Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

[GVGjr]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

Look Ballarat and Geelong may be all very well for those from the Western Dist. and Melb's. outer west. But I am a life time supporter, and a long time member who lives in Gippsland. It is already a 270+km round trip for me to attend the docklands now. Those options would be a move to far for me, and many others who live down my way.

I have long wondered given how far through the contract between the League and the Stadium owners we must be by now, why the league don't simply buy out the balance of the contract. Surely if the owners can get a high % of the potential earnings over say a 5 year period, rather than having to wait 12-13 more years they would jump at the offer. Andrew D. aught to be able to fund it out of the small change in his pocket given his salary !!!

Failing a complete early buy out, couldn't the League buy out the individual contracts of those clubs for whom the present arrangement is strangling them, then renegotiate a more equitable deal with the clubs directly between the AFL and clubs?

Given all the interstate and new expansion clubs now playing matches in Melb. who are now, and likely to remain for the foreseeable future drawers of poor crowds, isn't it time the league bit the bullet and set up a boutique stadium that can hold just 25-30K. Surely for TV purposes alone it looks a hell of a lot better for the game to have the stadiums look crowded rather than showing vast swathes of vacant seats in the larger venues.
Plus it would surely be more economically viable.
It would seem a central location,access to public transport, viable road access, and sufficient car parking options are perhaps the main requirements.

Our match day attendances will no doubt grow when we start to climb the ladder so long as we play an attractive brand of football. But we are likely to remain a small supporter base club in the short to medium term, and I worry for our survival given the next media deal is unlikely to be as good as the present one. Thus there is likely to be far less cash to splash about on clubs who are unable to fund their own existence from their own revenue sources.

[Eastdog]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

Look Ballarat and Geelong may be all very well for those from the Western Dist. and Melb's. outer west. But I am a life time supporter, and a long time member who lives in Gippsland. It is already a 270+km round trip for me to attend the docklands now. Those options would be a move to far for me, and many others who live down my way.

I have long wondered given how far through the contract between the League and the Stadium owners we must be by now, why the league don't simply buy out the balance of the contract. Surely if the owners can get a high % of the potential earnings over say a 5 year period, rather than having to wait 12-13 more years they would jump at the offer. Andrew D. aught to be able to fund it out of the small change in his pocket given his salary !!!

Failing a complete early buy out, couldn't the League buy out the individual contracts of those clubs for whom the present arrangement is strangling them, then renegotiate a more equitable deal with the clubs directly between the AFL and clubs?

Given all the interstate and new expansion clubs now playing matches in Melb. who are now, and likely to remain for the foreseeable future drawers of poor crowds, isn't it time the league bit the bullet and set up a boutique stadium that can hold just 25-30K. Surely for TV purposes alone it looks a hell of a lot better for the game to have the stadiums look crowded rather than showing vast swathes of vacant seats in the larger venues.
Plus it would surely be more economically viable.
It would seem a central location,access to public transport, viable road access, and sufficient car parking options are perhaps the main requirements.

Our match day attendances will no doubt grow when we start to climb the ladder so long as we play an attractive brand of football. But we are likely to remain a small supporter base club in the short to medium term, and I worry for our survival given the next media deal is unlikely to be as good as the present one. Thus there is likely to be far less cash to splash about on clubs who are unable to fund their own existence from their own revenue sources.

Good points paulv. Im a Dogs supporter based in the Eastern suburbs and I agree Geelong and Ballarat are very far away to travel from where I live. If Waverley Park was still to AFL standard we could play some home games there but once again it's not central. Hopefully there are future plans to build a 3rd stadium in a central location (eg: Showgrounds) close to the city for these kind of games that get lower crowds.

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

The AFL have to do something about this. Surely there is no advantage for them if a large chunk of our earnings is lining the pockets of some super fund group and not feeding back into the game.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

Good points paulv. Im a Dogs supporter based in the Eastern suburbs and I agree Geelong and Ballarat are very far away to travel from where I live. If Waverley Park was still to AFL standard we could play some home games there but once again it's not central. Hopefully there are future plans to build a 3rd stadium in a central location (eg: Showgrounds) close to the city for these kind of games that get lower crowds.

It's even further to go to Canberra and Darwin. I think 3 games a year in Geelong against interstate teams is preferrable to the current arrangements. I think there would still be ample opportunities to play at etihad - I'm not suggesting we ditch etihad completely, just add a bit of competitive tension to discussions. Just would work so much better financially. I understand that Geelong makes $600k+ per game. We would struggle to make that amount from all our interstate games a year. From a pure travel perspective it makes much more sense also. Let the expansion teams play in Darwin and Canberra from now on. We've done our bit for growing the game nationally. Now is our opportunity to grow the game in our own State, closer to home. Isn't it still the fastest growing area in Australia?

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

Good points paulv. Im a Dogs supporter based in the Eastern suburbs and I agree Geelong and Ballarat are very far away to travel from where I live. If Waverley Park was still to AFL standard we could play some home games there but once again it's not central. Hopefully there are future plans to build a 3rd stadium in a central location (eg: Showgrounds) close to the city for these kind of games that get lower crowds.

The Showgrounds would have been a better option than Etihad which apart from increased funding from the AFL in the past 12 months has been a financial disaster.Some lateral thinking from the powers could have had North, Essendon and the WB sharing new facilities at the Showgrounds but all would now seem lost for this to ever become a reality.As an Outer Eastern fanatic the thought of traveling to Geelong or Ballarat holds little appeal. Both Geelong and Hawthorn have been brilliantly managed in the manner they have successfully secured their long time futures.Being on a constant drip feed from the AFL is a thorn in our side with little prospect of the situation improving in the near future. The huge financial commitment to National expansion eg Gold Coast and GWS has come at a heavy cost to clubs like WB and North Melbourne.

[chef]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

Hopefully the AFL lets us play our home games against interstate teams at Kardinia Park and we get the same returns as Geelong. Will go a long way to helping us be self sufficient.

[jeemak]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

Hopefully the AFL lets us play our home games against interstate teams at Kardinia Park and we get the same returns as Geelong. Will go a long way to helping us be self sufficient.

Chef, how do we as a club sell the benefits or upside of that to the AFL?

We know the AFL is determined to pay off the stadium as efficiently as possible, and such a move would hamper their ability to do that.

What reasonable angle can we use to make games at Kardinia an attractive option to the league?

We receive special assistance from the AFL due to inequity within the fixture and stadium deals already. A move to Kardinia might reduce the overall amount we receive for that, particularly if we can't offset the losses to the AFL's overall goals of paying the stadium off. In such a scenario any gains we'd experience from improved gate receipts would be offset by the loss of special assistance.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

Seems like a transparent bluff to me. Not blaming the club, our cards aren't great.

[Cyberdoggie]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as club struggles to make money at

I reckon we should play those Games against GWS GC and Port and Freo at skilled.
We play the ground well not far at all to travel and we would make cash lets do it!

Maybe not for you but i doubt i'd travel down to Geelong from Boronia when i can go to the pub or watch it from home.

It would probably cost me at least $30 in petrol, plus tolls, add parking, food.
Adds up.

I'd say most eastern suburbs supporters would feel the same.

[Eastdog]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as club struggles to make money at

Maybe not for you but i doubt i'd travel down to Geelong from Boronia when i can go to the pub or watch it from home.

It would probably cost me at least $30 in petrol, plus tolls, add parking, food.
Adds up.

I'd say most eastern suburbs supporters would feel the same.

I'm an eastern suburbs supporter too Cyberdoggie and yes it would cost a bit for people who live far away from Geelong and Ballarat like us. As I said in an earlier post the Showgrounds I feel is the future hopefully for our club.

[Rae]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

As I live in Ballarat and attend every game the Doggies play in Melbourne, I couldn't see us playing in Ballarat. The cost to bring the ground and facilities up to standard would be massive. I would rather it be spent in getting Whitten Oval up and running.

[BulldogBelle]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

Could we give provide discounted tickets, give away tickets, provide buy one get one free offers or do something else to bring the Etihad crowds up to the 25k threshold?

[Bornadog]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

Could we give provide discounted tickets, give away tickets, provide buy one get one free offers or do something else to bring the Etihad crowds up to the 25k threshold?

We could also work with the stadium to think up ideas on how to reduce costs for these matches. Example, maybe no one sits on the 3rd level for say half the ground as there are costs in providing ushers, security, food stalls etc? Maybe everyone has to sit on level 1 and two? This of course has other implications for reserve seat holders.
Maybe interstate ticket holders have to pay more, say an extra $10 each to help out as well. They will be coming anyway

We have to make this stadium work to our benefit. Your ideas should also be considered.

Playing at Geelong and Ballarat to me is a step backwards in our development of the Western Front of Melbourne. I would rather we played at Whitten Oval some how than go to those regional areas.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

We could also work with the stadium to think up ideas on how to reduce costs for these matches. Example, maybe no one sits on the 3rd level for say half the ground as there are costs in providing ushers, security, food stalls etc? Maybe everyone has to sit on level 1 and two? This of course has other implications for reserve seat holders.
Maybe interstate ticket holders have to pay more, say an extra 410 each to help out as well. They will be coming anyway

We have to make this stadium work to our benefit. Your ideas should also be considered.

Playing at Geelong and Ballarat to me is a step backwards in our development of the Western Front of Melbourne. I would rather we played at Whitten Oval some how than go to those regional areas.

I agree. We've got to find other avenues to making Ethihad work. If we are the western team, then playing rural wont help the push.

[Eastdog]

Re: Western Bulldogs sniff around for home ground as Ethihad isn't viable

We could also work with the stadium to think up ideas on how to reduce costs for these matches. Example, maybe no one sits on the 3rd level for say half the ground as there are costs in providing ushers, security, food stalls etc? Maybe everyone has to sit on level 1 and two? This of course has other implications for reserve seat holders.
Maybe interstate ticket holders have to pay more, say an extra $10 each to help out as well. They will be coming anyway

We have to make this stadium work to our benefit. Your ideas should also be considered.

Playing at Geelong and Ballarat to me is a step backwards in our development of the Western Front of Melbourne. I would rather we played at Whitten Oval some how than go to those regional areas.

I agree BAD we need to make Etihad benefit our club somehow. I think with the nature of the competition today clubs won't be going back to their old home grounds as a lot of them are not to AFL standard. Would it really be bad for us if we did play some of our home games at the MCG? If we played there would we really be losing out or would we make some revenue which is a start.