Is a footy extravaganza weekend in Melbourne a good idea?

[M Malice]

This season the NRL are playing a full round of fixtures in the one city/venue ie. Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.

I love the idea of doing the same in the AFL, IMO you'd get a hell of a lot of people travelling from interstate, I'd go and attend as many games as possible. I think 8 of the games would have to be scheduled away games for the interstate clubs, or do you maximize attendance's and have traditional Melbourne rivalries? Would be hard to sell to interstate clubs if they had to give up a home game.

Mock up draw-

Thursday night, MCG- Collingwood v West Coast.
Friday night, MCG- Richmond v Adelaide.
Saturday, 1.10pm, GMHBA- Geelong v Port Adelaide.
Saturday, 4.40pm, MCG- Melbourne v Brisbane.
Saturday night, Marvel- Western Bulldogs v Fremantle.
Sunday, 1.10pm, Marvel- North Melbourne v Sydney.
Sunday, 4.40pm, MCG- Essendon v GWS.
Sunday night, Marvel- Carlton v Gold Coast.
Monday night, Marvel- Hawthorn v St.Kilda.

Other suggested draws for the weekend?
You like the idea or does it stink?
Would the clubs/AFL go for it?

 

[Professor Knowall]

The NRL evidently has to resort to these sort of gimmicks to attract a crowd. There's absolutely no reason for the AFL to follow suite.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

The NRL evidently has to resort to these sort of gimmicks to attract a crowd. There's absolutely no reason for the AFL to follow suite.

I think Brisbane made a strong bid for GF hosting rights, at least while the Sydney stadiums are being rebuilt. They didn’t get it and I think this weekend thing is a consolation prize / apology gift from the NRL.

 

[Stars align]

I think Brisbane made a strong bid for GF hosting rights, at least while the Sydney stadiums are being rebuilt. They didn’t get it and I think this weekend thing is a consolation prize / apology gift from the NRL.

I know it was not on the same scale but the first weekend of finals in 2013 was epic having those four games in Melbourne over the one weekend had the city pumping and made for a great trip over and across for us interstaters

 

[Bomberboyokay]

QLD Government is paying for it. The NRL and its clubs didn't make it happen for free.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Not a fan of this at all. Dont see why frankly.

 

[calyam]

Asking a hell of a lot of the grounds staff to keep the MCG / Marvel in tip-top shape for four games in a single weekend.

This feels unnecessary. NRL loves their gimmicks because they struggle to put bums in seats. That's never been a real problem for the AFL.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Asking a hell of a lot of the grounds staff to keep the MCG / Marvel in tip-top shape for four games in a single weekend.

This feels unnecessary. NRL loves their gimmicks because they struggle to put bums in seats. That's never been a real problem for the AFL.

I'd be outraged as a queenslander with public money being spent on it.

As a teenager I sat through a triple header at the old Sydney showgrounds stadium and always felt someone should have paid me.

I wanted my share of the slab in the eskie so I didn't leave early.

 

[Scotland]

Most Friday night games are in Melbourne, and on average there are 3-4 other games in the city across the weekend.

Rd 1 we have Thursday night MCG, Friday night MCG, Saturday arvo MCG, Saturday night Marvel, Sunday arvo Marvel. That's 5 of 9 games and 3 of them are the only games in Melbourne on the day. This will probably bring about 250k punters through the gates. The AFL do better out of Collingwood vs Geelong and Richmond vs Carlton and having Freo vs North in Perth than they would out of trying to manufacture 9 Victorian home games.

 

[dzussy]

An elite sporting code shouldn't need to resort to this type of novelty crap. If its government driven as suggested, then it is a waste for taxpayers money.

 

[juss]

Apart from it being a lot of fun for a bunch of fans to gather and watch a lot of games, theres no real reason to do this.

I dont know if "it could be a cool weekend" is a good enough reason to do something.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Most Friday night games are in Melbourne, and on average there are 3-4 other games in the city across the weekend.

In previous seasons there has been a growing number on prime time, even with two interstate match ups.

Looking at 2019

Friday interstate - 9
Thursday interstate - 5
Saturday usually has one but unsure which is on seven

 

[ashley12]

GC vs GWS at the G to pack them in!!!

 

[M Malice]

Looks like I'm the only one who's for it.....Oh well I'll let Gill the Dill know it's a no go.

 

[Lensen]

Strange to link it to playing in Melbourne. The point of this is that there's one club in Brisbane only (two in SEQ) so the market for games isn't saturated

Do this in Adelaide or Perth and it'd be an interesting idea

 

[Jen2310]

Careful. One could tell you, Geelong isn't in Melbourne.

 

[The King!]

Looks like I'm the only one who's for it.....Oh well I'll let Gill the Dill know it's a no go.

He doesn’t need popular support, just you may be enough

 

[sprockets]

This season the NRL are playing a full round of fixtures in the one city/venue ie. Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.

I love the idea of doing the same in the AFL, IMO you'd get a hell of a lot of people travelling from interstate, I'd go and attend as many games as possible. I think 8 of the games would have to be scheduled away games for the interstate clubs, or do you maximize attendance's and have traditional Melbourne rivalries? Would be hard to sell to interstate clubs if they had to give up a home game.

Mock up draw-

Thursday night, MCG- Collingwood v West Coast.
Friday night, MCG- Richmond v Adelaide.
Saturday, 1.10pm, GMHBA- Geelong v Port Adelaide.
Saturday, 4.40pm, MCG- Melbourne v Brisbane.
Saturday night, Marvel- Western Bulldogs v Fremantle.
Sunday, 1.10pm, Marvel- North Melbourne v Sydney.
Sunday, 4.40pm, MCG- Essendon v GWS.
Sunday night, Marvel- Carlton v Gold Coast.
Monday night, Marvel- Hawthorn v St.Kilda.

Other suggested draws for the weekend?
You like the idea or does it stink?
Would the clubs/AFL go for it?

What purpose does it serve?

 

[Pessimistic]

This season the NRL are playing a full round of fixtures in the one city/venue ie. Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.

I love the idea of doing the same in the AFL, IMO you'd get a hell of a lot of people travelling from interstate, I'd go and attend as many games as possible. I think 8 of the games would have to be scheduled away games for the interstate clubs, or do you maximize attendance's and have traditional Melbourne rivalries? Would be hard to sell to interstate clubs if they had to give up a home game.

Mock up draw-

Thursday night, MCG- Collingwood v West Coast.
Friday night, MCG- Richmond v Adelaide.
Saturday, 1.10pm, GMHBA- Geelong v Port Adelaide.
Saturday, 4.40pm, MCG- Melbourne v Brisbane.
Saturday night, Marvel- Western Bulldogs v Fremantle.
Sunday, 1.10pm, Marvel- North Melbourne v Sydney.
Sunday, 4.40pm, MCG- Essendon v GWS.
Sunday night, Marvel- Carlton v Gold Coast.
Monday night, Marvel- Hawthorn v St.Kilda.

Other suggested draws for the weekend?
You like the idea or does it stink?
Would the clubs/AFL go for it?

It’ll be more money for NRL

A lot less for AFL

 

[M Malice]

What purpose does it serve?

It lets me have a boys long weekend away in Melbourne to watch live as much AFL footy as humanly possible, other than that I have NFI.

 

[M Malice]

It’ll be more money for NRL

A lot less for AFL

Your right, I've canned the idea.

 

[Pessimistic]

Forgotten Aflx already? The afl is thinking ahead of you

 

[sprockets]

It lets me have a boys long weekend away in Melbourne to watch live as much AFL footy as humanly possible, other than that I have NFI.

Come to Melbourne anyway. There'll be some great footy happening but even without the footy it's the best place on earth.

 

[M Malice]

Come to Melbourne anyway. There'll be some great footy happening but even without the footy it's the best place on earth.

I've been to Melbourne 3 out of the last 4 years (the other year we went to Adelaide for Lions v Port), I take in a Lions game and at least 2 other games while there. I agree Melbourne is great except for the bloody weather, love the restaurant scene. The best long weekend was 2016, a Lions game, Anzac day and Dream Time at the G- Magnificent.

Probably going down this season for our round 4 clash with the Bombers.

 

[Senor M]

I've been to Melbourne 3 out of the last 4 years (the other year we went to Adelaide for Lions v Port), I take in a Lions game and at least 2 other games while there. I agree Melbourne is great except for the bloody weather, love the restaurant scene. The best long weekend was 2016, a Lions game, Anzac day and Dream Time at the G- Magnificent.

Probably going down this season for our round 4 clash with the Bombers.

Must’ve been a bloody good long weekend to include both the 25th April & the last weekend in May

Or do you mean the Anzac Eve game rather than Dreamtime @ the G??