I too hope that they exhaust all avanues pursuing a partnership with the NT and Darwin. The upside is that we get a whole state united behind us whether that translates to financial members or not. It is a great venue to play the low-gate Clubs (even if I am a MCC member, the MFC doesn't benefit from games at the MCG) and far better for us than Etihad. Another upside might be if we can wangle exclusive access to the indigenous players from the top end [as the four Qld & NSW clubs mange to do to a limited extent] then we might unearth some freakish players 'a la Jurrah'.

I agree, but I was talking about Casey Fields in that last post.

As for an exclusive access to players - I don't agree. But I would say that a scholarship program (similar to NSW/ACT) available to all clubs should be initiated for players starting at the age of 15.

i thought punt road was smaller than afl standards

I know they repositioned it recently but

anyone know the details?

Maybe Richmond can be re-developed by cantilevering new stands over Punt Road and either let us share with Richmond as our second home ground [in return for us having let them share the MCG with us]. Alternatively, maybe they (Richmond FC) can relocate to Kevin Bartlett Oval which at least is in the City of Richmond leaving us their Ground which is located in the City of Melbourne.

Maybe Richmond can be re-developed by cantilevering new stands over Punt Road and either let us share with Richmond as our second home ground [in return for us having let them share the MCG with us]. Alternatively, maybe they (Richmond FC) can relocate to Kevin Bartlett Oval which at least is in the City of Richmond leaving us their Ground which is located in the City of Melbourne.

I always shake my head when I used to walk past Punt Rd Oval CBDees. It's sad to think we have such facilities in the same car park as our home ground, yet they aren't ours. Ample place to set up a "proper" social club, gives us a great venue to go back to after we win that flag, but alas, it is painted black and yellow.

Casey might not get a 20k stadium due to lack public transport but it would be great for the South East to have some stadia in that area.

Would be ideal for us to play a few games there a season and make some money.

I would keep looking into how we can do that, but stay realistic in the meantime.

Could be on to something here RP. You mean playing a handful of games out there, just like Hawthorn does at Tassie?

Given that it's just as far for our supporters to go to Casey as it is for Hawks supporters to go to Tassie, I wonder if the club would offer overnight packages for anyone that wants to take one up.

Edit - spelling

Edited March 21, 201312 yr by billy2803

Could be on to something here RP. You mean playing a handful of games out there, just like Hawthorn does at Tassie?

Given that it's just as far four our supporters to go to Casey as it is for Hawks supporters to go to Tassie, I wonder if the club would offer overnight packages for anyone that wants to take one up.

I would rather spend a long weekend in Darwin and Kakadu than out at Casey!

Could be on to something here RP. You mean playing a handful of games out there, just like Hawthorn does at Tassie?

Given that it's just as far four our supporters to go to Casey as it is for Hawks supporters to go to Tassie, I wonder if the club would offer overnight packages for anyone that wants to take one up.

I would prefer that half the crowd be locals to that area.

If this club wants to ensure (note that I said ensure) that Casey works as a lucrative second home for sponsors and members then getting a couple of games there will do that.

I always shake my head when I used to walk past Punt Rd Oval CBDees. It's sad to think we have such facilities in the same car park as our home ground, yet they aren't ours. Ample place to set up a "proper" social club, gives us a great venue to go back to after we win that flag, but alas, it is painted black and yellow.

we need to build our social facilities where we can train within Earshot of the 'G'...

My idea is that we train more times a week than we play... So we should have the social base overseeing the training facilities, which should be within a very easy walk from the MCG... for aftergames etc... & for interstate games, so we can all get together united.

We should stay at Gosch's now & build a headquarters there overlooking the training paddock, & with Easy access to both the MCG & the public transport services.

I'm sorry to those invested in the Docklands push but it just not Us !!!

we need to build our social facilities where we can train within Earshot of the 'G'...

My idea is that we train more times a week than we play... So we should have the social base overseeing the training facilities, which should be within a very easy walk from the MCG... for aftergames etc... & for interstate games, so we can all get together united.

We should stay at Gosch's now & build a headquarters there overlooking the training paddock, & with Easy access to both the MCG & the public transport services.

I'm sorry to those invested in the Docklands push but it just not Us !!!

More than agree with the above. Is there room to do that at Gosch's? We seriously need to do this if it is possible. It should be known that along Swan Street, between Batman Ave and Punt Rd, that you are driving through the heartland of the MFC. You look left, you have the MCG - home of the MFC, you look right, you see our training facilities and social club. We put banners up on the street posts/lights. Other teams have suburbs that they can do this to, we have a street, so let's make it a bloody beauty.

This is such an easy decision.

You are 100% right, it is the "easy" decision. It is a cop-out by those who run the club and is an admission of failure of their abilities as administrators to grow our supporter base with creative ideas and hard work. It is much "easier" to just hock our club off to places willing to throw a bit of money at us instead.

More than agree with the above. Is there room to do that at Gosch's? We seriously need to do this if it is possible. It should be known that along Swan Street, between Batman Ave and Punt Rd, that you are driving through the heartland of the MFC. You look left, you have the MCG - home of the MFC, you look right, you see our training facilities and social club. We put banners up on the street posts/lights. Other teams have suburbs that they can do this to, we have a street, so let's make it a bloody beauty.

We have a city, and we need to own it.

You are 100% right, it is the "easy" decision. It is a cop-out by those who run the club and is an admission of failure of their abilities as administrators to grow our supporter base with creative ideas and hard work.

Because after all, a club that languishes near the bottom of the table for 5 or 6 years, and has been under an investigation for much of the last year, is such an attractive prospect for kids and everyone else.

You are 100% right, it is the "easy" decision. It is a cop-out by those who run the club and is an admission of failure of their abilities as administrators to grow our supporter base with creative ideas and hard work. It is much "easier" to just hock our club off to places willing to throw a bit of money at us instead.

What creative ideas will get people to Etihad? What hard work is going to get 75k people to go see MFC v PA? Because that is the profit margin we are looking at here.

Stop kidding yourself. This market is tapped. We cannot sustain 11 home games at the G, we have to play PA, GC, GWS, NM, Freo, WCE, Adel, and to a lesser extent Sydney and BL at home from time to time and taking two of those games a year to Darwin makes it easier to keep the other 9 at the G. Plus some reciprocal rights games against the other 8 Melbourne teams that play at the G.

Take your sarcasm and show me something. Don't howl at the moon, tell me the alternative and give me something concrete - not vague notions of hard work and creativity.

We have a city, and we need to own it.

How??? without a social base?

Oh, we have one in the mCC, but can't get in! they won't let us in!!!

We once had access before the game, before that stupid stand was built & they demolished that beautiful old pavilion.

the player ran down the race with the MCc on one side & the Melbourne supporters on the other. then they took that away from the supporters...

and we can't get to the rooms after the games... but get a 5 minute speech by a couple of players in suits if you care to go to an unhomely lounge around the ground. pffft.

own the city, we don't even own the seats in the after game lounge.

IF, we want to have a base, & IF we want to belong somewhere, we have to put down independent roots nearby the 'G', but Not inside the 'G'...

I'd rather watch on TV, us play in Darwin, than go to etihad atmo, to see us play..

Weak as [censored].

How??? without a social base?

Oh, we have one in the mCC, but can't get in! they won't let us in!!!

We once had access before the game, before that stupid stand was built & they demolished that beautiful old pavilion.

the player ran down the race with the MCc on one side & the Melbourne supporters on the other. then they took that away from the supporters...

and we can't get to the rooms after the games... but get a 5 minute speech by a couple of players in suits if you care to go to an unhomely lounge around the ground. pffft.

own the city, we don't even own the seats in the after game lounge.

IF, we want to have a base, & IF we want to belong somewhere, we have to put down independent roots nearby the 'G', but Not inside the 'G'...

Agree and we need to remember we are Melbourne not a suburban team.

Why does the broadcast deal have any bearing on where we play? The broadcasters interest lies in viewer numbers- viewers that are on their fat arses in their living rooms. The big games can be played at any stadium.

its not where they are played so much as when.

Ratings.

It does provide us with an opportunity to increase our exposure by playing the Sydney sides in Sydney in prime time using the Melbourne Sydney rivallry. Of course we need to keep these prime time games competitive and overcome the AFL desire to grow the game in Sydney through Sydney wins. AS the only side called Melbourne we can do the same for all interstate sides and if we are competitive we can demand better coverage. WE NEED TO BE COMPETITIVE!!!

What creative ideas will get people to Etihad? What hard work is going to get 75k people to go see MFC v PA? Because that is the profit margin we are looking at here.

Stop kidding yourself. This market is tapped. We cannot sustain 11 home games at the G, we have to play PA, GC, GWS, NM, Freo, WCE, Adel, and to a lesser extent Sydney and BL at home from time to time and taking two of those games a year to Darwin makes it easier to keep the other 9 at the G. Plus some reciprocal rights games against the other 8 Melbourne teams that play at the G.

Take your sarcasm and show me something. Don't howl at the moon, tell me the alternative and give me something concrete - not vague notions of hard work and creativity.

Sorry mate I'm pretty busy at the moment with a full time job, recently married, moved into a new house and welcomed my first son into the world. I'd love to do these guys jobs for them but my hands are a bit tied at the moment I hardly even get to wipe my own arse let alone sit down to brainstorm ideas these guys are paid to think up. One thing I've been keen on for a number of years though is targeting some of the new migrant communities to Melbourne parti up arou the Chinese and Indians. Many come here as students initially so it wouldn't be too hard to set something up through the uni's to try and get some coming to our lower drawing games. Not only that but free tickets to some of the families in those areas through the schools. These are people with no prior affiliation unlike many other target groups and is a way for them to assimilate into the Australian culture somewhat. That's just one idea off the top of my head for groups of potential supporters to target while maintaining our home games at the G. How do you think the likes of Carlton & Collingwood got so big it was by recruiting the wave of Greek & Italian migrants in the 50's-70's.

Running a membership campaign that people other than existing members might see would be a good start also.

Edited March 24, 201312 yr by Dr. Gonzo

Sorry mate I'm pretty busy at the moment with a full time job, recently married, moved into a new house and welcomed my first son into the world. I'd love to do these guys jobs for them but my hands are a bit tied at the moment I hardly even get to wipe my own arse let alone sit down to brainstorm ideas these guys are paid to think up. One thing I've been keen on for a number of years though is targeting some of the new migrant communities to Melbourne parti up arou the Chinese and Indians. Many come here as students initially so it wouldn't be too hard to set something up through the uni's to try and get some coming to our lower drawing games. Not only that but free tickets to some of the families in those areas through the schools. These are people with no prior affiliation unlike many other target groups and is a way for them to assimilate into the Australian culture somewhat. That's just one idea off the top of my head for groups of potential supporters to target while maintaining our home games at the G. How do you think the likes of Carlton & Collingwood got so big it was by recruiting the wave of Greek & Italian migrants in the 50's-70's.

Running a membership campaign that people other than existing members might see would be a good start also.

I was being facetious about any ideas to get 75k people to a MFC v PA game at the G...

Unless we are going into these migrant communities and kidnapping 50k of them to come to the G for a PA game or a BL (or a Freo, GC, GWS et al) then we can't keep that game in Melbourne.

I appreciate you are busy, and congrats on the kid, but perhaps if you don't have time to 'wipe your arse' then you haven't had time to properly reflect on the Darwin Initiative?

I fully support the NT initiative.

Attempts to gain additional supporters in VIC, WA, SA, NSW and QLD obviously wont do much due to the markets already being well and truly tapped.

The same could be said for Tasmania.

It's big money and the potential to get the support of a state/territory like Hawthorn has.

I appreciate the market saturation position. Based on that, not only would you seek to maximise non traditional memberships, but you would seek to retain the highest possible % of existing members. What is the opportunity cost of 15-35k people (over x years) not being able to attend their teams 'home' game? Is it's value greater or less than 2-300k + (sponsorship / years)? Is it massive value or slightly better value? For how long?

I was being facetious about any ideas to get 75k people to a MFC v PA game at the G...

Unless we are going into these migrant communities and kidnapping 50k of them to come to the G for a PA game or a BL (or a Freo, GC, GWS et al) then we can't keep that game in Melbourne.

I appreciate you are busy, and congrats on the kid, but perhaps if you don't have time to 'wipe your arse' then you haven't had time to properly reflect on the Darwin Initiative?

If we can get 40k to games against these sides that would be a win. We have over 35k members plus around say 10k more MCC so shouldn't be a huge stretch to be able to reach those targets.

I appreciate the market saturation position. Based on that, not only would you seek to maximise non traditional memberships, but you would seek to retain the highest possible % of existing members. What is the opportunity cost of 15-35k people (over x years) not being able to attend their teams 'home' game? Is it's value greater or less than 2-300k + (sponsorship / years)? Is it massive value or slightly better value? For how long?

Hawthorn seem to be thriving under their relationship with Tasmania. And their membership in Victoria is growing.

Hawthorn seem to be thriving under their relationship with Tasmania. And their membership in Victoria is growing.

The Hawks have done well but they would seem to be the exception rather than the rule with teams selling games interstate.

If we can get 40k to games against these sides that would be a win. We have over 35k members plus around say 10k more MCC so shouldn't be a huge stretch to be able to reach those targets.

Why not look at what crowds other clubs are drawing before putting statements like that out there. For example: Richmond vs Port, MCG last year, last match of the year ... under 28K, and that's with Richmond's membership of 53K. Collingwood/Port (Etihad) ... 30K, the Pies membership 73K.

FWIW, against the clubs referred to, only once last season to did anyone get past 40K, and that was Collingwood vs Freemantle. Most of those matches were under 30K, and plenty of them were under 20K, even against clubs with decent memberships.

But that's probably because they haven't properly tapped into the Indian or Chinese market.

Hawthorn seem to be thriving under their relationship with Tasmania. And their membership in Victoria is growing.

"Hawthorn"??????

Oh...you're talking about the Tassie /Waverley Hawks.

They've got nothing to do with Hawthorn.