North want to sell a home game to the Dockers or Eagles

[Canberra Pear]

What?

60k increased to 70k = 16.6% across 22 home games. 220k extra seats.

Extra 11 games per year = 50% capacity increase compared to 22 games for the whole season. 660k extra seats.

Plus two North games. 220k + 140k equals 27.3% across the season. 360k extra seats.

Freo averaged 23k year one in a 40k stadium with 1.3m in Perth. I recon WA3 gets conservatively 30k home attendance year 1.

I personally think you're being optimistic. It may reach 30k with the Year 1 shine, then drop back to 20-25k from season two.

History has shown in Australian leagues that a second team is usually pretty popular from the get-go. A third team not so much. Freo is not an accurate indicator of what to expect for WA3.

It’s not just about the attendance. Its about having capacity for walk ups which we have bugger all compared to every other state.

As somebody in a city with only three games a year, all three of which were sell outs, I'm not overly sympathetic here.

But 360k extra seats a year undoubtedly helps with that.

 

[Purple Suit]

Plus two North games. 220k + 140k equals 27.3% across the season. 360k extra seats.



I personally think you're being optimistic. It may reach 30k with the Year 1 shine, then drop back to 20-25k from season two.

History has shown in Australian leagues that a second team is usually pretty popular from the get-go. A third team not so much. Freo is not an accurate indicator of what to expect for WA3.



As somebody in a city with only three games a year, all three of which were sell outs, I'm not overly sympathetic here.

But 360k extra seats a year undoubtedly helps with that.

The North game is 1 in Perth only so 60k.

 

[Canberra Pear]

The North game is 1 in Perth only so 60k.

Yeah, I know. Make it two long-term.

If the end goal is more available seats, getting North to shift a game from Bunbury to Optus (or even play an extra game) is a much easier option than setting up an entire team.

 

[Billy ray]

Make every seat $25 and you’ll get 30,000 per game

 

[GC2015]

Didn’t Gold Coast do the same thing?

Yup and we finished 17th on the ladder when it was at its worst in 2018 because our stadium was unavailable for half the season due to the Commonwealth Games. It's a bad idea when you're a young team trying to climb up the ladder.

 

[Purple Suit]

Plus two North games. 220k + 140k equals 27.3% across the season. 360k extra seats.



I personally think you're being optimistic. It may reach 30k with the Year 1 shine, then drop back to 20-25k from season two.

History has shown in Australian leagues that a second team is usually pretty popular from the get-go. A third team not so much. Freo is not an accurate indicator of what to expect for WA3.



As somebody in a city with only three games a year, all three of which were sell outs, I'm not overly sympathetic here.

But 360k extra seats a year undoubtedly helps with that.

An AFL team in Canberra will be the third side too, except it’s a different code. It’ll have more challenges than WA3, only thing it has over us is an AFL executive who would probably love a fortnightly chin wag with the feds rather than every two months.

 

[Canberra Pear]

An AFL team in Canberra will be the third side too, except it’s a different code.

We're talking about AFL support. But if we're shifting the goal posts, WA3 would be Perth's fifth side (there'll be an NRL team by then, too).

It’ll have more challenges than WA3,

Will it? Canberra will definitely have it's challenges, but I wouldn't necessarily say more than WA3.

only thing it has over us is an AFL executive who would probably love a fortnightly chin wag with the feds rather than every two months.

This is just one aspect, but a very important one nonetheless.

Canberra also adds to a new market. It grows the league, and solidifies support in a hotly contested area. It will unite AFL fans across Canberra and Southern NSW, and grow the game amongst non-AFL fans.

What is the purpose of WA3? Anything other than more content and less travel? Both can be addressed with the above. WA3 doesn't add anything to the league. It just reshuffles pre-existing fans, and dilutes the western rivalry.

 

[Purple Suit]

We're talking about AFL support. But if we're shifting the goal posts, WA3 would be Perth's fifth side (there'll be an NRL team by then, too).



Will it? Canberra will definitely have it's challenges, but I wouldn't necessarily say more than WA3.



This is just one aspect, but a very important one nonetheless.

Canberra also adds to a new market. It grows the league, and solidifies support in a hotly contested area. It will unite AFL fans across Canberra and Southern NSW, and grow the game amongst non-AFL fans.

What is the purpose of WA3? Anything other than more content and less travel? Both can be addressed with the above. WA3 doesn't add anything to the league. It just reshuffles pre-existing fans, and dilutes the western rivalry.

It adds money, not another mouth to feed. Services the fastest growing & most under-catered market in Australia. Prevents the WA clubs becoming even more powerful and spreads the talent between 3 sides. Keeps the prices down in WA and helps pays for our 1.5B stadium.

Once you have zero capacity in a market this size, you invite other codes like the NRL to take all the new fans away. The media will prevent this, if you have a seat for them.

GWS have a Canberra deal to 2032. By that stage Perth is predicted to have 2.9m people and will grow by more than Canberra’s entire population.

North can start moving games to Canberra once WA3 comes in so you get 5 games a year. Win - win.

 

[Canberra Pear]

It adds money, not another mouth to feed.

You're assuming Canberra will be another mouth to feed?

Millions in ACT Goverment funding; wealthier population; lower stadium costs; no royalties to the WAFC.

Canberra will likely be just as, if not more, financially viable as WA3.

Services the fastest growing & most under-catered market in Australia.

Canberra? The ACT has been the fastest growing state/territory for the past two censuses.

Optus had 295k empty seats this year. Manuka had all sell outs. Canberra is clearly more under-catered, too.

Prevents the WA clubs becoming even more powerful and spreads the talent between 3 sides.

Freo isn't particularly a powerful club now. Personally I'd prefer two big WA clubs to counter the big Victorian clubs.

As opposed to a large West Coast, middling Freo, and a minnow WA3.

Once you have zero capacity in a market this size, you invite other codes like the NRL to take all the new fans away. The media will prevent this, if you have a seat for them.

Luckily an upgrade and North playing can give you an extra 360k seats.

GWS have a Canberra deal to 2032. By that stage Perth is predicted to have 2.9m people and will grow by more than Canberra’s entire population.

Where did you get that number? The ABS' middle range for Perth is 2.5-2.6m for 2032.

North can start moving games to Canberra once WA3 comes in so you get 5 games a year. Win - win.

Why should we get the scraps of two different teams? That's not how you grow a sport in a contested area.

Perth already has two teams to follow. Just need to increase capacity to support them.

 

[Farang83150]

North should be allowed to do this providing the opposition team isn't West Coast or Fremantle. Let them play Gold Coast in Perth instead of Hobart if they want.

And the winner is .....

 

[Waterhouzin]

Great deal for all concerned I reckon. Nth get two extra games at home plus a bucket load of cash, plus helps alleviate the very significant travel disadvantage WA teams face.
There’s intangibles too to benefit Nth, our veterans footy club has a few diehard Nth supporters and we’re already discussing a road trip to the Bunbury game. Looks like the first one in Bunbury will be against the eagles so I’ll def be buying a Roo’s jumper and shouting as hard as any lifelong Roo’s supporter that they wipe the floor with the Eagles!!
They’ll soon become most of WA’s “second team” on that basis which is a great market to crack for short term memberships and merchandise sales.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[eastfreo75]

it's your standard oval, they have just put in a 750-seat stand (https://www.bunbury.wa.gov.au/projects/hands-oval-redevelopment). maybe 7500 with additional seating as that's apparently where they got to at Mt Barker... not sure what the plan is for parking though
View attachment 2154671

thanks

 

[Rich01]

I wonder if Hood and Watt will ever move away from short term survival mode for the club and take a longer term strategic view.

 

[Purple Suit]

You're assuming Canberra will be another mouth to feed?

Millions in ACT Goverment funding; wealthier population; lower stadium costs; no royalties to the WAFC.

Canberra will likely be just as, if not more, financially viable as WA3.



Canberra? The ACT has been the fastest growing state/territory for the past two censuses.

Optus had 295k empty seats this year. Manuka had all sell outs. Canberra is clearly more under-catered, too.



Freo isn't particularly a powerful club now. Personally I'd prefer two big WA clubs to counter the big Victorian clubs.

As opposed to a large West Coast, middling Freo, and a minnow WA3.



Luckily an upgrade and North playing can give you an extra 360k seats.



Where did you get that number? The ABS' middle range for Perth is 2.5-2.6m for 2032.



Why should we get the scraps of two different teams? That's not how you grow a sport in a contested area.

Perth already has two teams to follow. Just need to increase capacity to support them.

I got Perth’s growth off Google. Canberra’s growth as a percentage may be bigger but since you are 4-5 times smaller you will add a lot less people during the next 10 years.

Less people, less money.

The crowds at the game in Perth don’t give a good indication of ticket availability. WC is sold out every week, regardless of them getting less people attend than Freo in 24.

On top of all that, getting a new team with WA3 with no major infrastructure requirement will make it a quicker and easier expansion. After Tassie and all their stadium drama, I can see the league taking the easy option to get the money rolling in.

So, if Canberra gets its own team will you switch from Port or are you staying with them?

I’m not switching to WA3, I can just see the economics stacking up in a big way.

 

[errant bounce]

Just out of interest - why do you despise the Tigers?

Scumbag supporters. the worst of the the worst. sort of supporter base to watch no other football, take everything highly seriously, can't take a joke or criticism, nasty, victim mentality, just a horrible ****ing bogan supporter base to be honest. shit colours, too.

 

[Outtatym]

I wonder if Hood and Watt will ever move away from short term survival mode for the club and take a longer term strategic view.

Well 4 sold games down to 2. Perhaps they are?

 

[Rich01]

Well 4 sold games down to 2. Perhaps they are?

You saying they aren’t playing in Tassie next year?

 

[Canberra Pear]

I got Perth’s growth off Google. Canberra’s growth as a percentage may be bigger but since you are 4-5 times smaller you will add a lot less people during the next 10 years.

I think I'll trust the ABS over Google.

So Greater Perth will be a tad under four times the size of Greater Canberra by 2032.

And Greater Perth will have just over twice the population of Canberra/Southern NSW.

So the difference is without WA3, 2.5m will only have two local teams to choose from. Without Canberra, 1.1m will have no local team.

Less people, less money.

Less people, but more unrepresented people.

On top of all that, getting a new team with WA3 with no major infrastructure requirement will make it a quicker and easier expansion. After Tassie and all their stadium drama, I can see the league taking the easy option to get the money rolling in.

You're aware Manuka is already getting an upgrade regardless of Canberra getting an AFL team?

So, if Canberra gets its own team will you switch from Port or are you staying with them?

I'd probably be 50/50. I can't just drop Port. I'd buy memberships to both. Like I do currently with Port and the Giants.

But I'd probably be more invested in Canberra as I'd go to every home game. And it'd be amazing to actually go to the game with fellow supporters.

I’m not switching to WA3, I can just see the economics stacking up in a big way.

Aren't you worried about it undercutting Freo? Freo have the opportunity to be a genuinely huge club to rival the big Victorian clubs, but that wouldn't happen with WA3 coming in.

 

[Walshawk]

I got Perth’s growth off Google. Canberra’s growth as a percentage may be bigger but since you are 4-5 times smaller you will add a lot less people during the next 10 years.

Less people, less money.

The crowds at the game in Perth don’t give a good indication of ticket availability. WC is sold out every week, regardless of them getting less people attend than Freo in 24.

On top of all that, getting a new team with WA3 with no major infrastructure requirement will make it a quicker and easier expansion. After Tassie and all their stadium drama, I can see the league taking the easy option to get the money rolling in.

So, if Canberra gets its own team will you switch from Port or are you staying with them?

I’m not switching to WA3, I can just see the economics stacking up in a big way.

There were tickets available to almost every WC game this season. Very easy to get tickets,

 

[Outtatym]

You saying they aren’t playing in Tassie next year?

2026. Seems to be some discussion on the north board it may be sooner than that though.

 

[Clark G]

We will go from 4 games in Tassie to 2 games in WA.

Players will stay in WA between those 2 games for mid season bonding which I can see some benefit in.

Honestly in terms of onfield I think we are better off with this deal.

2 extra games at Marvel, I congratulate the club on a really solid deal.

Do you mean from 2026 onwards? Because according to the below article, in 2025 North will stay with seven Melbourne home games, with the addition of two WA home games resulting in the number of Hobart home games dropping from four to two.

WA expected to take two North Melbourne AFL games from Hobart, short-changing Tasmanian fans

The North Melbourne Football Club is contracted to play four home games in Hobart next year, but a deal the club has reportedly done with WA is expected to cut that number in half and fast-track their exit from Tasmania.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Rich01]

2026. Seems to be some discussion on the north board it may be sooner than that though.

So what’s their long term exit plan for Tassie? Has this been articulated to the board and the members?

Seems like some Kanga supporters have been surprised by this development over the past month.

Is the long term plan to sell only 2 games to WA? Or more? Or eventually bring it all back to Melb? Or have a permanent regional hub they can own themselves like Ballarat? It all seems quite short term and vague.

 

[Purple Suit]

There were tickets available to almost every WC game this season. Very easy to get tickets,

I call bullshit, I personally checked a few times on Ticketmaster a week or two out and nothing except the odd restricted viewing. 35k then turn up.

Easy to get tickets offered though by WC members a few days out