Best Stadium?

[Qpid]

The 'G is ahead by a mile. It's the ground you want to watch footy at. Having been to Stamford Bridge, Stade de France, Millenium Stadium (Cardiff) and Landsdowne Rd (Dublin), I'd be happy to put it in to the world class.

Football Park was just like VFL Park, without the pizzazz though. But at least the Crows supporters could pop in to the carpark at John Martin's at half time and check to see if the Port fans had stolen their hubcaps. Busses in to the city are good, but still a pretty ordinary trip home of an evening.

Stadium Australia, complete with insipid name, is pretty soulless. I saw Australia play Wales in the rugby last year - and with 60,000 people it still felt empty (though that might have more to do with the match).

Docklands is fine. I've never had a problem getting in (footy membership has it's privileges), and I commute from rural & regional Victoria so Spencer St is ideal. Finding a decent pub nearby is the biggest challenge.

Princes Park is a disgrace. Mild improvements have been made on the open sewer style of toilets. I guess they aren't allowed to change it - it's probably heritage listed by now. Prices for the outer reserved seating are a joke - I much prefer going in to the standing area, knowing fewer of my reddies are going in to CFC coffers.

Atmospherically, nothing tops Linton St, Moorabbin. Listening to the "Animal Enclosure" screaming abuse at umps as they coming off the ground at half time IN THE RESERVES really set the trend for the rest of the day.

 

[Demonheart]

Originally posted by Rob
I'm sure that the MCG would be the best to play at because it's the biggest. But players don't have to:
a) feel comfortable in the seats
b) buy the food
c) try and stay out of the rain, and
d) watch the game in general comfort.

I think 'best stadium' was from a spectators point of view, not the players. And the middle of the ground probably isn't the best place to judge spectator comfort.

Just putting another perspective to it, I still say the G. Best viewing seats are on the first balcony in the Southern stand on the wing. You are high up but also really close to the ground, the seats are a nice size, decent leg room but the food is bloody expensive. Only place better that that to watch a game of footy was on the couch's in the long room, but we'll have to wait and see what they come up with when they finish the new stand.

 

[MrMeaner]

Docklands is OK if there is a decent crowd.

I've been there for Port v Bulldogs and Port v St Kilda and it felt like an empty shed. No atmosphere whatsoever. I assume that it would be the same for Freo games.

I think that the inclusion of bucket seats will greatly improve Footy Park, which already has one of the best playing surfaces in the league.

In the end though, the 'G has the best atmosphere (although excruciating when losing). (Cue millions of choker 'gags')

 

[pazza]

Even now, the MCG ****es all over the other grounds and will even better when it is finished.

Docklands has grown on me...having a "conveniently located" bar near the standing room at the Southern End helps and as for access to it...having Spencer St station right out the back is probably its best selling point.

 

[maccas_no1]

Originally posted by Paralowiepower
Not so!
Football Park half full with Port supporters make more noise and show more colour than it being full when the crows are playing.
How many times have I heard KG and co have a go at the crows crowd for being so quiet. And remember when the video scoreboard had all the sets of hands trying to get crow supporters to clap and cheer, they are a joke
Even your own supporters flood the radio stations saying that most of you would be better off at the golf or the movies.

Yeah well I try and fire the softies up especially the cheersquad

 

[raskolnikov]

Originally posted by Fullarton Power
Without question.. Football Park. Nowhere else even comes close.

Football Park is crap.

 

[JF_Bay_22_SCG]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
The SCG will continue to hold a special spot for NSWmen for some time yet however.

WRONG. Bulldoze it!
The SCG Trust would have to be the parochial self-serving bunch of scumbuckets seen to man. They go out of their way to make matches an annoyance and only give lip-service to making any serious improvements to a ground that very badly needs it.

OK, as I long time Swans & AFL supporter I do hold an axe to grind not only at the abvesarial attitude of the yellow SCG Trust Nazis but the trust in general (as a flagwaving, paper-throwing, giant flag-waving regular at Canberra Raiders, Swans and Socceroos' matches I was kinda 'known' to most of the security team).

If ever there was a city that was crying out for a bigger better cricket/AFL stadium it was Sydney. The SCG with a capacity of 41000 is just not adequate anymore as a cricket venue. Something should have been done in 1997 when we were getting 46000 to matches. At the footy whilst there may have been quite a few good memories over the years, the Trust continue to give you service with a snarl at rediculous post-Olympics prices. Having originally treated my club with disdain and token support.

Getting to and from the ground is a frigging nightmare. At one match against Melbourne this year the bus I was in stopped dead on Cleveland St for over 45 minutes as people either tried to get into the SCG carpark or leave the NRL. No wonder people don't get to their seats until 10-15 minutes into the 1st quarter. For the pleasure of parking on a rocky dustbowl, that'll be $13 thanks by the way!!!!!!!

The SCG Trust are now running scared. If crowds continue to rise in 2004 the AFL has the power to relocate them to Homebush, where security staff greet you with a smile and patron wishing to engage in heinous activities such as flag and banner-waving are treated wth the respect they deserve, as the heart and soul of sport. Heaven help me ever getting the crowd going with my drum at the SCG like I do at Homebush.

In past years the SCG Trust have
-burnt ALL the Sydney Swans Cheer Squad's old paper floggers and QBE sponsored flags
-yelled at me for having the audacity to get up on the seats and get the chants going
-told me to stop blowing my whistle at the Australia-Argentina soccer match when there are Croatians lobbing railway detenators about only metres away.
-charged me $3.80 for a 600 ml Diet Coke.
-had my dad's members tickets confiscated from me as soon as the rugby union came back to the Trust's jurisdiction.

Luckily in their defence we do have regular security guards appointed around the Cheer Squad these days (including the famous Baldy). Drunks up from Melbourne up to start trouble are generally moved away pretty quickly. And we are starting to develop a relationship with the same people. In a way they are starting to trust us. And they refuse to be told what to do by others in relation to things such as flag limits. We have used them in the past without incident. So have been allowed to do so, despite the constant barrage of photographs taken and official whinges by those involvd in the highly insular Cheer Squads' League.

I still think the SCG have taken Sydneysiders and the Swans for granted all these years. This time they know the Swans have an alternative, Homebush. Hence they are pumping in the big bucks to keep them happy with new training facilities and a new training ground.

But this little coconut does not forget the past. SCG Trust, you are only doing it out of fear of losing the city's top drawing tenant. Without the Swans the SCG would be a total white elephant.

My argument is that a world city like Sydney can do better than the SCG. Our 70000+ crowds at Homebush have proven me correct on that score.

JF

 

[JF_Bay_22_SCG]

Originally posted by riccardo
I never understand why the access to the Dome is a problem. I have been to 35-odd games there over 3 years, and it has never taken me more than 10 minutes to get in.

The solution is simple. Go around to Gate 6 (I think) behind the away Cheer Squad goals and get straight in. Even at big 40000+ matches I have simply walked straight in and bought General Admisson tickets by avoiding the main gate as you get out of Spencer St Station and following the path on the train line side of the ground to around the other side.

But be warned. In winter the wind comes howling off the water. If you can feel your fingers by the time you get back to Spencer St, you have good circulation or a bloody good jacket.

JF

 

[JF_Bay_22_SCG]

Originally posted by GoalsFrom50Out
Port's home game, Port scores their first goal, and what's on the screen? "POWER", flashing five times.

Yes true. And the words of their club song on the scoreboard as well. I find that very very lame to be brutualy honest. That may be cool in Brisbane or Sydney where the game is still trying to attract new supporters, butr I did NOT expect that at the home of a club proud of its supporters and being Australia's most successful.

Luckily they had "Sydney" up on the screen as well as the final as well. The ground announcer was even urging Sydney fans to find voice too, which I thought was a nice touch.

The SANFL Redcoats are by far the best security staff in the land. Employed by a football authority to promte football, they aren't all huffy about flag limits etc like they are in places like Brisbane & Melbourne. And actually ask you nicely when you have contravened on something.

JF

 

[JF_Bay_22_SCG]

Originally posted by Powerstuff
[When Port beat Collingwood at AAMI Stadium during the 2003 Home and Away season many of us there got up a chant of 'Eddie's a *anker' (sorry Collingwood fans, it was juvenile but enormous fun at the time). I was very disappointed to play the tape of the game and realise Channel 9 had sanitised the sound for transmission.
[/B]

Hmm, I wonder why that was.

JF

 

[Paralowiepower]

Originally posted by JF_Bay_22_SCG

Luckily they had "Sydney" up on the screen as well as the final as well. The ground announcer was even urging Sydney fans to find voice too, which I thought was a nice touch.

JF

You can thank Eddie for that