Docklands Stadium (Marvel Stadium) - Discussion

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Hawker81 said:
The possibility of the AFL blocking the A-League Grand Final from being played at Etihad has upset the soccer community, but I say fair enough.

I believe Melbourne Victory gets a sweetheart deal from Etihad for playing games there, which sides like St Kilda, Bulldogs and North don't get. So why should the AFL give the A-League a free kick. Hopefully the AFL use this as a bargaining tool to get some better returns for its clubs. If Etihad wants the ability to host A-league finals in our season then they need to give something back to the AFL clubs in return.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/f...-booking-dispute/story-fni2wcjl-1227105239192

MELBOURNE Victory could be forced to host a grand final interstate after the AFL locked the A-League out of Etihad Stadium and the MCG.

A war of words exploded between the two codes on Tuesday night as to whether Football Federation Australia gave enough notice of its need to book a ground.

FFA tried to make a "pencil booking" at both Etihad and the MCG for Sunday, May 17, but was told by the venues that the AFL exercised its priority rights over the 100,000 and 56,000-capacity venues to schedule games. AAMI Park — capacity about 28,000 — is free
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Pretty poor really, I wouldn't expect the AFL to be giving the A-League get away with booking Etihad for the entire finals series, but for the Grand Final surely they would be a bit generous. They had more than five weeks notice. Victory get a good deal because the ground lay dead half the year and they could have waited out at Olympic Park until the new stadium was built, they aren't favoured, they had fortunate circumstances there way. Etihad give the AFL clubs a stadium wholly owned by the league in ten years time...that's pretty big whereas the FFA own no major gorunds. To say the AFL is hard done by is quite pathetic to be honest, and I have an AFL membership and hate the Victory (Melbourne City are shit this season so I dont see us making the grand final).
 
carls12 said:
Pretty poor really, I wouldn't expect the AFL to be giving the A-League get away with booking Etihad for the entire finals series, but for the Grand Final surely they would be a bit generous. They had more than five weeks notice. Victory get a good deal because the ground lay dead half the year and they could have waited out at Olympic Park until the new stadium was built, they aren't favoured, they had fortunate circumstances there way. Etihad give the AFL clubs a stadium wholly owned by the league in ten years time...that's pretty big whereas the FFA own no major gorunds. To say the AFL is hard done by is quite pathetic to be honest, and I have an AFL membership and hate the Victory (Melbourne City are shit this season so I dont see us making the grand final).
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I have to disagree with you there. The AFL don't need to be generous, when they are bearing most of the costs of the stadium. I know that the AFL signed some bad contracts with Etihad, but what they did get in return was the right to use the stadium during the winter. That is worth something, so if Etihad want to lease it out, then that needs to come at a cost.

I'm not going to shed a tear for the FFA. They get a pretty good deal in Victoria, with the taxpayers building a 30,000 stadium rectangular stadium, which they are the major tenants. Melbourne Victory got the government to increase the size from what was initially planned as well.
 
Hawker81 said:
I have to disagree with you there. The AFL don't need to be generous, when they are bearing most of the costs of the stadium. I know that the AFL signed some bad contracts with Etihad, but what they did get in return was the right to use the stadium during the winter. That is worth something, so if Etihad want to lease it out, then that needs to come at a cost.

I'm not going to shed a tear for the FFA. They get a pretty good deal in Victoria, with the taxpayers building a 30,000 stadium rectangular stadium, which they are the major tenants. Melbourne Victory got the government to increase the size from what was initially planned as well.
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See I would agree that Victory are fortunate to have AAMI Park if it was actually big enough for the club, instead Etihad waved a contract in its face saying no 50k seat stadiums are to be build for the next 20 years or so so Victory were forced to accept a ground that only holds 30k when memberships are already above 22k and growing. Since Etihad were key in making sure AAMI Park was too small for it's major tenant so big drawing matches have to be played out of Etihad I think they should be making sure the ground is free for the Grand Final. Then again there would be no big issue if AAMI Park could actually be expanded to 50k...but they had to put that bloody complicated roof on it.
 

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carls12 said:
Pretty poor really, I wouldn't expect the AFL to be giving the A-League get away with booking Etihad for the entire finals series, but for the Grand Final surely they would be a bit generous. They had more than five weeks notice. Victory get a good deal because the ground lay dead half the year and they could have waited out at Olympic Park until the new stadium was built, they aren't favoured, they had fortunate circumstances there way. Etihad give the AFL clubs a stadium wholly owned by the league in ten years time...that's pretty big whereas the FFA own no major gorunds. To say the AFL is hard done by is quite pathetic to be honest, and I have an AFL membership and hate the Victory (Melbourne City are shit this season so I dont see us making the grand final).
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THe AFL under Gil will need to ring Eddie - when the Ground Manager in WA accepted a booking for a Rugby Union test mid September the same Eddie called it treachery ( no the AFL didnt book the ground it just wanted it kept free) - of course Etihad should be used for a soccer grand final.
 
Kwality said:
THe AFL under Gil will need to ring Eddie - when the Ground Manager in WA accepted a booking for a Rugby Union test mid September the same Eddie called it treachery ( no the AFL didnt book the ground it just wanted it kept free) - of course Etihad should be used for a soccer grand final.
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the AFL is the only real main regular user of Subiaco Oval & main financial contributor to the Stadium and has been for years, so it deserves stats of first use priority.

Etihad was built with private funds, the Victorian government was to tight to contribute any money to it. it was only built because of the AFl. it has strict contracts to how many games that needs to be played there every year until it is completely owned by the AFL. if it was a government stadium there might be some case to argue.

it would be a shame if the Victory or Heart made the GF and it had to be played interstate or at AAMI, in front of a smaller crowd.
from the AFL point of view, with moving the seats in to make the rectangular configuration apparently damages the surface
 
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-10-29/too-late-for-fixture-change

The AFL are covering their ass here. Something not right.

They state that the AFL accommodated the A-Leagues needs as best they could by only scheduling 2 matches at ES that round. What a load of shit. Unless it's a split round or Thursday - Monday round, ES usually only has 2 games of Football played at it regardless.

Poor communication maybe, but on both sides I would say which is nothing unusual for the AFL.
 
NT.Thunder said:
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-10-29/too-late-for-fixture-change

The AFL are covering their ass here. Something not right.

They state that the AFL accommodated the A-Leagues needs as best they could by only scheduling 2 matches at ES that round. What a load of shit. Unless it's a split round or Thursday - Monday round, ES usually only has 2 games of Football played at it regardless.

Poor communication maybe, but on both sides I would say which is nothing unusual for the AFL.
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No, the AFL are saying they left the Sunday free for the A-League. But the A-League have only come up to them a week ago and said "Oh, woops, sorry we meant the week after" :drunk:
 
bomber6 said:
the AFL is the only real main regular user of Subiaco Oval & main financial contributor to the Stadium and has been for years, so it deserves stats of first use priority.

Etihad was built with private funds, the Victorian government was to tight to contribute any money to it. it was only built because of the AFl. it has strict contracts to how many games that needs to be played there every year until it is completely owned by the AFL. if it was a government stadium there might be some case to argue.

it would be a shame if the Victory or Heart made the GF and it had to be played interstate or at AAMI, in front of a smaller crowd.
from the AFL point of view, with moving the seats in to make the rectangular configuration apparently damages the surface
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Just perhaps its an opportunity for AFL staffers to move the deck chairs on the disastrous version of the Titanic that is the AFL deal at Etihad - yes, they would need to get off their posteriors & act positively in the interests of the game. Without TV already locked in, it can be done , a double header, move a game interstate , move a game to the G or Geelong - Einstein stuff, NO !

The alternative is the Vic Govt will lean on the MCC & it will be played at the MCG (for exactly the same reason a Rugby Union test is played at Pattos@subi.). THe AFL can be sidelined if they are incalcitrant & do not even try to screw a better deal.
 
carls12 said:
How can they say that when they announced publicly five weeks ago that they changed the date?
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I don't give a **** about the A-League, I'm pretty sure most people at AFL House don't either. I couldn't tell you when their finals are played from my memory. Onus was on FFA to tell the AFL ASAP.
 
NT.Thunder said:
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-10-29/too-late-for-fixture-change

The AFL are covering their ass here. Something not right.

They state that the AFL accommodated the A-Leagues needs as best they could by only scheduling 2 matches at ES that round. What a load of shit. Unless it's a split round or Thursday - Monday round, ES usually only has 2 games of Football played at it regardless.

Poor communication maybe, but on both sides I would say which is nothing unusual for the AFL.
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Plenty of rounds where Etihad has had 3 games (Fri-Sat-Sun) in the past. To say nothing about it having its contractual rights at the G and Etihad
 
The_Wookie said:
Plenty of rounds where Etihad has had 3 games (Fri-Sat-Sun) in the past. To say nothing about it having its contractual rights at the G and Etihad
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I would say more not than often though looking back through the fixture. Like I said, when it's an extended round, split round etc yes, but standard rounds no.

This year there were only 2 rounds (15 & 21) that had 3 games played at ES in a standard weekend of football. The only other time 3 games or more were playerd at ES is like I said during split rounds over 2 weekends or Thurs - Monday round.......So certainly wernt plenty this year.
 
The_Wookie said:
Plenty of rounds where Etihad has had 3 games (Fri-Sat-Sun) in the past. To say nothing about it having its contractual rights at the G and Etihad
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If the AFL hang tough on this they will have another loss in the court of public opinion. Welded on AFL footy fans & cheerleaders will celebrate BUT ordinary sports fans (the vast majority of whom follow AFL footy) will see it as bully boy stuff.
As an opportunity to address the contractual arrangements at Etihad it is manna from heaven.
 

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Kwality said:
If the AFL hang tough on this they will have another loss in the court of public opinion. Welded on AFL footy fans & cheerleaders will celebrate BUT ordinary sports fans (the vast majority of whom follow AFL footy) will see it as bully boy stuff.
As an opportunity to address the contractual arrangements at Etihad it is manna from heaven.
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yeah they said that about the world cup crap too. And the only people still bringing that up are folks from other codes. Sorry, this is people not understanding basic contract law.
 
The A league is a 10 team comp that takes the best part of 8 months to find a winner. By which time they run into the other professional football codes in Australia.

No wonder they strike the odd issue. Could always shorten the season to avoid clashes like this.
 
The_Wookie said:
yeah they said that about the world cup crap too. And the only people still bringing that up are folks from other codes. Sorry, this is people not understanding basic contract law.
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To fail to understand the difference between the A-League Grand Final & the World Cup scenario suggests you hold a preconceived position.
 
Kwality said:
To fail to understand the difference between the A-League Grand Final & the World Cup scenario suggests you hold a preconceived position.
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Yes I do. Soccer needs to learn that while its great they are having a good time and all, there are other sports that are still relevant - and with long term contracts that just dont go away because they decide they want to use it.

Incidentally Im surprised to see you champion this cause, given you were one of the critics of the AFL not definitively booking subiaco for finals when it was taken over by the ARU. This situation is literally no different.
 
The_Wookie said:
Yes I do. Soccer needs to learn that while its great they are having a good time and all, there are other sports that are still relevant - and with long term contracts that just dont go away because they decide they want to use it.

Incidentally Im surprised to see you champion this cause, given you were one of the critics of the AFL not definitively booking subiaco for finals when it was taken over by the ARU. This situation is literally no different.
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The only time Melbourne Victory actually needs a stadium bigger than AAMI is when they play Sydney or Melbourne City, and if they play a grand final. They have no problem of obtaining the stadium in the regular season, and if the FFA want a bigger stadium for their Grand Final, then they need to offer some compo to the AFL, whose clubs are bearing the majority of the costs for the stadium.

Alternatively, the FFA could just book AAMI park, and charge more for tickets as it will sell out.
 
If Victory win the rights to the Grand Final then the AFL would be pretty dumb to stand in the way. They'll be able to get some handy compensation out of it. But they won't piss off a whole bunch of AFL fans, and more importantly the state government, for the sake of a game that'll likely attract less than 15k fans. They'll stomp their feet and play hardball but the bad PR to come from standing their ground would just be dumb. The AFL would like to think that the A-league is an irrelevant competition but it's got a lot of goodwill at the moment. If a Melbourne Sydney grand final was shifted to Sydney because of the AFL there would be a lot of unhappy people and only the small remaining anti-soccer brigade would be for it.

Interesting too that the FFA announcing the move 6 weeks ago was too late for the AFL to shift a game away from Etihad on May 17. But it was plenty of time for them to shift a game to Etihad on May 10.
 
The_Wookie said:
Yes I do. Soccer needs to learn that while its great they are having a good time and all, there are other sports that are still relevant - and with long term contracts that just dont go away because they decide they want to use it.

Incidentally Im surprised to see you champion this cause, given you were one of the critics of the AFL not definitively booking subiaco for finals when it was taken over by the ARU. This situation is literally no different.
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Your agenda is clear, however I disagree, there is room for both sports/events with a small serve of common sense & goodwill. It is exactly the same with Rugby Union at Subi, common sense & goodwill. IF the AFL dont move at Etihad , the Vic Govt will bulldoze all concerned to clear the MCG for a big event in the business of sport with its flow on to the local economy. That the A-League stuffed up on the date is no reason to apply common sense & goodwill.

Just for the record Soccers attempt to ride roughshod over the AFL & NRL to play the World Cup in Aus was disgraceful. I dont think Soccer ever gave a straight answer to whether or not these competitions were supposed to close down, what a joke.
 
Hawker81 said:
The only time Melbourne Victory actually needs a stadium bigger than AAMI is when they play Sydney or Melbourne City, and if they play a grand final. They have no problem of obtaining the stadium in the regular season, and if the FFA want a bigger stadium for their Grand Final, then they need to offer some compo to the AFL, whose clubs are bearing the majority of the costs for the stadium.

Alternatively, the FFA could just book AAMI park, and charge more for tickets as it will sell out.
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AAMI, they'd play it in Sydney, probably with NSW Govt support.
 
Kwality said:
AAMI, they'd play it in Sydney, probably with NSW Govt support.
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That's their call. I'm sure the FFA hope that a NSW team hosts the Grand Final in any case. Not sure why the FFA don't just host the grand final on a Monday night. Fewer events that they need to compete with. Anyway after last night's game, all concerned probably won't need to worry about a grand final in Melbourne.
 
Hawker81 said:
That's their call. I'm sure the FFA hope that a NSW team hosts the Grand Final in any case. Not sure why the FFA don't just host the grand final on a Monday night. Fewer events that they need to compete with. Anyway after last night's game, all concerned probably won't need to worry about a grand final in Melbourne.
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Why would the FFA worry about competing events for their showpiece event that sells out every year?
 

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Docklands Stadium (Marvel Stadium) - Discussion

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