Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
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THE SUCCESS of the Western Bulldogs' venture into Ballarat will see the club no longer request to play home games in Cairns.
With the weekend's clash against Port Adelaide in Ballarat a winner in every department except for the result, it bodes well for the deal struck with the regional city and the Victorian Government for the Bulldogs to play two games a year at Mars Stadium until the 2021 season.
CEO Gary Kent told AFL.com.au while the club won't be seeking a home game in far north Queensland in the future, the Bulldogs are keen to be involved as an away team.
With Gold Coast unable to use Metricon Stadium for a large period of next season due to the Commonwealth Games, the Suns could host the Bulldogs after three years of the roles being reversed.
"Having two games in Ballarat and trying to keep a home game in Cairns will be quite difficult," Kent said.
"We said to the AFL we'd like to keep playing up there but preferably as the away team from next year onwards.
"We'd love to keep supporting Cairns, we've had great support there from the locals and our fans travelling up."
While the three-year commitment to play home games in Cairns was good for the Dogs' bottom line, the move into Ballarat is proving to be another wise investment.
With the venue a 'clean stadium' for AFL games, the Dogs made a "positive" return from advertising and hospitality revenue streams, Kent said.
Last year's premiership triumph is doing wonders for reducing the club's once-crippling debt by increasing crowds, membership and sponsorship and a presence in country Victoria will give the Dogs a chance to grow even more.
If the Ballarat venture continues to thrive, Kent hopes the ground will be developed even further to accommodate a much larger crowd than the near-capacity attendance of 10,087 on the weekend.
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"I think everyone saw what sort of demand there is, and we've got 47,000 members who all weren't able to get in the stadium, so we'd be very much supportive of expanding, and the State Government will be too eventually," Kent said.
"The City of Ballarat sponsorship is significant, as well as making that our heartland, in terms of fans and members for the club.
"The city and the people of Ballarat have really got behind us. You could see that from the red, white and blue throughout the grandstand and on the hill.
"We're really delighted with the first game, and what it's going to do in terms of commercial returns over time for us."
And while the Power spoiled the Bulldogs' house-warming party, Kent said it wouldn't be long before their new kennel would give them a home ground advantage.
He added the club will continue to lobby to play one South Australian side due to the venue being an eight-hour drive from Adelaide, and another fixture against another non-Victorian club.
"Players and football department were delighted with the facilities and playing surface," Kent said.
"It very much (did remind me of the atmosphere at the Whitten Oval), and we love playing at Etihad Stadium, and play great football there, but that small model boutique venue reminded me very much of the old days."
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
Good result, even Moreso playing GCS as the away team. Having our cake, and eating it too.
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bulldogtragic
Good result, even Moreso playing GCS as the away team. Having our cake, and eating it too.
Being an away game we would lose all The revenue we made playing there wouldn't we ?
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ledge
Being an away game we would lose all The revenue we made playing there wouldn't we ?
We've committed to 2 games in Ballarat per year until 2021 - hence, no longer requiring playing a home game in Cairns.
The reason for the comment re; playing an away game there, is that we have played well there, and have established ourselves somewhat with the Cairns locals - and are therefore happy to be the away side there once a season.
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ozza
We've committed to 2 games in Ballarat per year until 2021 - hence, no longer requiring playing a home game in Cairns.
The reason for the comment re; playing an away game there, is that we have played well there, and have established ourselves somewhat with the Cairns locals - and are therefore happy to be the away side there once a season.
Good excuse to go to Cairns too.
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
Hope to play the Suns in Victoria next year for the 1st time in a while (could be our 2nd Ballarat game), while the Suns will be playing at least one home game in Cairns due to the Commonwealth Games being based at Metricon. We may as well continue our love affair with Cairns by being the away team.
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ledge
Being an away game we would lose all The revenue we made playing there wouldn't we ?
Yep, but leaves us a foot print up there. The cash is coming from Ballarat now. But you know, we send up a few players before the start of the year for a holiday/kids clinic and members sign up drive. Hopefully keep any members up there signed up and if we are the away team, maybe sell some merchandise too.
Just when we started winning the week after playing in Cairns we give it away! :D
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
I wonder how our "once crippling debt" is going.
The media love Plying that statement to us when most clubs even Collingwood had the same problem once.
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ledge
I wonder how our "once crippling debt" is going.
The media love Plying that statement to us when most clubs even Collingwood had the same problem once.
We would win the next 10 premierships, have the highest membership, a Scrooge McDuck money swimming room, players and coaches with sponsors on every stitch of clothing... And it wouldn't change the media narrative. I just choose now to cut down on my media intake. I get it mainly just here now, and Jesus FN Christ that brain fart from Campbell Brown yesterday killed at least 1,000,000 of my brain cells.
We are still the reigning premiership club this week.
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
Bulldogs or not, I'm going back to Cairns! :D Great part of the world.
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AndrewP6
Bulldogs or not, I'm going back to Cairns! :D Great part of the world.
Save a spot for me Andrew. We can do the Great Barrier Reef submarine.
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Twodogs
Save a spot for me Andrew. We can do the Great Barrier Reef submarine.
Hmmm. I've heard Navy guys mention they do this to new recruits. You want to voluntarily do it?
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bulldogtragic
Hmmm. I've heard Navy guys mention they do this to new recruits. You want to voluntarily do it?
You can change now to the Ballarat goldfields tours and snow trips .
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AndrewP6
Bulldogs or not, I'm going back to Cairns! :D Great part of the world.
Just wish the ground was an hour up the road in Port Douglas!!
Re: Dogs to give Cairns home games the boot
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bulldogtragic
Hmmm. I've heard Navy guys mention they do this to new recruits. You want to voluntarily do it?
I've already been there and done it. Got a pair of shorts and everything. (they were out of T-shirts.)
