News Grand Final at the Gabba - Formerly: Where will this years grand final end up if victoria cant have crowds?

[BigVic]

Won't be in Victoria if no crowds. Perth is likely

 

[HTT]

How is being further away from the GF than we are from the start of the pandemic relevant to anything? Stupid reply.
So much can stay the same between now and then. Stupid reply.
Do you even science bro?

Why would you lock something in when there’s a chance it will be totally unnecessary? Clubs know this season is about adapting to sudden change. Might as well use that to some benefit.

 

[Tim Evans Beard]

Why would you lock something in when there’s a chance it will be totally unnecessary? Clubs know this season is about adapting to sudden change. Might as well use that to some benefit.

Why wouldn’t you make a decision so people can plan with surety? Clubs would appreciate knowing where they stand regarding the fixture so ALL parties can plan to produce their best result for all parties.
Might as well make a decision now, have the finals hub in Victoria and if the crowd restrictions change the AFL can benefit by allowing crowds if this situation changes.
Its not that hard.

 

[JT_the_Man]

Just play it in Perth this year, it’s not like anyone benefits from it being at the G.

 

[HTT]

Why wouldn’t you make a decision so people can plan with surety? Clubs would appreciate knowing where they stand regarding the fixture so ALL parties can plan to produce their best result for all parties.
Might as well make a decision now, have the finals hub in Victoria and if the crowd restrictions change the AFL can benefit by allowing crowds if this situation changes.
Its not that hard.

What happens if the state you make a hard decision on hubbing in has an outbreak? There are too many unknowns to make any hard decisions on anything this year. Of course, make plans and backup plans and let clubs in on it. But there’s no point putting things in stone 4 months out.

 

[kranky al]

First v Second. That’s Port v Gold Coast. Stop all your interstate squabbling. The venue for the GF is obvious.
View attachment 904981

Im so conflicted here

Part of me wants to see gc win a flag -

because its good for the game etc

the other part of me wants the season to end the week before the grand final with port undefeated top of the ladder with 290%-

Because im a cu#+

 

[Tim Evans Beard]

What happens if the state you make a hard decision on hubbing in has an outbreak? There are too many unknowns to make any hard decisions on anything this year. Of course, make plans and backup plans and let clubs in on it. But there’s no point putting things in stone 4 months out.

Every year the fixture is set out based on current knowledge. This year should be no different. Have a public plan for how the situation presents at the moment. Revise if new information comes to hand. Let everyone know the broad strokes of the plan. At the moment I don’t think many people have confidence the AFL are handling this well.
As the administrative body with millions of stakeholders, the AFL is not displaying administrative leadership through its silence on the fixture issue.

It’s not that hard to lay out a fixture based on current knowledge with a caveat that it may change if new information comes to hand. This is the implicit situation every year. The AFL is a massive administrative body consuming millions in resources every year. It’s not unreasonable to expect the AFL to have a plan and keep all stakeholders informed of the plan.

 

[Billy ray]

Answer obvious
Best of 3
Adelaide oval
Optus oval
Mcg game 3 If required

 

[Pessimistic]

 

[blue harvest]

The machines and equipment required to bring the sides out at ANZ have been removed.

First I've heard of this. I thought all work that was planned for ANZ has be canned?
What is your source?

 

[Pessimistic]

View attachment 905104

So wheres the NRL granny going?

 

[Present Not Past]

Yes Perth would be nice, especially if 2 Vic teams are playing. A delicious slice of irony.
However, the booing crowd may just drown out the entire spectacle.

 

[Costanza_]

Even as a Sydney-sider I would prefer to see the GF in Adelaide or Perth than at Homebush.

Although if a non-Vic side is the highest qualifying team, I would prefer to see it held at their home ground regardless of where that is.

 

[Yippy Yi Yeo]

No way South Australia would turn down the opportunity of a Grand final in Adelaide if safe to do. They already deem places in Australia safe where WA doesn’t. They have their borders already open to WA, NT, Qld and Tas. They are possibly opening up NSW and the ACT on July 20. They don’t need hubs there, teams can fly in from other states without 14 day iso. Only WA clubs and clubs in WA hub would need to isolate returning to WA.

Soon SA, NSW and Qld will allow all people into their states without 14 day isolation except from Victoria. AFL can’t commit to a Perth Grand Final with WA shelving it’s planned border reopening on August 8 to every state.

Fair point, I don't think the AFL will be locking anything in just yet though and I've got a feeling that McGowan may change his tune if the GF is up for grabs given a few more weeks and minimal community transmission cases across the rest of aus

 

[blackus]

You mean the $750m they have put on the table for that freeze out?

Yeah that contract.

They are paying $140m more than the SA state government spent on the Adelaide Oval.


You can't afford the AFL grand final, in reality.

 

[Freomaniac]

Force majure would terminate the contract.

Do you honestly think the AFL would sacrifice a deal with 37 years remaining for a single impacted season?

LoL. I don't see why not

 

[PP34]

If not in Melbourne because "tradition" I reckon it will be at Optus Stadium because they can get 60,000 people in and most importantly the WA govt will dangle a lucrative financial carrot to get it across.

Do people honestly think state governments are going to be throwing big money at a once off event in a state while the country is in a recession?

 

[Billy ray]

Do people honestly think state governments are going to be throwing big money at a once off event in a state while the country is in a recession?

exactly. they wont need to throw any money, afl will want it where they can make money because of the recession

 

[PP34]

exactly. they wont need to throw any money, afl will want it where they can make money because of the recession

Even if that were true they’ve signed an agreement with the Victorian government and MCC. So this talk like the AFL can just move it is fantasy stuff.

 

[Goomba1973]

Interesting conundrum
The old "biggest stadium" argument goes out the door if WA isn't seen to be the next option.
Esp if they go home team adv for a team outside Vic making it (i.e Say its Port and the game is at AO)

That said, MCG has a contract in place, so any precedence is overridden at that point until 2057 or whenever it was

State Premiers and the AFL will work out a deal, be it Adelaide, Sydney or Perth. MCC has to know it will make more money with the GF being played elsewhere, as some of those profits the AFL will make from it will go to them anyway anyway due to current contract . Or they can host with no crowd and lose money. MCC also has to understand that we are all in an unprecedented situation and an agreement doesn't tend to mean much when they will be unable to deliver a suitable event. In my mind it is between Perth and Adelaide. Perth has Australia's showpiece stadium and the timezone will work well for TV in Melbourne ( day time game in Perth is a prime time viewing in Melbourne) . Adelaide has the best surface and a hotel due for completion at the ground. Sydney, SCG is too small and the Olympic stadium will be an abortion if they do it there, terrible surface, terrible viewing from a crowd perspective and the surface has been destroyed by Rugby and there still might be restrictions in place there anyway......... aaaaaaaaaand Brisbane just doesn't count

 

[Billy ray]

Even if that were true they’ve signed an agreement with the Victorian government and MCC. So this talk like the AFL can just move it is fantasy stuff.

except if said agreement is renegotiated, and they add say 5 years onto the end for losing 1 this year. why wouldnt all parties agree to that?

 

[M Malice]

 

[JackOutback]

Even if that were true they’ve signed an agreement with the Victorian government and MCC. So this talk like the AFL can just move it is fantasy stuff.

If the MCG can't hold crowds and another stadium can, it'll move, and the legal eagles will sort it out. No way the AFL plays the showpiece game in a silent, empty MCG when there's 50 or 60,000 people waiting somewhere else. There's both still time for Victoria to get things together or for something to go wrong in other states, but they would want to get things in place soon so they.

Irony is, we're always told the grand final can't move from the G because it holds more people (it doesn't this year) and it needs to be locked in early to allow for corporate boxes, sales etc (but not this year)

 

[ShadeyP]

State Premiers and the AFL will work out a deal, be it Adelaide, Sydney or Perth. MCC has to know it will make more money with the GF being played elsewhere, as some of those profits the AFL will make from it will go to them anyway anyway due to current contract . Or they can host with no crowd and lose money. MCC also has to understand that we are all in an unprecedented situation and an agreement doesn't tend to mean much when they will be unable to deliver a suitable event. In my mind it is between Perth and Adelaide. Perth has Australia's showpiece stadium and the timezone will work well for TV in Melbourne ( day time game in Perth is a prime time viewing in Melbourne) . Adelaide has the best surface and a hotel due for completion at the ground. Sydney, SCG is too small and the Olympic stadium will be an abortion if they do it there, terrible surface, terrible viewing from a crowd perspective and the surface has been destroyed by Rugby and there still might be restrictions in place there anyway......... aaaaaaaaaand Brisbane just doesn't count

I don't think Adelaide will be hosting the GF after putting a kybosh on the SA Hub ... WA money talks , it will likely be in Perth and that is fine .

 

[Tim Evans Beard]

Perth has Australia's showpiece stadium

Huh?