our support base and make money?

Put money into the footy department so we constantly make finals and we don’t have to worry about this.

It’s been the same trend since 97 onwards. Good for a few years, bad for about 5 years and we have to do this type of stuff and can’t build on momentum

 

[Spiritof82]

Crowd:
6,450

Conditions played an impact becuase they sold close to 8k tickets.

On the bright side that's 6000 more than a GWS home game

 

[King Harold]

On the bright side that's 6000 more than a GWS home game

No bright side , bloody embarrassing .

 

[Bulldogsnm1]

Please never again play a game of AFL at Ballarat in July or August... or June or April or March.

Play JLT games there if you must, this has been a pure politically motivated decision, Gordon giving his Labour mates a reason to pour money into marginal seats.

6500 people there, perhaps 500 Port Adelaide fans, maybe 500 locals, 100 free loaders for the Presidents lunch, so no more than 5000 members/supporters. An absolute joke that needs to be addressed.

 

[NBates]

AFL great Robert Walls has slammed the lighting at Ballarat, as the Power posted victory over the Western Bulldogs on a poorly lit Mars Stadium.

The AFL scheduled the game for a 3.20pm start and the league had to bring in portable lighting for the match.

The lights were on from the opening bounce.

“It’s not good enough,” Walls said.

“Not good enough for professional AFL footballers.

“It reminds me of a VFl club’s training sessions, back in the old days.”

 

[Mattdougie]

One of the worst decisions the club has ever made to play in season games in Ballarat.

Let them have JLT, VFL AND AFLW and cancel the AFL contract

 

[Scary_Foot_9]

Please never again play a game of AFL at Ballarat in July or August... or June or April or March.

Play JLT games there if you must, this has been a pure politically motivated decision, Gordon giving his Labour mates a reason to pour money into marginal seats.

6500 people there, perhaps 500 Port Adelaide fans, maybe 500 locals, 100 free loaders for the Presidents lunch, so no more than 5000 members/supporters. An absolute joke that needs to be addressed.

You know who payed for the redevelopments of Whitten Oval right?

 

[Bulldogsnm1]

You know who payed for the redevelopments of Whitten Oval right?

Of course I know who payed, I’m also aware of the gift the Vic Gov has given the Bulldogs in regards to the road adjacent to the ground. I look forward to the Bulldogs building apartments there.

However whilst financially we are benefiting, absolutely no one can say the decision to play games in Ballarat is in the interest of Bulldog members or supporters.

 

[Scary_Foot_9]

Of course I know who payed, I’m also aware of the gift the Vic Gov has given the Bulldogs in regards to the road adjacent to the ground. I look forward to the Bulldogs building apartments there.

However whilst financially we are benefiting, absolutely no one can say the decision to play games in Ballarat is in the interest of Bulldog members or supporters.

It’s benifiting members and supporters in the respect that the club has more revenue to spend on the football department and is less reliant on pokies revenue.

No offence but you seem to be coming at this from a certain ideological point of view. You’ve got to realise that politicains of all persuasions will try to use the good wholesome territory of sports and the community to buy goodwill with the voter.

 

[Bulldogsnm1]

It’s benifiting members and supporters in the respect that the club has more revenue to spend on the football department and is less reliant on pokies revenue.

No offence but you seem to be coming at this from a certain ideological point of view. You’ve got to realise that politicains of all persuasions will try to use the good wholesome territory of sports and the community to buy goodwill with the voter.

It’s not ideological (great word though), I believe playing 2 Home games where 90% of supporters can’t/won’t attend is stupid. Plus the players can’t enjoy playing in those conditions rather than our home ground. If we have to play in conditions like that, you are better off playing them at the western oval.

 

[Mattdougie]

It’s not ideological (great word though), I believe playing 2 Home games where 90% of supporters can’t/won’t attend is stupid. Plus the players can’t enjoy playing in those conditions rather than our home ground. If we have to play in conditions like that, you are better off playing them at the western oval.

It’s actually costing us members now not adding to the tally.

The only peole continuing to back this are the people that went all in supporting it.

 

[maddog37]

I liked it. Was home with a nice feed of fish and chips ten minutes after the game.

 

[mambavino]

Whilst I agree that conditions played a part in low numbers today, there is just no silver lining to two crowds of under 7,000.
If the trend continues next year, it’s starting to damage the Bulldog brand, if it isn’t already.

 

[Guido]

When is the contract up?

Have no issue in having given it a go, but what our management may have thought/assumed would be a Geelong/Simmonds supply<demand type situation of having 3 times as many people wanting a ticket compared to seats available (and profiting from it), obviously hasn't materialised.

The desire of members to travel 2+ hours up and back the Ballarat hwy or by train was obviously over-estimated, with the original pricing model/revenue squeezing really pissing/turning off other members who actually would have made the trip.

You live and learn.

For any years remaining in the contract, I personally reckon the club needs to find a way where any Bulldogs member who wants to make the trip gets automatic free entry, but find some kind of way where members who secure seats are somehow obligated to go - if it's simply clicking a link to secure your seat, I can see thousands of members locking away a seat when tickets open but not turning up because the air temp feels below freezing on the morning of the game.

If it's still profitable (say, $400k per game) even with free seats for members, I'm happy to continue with it. There is however an undeniable cost in terms of member goodwill, so any less than that figure, and I'd be aiming to play all 11 games in Melbourne.

 

[Mattdougie]

Roogal is mysteriously quite.

Can’t polish a turd

 

[Freshwater]

I know it’s far from perfect but it worth trying something. At least one game a year. I’ve enjoyed both games there this year. I had a good day there today. We lost but we barracked hard, lots of banter in the crowd. Seen another kid who could be something.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

It doesn’t help that we are playing so badly. If we were still in the hunt for a finals berth it would be different.

Games in Ballarat need to be scheduled late March early Apri or late August, it’s just common sense AFL.

 

[jdz101]

Please never again play a game of AFL at Ballarat

Just took out some words. There we are.

 

[Scary_Foot_9]

Roogal is mysteriously quite.

Can’t polish a turd

What'ya know, he's right guys.

 

[King Harold]

It doesn’t help that we are playing so badly. If we were still in the hunt for a finals berth it would be different.

Games in Ballarat need to be scheduled late March early Apri or late August, it’s just common sense AFL.

Absolutely ,if we are going to play there , pick a better time of year ffs !

 

[SonOfScray]

Going as terrible as we are during the early phases of this project has been less than ideal. Probably damaging its longevity at this point.

Today was a rough day at the footy. Bitterly cold, little hope of success and an inconvenient time slot. Pissing in the wind, the Club.

I don't hate it, but I certainly don't love going to Ballarat either. If it is financially beneficial, and limited to two H&A games that would otherwise be losses at Marvel Stadium, I'll suck it up and support it.

 

[lachy]

There is no genuine upside to these games and there never will be.

MD and I disagree on a lot but on this one he is not wrong.

For those supporting the intiative please explain any part of it that in reality, not theoretical propaganda put out to justify it, that actually achieves anything it is supposed to.

We get 11 home games per year. These need to be provided in the best interests of all actual current members. Other initiatives can be used to grow our base, being successful worked well, but if you are going to detract from paid up long term memner there must be a substantial cash benefit, not the theoretical ones Ballarat provides.

This deal is diminishing our brand not enhancing it and will cost substantially more long term than any short term cost of lower crowds at Docklands

For this to work it must be fully supported by the league AND the government to provide an AFL facility otherwise it is amd will be detrimental to the club

 

[Leviticus]

Please never again play a game of AFL at Ballarat in July or August... or June or April or March.

Play JLT games there if you must, this has been a pure politically motivated decision, Gordon giving his Labour mates a reason to pour money into marginal seats.

6500 people there, perhaps 500 Port Adelaide fans, maybe 500 locals, 100 free loaders for the Presidents lunch, so no more than 5000 members/supporters. An absolute joke that needs to be addressed.

My man, we speaka the same language. And you know what's more? They refer to the 5000 as "useful idiots."

 

[Braybrook Son]

Dump. Would have been better off selling games to Geelong. At least a lot of our fans live closer to Geelong than that cold hole Ballarat, Jesus. Another bright idea by our club.