Game Day Round 12 2016 - Port Adelaide V Western Bulldogs

[comrade]

Everyone raves about the Adelaide Oval experience. No wonder they get 40K+ there every game.

Those at experienced it, what can the Bulldogs do to try and replicate that sort of atmosphere?

[soupman]

I have never been to the Adelaide Oval, what makes it such a good venue?

Tbf we had a big crowd, a beautiful day and an awesome game so conditions were heavily in it's favour, but like the MCG it's located in nice parkland next to the "city", is big but doesn't feel too huge like a walk around the MCG can feel, it has three main stands that are each unique from eachother, big and atleast the one we were in had as good a view as Etihad provides, and the open end of the ground with the grass mound just opens the whole ground up and lets lots of light come in and makes it feel very different. In terms of viewing the game it offers similar vantage points to the Melbourne stadiums which are decent.

Basically it's interesting to look at and be in, it's modern, it's big but has small features and it's both nicely located and well attended and unlike the Melbourne stadiums at this time of year not freezing.

Everyone raves about the Adelaide Oval experience. No wonder they get 40K+ there every game.

Those at experienced it, what can the Bulldogs do to try and replicate that sort of atmosphere?

Get 40,000 Bulldogs supporters coming to our games.

Port to their credit were very good at pumping the game up. When they run out they make it a real big thing timing it so that as they run out it's to "Not Giving In' by the Rudimentals which is an excellent pump up song, then into their song which is a decent pump song as far as club songs go. This is all with the volume turned up to 11 btw so the stadium is rumbling. Then they do the "Never Tear us Apart" thing which is a condensed 1 minute version of that song that is played just prior to the bounce like our new song is. The entire crowd stands up and holds their scarfs above their heads so it's a sea of black which looks great. The crowd is very vocal throughout the game which helps and they lead into every quarter with a slightly overenthusiastic drummer playing on the big screen.

All the quarter time entertainment is suitably terrible though, there was no dancing dogs but there was a marking contest which basically resembled a really mediocre kick to kick with the appropriate levels of excitement that go with that (none). Port are just good at using a lot of noise leading into each quarter to get a very suggestible crowd going, and unlike clubs like North they don't need to resort to the contrived "Make some noise" crap on the big screen or the trumpets the Gold Coast use.

[always right]

Pre-game is awesome. The stuff during the breaks is rubbish.

[Twodogs]

Quarter time entertainment is a bit OTT but the rest sounds impressive.

[SonofScray]

When I went, it was a bit lame but I still give them credit for participating in something the fans have decided is meaningful to them, rather than being force fed crap from some marketing guru with a pony tail and Hawaiian shirt.

[Ozza]

I haven't been there for the footy, but am going to Adelaide v North next Thursday which I'm looking forward to. I'm told that when the footy is on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night in Adelaide that the atmosphere in the city before hand, at the game and then after - is great.

I have been the the Adelaide oval the last 2 years for the test cricket. I think soupaman covered it well in his post - but in summary, walking to the ground through the parklands and then arriving at the ground - you really feel like you are arriving at a cricket ground. Plenty of history, the old scoreboard, standing on the hill with your mates and a beer and plenty of banter amongst all of the groups settling in for the day. Plus despite the historical elements being present and distinctive, it has the modern facilities, and the little helpful touches like the screens built into all of the bay signage around the perimeter of the ground so you don't miss a single ball when you are on the way to food, drink, toilet etc. Great viewing ground also.