The next Melbourne stadium

[Bunk Moreland]

Saw this video



Docklands is 25yo this year and really, about halfway through an expected 50-year lifespan.

The stadium received a mid-life update this year but is really starting to to show its age.

Probably the major issue with it is the roof - it is never opened for events because it was poorly designed and leads to harsh shadows and glare across the ground… so it’s effectively an indoor stadium with a solid roof, which isn’t ideal. The lack of natural light really impacts the experience for spectators and is outdated.

It’ll seem like a long way off - and it is - but the time will come to look at replacing it as Melbourne’s second stadium.

One option is to level it and rebuild on the same site - this would be hugely expensive given the infrastructure around it, but certainly could be done.

The other option is to relocate to somewhere else. I think this would be preferred by the city as the failure of the large Docklands precinct can largely be laid at the feet of the stadium - it’s in a shocking sport for the precinct as it blocks it all off from the city.

Where would you look to move to?

 

[BomberManU]

The surrounding businesses would want it to stay, I reckon - probably the only thing getting people down there.
Maybe a new roof, along with another general refresh?

 

[Saucy]

Saw this video



Docklands is 25yo this year and really, about halfway through an expected 50-year lifespan.

The stadium received a mid-life update this year but is really starting to to show its age.

Probably the major issue with it is the roof - it is never opened for events because it was poorly designed and leads to harsh shadows and glare across the ground… so it’s effectively an indoor stadium with a solid roof, which isn’t ideal. The lack of natural light really impacts the experience for spectators and is outdated.

It’ll seem like a long way off - and it is - but the time will come to look at replacing it as Melbourne’s second stadium.

One option is to level it and rebuild on the same site - this would be hugely expensive given the infrastructure around it, but certainly could be done.

The other option is to relocate to somewhere else. I think this would be preferred by the city as the failure of the large Docklands precinct can largely be laid at the feet of the stadium - it’s in a shocking sport for the precinct as it blocks it all off from the city.

Where would you look to move to?

The entire project from the very beginning has been a disaster. Not just the stadium. The entire docklands precinct.

They would have been better off redeveloping Waverley and having Hawthorn & St Kilda playing out of it. Building a 40,000 seat stadium in the E-Gate area for North & Footscray to share. And have the G for the other 5 clubs.

Selling a 75,000 seat stadium for a much smaller stadium is still one of the strangest decisions you will see.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

The entire project from the very beginning has been a disaster. Not just the stadium. The entire docklands precinct.

They would have been better off redeveloping Waverley and having Hawthorn & St Kilda playing out of it. Building a 40,000 seat stadium in the E-Gate area for North & Footscray to share. And have the G for the other 5 clubs.

Selling a 75,000 seat stadium for a much smaller stadium is still one of the strangest decisions you will see.

On the size however, with a 100k stadiums it’s a fair argument that you don’t need the second stadium to be 75k

 

[Saucy]

On the size however, with a 100k stadiums it’s a fair argument that you don’t need the second stadium to be 75k

IMO, had Hawthorn & St Kilda been still playing at Waverley, they would be even better off by now.

Essendon & Carlton should have always been at the G, along with Pies & Tigers.

And this isn’t about which teams are better or matter more. This is only about memberships and attendances.

The whole thing was done poorly.

 

[JohnZ]

Melbourne needs a third stadium of ~35k capacity built in either E-gate or gosch's paddock. Then the 9 Melbourne clubs need to get over having a home ground, and instead let each game be scheduled in the right sized venue.

Pies v Blues? MCG
Hawks v North? Docklands
Tigers v GWS? Boutique Stadium

How to pay for it? Increase the season length. 45*(3/9) = 15, therefore each of the Melbourne clubs would need to play 15 home games in Melbourne per year to allow each stadium to get 45 games per year. That would mean a 30 H+A game season. If you want to appease the MCC, let them run the new stadium if built at Gosch's paddock (same model as them running the MCG).

Reduce the game time to 18min quarters (from 20), to ensure games can start every 2 hours on the dot (allowing 12/2.30/5/7.30 on a Saturday, 12/2.30/5 on a Sunday). This also helps the players to play a longer season by slightly reducing load.

Instead of club byes, give each player four weeks of "annual leave" during the season each year. Byes suck.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

The entire project from the very beginning has been a disaster. Not just the stadium. The entire docklands precinct.

They would have been better off redeveloping Waverley and having Hawthorn & St Kilda playing out of it. Building a 40,000 seat stadium in the E-Gate area for North & Footscray to share. And have the G for the other 5 clubs.

Selling a 75,000 seat stadium for a much smaller stadium is still one of the strangest decisions you will see.

Waverley to this day would have had no train line, which is a must in the 21st century with a capacity that large. There's little point to a huge capacity if you're creating the mother of all traffic jams after every game. I see exactly why they downsized, better to give a decent experience for 45 000 people than a subpar one for 70 000. Despite all of Docklands' problems, it's still fantastically located for public transport, and when the AFL eventually sell the land to rebuild elsewhere, they'll make far more from the land than Waverley ever would have.

Forget Waverley, it's a dream that failed. There are better locations in the east, like Box Hill City Oval or Sandown Racecourse. If there were a proper AFL stadium in the east (not that I think it would actually happen), those would be preferable to Waverley.

 

[errant bounce]

I have no idea what they've actually done with the money at Marvel recently.

I'm a big fan of the place. it serves every possible area of the state, it's got good vantage point, and you never have to walk more than 20 metres for a toilet or a box of brown food if you're so inclined.

But **** me, getting in is still a nightmare – it's squashed all the way to the only two gates anyone uses and the useless staff are hamstrung even more by the terrible way everyone has to line up. the toilets still have a 2002 Ikea tone of green, the AFL Members bar still looks like like a slapped together cold second thought, the ramps are one of the most poorly designed things I've ever come across (it's basically completely open; just mesh at the 'walls')...

It basically seems like all the money was spent on some minimally clear tickle up of the facade (it's basically hidden by the surrounding office buildings; everything is so tight as you walk in, you never look up anyway) and a bunch of random tatt like barber shops and shite in every corner that looks like a child's 'activation zone' at a Westfield.

There was a lot they could have done but I have no idea what they actually have. they've basically tarted the thing up and it looks and feels even worse.

The main issue with the ground is it feels cold and very early 2000s but the accessibility and navigation of space is actually well done; viewing is great, the current tenants are playing good footy. they really rooted it.

 

[Fire]

The whole docklands precinct is probably destined to be a slum. Its so incredibly poorly designed and inaccessible. I remember we stayed in a holtel there once, and to access the car park about 20 meters away I literally had to drive several kilometers due to the one way streets and no turn signs. It was the most farcical thing I have ever seen.

The stadium is the only thing that really brings people to that area. They need to bury Spencer Street station and extend the city grid up to it if they want a hope of integrating that area. If they just bulldoze the stadium and put up apartments then its really game over for that area because you are replacing the only thing it has going for it, with more problems, without addressing anything.

The stadium should last a lot longer than 25 more years. Give it a major upgrade with a better designed roof if you want, but it should not be going anywhere for a very long time.