Is now a good time to float the Casey solution ?

[beelzebub 23,200]

We're back in the black . ... And hooray for that.

Were a happening club.. Who'd da thought 3-4 years back !!

Etihad is stuffed .. Or damn near to, Ballarat is to get some readies to upgrade and good luck to them . So is now a good time for the club to re-pitch the Casey Solution ? There's an election , Casey amongst fastest growing precincts with lots of families who in turn need I frastructure both day to day and sporting wise .

Anupgraded Casey with say , for now , seating for 15000 and better facilities for the rest together with transport can solve a lot of problems for a lot of groups . Transfer some of those machine licences into a new social facity ( joint Scorps-Demons) and commit some of that revenue into community projects and it's nigh on win-win-win

The AfL has another AFL standard venue to alleviate stretched city grounds . We can develop another home ground advantage that may even match the G for effect. Has got to help the bottom line just as Kardinia does..

Got to be a good moment i would have thought to do a little lobbying.

We've done many hard yards , we've done the leagues beckoning , toed the line and got our act together whilst dteterminedly showing the corporates and populus that the Demon brand is alive and growing.

To borrow a line .....

It's Time !!!!

[No16 1]

If the AFL was to introduce a reserves team competition I would be all for that but at the moment I would much rather our home advantage at the MCG...

[beelzebub 23,200]

As such ... Definitely 16 . Am not suggesting abdication of the G at all . But with gc and gws plus cricket scheduling I see a window for any preseason games as well as possible lower gate games when (and if) the Afl fixture to our disadvantage or slot other games ahead of us at the G.

It's just an idea more about taking advantage of political good will really

Edited August 5, 2010 by belzebub59

[Dee-licious 1,947]

I understand your point but as Melbourne continues to move up the ladder and the supporters emerge again a 15,000 seat oval will not be viable. I think what the Roos are doing in Ballarat is a great idea due to a limted supporter base but weve got the supporters to make the G look good.

[e25 5]

How would the further development of Casey actually help us?

We WANT to play games at the G. The new stadium deal makes that more than financially viable.

Would we want OTHER teams playing out at Casey?

Possibly poaching the supporter base we are trying to foster out there?

I'm just not sure where the upside is in this suggestion.

[sylvinator 96]

I think Casey as a boutique stadium would be a good idea. Would still be a home advantage, and would be great financially no doubt.

Regardless, even if Casey did get a stadium, its at least 15 years away no point worrying about it too much

[e25 5]

The boutique stadium was a solution to poor returns for low crowd numbers at the large stadiums.

Now that this is not an issue, what is the point?

We may be able to increase our profit marginally with a boutique stadium, but that would still involve moving home games away from the G.

I think our resources are better spent concentrating on developing other more beneficial revenue streams.

[Sir Why You Little 36,668]

How do you fit 40,000 + members into a little boutique ground in 2 years time.

North are doing it because they are dying. We are just waking up.

Our Home Ground is the MCG-By all means build a 15,000 seat social club though, so we may watch interstate games on the big screen as a supporter base.

[e25 5]

I agree with the idea of a social club to watch interstate matches, but this is a completely separate issue to upgrading Casey Fields for live matches.

[Sir Why You Little 36,668]

I agree with the idea of a social club to watch interstate matches, but this is a completely separate issue to upgrading Casey Fields for live matches.

A boutique stadium is only usefull to a club with a small supporter base. I don't see that problem with the MFC as long as the club continues to grow itself.

This is a different club than it was in 2008, to upgrade casey would cost a packet, and many supporters would not get in.

At the 'G seating is never a problem and we are guarranteed $100,000+ each game.

North melbourne will not be in victoria within a decade.

[e25 5]

Tassie for North in my opinion.

Not sure what will happen to their new facility though.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

The issue is that MFC needs to grow at a faster rate than the other major clubs grow otherwise we will remain a minnow. Forget about the Norths of this world. Their decision not to relocate to the Gold Coast is looking worse by the day.

Given our attachment and arrangements at the MCG, I have yet to see a plausible plan for why we would want to develop Casey as a "boutique" stadium when its a far out location, limited attendance capacity and a sub standard VFL playing surface.

Surely there are more relevant and attractive options for MFC to explore. We have just emerged from one black hole so why do we want to stare down the abyss of another.

[H_T 3,032]

Tassie for North in my opinion.

I agree. Casey scorp stated that last year on these boards. Discussion was on a GWS thread I went through earlier this week. Casey Scorp had some good points re: North and the Tasmanian Government. The Government there has grown increasingly frustrated with the non-committal Hawks.

Brayshaw has sounded a little confident too when mentioning Tassie. Even though he has stated nothing is confirmed.

nod, nod - Wink wink.

[Grandson of a gun 276]

All the work to re-align with the MCC and make the MCG OUR home again would be undone.

That is our ground and that is our spiritual home.

Casey is fantastic as a summer base and community connection but your suggestion is a backwards step.

[13thflag 0]

I hope that we are able to have one social club for all to not only enjoy after a good win but to get to know fellow Demon members

[Adzman 2,153]

We need more Television exposure. Playing at the MCG gives us that chance as it is set up for the crews to capture quality programming.

I love having roots in Casey, but as far as game day goes we need to be on the G.

[CarnTheDees 52]

The critical point that has been missed is that we would only play 3-4 home games a year at Casey IF it were to be developed into an AFL venue.

These would be the games against Freo, GC, GWS, Port etc that don't usually draw more than 20k anyway. How many people do you think we will get to Melb v GC Suns next year at the 'G? This time last year this was a viable solution but now it has probably been clouded by the improved stadium deal with the MCG. Without doing an in-depth financial analysis I would suggest that we would probably make similar profits off 15k at Casey as we would off 20k at the 'G even with the bonus cash.

It is worth investigating and it would certainly further enhance our supporter base in the Casey area, but it is probably not likely to happen.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

The critical point that has been missed is that we would only play 3-4 home games a year at Casey IF it were to be developed into an AFL venue.

These would be the games against Freo, GC, GWS, Port etc that don't usually draw more than 20k anyway. How many people do you think we will get to Melb v GC Suns next year at the 'G? This time last year this was a viable solution but now it has probably been clouded by the improved stadium deal with the MCG. Without doing an in-depth financial analysis I would suggest that we would probably make similar profits off 15k at Casey as we would off 20k at the 'G even with the bonus cash.

It is worth investigating and it would certainly further enhance our supporter base in the Casey area, but it is probably not likely to happen.

but what is the point in setting everything up down there so 15,000 seats can be empty 48 of the 52 weeks of the year

[digby wolf 1]

All the work to re-align with the MCC and make the MCG OUR home again would be undone.

That is our ground and that is our spiritual home.

Casey is fantastic as a summer base and community connection but your suggestion is a backwards step.

I agree completely. We are the MELBOURNE football club with supporters from all points of the compass. By the way how would the Ballarat Demons feel about traveling to Casey ? Or the Geedees for that matter. No the MCG is our home, sure have a link with the outer suburbs but lets not retreat out there.

[Guest melbman]

but what is the point in setting everything up down there so 15,000 seats can be empty 48 of the 52 weeks of the year

Casey play there too so it wouldn't be empty on non Dees days

I like the idea of the Dees playing there. We will ALWAYS be dependant on the good graces of the MCC. They run the MCG trust for the benifit of the MCG trust as they should. It would be good if we had a financial stake in a ground where we benefited from match-day catering, signage and advertising, carpark fees etc etc etc

For those that think it is too far out, well, we don't all live in Toorak :-P

Edit: If it was developed and we had a financial stake in it, other teams could play there and we could theoretically make money from it while not even playing there

Edited August 6, 2010 by melbman

[No16 1]

If it was developed and we had a financial stake in it, other teams could play there and we could theoretically make money from it while not even playing there

That is an interesting idea. If other teams are struggling to find attendance numbers and don't like playing in empty stadiums like the MCG, come to our cheaper stadium where it well cost you less and create a better atmosphere for both the players and the fans....

Good idea in theory before you think who would be the main people to take advantage? Well... probably only North Melbourne but they are slowly moving to Tassie...

All of the other Vic teams draw ok to good crowd numbers...

Edited August 6, 2010 by No16

[H_T 3,032]

Casey play there too so it wouldn't be empty on non Dees days

Not entirely empty. Although there might be 14,700 odd seats vacant on the occassional day.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

HT, are you counting seagulls to swell the numbers?

[H_T 3,032]

HT, are you counting seagulls to swell the numbers?

Ah yes. I wasn't taking into account standing room.

[e25 5]

That is an interesting idea. If other teams are struggling to find attendance numbers and don't like playing in empty stadiums like the MCG, come to our cheaper stadium where it well cost you less and create a better atmosphere for both the players and the fans....

Good idea in theory before you think who would be the main people to take advantage? Well... probably only North Melbourne but they are slowly moving to Tassie...

All of the other Vic teams draw ok to good crowd numbers...

Uh... Don't we have to actually own Casey Fields to be making off another team playing there?

I thought it was owned by the City of Casey.