Opinion Dees to Marvel?

[Howard Littlejohn]

The MCG is their home ground, has been forever, and they would be far better off financially getting 17k there than getting 20k at Docklands (where they would probably get around 15k for the same game).
The improved Docklands deals are still that shit.
There is simply no reason for the only side in Melbourne who play at a traditional home to move away from it.

 

[Bianconeri]

Too many teams in one city is the issue now. Even more so as you can’t have all the Victorian teams all peaking at the same time.

Not to mention the preponderance of other events and hobbies that the AFL is up against for people to spend their money on.

Yeah some of them should or merge. North Melbourne to Canberra, Hawthorn to Tasmania, Bulldogs can merge with GES and St Kilda can merge with Gold Coast. Melbourne to Darwin.

 

[Pipefitter]

We should be playing interstate clubs at Marvel there’s no doubt. And this is coming from an MCC member. Less than 20k at the G ain’t good enough.

 

[Hawkk]

Yeah some of them should or merge. North Melbourne to Canberra, Hawthorn to Tasmania, Bulldogs can merge with GES and St Kilda can merge with Gold Coast. Melbourne to Darwin.

One of the richest clubs in the country to move to Tasmania? Righto lol

 

[Zevon]

When the camera panned to the crowd I saw a dees fan

 

[Bianconeri]

One of the richest clubs in the country to move to Tasmania? Righto lol

Tasmania need a rich team

 

[Purple7x08_24]

If they're not going to turn up then some trips to Marvel should make their fans not take the MCG for granted anymore.

I'm more in favor of a smaller boutique stadium. I'm not sure Ethiad would suit the Dees

 

[Woolly Mammoth]

Just a reminder- six years ago pre-bandwagon Carlton when they were still crap pulled 26k against Port at the G

 

[Guju]

IMHO we need a 30K boutique stadium near the CBD, for smaller to mid size Melbourne clubs to play against lower drawing interstate teams. I would rather watch the Hawks fill out a boutique stadium when playing against the likes of GWS/SUNS, than playing in a largely empty MCG. Better spectacle.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Just a reminder- six years ago pre-bandwagon Carlton when they were still crap pulled 26k against Port at the G

They're still crap now.

 

[TigerTrain23]

Daytime fixtures are the answer for low attending MCG games in winter. Dee's v interstate sides should always be daytime during this time.

 

[Clark G]

IMHO we need a 30K boutique stadium near the CBD, for smaller to mid size Melbourne clubs to play against lower drawing interstate teams. I would rather watch the Hawks fill out a boutique stadium when playing against the likes of GWS/SUNS, than playing in a largely empty MCG. Better spectacle.

This was looked at years ago but eventually not pursued.

Boutique stadium off agenda after mega-deal

Everyone knows we're a two-stadium town, says AFL CEO

www.afl.com.au

 

[PhatBoy]

At some point there needs to be some acceptance that beyond a couple of exceptions, teams that are going sh*t will have low crowds. If those teams are already mid or lower in supporter terms then they will naturally be lower again.

You won’t have, ever, 18 teams - especially at round 21 - getting good crowds, at any venue. Too many seasons are f**ked, people have better things to do than watch their team play with nothing on the line

 

[Altum Volantes]

It’s Melbourne.

They are having a tough year - the scarfs go away and you won’t see a Melbourne supporter again until they are back in a Prelim.

Worst supporters in the league?

 

[Purple Suit]

Yeah some of them should or merge. North Melbourne to Canberra, Hawthorn to Tasmania, Bulldogs can merge with GES and St Kilda can merge with Gold Coast. Melbourne to Darwin.

Why relocate Melbourne teams? They tried that with Fitzroy and they just stayed Brisbane with a better team.

Try merging two Vic teams together when the time is right. They might become part of the Big 5 and draw big crowds. If it fails, at least we tried to solve some of the games problems. Give teams 5-10 years to sort themselves out. Transparent metrics, where the lowest two teams via the metrics over the 10 year period get merged.

We can then create new teams like WA3 & Canberra when required.

 

[Mich0]

It’s Melbourne.

They are having a tough year - the scarfs go away and you won’t see a Melbourne supporter again until they are back in a Prelim.

Worst supporters in the league?

I always find it weird when people try to classify a teams supporters as a “type” of person or personality or score them as being better or worse than another clubs.

Let’s be honest, all teams supporters are the same.

 

[Bianconeri]

Why relocate Melbourne teams? They tried that with Fitzroy and they just stayed Brisbane with a better team.

Try merging two Vic teams together when the time is right. They might become part of the Big 5 and draw big crowds. If it fails, at least we tried to solve some of the games problems. Give teams 5-10 years to sort themselves out. Transparent metrics, where the lowest two teams via the metrics over the 10 year period get merged.

We can then create new teams like WA3 & Canberra when required.

Because the relocated teams in the east do better than the created ones.

 

[Mastiha]

Dees should play fewer games at the G, they should play geelong at Gtown

 

[Substance]

If they made the food & drinks costco prices I bet more people would go.

 

[JohnZ]

The melbourne clubs shouldn't have one "home" ground and this proves it. Sorry but no one enjoys going to the G when it has less than 40k, it just feels empty (because it is). Gosch's Padock needs to become a 30k seat stadium boutique stadium for when clubs can't fill the G, similar design to KP or Metricon (I prefer KP because most people are in the ground level bays). Create a hill for that AO vibe behind one of the goals.

Games that average over 60k go to the MCG
Games that average over 30k go to Marvel
The rest go to the paddock.

If each ground got roughly 45 games (to maintain current contracts), that requires at least 15 home games per melbourne club (9 * 15 = 135 = 45*3). So for economics we're looking at a full H+A season (17 home, 17 away) seeing as we're so close at that point. If playing 34 games, we only need a top 4 finals over 2 weeks for the flag (but make the minor premiership worth something meaningful and build it, 34 weeks is a slog).

As for interstate teams needing equal access to the MCG, they don't need it if the GF gets rotated, with every even year (2024, 2026, 2028 etc) at the MCG, and every odd year (2025, 2027, 2029 etc) rotated between each state getting one every 8 years which is a fair split based on 2/18 being roughly 1/8. The MCG can get the VIC contracts in perpeituity for all I care, but the prelim finals get played at the highest ranked teams venue (be it tassie, gold coast, geelong or the G). But the GF needs to be locked in ahead of time so that flights and entertainment can be organised early.

edit: No one expects the players to play the entire season. So we're looking at AFL reserves and a list of ~60, plus guaranteed weeks off for players in their EBA (ie mandated 2 week leave during season, max games played during H+A season etc).

 

[Soggy2112]

At some point there needs to be some acceptance that beyond a couple of exceptions, teams that are going sh*t will have low crowds. If those teams are already mid or lower in supporter terms then they will naturally be lower again.

You won’t have, ever, 18 teams - especially at round 21 - getting good crowds, at any venue. Too many seasons are f**ked, people have better things to do than watch their team play with nothing on the line

I know this is an unpopular opinion however it’s kind of the uncomfortable truth. Low crowds do not have to be inevitable.

In my view, the talent pool is not large enough to sustain 18 teams, let alone 20, and maintain the standard we would like.

On top of that, having sub 20k crowds in a city as big and footy obsessed as Melbourne does not make sense. Yes, it is inevitable that a struggling side will see a dip in crowds, but not to this extent. We had 39k last night, and over 40k against the Hawks, because 2 teams is the right amount for SA’s size.

I believe the Hawks and Tigers have also seen similarly low crowds this season (correct me if I’m wrong). Its not just happening to the small clubs.

The AFL is trying to have the best of both worlds in being a fair dinkum elite, professional, national comp while also having that suburban state comp charm and I just don’t think that’s realistic or sustainable.

 

[Juanito]

Considering their members voted to merge years back they would probably be up for it

The vote was a lie. Ask anyone who was there. Or read "Between the Flags" chapter 12.

 

[Xtreme]

Footy no contest v 100 years of skiing at Mt Buller

Are snow cheese platters better than cheese platters at the footy ?

 

[Run n Spread]

Too many teams in one city is the issue now. Even more so as you can’t have all the Victorian teams all peaking at the same time.

Not to mention the preponderance of other events and hobbies that the AFL is up against for people to spend their money on.

No there isn't. So we boot out a Melbourne based team that gets 17k to a game to.subsidise GWS who get not even half that. Or Gold Coast who barely get more?

 

[Mr Meow]

Can you actually blame them?

After all the suffering they've been through they finally win a flag but it's during COVID and at Perth where most of their members weren't able to attend.

Then the world returns to normal and with the same list they manage to lose 4 consecutive finals at the home of football to give them back to back straight sets exits. Why on Earth would they feel compelled to return to the scene of the crime?