Move the Crows game to Whitten Oval - or: what you can't get at Geelong

[Bornadog]

I understand the impatience with some of you here, but our connection with Ballarat can't just be thrown away for 2 years while the stadium is revamped.
Otherwise our talk of caring about Ballarat's community kind of goes out the window & the connection doesn't feel as authentic. It's some short-term pain for long term gain. Dogs are doing the right thing by committing to Ballarat even with the disadvantage temporarily, and we have a great record here now.

Spot on - couldn't agree more.

[jazzadogs]

I understand the impatience with some of you here, but our connection with Ballarat can't just be thrown away for 2 years while the stadium is revamped.
Otherwise our talk of caring about Ballarat's community kind of goes out the window & the connection doesn't feel as authentic. It's some short-term pain for long term gain. Dogs are doing the right thing by committing to Ballarat even with the disadvantage temporarily, and we have a great record here now.

How about the connection to the members who are missing out because we can only offer 5k seats?

Honestly it feels like our only connection is to the money coming in from this deal (which is fine, we're a business!).

I didn't really care that I didn't get a seat, and the construction site on tv didn't bother me personally, but it was optically poor for the Bulldogs brand, for Ballarat and for the AFL.

We can maintain our connection to the community through training days/camps and other events, for a year or two. When only 5k are getting in to the game, I don't know how much community participation we are achieving...

[Happy Days]

Spot on - couldn't agree more.

When I get this game moved you aren’t allowed to come and you definitely aren’t allowed to have a good time if you manage to sneak in.

[Happy Days]

So I took up GVGs suggestion and emailed this post to the club. Although the response I got could at best be called “considered”, it did have the following which if you read it a thousand times could be taken as a development:

“Having just had the game on the weekend, we are now reviewing several aspects of how it went and other associated considerations.“

Probably means nothing, but they also didn’t have to say it. I don’t think it’s a leap to suppose that the club isn’t stoked half the ground isn’t there.

[jeemak]

So I took up GVGs suggestion and emailed this post to the club. Although the response I got could at best be called “considered”, it did have the following which if you read it a thousand times could be taken as a development:

“Having just had the game on the weekend, we are now reviewing several aspects of how it went and other associated considerations.“

Probably means nothing, but they also didn’t have to say it. I don’t think it’s a leap to suppose that the club isn’t stoked half the ground isn’t there.

Good on you mate.

[Bornadog]

So I took up GVGs suggestion and emailed this post to the club. Although the response I got could at best be called “considered”, it did have the following which if you read it a thousand times could be taken as a development:

“Having just had the game on the weekend, we are now reviewing several aspects of how it went and other associated considerations.“

Probably means nothing, but they also didn’t have to say it. I don’t think it’s a leap to suppose that the club isn’t stoked half the ground isn’t there.

well done

[jeemak]

well done

Isn't he growing up?

[BontlowSzn]

Honestly it feels like our only connection is to the money coming in from this deal (which is fine, we're a business!).

I completely understand the frustration and most points raised in this thread.

However you only need to look around school footy colour days (I have primary school aged kids in Ballarat) to see that this partnership with Ballarat is building and the foundations are set. Bulldogs colours dominate the school, even ahead of the likes of Collingwood and Essendon.

We won't see the real benefit from this for many years to come, when these kids get older, purchase memberships, attend more games, and even have families of their own.

I'm of the opinion that this isn't a direct result of one off clinics or school visits (although these do obviously help) it's more so the being able to attend games in your home town. See the players up close in action, and the fact we are winning more often than not would also help.

In saying all that I wouldn't be upset if the game did get moved against Adelaide. Even though the wind and conditions would take away a big strength of theirs and favour us dramatically.

[jeemak]

I completely understand the frustration and most points raised in this thread.

However you only need to look around school footy colour days (I have primary school aged kids in Ballarat) to see that this partnership with Ballarat is building and the foundations are set. Bulldogs colours dominate the school, even ahead of the likes of Collingwood and Essendon.

We won't see the real benefit from this for many years to come, when these kids get older, purchase memberships, attend more games, and even have families of their own.

I'm of the opinion that this isn't a direct result of one off clinics or school visits (although these do obviously help) it's more so the being able to attend games in your home town. See the players up close in action, and the fact we are winning more often than not would also help.

In saying all that I wouldn't be upset if the game did get moved against Adelaide. Even though the wind and conditions would take away a big strength of theirs and favour us dramatically.

Great counter.

Is there a way where we can reverse the privileges and any Ballarat specific members or school groups can get given the red carpet treatment at a game at WO or Marvel if the game is moved?

As much as I'd love it happen it's unlikely we'll be able to host at Whitten Oval. In lieu of that, and considering there is no way the game against the Crows, if held at Marvel, will be at capacity, perhaps we offer a replacement promotion or free entry game to people from Ballarat?

it doesn't have to be a net loss one way or the other.

[jazzadogs]

I completely understand the frustration and most points raised in this thread.

However you only need to look around school footy colour days (I have primary school aged kids in Ballarat) to see that this partnership with Ballarat is building and the foundations are set. Bulldogs colours dominate the school, even ahead of the likes of Collingwood and Essendon.

We won't see the real benefit from this for many years to come, when these kids get older, purchase memberships, attend more games, and even have families of their own.

I'm of the opinion that this isn't a direct result of one off clinics or school visits (although these do obviously help) it's more so the being able to attend games in your home town. See the players up close in action, and the fact we are winning more often than not would also help.

In saying all that I wouldn't be upset if the game did get moved against Adelaide. Even though the wind and conditions would take away a big strength of theirs and favour us dramatically.

100%, attending games is a great way to build the connection. But with only 5000 seats available, how many of those kids/families are missing out on tickets anyway?

If this decision was made, it would need to be done with a lot of tact and communication with the Ballarat community. I'm not convinced we will be able to do that - but I am convinced a game at Whitten Oval would do more for our club and brand than playing at Ballarat during the construction!

[GVGjr]

I completely understand the frustration and most points raised in this thread.

However you only need to look around school footy colour days (I have primary school aged kids in Ballarat) to see that this partnership with Ballarat is building and the foundations are set. Bulldogs colours dominate the school, even ahead of the likes of Collingwood and Essendon.

We won't see the real benefit from this for many years to come, when these kids get older, purchase memberships, attend more games, and even have families of their own.

I'm of the opinion that this isn't a direct result of one off clinics or school visits (although these do obviously help) it's more so the being able to attend games in your home town. See the players up close in action, and the fact we are winning more often than not would also help.

In saying all that I wouldn't be upset if the game did get moved against Adelaide. Even though the wind and conditions would take away a big strength of theirs and favour us dramatically.

I don't think you can be a Bulldogs supporter over a long period of time and not accept that as supporters there needs to be some compromise from us from time to time.
There is however, a time where supporters need to push back and challenge what are poor decisions that impact the majority of the membership base.
The intent is for the club to play 4 games in a compromised stadium at Ballarat that blocks out 50% members. That's not a good outcome.
Sure more members will be able to attend the 3rd and then the 4th game during this period but it will still be a significant impact on supporters.

I enjoy going to Ballarat but despite our thumping win it simply wasn't a great spectacle for our club supporters or the players especially considering there was no game at Marvel on Saturday and Sunday.
For whatever financial considerations that the club had to weigh up, they did drop the ball on this if they were ever genuinely focused on the members.
Good luck to Happy Days as he tries to sort this out with the club.

[Jasper]

There's no way the club didn't already ask the AFL for a 100th anniversary game at Whitten oval, surely?? And the AFL in all their wisdom said no?

It was a horrible look to play at Ballarat and while the financial/contractual (what's with us signing all these contracts which don't explicitly state what we need to receive in return??) considerations are all clear, I'm 100% on board with a game at Whitten Oval.

The benchmark of what we need to provide is 500 tickets to the crows and 4500 tickets to members - we get bigger crowds for aflw. There is a huge function space for coteries to use. It's absolutely AFL standard, just do it!

Given Marvel stadium was available the AFL should have asked the club what they needed to do to help them move the game to Melbourne.
I understand it's a massive deal we have in place with Ballarat but surely in this day and age we are past playing games at building sites.

[Jasper]

Spot on - couldn't agree more.

Sons of the West, Red, White and Blue.

[jeemak]

Given Marvel stadium was available the AFL should have asked the club what they needed to do to help them move the game to Melbourne.
I understand it's a massive deal we have in place with Ballarat but surely in this day and age we are past playing games at building sites.

Yeah it's like the most eyes on/ at the game mantra the AFL trots out to ensure we don't play finals at Marvel is probably bullshit. I feel if it was commercially more beneficial to play the game at Marvel we'd have lobbied for the change. An indictment on our current arrangements where 25K people nets you less than 4.5K.

[Grantysghost]

I completely understand the frustration and most points raised in this thread.

However you only need to look around school footy colour days (I have primary school aged kids in Ballarat) to see that this partnership with Ballarat is building and the foundations are set. Bulldogs colours dominate the school, even ahead of the likes of Collingwood and Essendon.

We won't see the real benefit from this for many years to come, when these kids get older, purchase memberships, attend more games, and even have families of their own.

I'm of the opinion that this isn't a direct result of one off clinics or school visits (although these do obviously help) it's more so the being able to attend games in your home town. See the players up close in action, and the fact we are winning more often than not would also help.

In saying all that I wouldn't be upset if the game did get moved against Adelaide. Even though the wind and conditions would take away a big strength of theirs and favour us dramatically.

That's great news re the kids

Loving that.