Sell 4 Home Games to New Zealand

[Dee tention 616]

We have heard Jimmy Stynes say the Dee's home is the MCG! And I love that! And we would only be prepared to sell 1 home game to Canberra. But we have to get realistic.

To gain financial success. I believe we need to follow Hawthorn's model. 4 home games in Tassie has reaped them huge financial success and members. The biggest market outside Vic for a Vic club. Free money from the Tassie Gov and extra merchandise sales.

They are the smartest football club going around and have beaten everybody to the punch! Well done Hawks!

Dont worry about Collingwood or Essendon being the No 1. Vic club. Hawthorn is destroying them! There pledge for 50,000 members is just around the corner. They have great marque player's which is a huge help aswell. And that's what does'nt work in our favour at the moment.

But what are we waiting for? I am sure there are more Pro's then Con's.

I pledge for the Melbourne Football Club to play 2 home games in NEW ZEALAND in it's first year. If the positive's are strong enough we increase to a maximum 4 games after that.

Canberra aint going to do it for us. The Gold Coast was a great market to do this. But still 2nd to Tassie. And they have a team there now. Collingwood were even prepared to play home games there. What does that say?

If we dont act now on NZ, the bigger clubs get stronger and you all know where we will go? 6ft under!

What do you think? Is NZ our only option of financial success outside Vic?

And this no way saying we would eventually relocate there.

[beelzebub 23,313]

Im not sure that the lovely folk in NZ could really give a cr@p about Footy....not unless its the neandethal kind they currently amuse themselves with. Not sure this idea would have any legs...unless they're in fours....and woolly!!

[Dee tention 616]

Im not sure that the lovely folk in NZ could really give a cr@p about Footy....not unless its the neandethal kind they currently amuse themselves with. Not sure this idea would have any legs...unless they're in fours....and woolly!!

Maybe so! I think it's worth a real crack though. Maybe we can attract sponsor's aswell from our neighbour's. Air New Zealand and possibly some sheepish bed linen. Joke!

[DeeM 42]

Well if Jimmy likes it maybe he'll sell 4 games to Ireland.

I think you're on the right track but not NZ, maybe Darwin???

[Rogue 585]

Interesting idea.

A couple of points...

1) Who's going to couch up the dough?

I'm not sure the NZ government is going to be as generous as the Tasmanian gov.

Would the AFL want to pour money into this?

If not, what's the point in selling the games?

2) Flying from Melb to Auckland takes three times longer than Melb to Launceston.

I imagine it'd be best to sell games that draw low crowds, and these are typically versus non-Victorian teams - would be a long way to travel for some of them.

What impact would this have on our on-field success, with regards not only to rehab etc. but also to our performance in the games following.

[Chook 15,012]

Well if Jimmy likes it maybe he'll sell 4 games to Ireland.

I think you're on the right track but not NZ, maybe Darwin???

Ireland is a hell of a long way away. Nobody would want to play us there, and none of our players would be the same for a couple of weeks. I'd hate for that to happen.

Hawthorn won a Premiership, but let's not be too eager to emulate absolutely everything they've done. I'm way against it, regardless of our financial position.

[furious d 463]

Hawthorn is in a make or break situation right now. If they can't convince Tasmanians to give up on their own club and take the handful of games the hawks are offering, they are as screwed as us.

[Rocknroll 1,002]

I live in NZ, It would be awesome for the Dees to play here, I could go see a game and be the only bloody person there.

This is a very silly half baked idea. No one in this country cares about or really gives a stuff about AFL. It is not in any papers, not on telly. They play one game a week on the third Sky sort channel which 80% of the pubs and punters don’t have anyway. The only Grand final action you saw in the media was on a half hour nightly show "The crowd goes wild" Who took the [censored] out of it as look at what those stupid aussie are into.

The only other time I saw any AFL in this country this year is when Big bad b...b...b.. Hall threw his haymaker.

I have also lived in tassie and outside Melbourne they are the most well informed and knowledgable (and passionate) footy fans. That’s why it works there.

NZ is a lost cause "Bro" it isn’t "sweet as" or "choice" to play here. This is a path to financial ruin and being the laughing stock of not only NZ but the AFL.

[The Cold Hard Truth 0]

Hawthorn is in a make or break situation right now. If they can't convince Tasmanians to give up on their own club and take the handful of games the hawks are offering, they are as screwed as us.

Once (if) a Tasmanian team is introduced, Hawks will loose 90% of their 'converted' supporter base down there.

None the less, that could be twenty years away and before that time the Hawks will have reaped millions.

[the fork 357]

tiring of your "topics for the sake of it" Dee tention

time to get "realistic" and sell home games to NZ?

all hail the new Yze "I'm bored and I want people to know what they think of me" Magic

[do it 4 robbie 1]

Would rather sell none but IF it was going to be 4 games id rather Canberra

[The Cold Hard Truth 0]

Would rather sell none but IF it was going to be 4 games id rather Canberra

I like the idea of one Canberra game a year vs Sydney on ANZAC day - a game with real merit that can ignite some passion from Vics and NSW.

Any more would be just to balance the book as we couldn't hope to 'market' the area like Hawthorn has done with Tasmania.

[wisedog 352]

Once (if) a Tasmanian team is introduced, Hawks will loose 90% of their 'converted' supporter base down there.

None the less, that could be twenty years away and before that time the Hawks will have reaped millions.

Which is obviously why Kennett has urged Tasmania to drop their push for an AFL team and embrace the Hawks...

I was recently over there, and the vast, vast majority of support is for the Hawks. In fact I don't recall seeing a scarf or bumper sticker of any other club.

But still, you have to admire what they've been able to achieve in such a short space of time. Right now, they're ticking all the boxes.

-They have the most exciting and marketable player of the modern era.

-They've cultivated a whole new supporter base.

- And they've topped it all off with the premiership, creating life-long fans. Success will always be the key ingredient.

Unfortunately, if ever a club needed such a transformation, it's Melbourne. But at least it shows, that it can be done.

[wisedog 352]

Here's an idea. How about we cut Hawthorn's lunch, and sell a few home games to Hobart.

They would be the team of North Tasmania, but we would be the team of the South!

[Timmuns 16]

Here's an idea. How about we cut Hawthorn's lunch, and sell a few home games to Hobart.

They would be the team of North Tasmania, but we would be the team of the South!

haha that's game! I'd be up for that... not sure how it would work with Tassie looking to get a team up and running in the next 5 years though...

I'd love to have some home games in Darwin, I don't think a NT territory team would ever be realistic though purely on their climate (their footy season is about to start now!) but in terms of population Darwin is the same as Launceston (100k) so it couldn't be all that bad...?

[rusty_kingswood 0]

If we dont act now on NZ, the bigger clubs get stronger and you all know where we will go? 6ft under!

What do you think? Is NZ our only option of financial success outside Vic?

And this no way saying we would eventually relocate there.

Might be a little far to travel yes?

If it was to happen, it would only be Vic clubs who could play. Dont know if W/C/FREO/SYD/GC would be happy about the extra 3 hours or so.

[deanox 9,897]

hawthorns money dries up as soon as they leave tasmania. if they renew the contract for another 3 years, i would suggest the afl will start to push them down there as the tassie team.

[Red and Blue Flame 179]

I think That Darwin could be a possibility- have an alliegance like the hawks do- they're passionate " broo", and "sweet ez" about footy. the Darwin Demons when we are away!

[Guest melbman]

I'd love to have some home games in Darwin, I don't think a NT territory team would ever be realistic though purely on their climate (their footy season is about to start now!) but in terms of population Darwin is the same as Launceston (100k) so it couldn't be all that bad...?

I was living in Darwin when we played the Doggies a couple of years back and I went to the game (of course :-) and although the Doggies were trying to promote themselves there as "The team to follow" by arriving several days earlier to visit schools etc before their game the majority of support was for the Dees. I saw many an old Melbourne jumber there. There is something to build on there

Here is a link to a Doggies Darwin article http://afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=54573

I think in the local media in Darwin that the Doggies were calling themselves the Darwin Doggies, easy to change that to the Darwin Demons

One issue re the Darwin thing is that while it seemed predominantly an AFL town there was support for thugby, as well as the issue with trying to build support from a highly transient population. From memory there were 8000ish at the game but I may be wrong

[Timmuns 16]

One issue re the Darwin thing is that while it seemed predominantly an AFL town there was support for thugby, as well as the issue with trying to build support from a highly transient population. From memory there were 8000ish at the game but I may be wrong

Yeah I went there earlier this year for a couple of weeks (I'm not calling myself a local by any means) but it was interesting to see the media coverage in the papers with AFL and NRL - seemed about 50-50 to me. But I definitely think there could be a future up there. I'd love for Melbourne to send some talent scouts up there... I reckon its a gold mine, let's just recruit all of Davey's, Whelan's, Wona's and Cyril Rioli's cousins haha

[Dee tention 616]

Darwin sounds possible! What is the Bulldogs deal for up there?

[redlegger 4]

This is just plain deranged. We are the MELBOURNE football club, and our mission should be to sink or swim in Melbourne. 10 things to consider:

1. NZ wouldn't want it and their Govt. wouldn't be as silly as the Tasmanians who Kennett has conned out of millions.

2. It depends on what you want your experience of your football club to be: Going and seeing them at matches or watching them on TV: I can't see how turning your club into a TV show will grow your membership.

3. Kennett's a slick salesman and the Hawks supporters are putting up with it because they're winning.... but selling 4 home games out of 11 just disenfranchises your membership base too much. Wait till they start losing games (including their Tasmanian games) and see how keen people are to follow a club that they get to go and see so seldom.

4. When the Tassie deal finishes, they'll try and squeeze themselves into the already tight Melbourne market... better that we're here all along so that they have to push their way into our turf.

6. I've suspected for a long time that there's something about Hawthorn's membership numbers that just doesn't add up. If they really have 40,000 members (as Collingwood do) then why on earth would they need to sell 4 of their 11 home games (as Collingwood or Carlton or Essendon would never dream of). It's clear that Melbourne, North Melbourne and the Bulldogs need the dollars.... Why would a club with 40,000 genuine members need to sell over a third of their games?

7. Darwin's too hot and steamy. NZ is too cold and neither would grow our base here. In time we'd be talked about in terms of moving fully over there the way that some poster here talks of Hawthorn moving to Tassie.

8. We're unique: We didn't grow out of a town or a suburb. We grew out of a sporting ground. For better or worse our future is tangled up with that ground.

9. The survival of North Melbourne, the Bulldogs and us lies in getting better stadium deals: Geelong's ground holds less than 25,000 people.... but they make an absolute fortune out of their home games down there... 20,000 to 25,000 at the G or Telstra Dome, and North, Dogs and us have to write a cheque to the AFL... There are signs that the AFL understands the inequity in the stadium deals. This is where our hope lies.

10. As I say at #8: We're unique. We need a unique solution to our unique problems. We're not Hathorn and what works forr them isn't even relevant to others... and I predict what works for them (Tassie) will come and go... and they'll be down the same drain that we are now.

[maximum bob 462]

Ireland is a hell of a long way away. Nobody would want to play us there, and none of our players would be the same for a couple of weeks. I'd hate for that to happen.

Hawthorn won a Premiership, but let's not be too eager to emulate absolutely everything they've done. I'm way against it, regardless of our financial position.

Are you seriously responding to this post? Play away games in Ireland? "Ireland is... a long way away." Really?

It's a joke.

Better to draft Naita and play four home games in Suva.

[Chook 15,012]

This is just plain deranged. We are the MELBOURNE football club, and our mission should be to sink or swim in Melbourne. 10 things to consider:

1. NZ wouldn't want it and their Govt. wouldn't be as silly as the Tasmanians who Kennett has conned out of millions.

2. It depends on what you want your experience of your football club to be: Going and seeing them at matches or watching them on TV: I can't see how turning your club into a TV show will grow your membership.

3. Kennett's a slick salesman and the Hawks supporters are putting up with it because they're winning.... but selling 4 home games out of 11 just disenfranchises your membership base too much. Wait till they start losing games (including their Tasmanian games) and see how keen people are to follow a club that they get to go and see so seldom.

4. When the Tassie deal finishes, they'll try and squeeze themselves into the already tight Melbourne market... better that we're here all along so that they have to push their way into our turf.

6. I've suspected for a long time that there's something about Hawthorn's membership numbers that just doesn't add up. If they really have 40,000 members (as Collingwood do) then why on earth would they need to sell 4 of their 11 home games (as Collingwood or Carlton or Essendon would never dream of). It's clear that Melbourne, North Melbourne and the Bulldogs need the dollars.... Why would a club with 40,000 genuine members need to sell over a third of their games?

7. Darwin's too hot and steamy. NZ is too cold and neither would grow our base here. In time we'd be talked about in terms of moving fully over there the way that some poster here talks of Hawthorn moving to Tassie.

8. We're unique: We didn't grow out of a town or a suburb. We grew out of a sporting ground. For better or worse our future is tangled up with that ground.

9. The survival of North Melbourne, the Bulldogs and us lies in getting better stadium deals: Geelong's ground holds less than 25,000 people.... but they make an absolute fortune out of their home games down there... 20,000 to 25,000 at the G or Telstra Dome, and North, Dogs and us have to write a cheque to the AFL... There are signs that the AFL understands the inequity in the stadium deals. This is where our hope lies.

10. As I say at #8: We're unique. We need a unique solution to our unique problems. We're not Hathorn and what works forr them isn't even relevant to others... and I predict what works for them (Tassie) will come and go... and they'll be down the same drain that we are now.

Great post. I totally agree with all of that. For us to be successful, we need to play every game at the MCG, maintain a good relationship with the MCC, develop our membership base and grab a good, long-term major sponsor. On the field, our defence will be our major strength over the next ten years. We need to capitalise on that and accentuate it, so that we can actually win games through it. Don't move Colin Garland forward, don't trade Jared Rivers, play Colin Sylvia in the back-line as we did at times early in the year.

Going forward, I'd love our back-line to read:

Warnock Martin Frawley

Rivers Garland Sylvia

This would be a formidable back-six, one that we could really use as a spring-board for so many attacks. But for any of that to matter, we need to be able to survive financially, and selling our home games is, in my opinion, not the way to do that.

[Chook 15,012]

Are you seriously responding to this post? Play away games in Ireland? "Ireland is... a long way away." Really?

It's a joke.

Better to draft Naita and play four home games in Suva.

Yeah, my sarcasm-meter was not functioning very well. But I still don't think we should try to become Hawthorn 2.0. Emulating the Premier is not the way to go. Smart Clubs try to figure out how to stop the best teams. We've tried to become them, but ended up being second-rate pretenders, while every other club knows exactly how to stop us because they've seen the best teams in the competition play our style, only better, for the previous few years. That's why we need to focus on what makes us good, not what has made others successful. We are not Sydney, Hawthorn or Geelong. We are Melbourne. That doesn't make us better or worse, but it does make us different. That's why we need to find our own solution to our own problems.