Opinion No Opp. Supporters - Ampol Sponsorship: A Bridge too Far

[thylacine60]

So there are different levels of lobbying and ones that you agree with are O.K.?

You cancelled your membership due to Ampol sponsoring but left it in place when we received income from poker machines so have indicated that you see petrol companies as more evil than poker machines. That's the thing about absolutism, it doesn't allow any nuance at all. I don't see you as extreme, just someone that has painted themselves into a corner.

naughty naughty - you already said "over & out"..........

 

[manang magoos]

I guess my thinking is that it comes down to intent. Hyundai sponsor because they want to sell more product and think it will help them to achieve that goal. Ampol isn't providing sponsorship to sell more product - they are attempting to launder their reputation. The Club/Board have decided they are comfortable in putting a value on laundering that reputation through us - they are obviously comfortable with that decision. It doesn't mean everyone else needs to be.

What this isn’t sports washing mate

 

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

Do you go to a specific servo to fill up or do you just go to the closest one?

I go to a specific servo (when I can). The APCOs in my area are always anywhere from 10-20c a litre cheaper than everyone else.

 

[BrisbaneCFC]

I was out on the road for work yesterday, in what I would consider a semi-rural area. I’m usually a Shell man, due to my corporate fuel card, but found myself getting near empty, and after a quick Google search, I discovered that the closest and only service station for quite some time, was indeed an Ampol service station.

Not wanting to take any chances, particularly as it was in the middle of the thunderstorm in sunny Victoria, I made my way to the Ampol servo.

On arrival, I observed a man who appeared to be in his mid 30’s, wearing an Ampol branded polo shirt, struggling to move a loaded skip bin in the pouring rain. It quickly became apparent that the full to the brink skip had been placed on a landscaped area, which was topped with some form of fine crushed aggregate, and due to the heavy rain and the weight of the now loaded bin, the aggregate had become like quicksand, not allowing the castor wheels to function.

It was even more evident, that the man was trying to shift the bin so it could be collected by the waiting garbage man, who sat in his truck on the nearby hardstand area, growing more and more impatient as every second ticked by, and not willing to bring his truck closer, in fear of also getting bogged.

Feeling somewhat festive, I sprung to action, jumping out of my car and getting on one side of the skip bin, and together, we pushed and pulled the bin inch by inch, until we finally made it to the hardstand area, where it was moved freely to a convenient pick up point.

Good deed done, I made my way to the bowser, filled up and went inside to pay.

Whilst being served by another staff member, the man I had helped came into the store, expressing gratitude for my assistance. We chatted generally for a while, and I learnt that he was in charge of the business operations, having somewhat recently taken over as new management. He had a young family, and was currently working 7 days a week, trying to get ahead. He was also reasonably new to AFL, and just happened to be a Carlton fan.

We said our farewells and I had just made my way back to the car, when I see the man chasing me out of the servo, carrying a big box of fried chicken and a can of coke. He tried to give me both, which I refused, but he kept insisting, saying he wanted to thank me for my assistance. I told him I was not hungry, and his praise was already enough to fulfil me (this wasn’t all true, I was starving, but trying to watch my waistline before the debauchery which inevitably occurs at Christmas time). He once again thanked me and said he was planning to go to his first AFL game next year, and assured me he’d buy me a beer if he ran into me. I accepted this and then was on my way again, with a smile on my face.

Now by chance, I jumped on to BigFooty this morning, having only sporadically checked in since the draft period ended, and the first thread I see is this one. I was unaware about the new sponsorship announcement until now.

And I’m now left feeling torn?!?! Was my act of kindness simply a good deed, or through my good deed, have I inadvertently fueled the fossil fuel merchant?

Are we ever justified in what we do? When we act, even with the best of intentions, when we interfere with the world, do we always risk a new disaster that mightn’t be of our making, but that wouldn’t occur without our actuon?

I’m now left wondering what I should do. Should I:

a) Go back there next Wednesday, and push the bin back onto the landscaped area.

b) Bury my head in the sand and pretend nothing happened.

c) Try to convince the man he should make a living in another line of work.

d) Sell all my fossil fuel reliant belongings and go off grid.

e) Tell my better half that we can’t travel an hour to the in-laws house for Christmas lunch, in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions.

f) any other ideas / suggestions.

Note: I’ve got a heap of work to do, but clearly procrastinating by writing the above dribble. If you’ve made it until the end, well done for sticking at it, but I get the feeling you may also be procrastinating. Get to it!

I hope every one has a very Merry Christmas and GO BLUES!!

This is Gold

 

[ParapMarkets]

Today's announcement of Ampol sponsoring the club, has made me angry in a fairly profound way.

Ampol, as you might know is a brand of Petrol Station, formerly operating as CalTex in large parts of Australia.

They are obviously a massive provider of fossil fuels in this country and a key part of the lobbying groups to maintain Australia's dependency on these fuels.

They have a clear business interest in prolonging the use of fossil fuels in personal transportation for as long as possible with no regard to the existential danger this poses to large portions of the world, particularly Australia.

While I have been no fan of many a corporate sponsor, I have never felt that any of them were so egregious as to require an active resistance.

But I cannot stomach that the Carlton Football Club will be used to try and buy any sort of complicity in the ongoing crisis.

The Oil and Gas industry are actively trying to fight progress and transition to a clean energy system.

I cannot and will not support them, our great football club should not be used to support them.

I know that the mods may feel this is "political" but I feel it is too important, and central to how Carlton presents to its members for it to be shuffled off the board.

I intend to write to the club about this, and to look at other options in trying to dissuade the club from continuing with this immoral and frankly dangerous sponsorship.

I’ve got no problem with Ampol as a sponsor. As others have stated throughout the thread there are so many other sponsors in the AFL that (in my opinion) affect society much more negatively and that’s not even mentioning the pokies.

I’d agree with the stance if it was based solely on the pollution and environmental impact, but they are a retailer. But as for climate change, no I’m not buying it. Fool me my entire life, shame on you. Fool me once more after fooling me my entire life, shame on me.

There is an Ampol near my office and I will honour their commitment to our great club by filling up with them next Tuesday (cheap fuel day here in Perth). Any policy, such as climate change, where the biggest beneficiaries are the mega wealthy and the most adversely affected are the poor / lower middle class is BS in my eyes until some concrete proof is given.

 

[ParapMarkets]

And you read whatever suits your narrative.

This simple line outlines why society is in so much trouble. Every report, every topic is reported in a heavily biased manner. There is never any genuine debate to achieve the greatest outcome, just information to support one narrative for one group of people and another for the rest. Not by accident.

 

[Fabab]

Ampol for my fuel now,i dont drive too much due to back issues but Ampol is my go to now.

 

[GoBlues!]

For those old enough to remember, Ampol has historical ties to the Carlton area. Ampol House, a heritage listed building was located on corner of Grattan and Elizabeth Street until it was demolished.



I wonder if they‘ll make a comeback and get the naming rights to our ground… Ampol Oval.

 

[thylacine60]

That was an amazing old building with the exposed stairs. Never knew it was Ampol.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

For those old enough to remember, Ampol has historical ties to the Carlton area. Ampol House, a heritage listed building was located on corner of Grattan and Elizabeth Street until it was demolished.

View attachment 1872047

I wonder if they‘ll make a comeback and get the naming rights to our ground… Ampol Oval.

Always disappointing and galling for me to read about Heritage listed buildings being demolished.

I honestly prefer the infamous old Gas and Fuel Building and Princes Bridge Railway station to the eyesore that is Fed Square

 

[thylacine60]

That was also where Princes Bridge Station was for the Hurstbridge & Epping lines. Demolished in 1997.

 

[Blue and Silver]

Always disappointing and galling for me to read about Heritage listed buildings being demolished.

I honestly prefer the infamous old Gas and Fuel Building and Princes Bridge Railway station to the eyesore that is Fed Square

Heritage listing is ridiculous in both directions.

Some abominations are preserved and some truly iconic landmarks lost

On Pixel 7 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[thylacine60]

Heritage listing is ridiculous in both directions.

Some abominations are preserved and some truly iconic landmarks lost

On Pixel 7 using BigFooty.com mobile app

are you bagging the aesthetic delights of grey, grey brutalism?

 

[Blue and Silver]

are you bagging the aesthetic delights of grey, grey brutalism?

View attachment 1872121

Love a heritage listed multi-storey carpark

That’s brutal: Residents split on car park’s heritage listing

The City of Melbourne’s Carlton Heritage Review has included the Cardigan House car park due to its local aesthetic significance and representative value. But some residents do not agree.

www.theage.com.au

On Pixel 7 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Chemical]

I can understand ripping up your membership, but why the kids? What did they do? Poor little things, it’s hard to put them back together!

Puzzles are educational.

In all seriousness, I work for an oil and gas company so I'm the devil. Go blues

 

[Michael Jezz]

Ampol is a retail energy supplier.
Currently electric car production is limited and electricity is still 70% brown coal, generation. An energy retailer promoted via a sporting sponsorship makes no difference to carbon emissions.It only redistributes the current demand between energy suppliers.

 

[BlueTongue]

I guess my thinking is that it comes down to intent. Hyundai sponsor because they want to sell more product and think it will help them to achieve that goal. Ampol isn't providing sponsorship to sell more product - they are attempting to launder their reputation. The Club/Board have decided they are comfortable in putting a value on laundering that reputation through us - they are obviously comfortable with that decision. It doesn't mean everyone else needs to be.

I go to a specific servo (when I can). The APCOs in my area are always anywhere from 10-20c a litre cheaper than everyone else.

Not sure if you meant to make a point but this is pretty much a Case-in-Point to what 3rd Grade Maggie said above.

How many APCO commercials have you seen? I've never seen one in my life. The point is that Fuel sells itself, and all you have to do is make 1c a litre less than your competitors and you will soon capture the market (at least until the next servo lowers their price even further). Ampol don't need to advertise to sell product, they are doing it to soften their reputation in the public psyche because 'they cant be all bad if they sponsor the Might Blues'.

Rightly or wrongly, Fossil Fuel companies are coming under scrutiny a lot more now because of climate change, and they will do anything to try and stay in favor because they have a brand to uphold.

We all use fossil fuels to either power our cars, or power our houses, but we dont have to actively promote it.
If Ampol announced tomorrow that they are going to invest 50% of their stake into researching alternate energy sources then I might feel less 'Grubby' about having their logo on our Jumper, but at the moment they are just another Dinosaur company making money from refining Dinosaur sludge.

 

[Michael Jezz]

The Ampol Green revolution is coming. New EV charging stations in Epping and Campbellfield.

Upcoming Locations VIC | AmpCharge

ampcharge.ampol.com.au

 

[gab213]

Always disappointing and galling for me to read about Heritage listed buildings being demolished.

I honestly prefer the infamous old Gas and Fuel Building and Princes Bridge Railway station to the eyesore that is Fed Square

Those buildings were nothing of heritage value, no architectural value, all they were was health hazards with so much asbestos in them, that they had to come down.

 

[BigFrizz36]

Those buildings were nothing of heritage value, no architectural value, all they were was health hazards with so much asbestos in them, that they had to come down.

I worked in the old gas and fuel building for quite a while. Had some great times there but fair to say that the actual building had absolutely no significant architectural value.

 

[Blue and Blue]

I worked in the old gas and fuel building for quite a while. Had some great times there but fair to say that the actual building had absolutely no significant architectural value.

Can't agree mate.
It was a guidepost to Walter Lindrums snooker rooms on cold wet dark saturday nights after an ale or two.....we would have got lost without the gas and fuel................

 

[manang magoos]

Not sure if you meant to make a point but this is pretty much a Case-in-Point to what 3rd Grade Maggie said above.

How many APCO commercials have you seen? I've never seen one in my life. The point is that Fuel sells itself, and all you have to do is make 1c a litre less than your competitors and you will soon capture the market (at least until the next servo lowers their price even further). Ampol don't need to advertise to sell product, they are doing it to soften their reputation in the public psyche because 'they cant be all bad if they sponsor the Might Blues'.

Rightly or wrongly, Fossil Fuel companies are coming under scrutiny a lot more now because of climate change, and they will do anything to try and stay in favor because they have a brand to uphold.

We all use fossil fuels to either power our cars, or power our houses, but we dont have to actively promote it.
If Ampol announced tomorrow that they are going to invest 50% of their stake into researching alternate energy sources then I might feel less 'Grubby' about having their logo on our Jumper, but at the moment they are just another Dinosaur company making money from refining Dinosaur sludge.

How do you feel about trip a deal they sell holidays overseas which requires aeroplane travel needing jet fuel
Just saying

 

[gab213]

For those old enough to remember, Ampol has historical ties to the Carlton area. Ampol House, a heritage listed building was located on corner of Grattan and Elizabeth Street until it was demolished.

View attachment 1872047

I wonder if they‘ll make a comeback and get the naming rights to our ground… Ampol Oval.

I remember that building as a hotel in the 70s

 

[BigFrizz36]

Can't agree mate.
It was a guidepost to Walter Lindrums snooker rooms on cold wet dark saturday nights after an ale or two.....we would have got lost without the gas and fuel................

Not sure how you would have gone on the big tables if you needed the G & F as a marker to get you there.

 

[teknodeejay]

I don’t have much care for whoever wants to sponsor the guernsey but I bet I know where Collingwood supporters will be stealing their fuel from next season!