A boutique ground at Casey - the vision

[beelzebub 23,241]

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/dees...1183110808.html

This isnt really news to many of us following the events etc unveiling with the Casey dealings but it does , to me , make a lot of sense.

One thing we dont reallycontrol at present is either the "Gate' or advertising. Playing some games.. maybe 3,4,5, whatever at a smaller venue will return millions..( yes foks..Millions ) to us. Not only give us money but help stem the haemoraging tothe purse when these games are held at the G. Just Like Geelong it would give us a TRUE home ground advantage..

A move like this ISNT abandoning the MCG. It will always be our true spiritual home but havind a secondary venue means we can have our cake AND eat it too!!

Double bonus.. a lot closer than Tasmania huh Jeff !!

I must admit one part of the article soert of grabbed me.. not too sure what to make of it.. "Why wouldn't Melbourne Cricket Club have a boutique stadium? They could do that.". Im not sure what but there is realy something afoot with this club !!

Dont change that Bat channel viewers..stay tuned !!

All in all I think the AFL will back this !! I like it.

[_becks_ 35]

People were discussing the same thing in the Casey thread that was up a week or two ago. I think it is a interesting idea. Whether or not the AFL will like ot though I'm not so sure. They've spent so long getting rid of Moorabbin, Vic Park, Waverly, Princess Park etc. Why would they let us build a new stadium at Casey?

I'd like to see it happen though, makes sense.

[Dreamin' Demon 10]

Wouldn't it have been easier to include retractable seating at the new venue being built at the Team Melbourne site? Seating capacity there will be 30,000. The retractable seats will enable the ground to go from rectangle to oval, so we can play games there - similar to Telstra Dome.

Only positive with the Casey concept is the untapped thousands of people out there that will jump on board once an AFL team is based there.

[w00dy 146]

won't work in casey...

we struggled to get 10,000 people to princes park 5 years ago for similar fixtures to what are being proposed here... if only that many show up in Carlton, how many are going to trek to Cranbourne?

only way a boutique stadium will work is if it is accessable to everyone... Punt Road or Olympic Park are the only options I believe...

[Yencks 8]

your right vanlo, it all sounds good but melbourne does have supporters that are much more likely to go to the game if it is at the G because they are mcc members, can do the whole long room thing...there will be members/fans that will not bother rocking up to the new ground leaving just us loyal supporters there to watch...the idea sounds good but the stadium needs to be MUCH more easily accesible than casey fields imo...or atleast have a direct train line for starters

[beelzebub 23,241]

Wouldn't it have been easier to include retractable seating at the new venue being built at the Team Melbourne site? Seating capacity there will be 30,000. The retractable seats will enable the ground to go from rectangle to oval, so we can play games there - similar to Telstra Dome.

Only positive with the Casey concept is the untapped thousands of people out there that will jump on board once an AFL team is based there.

NO..its a very costly thing to have a multipurpose venue. The designs for Bubbledome is locked in now. Part of the idea of a 2nd venue at Casey is to build a following..thats still a problem for us. But if we suddenly jumped to 30-35000 strong..then look out AFL !!

[beelzebub 23,241]

won't work in casey...

we struggled to get 10,000 people to princes park 5 years ago for similar fixtures to what are being proposed here... if only that many show up in Carlton, how many are going to trek to Cranbourne?

only way a boutique stadium will work is if it is accessable to everyone... Punt Road or Olympic Park are the only options I believe...

Who the F*** wants to go to Princess Park..ever ?? its not the same. There a re a lot of people for whom Casey is actually closer than the G..me for One. A reality is with the new teams comingin..we cant afford to have smal lturnouts at the G..but we would actually MAKE money playing at Casey...its really a no-brainer..surely!! A Case of..play at a venue like that..or we get Jeffed !!

[Rogue 585]

It makes sense, although - like everything - the devil's in the detail.

[w00dy 146]

Who the F*** wants to go to Princess Park..ever ?? its not the same. There a re a lot of people for whom Casey is actually closer than the G..me for One. A reality is with the new teams comingin..we cant afford to have smal lturnouts at the G..but we would actually MAKE money playing at Casey...its really a no-brainer..surely!! A Case of..play at a venue like that..or we get Jeffed !!

i didn't mind watching footy at princes park... i don't care where i watch footy to be honest... give me a seat and nothing obstructing my view and i'm usually pretty happy... i even stand now and then too at the G, as long as I can see that will do...

i think the most important thing when considering a stadium is getting there... i went to the footy a lot as a teenager... my parents would drop me at the train station, i'd get the train to jolimont and walk to the G...

i missed some of the games at princes park because i couldn't get there, the only game I saw melbourne play there was against west coast when a mate and I got a ride off my mates dad...

what hope in hell do i have of getting out to Casey fields? a 2 hour train trip plus a bus each way? spending close to 5 hours traveling back and forward from the game... leave home by 11am at the latest to make sure i get to the game on time? not back home till around 7.30? i wouldn't have bothered i don't think... and even if i did bother, most people wouldn't have... it would be quicker for me to get to our game at kardinia park, and the train would drop me 300 metres from the ground!

it's obviously convenient for you as you live closer to casey fields... but for the majority of melbourne it wouldn't be... even if you live in the eastern suburbs but can't drive, unless you live near the cranbourne train line, it's going to take a real effort using public transport to get to the game...

Simply won't work at Casey. We won't make money playing there, not an amount of any significance anyway because our crowds will simply be too small. Naive to believe they won't. I like Paul Gardner but if he thinks playing games at Casey is the way forward then the sooner he goes the better...

[rpfc 28,072]

Opportunities and Problems

Gardner saying 'MCC boutique stadium' implies that he thinks that the MCC should build (or at least help) a small 30 000 stadium for smaller games.

The stadium idea is a fantastic way of financing our future, ala Geelong.

BUT why would the MCC spend such money when the benefit is designed for the smaller clubs?

IF the MCC build it, would not MCC members get in for free? Not going to maximise profits that way.

These need to be cleared up.

OTHERWISE, we should look into this with funding from Casey, State gov, Fed gov, sponsors, and/or the AFL.

The MFC could play Freo, WCE, West Syd, Gold Coast, Adel, Port, Bris, North, Bulldogs, and Sydney at a venue that size, without hampering the AFL and its decree to maximise attendances.

Looking at this years draw as a reference we would have the WB, Freo, Sydney, Bris, NM, and WCE games at the boutique stadium. The idea of 6 home games away from the G isn't appetising for many, and I am an MCC member (and yes I am an MFC member too), but it should be enough for a Casey or a Fed govt looking for votes in Casey to put some money into it.

[Mono 455]

I like the idea. Makes some sense, and shows some thinking outside the square.

One question: what sort of $'s would be needed, and who would be paying? (that's 2 questions I guess.)

And an after thought - what lessons can be learned from Waverley? (that's 3 questions.)

[Mono 455]

And another thought - I bet there is a contracted number of games to be played at MCG.

[Demon Rob 2]

i believe the mcc already have a set of boutique grounds - albert park and the junction oval.

a north melbourne 6000 crowd would fit at the junction oval and could probably fit a melbourne 15000 there.

and being so small a playing area our lack of key (or any other) players won't affect us as much.

[45HG 1,539]

Tied with MFC or the AFL do you think? Because if the AFL makes a commitmen to playing X ammount of games at the G, and we are the ones having to fulfill it, then they should definitely give us proper remuneration

[Mono 455]

Tied with MFC or the AFL do you think? Because if the AFL makes a commitmen to playing X ammount of games at the G, and we are the ones having to fulfill it, then they should definitely give us proper remuneration

AFL, I would have thought. But who plays at the MCG is probably dependent on clubs requests for season draw, in part at least.

[whelan45 202]

Making the boutique stadium at Casey fields could help generate plenty of Melbourne supporters in that growth corridor if marketed properly. Gaining more support is what I believe will make or break this club. It's the great support the Filth have that allowed them to turn it around and be where they are today.

Transport is definatly a major issue. Setting up Melbourne buses may be a way of reducing this effect. They could run from the G or a major train station. Maybe even the Cranbourne station. I don't know if its at all possible I'm just brainstorming but maybe a sponsership deal with Connex or something where they run a direct line to Cranbourne at a certain time on gameday.

If the supporters embrace the idea and their is sufficient support I think this idea can work. Something needs to be done and atm this idea of playing at a boutique stadium is by far the best I have seen

[Dreamin' Demon 10]

Lets just set up Casey as a state of the art training base, social club & merchandise store. Play ALL practice & pre-season matches there & along with Auskick - giving all kids junior demons jumpers. After many years, you'll find a great build up of supporters in that region that would be willing to travel to the "G" to watch us play.

After all, it'll be easier for supporters to work their way to the "g' to watch Melbourne play than it is for ALL supporters to find their way to Casey.

[dee-luded 2,959]

won't work in casey...

we struggled to get 10,000 people to princes park 5 years ago for similar fixtures to what are being proposed here... if only that many show up in Carlton, how many are going to trek to Cranbourne? only way a boutique stadium will work is if it is accessable to everyone... Punt Road or Olympic Park are the only options I believe...

I've been going to footy for 35ish years & hated going to princes park, my most disliked ground. Loved taking the drive out to waverly (VFL) park.. casey will work & the 'ferals' wil be our saviours.

Oh & by the way, lets not have any board front men or women that talk with plums in their mouths..

[w00dy 146]

I've been going to footy for 35ish years & hated going to princes park, my most disliked ground. Loved taking the drive out to waverly (VFL) park.. casey will work & the 'ferals' wil be our saviours.

Oh & by the way, lets not have any board front men or women that talk with plums in their mouths..

what didn't you like about it?

[beelzebub 23,241]

with al lrespect Vanlo..the decision wont be based upon the you's or I's... it wil be based upon projected economics !! We can make money at CF playing the non-drawing foreign teams...and we can still play the bigger games at the G. Just too much sense really.

[vanlo]""but for the majority of melbourne it wouldn't be"" ??? you'll need to justify that argument..little water holds !!

This is about growing a NEW future..coz our current "present' is just a tad precarious!!

[w00dy 146]

with al lrespect Vanlo..the decision wont be based upon the you's or I's... it wil be based upon projected economics !!

really? news to me... i'm actually about a month off completing a bachelor degree in economics, and I took a class in sports economics... and when it comes down to the essence of it, the decision is based upon the you's and I's because the economics is based upon the you's and I's, the individual decision makers... people deciding whether they will go to the game or not...

now i haven't done research to come to any solid conclusions, and I'm sure you haven't either... i think where we disagree is how many people we each think would show up at these Casey fields games... i believe playing sides like West Sydney and the Gold Coast we would draw crowds somewhere in the vacinity of 5-10k if we played at Casey fields, not many more for other interstate sides, the teams we would play there... how many do you think would show up?

how much money could we possibly make drawing crowds like that? let alone the damage it would do to the club, regularly playing in front of crowds like that...

We can make money at CF playing the non-drawing foreign teams...and we can still play the bigger games at the G. Just too much sense really.

[vanlo]""but for the majority of melbourne it wouldn't be"" ??? you'll need to justify that argument..little water holds !!

i have to justify my arguement?

casey fields is on the outskirts of our city over 50km from the CBD, and i have to justify how getting to the MCG (which has fantastic public transport facilities compared to Casey) is more convienient for the majority of melbournians? surely a monkey can work that one out...

This is about growing a NEW future..coz our current "present' is just a tad precarious!!

i agree we need to improve as a club, but simply because an idea is new doesn't mean it's a good one...

[casey scorp 2]

Where do most of the MFC members come from? (don't jump down my throat, I said most - not all).

I'll bet it's from the municipalities of Bayside (Brighton, Sandringham), Stonnington (Toorak etc) and Glen Eira (Bentleigh, Caulfield).

What would the average age of the members from those areas be?

How much longer will they be members for?

MFC needs a new area to tap into. A growth area is best because people are moving into new environments and are likely to be the most flexible in theior views at that time. That is the time to influence them. Also their kids attend schools. Get kids as supporters in early primary school and you'll have them for life.

While any growth area would have similar characteristics as this there are two other issues:

- of all the growth areas, Casey-Cardinia has the highest Australian Football concentration

- the City of Casey is very strongly supportive of MFC

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

how much money could we possibly make drawing crowds like that? let alone the damage it would do to the club, regularly playing in front of crowds like that...

How much money are Melbourne making playing in front of crowds of up to 20K at the MCG?

They are not, they are losing money. All the evidence (that I've come across) suggests that smaller stadiums are more profitable for clubs. The issue is, if there is a smaller ground, will people go?

As far as I'm concerned, if Casey does become an option, they won't just be seeking the Melbourne-based Melbourne fans. It will have two key elements; providing the MFC with a more economically suitable facility and using it as a means of growing the supporter base in this fast growing area.

[w00dy 146]

Where do most of the MFC members come from? (don't jump down my throat, I said most - not all).

I'll bet it's from the municipalities of Bayside (Brighton, Sandringham), Stonnington (Toorak etc) and Glen Eira (Bentleigh, Caulfield).

What would the average age of the members from those areas be?

How much longer will they be members for?

all good questions... information which the club has which would factor in it making a decision...

it seems as if we're going to embrace casey to try and gain some support... however I still don't think we'd draw large enough crowds out there...

how about this idea? 1 game a season, at casey fields... no stadium built... play the game against a low drawing interstate side, during grass roots round (I think that's one of the themed rounds) and it can be just like a local footy game... how many could the ground hold? 10,000? sell 10,000 tickets and it's sold out, with a portion reserved for Casey residents...

benefits of this:

don't need to commit to construction of stadium

only 1 game per season. I believe while fans would make the trek to casey for one game, however doing it 4 or 5 times is a different story

guaranteed profit

another issue with having a stadium out at casey is that if one is going to be built, we couldn't do it on our own... we'd need other clubs on board... and who else would commit to playing games out there? the western bulldogs? it would take their fans a week to get there...

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Just on a side note with relation to Casey Fields, just about all economic research has found that new stadiums provide zero economic benefit for the towns in which they are built.

Despite what they have said, whether or not the Casey council go through with the project is another matter.