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  1. #1
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    smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon says playing at a smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit


    CHRIS VERNUCCIO, BEN WATERWORTH
    Herald Sun
    July 22, 2015

    WESTERN Bulldogs president Peter Gordon says playing at a smaller stadium in Melbourne could earn the club up to an extra $4 million each season.

    Gordon said the city needed a new stadium that catered for low-drawing games, offering Whitten Oval as a potential venue to upgrade.

    He said the Bulldogs made a bigger profit playing at Cairns’ Cazaly’s Stadium in front of less than 10,000 people than it would at their 10 Etihad Stadium games combined.

    “I think that Melbourne needs a new, bespoke stadium which maxes out at 25 to 30,000 (seats),” Gordon told SEN.

    “A packed house looks so much better than an empty house and so many games are games of 25,000 to 30,000 so let’s make a profit on those games.

    “Let’s do something exquisite and interesting and different. And of course one of those options is the Whitten Oval.

    “I’m sure the Saints and the Demons and various other parts of town might be thinking that too.

    “But one of the advantages that (Whitten Oval’s) got is that it’s three or four Teddy Whitten drop kicks away from the CBD.”

    When asked what it would take for Whitten Oval – which hasn’t hosted an official AFL match since 1997 – to permanently host games, Gordon said it would take a “major capital investment”.

    Gordan said the Bulldogs playing half their home games at a smaller stadium, instead of Etihad Stadium, “would pump our revenue by $2 to $4 million dollars every year”.

    Gordon also revealed the Bulldogs investigated shifting their Round 7 clash against Fremantle from Etihad Stadium to Whitten Oval because of a clash with the A-League grand final.

    But he said the cost of playing the one-off game at the Bulldogs’ official home base was too excessive.

    The official attendance at the match was 18,970.

    “When the cost of actually playing the one game there got up to over $1 million we called it off, because on the cost benefit analysis it just wasn’t there,” Gordon said.

    “The biggest impediment was we now sell 6000 reserved seats at Etihad Stadium and I think there’s around 2000 seats now in the old E.J. Whitten Stand.

    “To get another 4000 (seats), the best option was to try and borrow them from the Grand Prix, who put them up and take them down at Albert Park for that weekend. But even that was going to cost several hundred thousand dollars.”

    Gordon told the Herald Sun in March he would love to see premiership games return to Whitten Oval after a crowd of 9500 attended a NAB challenge game between the Bulldogs and Richmond.

    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/af...-1227453018928

  2. #2
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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    Love to see this happen but highly unlickley.

  3. #3
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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    Dare to dream. Unlikely, but stranger things have happened.
    Western Bulldogs: 2016 Premiers

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  5. #4
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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    At least it's on the agenda and hopefully there might be a bit of conversation about the possibility. It's not the dumbest idea in the world.

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  7. #5
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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    Would love Whitten Oval to be revived to see a home game or two there. In the end most likely not to happen. If not WO how about E-gate is that still on the radar or out of the picture like the proposed boutique stadium at the Showgrounds.
    "Footscray people are incredible people; so humble. I'm just so happy - ecstatic"

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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    Quote Originally Posted by Murphy'sLore View Post
    At least it's on the agenda and hopefully there might be a bit of conversation about the possibility. It's not the dumbest idea in the world.
    Certainly not a dumb idea and if it does get the go ahead it would be huge for our club! Princess Park seems like a waste to me and would be an option as well. Both grounds do need some serious work put into them though.

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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    Quote Originally Posted by G-Mo77 View Post
    Certainly not a dumb idea and if it does get the go ahead it would be huge for our club! Princess Park seems like a waste to me and would be an option as well. Both grounds do need some serious work put into them though.
    Princess Park doesn't have a train station - that should be a firm requirement for any boutique station
    Western Bulldogs: 2016 Premiers

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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    Quote Originally Posted by Mofra View Post
    Princess Park doesn't have a train station - that should be a firm requirement for any boutique station
    Back in the day I believe it did but not today.
    "Footscray people are incredible people; so humble. I'm just so happy - ecstatic"

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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    Quote Originally Posted by Mofra View Post
    Princess Park doesn't have a train station - that should be a firm requirement for any boutique station
    You mean Princes Park
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

  12. #10
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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    Quote Originally Posted by Mofra View Post
    Princess Park doesn't have a train station - that should be a firm requirement for any boutique station
    How far is the train station from WO?

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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    The impossible is becoming more and more possible it seems

  14. #12
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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    Quote Originally Posted by G-Mo77 View Post
    How far is the train station from WO?
    Couldn't be closer unless you disembarked in the John Gent Stand.

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  16. #13
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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    Quote Originally Posted by Murphy'sLore View Post
    Couldn't be closer unless you disembarked in the John Gent Stand.
    Further away than it used to be. I like the new station though.

    It's a fine idea until you come to the question of who is going to pay for it.
    "You always own the option of having no opinion. There is never any need to get worked up or to trouble your soul about things you can't control. These things are not asking to be judged by you. Leave them alone" - Marcus Aurelius

  17. #14
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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    Quote Originally Posted by The Underdog View Post
    Further away than it used to be. I like the new station though.

    It's a fine idea until you come to the question of who is going to pay for it.
    Yes I liked West Footscray station too. Nice modern design.
    "Footscray people are incredible people; so humble. I'm just so happy - ecstatic"

  18. #15
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    Re: smaller stadium would help AFL clubs make a profit

    The government or any other organisation should not be spending $100 million on a new stadium. The AFL should buy Eithad and then make it work for all tenants. Clearly the current arrangements don't work for the clubs there.

    As a club, we need more members and more people attending games and to fill the stadium every week or at least get 35k every time we play there. We as supporters need to take responsibility.
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

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