Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

[Twodogs]

I hope we follow through on this. Not that I love Ballarat or anything but it would be a handy base to play a few home games at. Football town, not to far from Melbourne, handy alternative membership base, if zones ever did come back Ballarat would be one of the juiciest fruits. With a bit of work there is lots of upside.

But, for Gods sake, if we are going to do it then let's do it properly. Darwin, Cairns, Canberra-we've been a bit all over the place with selling home games over the last decade or so. So let's resource this sufficiently so we can cover Ballarat in Red, White and Blue leading up to the games and try and make it an event that people really want to go to. Maybe play the first game at the new Eureka stadium as the first thing held there? Try and make an association with Ballarat the way Hawthorn have in Tassie.

[bornadog]

I hope we follow through on this. Not that I love Ballarat or anything but it would be a handy base to play a few home games at. Football town, not to far from Melbourne, handy alternative membership base, if zones ever did come back Ballarat would be one of the juiciest fruits. With a bit of work there is lots of upside.

But, for Gods sake, if we are going to do it then let's do it properly. Darwin, Cairns, Canberra-we've been a bit all over the place with selling home games over the last decade or so. So let's resource this sufficiently so we can cover Ballarat in Red, White and Blue leading up to the games and try and make it an event that people really want to go to. Maybe play the first game at the new Eureka stadium as the first thing held there? Try and make an association with Ballarat the way Hawthorn have in Tassie.

Agree, we have to do it properly. Population of Ballarat = 102k plus. Compared to Launceston 86k

[LostDoggy]

Eureka Stadium funding confirmed

$31.5 million of State Government funding has been confirmed for the redevelopment of Ballarat’s Eureka Stadium precinct, supporting the Bulldogs’ vision of home and away matches at the regional venue from 2017.


The Premier, Daniel Andrews and the State Minister for Sport, John Eren, joined Western Bulldogs President Peter Gordon at Eureka Stadium on Tuesday to announce the funding will flow from 1 July, 2015 as part of the 2015-16 Victorian Budget, with $2.5 million already fast-tracked so the project can start sooner.


The $31.5 million commitment includes $15 million for Eureka Stadium – to build a state of the art stadium for the region.


With funds set to flow from the start of next month, the City of Ballarat has appointed two architects – local firm Morton Dunn Architects, and Queensland based firm Populous, who developed the concept plan for Metricon Stadium – to review the precinct’s master plan.


The plan for Eureka Stadium includes new lighting, spectator seating and a video scoreboard that will support the Western Bulldogs ambition to play AFL home-and-away matches in Ballarat.


Speaking at the announcement earlier this week, Gordon said the Bulldogs were committed to a strong and permanent presence in Ballarat.


“We have spent a lot of time in Ballarat this year, talking to local businesses and talking to the local people,” he said.


“We want to employ local people from Ballarat to staff that office and they will be engaged in the activities of a community based football club,” he said.


“We run a number of programs in the Western region of Melbourne, our men’s health program is a world leader and we want to introduce that to Ballarat.


“In addition to that we will be doing our membership services and marketing to businesses and we want to be a seat at the table when issues in relation to the stadium or the stadium arrangements are played out.”

Why the HELL don't they pour there 31.5 mill in upgrading the Whitten Oval to play 2 AFL matches a year at our spiritual home???

[bulldogtragic]

Why the HELL don't they pour there 31.5 mill in upgrading the Whitten Oval to play 2 AFL matches a year at our spiritual home???

A skeptic would say marginal seats get funding, ie. Geelong, Ballarat. Or not?

[ledge]

Why the HELL don't they pour there 31.5 mill in upgrading the Whitten Oval to play 2 AFL matches a year at our spiritual home???

Not mad at all , our VFL club plays there and we need to explore new places to expand the club, look at the Hawks in Tassie.
Great idea, I would make it early in the season games though when it's still warm.

[jeemak]

Not mad at all , our VFL club plays there and we need to explore new places to expand the club, look at the Hawks in Tassie.
Great idea, I would make it early in the season games though when it's still warm.

Agreed, however we need to be mindful of on the spot membership sign-ups in the early rounds.

[Maddog37]

I am happy.

[Greystache]

Great if the club can make some money from it, but I've seen so many horrible football games played in freezing windy conditions at Footscray and Williamstown that as a fan I'm not excited about this.

[Eastdog]

Good news. While I live far away from Ballarat our clubs overall future is most important. I hope the next good news will be a better stadium deal at Etihad.

[comrade]

As a current Ballarat resident that can literally hear the local team training at Eureka stadium on a Thursday night, I'm cautiously optimistic about this whole endeavour. I'd love to see the town get behind the club in a way it never has with North Melbourne but it is quite a conservative, insular community with rusted on support for the big clubs.

[josie]

Thanks BAD for post.

Do you or other woofers know what the residual $16.5 amount is for? i.e. article states "The $31.5 million commitment includes $15 million for Eureka Stadium – to build a state of the art stadium for the region."

[josie]

Hi BAD

Think I've answered my own question..."$31.5 million of State Government funding has been confirmed for the redevelopment of Ballarat’s Eureka Stadium precinct, supporting the Bulldogs’ vision of home and away matches at the regional venue from 2017." (Of which the $15M is for the new stadium itself, other bit must be surrounding infrastructure, roads etc.)

[Eastdog]

Why the HELL don't they pour there 31.5 mill in upgrading the Whitten Oval to play 2 AFL matches a year at our spiritual home???

I see your point and I would I have to say I would love 1-2 home games at Whitten Oval per year as my signature says but I can also see the benefits of the Ballarat experiment.

[boydogs]

other bit must be surrounding infrastructure, roads etc

http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/2...orts-precinct/

[Twodogs]

I see your point and I would I have to say I would love 1-2 home games at Whitten Oval per year as my signature says but I can also see the benefits of the Ballarat experiment.

Thing is Easty, if the Ballarat thing goes ahead then we need to focus all our energy and fore siteon Ballarat, not get distracted by a back to WHitten Oval push.