Who's going to Ballarat?

[comrade]

This was what I was thinking to myself after the last fixture there. I'm starting to see a few problems that I'm not sure we can fix easily. For staters, we need to play a relatively low drawing interstate team. But, to really pack it out and get a buzz about things a fixture against a team who has a 1,000 or so nearby members and desire to put on buses for Melbourne members would be better. But what good is a packed out Mars stadium when a better than half full Etihad is better. No way in hell will the AFEL let us play a good Victorian side up there.

Then there's form as you say. Not to mention the 22 listed to play isn't really a team that screams come and watch us... probably lose.

Then there was always the novelty factor. Could we continue to replicate the first crowd. No is the answer.

Then the club was between a rock and a hard place. The heavily discounting of tickets was good for members, but at its current rate next year's tickets will be catchoftheday.com.au or similar at 90% off. There's a wiff of desperation around the move. I'm not potting the club, they're between a rock and a hard place on it.

Then there's location for some, weather for others which are an impediment. For the locals side of things, I wonder how many people we pissed off by promising all the players to go there on their Mad Monday after the premiership, which obviously didn't happen. I wonder how we are tracking for Ballarat membership sales and our expectations in 2016?

So as I see it, it's the timing, the fixture, which opposition teams we face, our form and team composition, the novelty wearing off, location, weather and needing to desperately get people out there by slashing prices. I'm sure things can get turned around, and they have to or the ground may never be completed which will ensure it never grows and dies a natural death. With so much time and effort into Edgewater and for it to unfortunately fall over, I'd hate to see all this time, effort and expense by the club go the same way.

If we were winning and there was a positive buzz around the club, we'd be filling it and have no problems creating a party like atmosphere.

When we suck, have a percentage barely above the 60s and go long stretches of games without scoring, it's hard to get neutrals or casual Dogs fans to get behind the cause.

We had everything going for us after 2016 and we have managed to butcher it.

[Sedat]

We need to play the long game with Ballarat, but we need to get the basic fundamentals right - the right scheduling for starters. The western corridor of Melbourne is only going to continue growing at pace, so the alignment is a natural extension of our existing catchment.

Form will come and go and we shouldn't be making decisions based on that.

[GVGjr]

Is it wrong for me to think that Bulldog members hopping onto the train wearing shorts is just bloody stupid or should I assume they have big boy pants packed?

[GVGjr]

First home game I have missed this year. The time slot and distance from Rosebud are the 2 deal crunchers for me. Weather not an issue.

It makes for a long day but I just saw the guy who travels from Warnambool though and hes probaly been on the road since 9 am

[GVGjr]

If we were winning and there was a positive buzz around the club, we'd be filling it and have no problems creating a party like atmosphere.

When we suck, have a percentage barely above the 60s and go long stretches of games without scoring, it's hard to get neutrals or casual Dogs fans to get behind the cause.

We had everything going for us after 2016 and we have managed to butcher it.

Yep its not an easy trip for many and like you I can't believe how far we have gone backwards since the flag. Momentum is a funny thing, get on it and things just fall into place, lose it and its like watching a cruise ship on a turning circle. The downstream impacts of our slump could be telling if we dont address it quikly.

[bornadog]

We need to play the long game with Ballarat, but we need to get the basic fundamentals right - the right scheduling for starters. The western corridor of Melbourne is only going to continue growing at pace, so the alignment is a natural extension of our existing catchment.

Form will come and go and we shouldn't be making decisions based on that.

Spot on. We have to lobby the brainless people at AFL house who don't care about us and get the right day and timeslot. Yes we have to be in it for the long haul, or it will be a waste of time.

[The Underdog]

Is it the weather, the timeslot, the travel times required or our form (or a combination of everything) that has made up the mind of some of our WOOF community to not want to go?

I live an hour out on the other side of town, so taking the kids to the footy and keeping them engaged (or fed) is a big task already. Adding an extra couple of hours on top plus shit weather and a team that is playing out the string makes it too big an ask.
I’d like to go to be honest but other circumstances this weekend killed off the small percentage chance I’d be there.

[Mantis]

Spot on. We have to lobby the brainless people at AFL house who don't care about us and get the right day and timeslot. Yes we have to be in it for the long haul, or it will be a waste of time.

What would that time slot be?

[bornadog]

What would that time slot be?

A Sunday, 1pm or 2pm, so people can get back at a decent hour. Especially those with small kids

[bornadog]

[Bulldog4life]

It makes for a long day but I just saw the guy who travels from Warnambool though and hes probaly been on the road since 9 am

He is a better man than me. Good on him.

[GVGjr]

He is a better man than me. Good on him.

Hes better than most of us,

[Rocket Science]

Good lord. Cracking day for it.

[Twodogs]

Is it wrong for me to think that Bulldog members hopping onto the train wearing shorts is just bloody stupid or shoukd I assume they have big boy pants packed?

No it's stupid.

Is that black light tower supposed to be at that angle?

[comrade]

It is freaking cold.