Brighton Homes Arena (Springfield) discussions

[bombersfan4000]

League is King up here. Rightly or wrongly every other sporting code professional or amateur are fighting for the scraps of public funding.

League are kings of government funding

 

[Mr Ripper]

You'd think they'd have to have an aim of getting every game live. They'll be able to use the AFL deal as an example, and the world hasn't ended there. No idea about the Fox League channel - IIRC Fox Footy is used as a bargaining chip, and Foxtel throws it in (or takes it out) depending on how the deal with the AFL goes. It's of more interest to the AFL than to Foxtel, probably as cheap advertising on the AFL's behalf (watch AFL at any time...). Is it as appealing to the NRL? No idea.

FS1 is a de facto Fox League channel as it is.

 

[pulpdriver]

I wonder when we expect some significant developments in this search for a new home?

 

[Sausages]

I think the AFL is awaiting a time to announce the formation of the North Brisbane Lions, based at Aspley and the South Brisbane Bears, based at Logan.

More teams in Brisbane is the answer to all the issues affecting the game up here, clearly.

 

[Bucking Beads]

This really is becoming a bigger issue as we continue to struggle to find a place to call home. We are essentially a 3rd world country in terms of our facilities compared to other clubs. Shame on the past administrators for letting it get this bad. We should have had this sorted off the back of the 3peat but now we are trying to find land and funds when we can't get a win on the field.

 

[Sausages]

This really is becoming a bigger issue as we continue to struggle to find a place to call home. We are essentially a 3rd world country in terms of our facilities compared to other clubs. Shame on the past administrators for letting it get this bad. We should have had this sorted off the back of the 3peat but now we are trying to find land and funds when we can't get a win on the field.

(intro, clarion call trumpets)

Announcer: "Come one, come all, to the fabulous state of Queensland and the wonderful city of Brisbane and play your footy career in a Lions jumper. We have no training base! We have no cultural acceptance of you as an athlete! It will cost you more to live here, nobody will know your name and you'll have to pay FULL PRICE for everything - no footy players discounts up here!! And, we'll pay you the same money you could get elsewhere with NONE of the benefits."

**minutes tick by, silence**

Announcer, an aside to off-stage presence: "Psst!! What's wrong? Why aren't they coming forward to sign up?"

Off-stage presence: "Oh, they will.....one day.....we have a plan....just left it in my other suit is all....(phone rings) "Hello, Gillon McLachlan speaking...."

 

[jjami15]

Yep, just another problem that we have to add to the mix. It shouldn't be too surprising that we haven't moved up the ladder. We ask for elite standards from our players and we give them the worst in the league, worst by a mile.

 

[jjami15]

A few of us have highlighted the importance of our facilities in comparison to the rest of the league and how this would play a major part in our retention in another thread. This for me is our greatest concern at the moment out of a number of issues. Gilly would obviously know the state of our facilities and I would like to know what is happening on this front. Head office (AFL) come out saying that we are now on their radar again and this should be front and square of their issues to fix. It obviously takes $$$$ and lots of it. Why couldn't we take out a 'loan' from the AFL with a requirement to pay it back over a large duration of time with minimal interest or even none. Why not $50mil over 50 years @ $1m payment a year or something crazy like that. It's just a thought.

 

[POBT]

A few of us have highlighted the importance of our facilities in comparison to the rest of the league and how this would play a major part in our retention in another thread. This for me is our greatest concern at the moment out of a number of issues. Gilly would obviously know the state of our facilities and I would like to know what is happening on this front. Head office (AFL) come out saying that we are now on their radar again and this should be front and square of their issues to fix. It obviously takes $$$$ and lots of it. Why couldn't we take out a 'loan' from the AFL with a requirement to pay it back over a large duration of time with minimal interest or even none. Why not $50mil over 50 years @ $1m payment a year or something crazy like that. It's just a thought.

Unless we pick up a revenue source out of that, then that $1M will effectively be funded by the AFL anyway.

It feels a little bit like the argument for funding preventative health. Just about everyone understands that it makes good long term economic sense but when you are funding today's problems, it is hard to find that extra money to prevent tomorrow's problems.

Then there's the cynical view that ideally for the AFL, the ideal is that we are somewhat competitive without being dominant. God forbid an interstate club wins a few flags or has the gumption to improve their list by enticing gun players to play for them. Ideally, Sydney gets a little less competitive and we get a little more competitive without causing any pain to the clubs supported by the powerbrokers. In reality, what the AFL should do is make Sydney trade Tippett to us for McGuane and maybe a Kieran Jack for Lester. That should even things a bit, get us out of the bottom 4 and Sydney out of the top 4. Everyone wins, except for those who don't really count.

 

[Hollow Knight]

The complete lack of chatter on facilities is concerning. I'm sure we haven't abandoned looking for options altogether but it feels like we are in a holding pattern at the moment.

Going to be a long time until we have something physically in place.

 

[jackess]

Im assuming we're having trouble getting the funding to commit to new facilities. Probably don't want to jump the gun like last time.

I think if Eddie wants to make another comment on equality he should make a comparison between our training facilities.

 

[Nuggo]

With those sites in a prime location but are affected by flood is it possible to flood proof the site by raising the land level and adding suitable drainage...cost in the short term will be painful but could be the long term solution.

 

[jackess]

With those sites in a prime location but are affected by flood is it possible to flood proof the site by raising the land level and adding suitable drainage...cost in the short term will be painful but could be the long term solution.

Yep

 

[POBT]

With those sites in a prime location but are affected by flood is it possible to flood proof the site by raising the land level and adding suitable drainage...cost in the short term will be painful but could be the long term solution.

I don't think the issue is trying to find a location. Regardless of where we build, we can't raise the funds. A more expensive build on a flood prone site would just exacerbate the problem.

 

[Ceebee]

I don't think the issue is trying to find a location. Regardless of where we build, we can't raise the funds. A more expensive build on a flood prone site would just exacerbate the problem.

As a lot of the local AFL clubs experience all the time

 

[Bucking Beads]

Pretty sad that nothing has been found for us yet. The ladder we are climbing just seems to get higher and higher.

 

[Nuggo]

So how do you get a city to love a team regardless of where it sits on the ladder is real the question. The Lions need to become champions of a cause that affects Brisbane as a whole.

They also should start their own local rag. Have sports on the front page and work its way to the news at the back......its the way a newspaper is read anyway.

 

[MacMum]

.....also another idea. Why not develop the Gabba and use that for all training........seems the sensible, obvious thing to do. Just have to get the Gabba people to see our way of thinking.......after all, we are their main tenants, they need to learn to be more agreeable and co-operative.

Its not like it is used for anything else at this time of year...we are the only ones to use it.

 

[Bucking Beads]

.....also another idea. Why not develop the Gabba and use that for all training........seems the sensible, obvious thing to do. Just have to get the Gabba people to see our way of thinking.......after all, we are their main tenants, they need to learn to be more agreeable and co-operative.

Its not like it is used for anything else at this time of year...we are the only ones to use it.

Still need somewhere to train once cricket starts though. The Gabba just isn't ideal because of the limitations it has and the cost. We need our own standalone training facility.

 

[PattyKwasagun]

.....also another idea. Why not develop the Gabba and use that for all training........seems the sensible, obvious thing to do. Just have to get the Gabba people to see our way of thinking.......after all, we are their main tenants, they need to learn to be more agreeable and co-operative.

Its not like it is used for anything else at this time of year...we are the only ones to use it.

The major issue of the Gabba is cost. A large part of our financial situation at the moment is due to the Gabba deal screwing us over for many years. Still will cost us a fair bit to play there but it'll be an enormous saving on what we're currently paying in yearly costs. Other issue is that the space in the Gabba is very limited, and you couldn't build what you'd want for a professional sporting club.

There has to be some movement on this in the next month or two though you'd think. Springfield was meant to be open by the first game of 2017 to memory - at this rate we won't even have started construction on a site by then. I think the situation is more time sensitive than people think.

 

[SizeMatters]

AFL is a billion dollar industry... Why can't they just gift us some cash to get out of this hole... Interest free loan of 20m or
Something. It will pay for itself many times over if we are competitive just from TV rights.

 

[MacMum]

Thanks for responses guys.......so I guess the Gabba is out.

..back to square one again.

 

[jackess]

How about under the sea?

 

[Nuggo]

If we leave the Gabba who will become their major Tenant? They have a bit to lose in this as well I would of thought. Is this a game of bluff with the Gabba management to make some significant changes?

 

[Viceregal]

If we leave the Gabba who will become their major Tenant? They have a bit to lose in this as well I would of thought. Is this a game of bluff with the Gabba management to make some significant changes?

I don't think renting the space we are using is the main issue for the Gabba people - they will find other tenants ... we are the major tenant in terms of the use of the ground etc and unfortunately we don't have a viable alternate AFL standard ground to play at to provide any pressure on them re stadium deals (unless you want to go back to the future to Cararra )