3rd AFL Stadium in Melbourne

[PaulRB 6,297]

Bugger Casey.

Turn the Punt Road oval into 35k seater within walking distance from G and MFC HQ.

Melbourne PT and roads work like a wagon wheel with the easiest spots to travel to at the centre.

Building on the fringe would be pissing into the wind.

[MadAsHell 4,209]

Bugger Casey.

Turn the Punt Road oval into 35k seater within walking distance from G and MFC HQ.

Melbourne PT and roads work like a wagon wheel with the easiest spots to travel to at the centre.

Building on the fringe would be pissing into the wind.

If you were to make Punt Rd Oval that big a stadium, the stands would have to be as tall as the MCG as half the ground is to close to Punt Road to build a stand there.

Also it wouldn't make a heap of sense as Richmond aren't even one of the clubs that would be looking to play games there.

[rpfc 28,048]

Bugger Casey.

Turn the Punt Road oval into 35k seater within walking distance from G and MFC HQ.

Melbourne PT and roads work like a wagon wheel with the easiest spots to travel to at the centre.

Building on the fringe would be pissing into the wind.

Bugger the region we are trying to call our 'home away from home'?

Some on here have got to think not 'what is in the best interests of AFL clubs in Melbourne, but 'what is in the best interest of the AFL club Melbourne.'

[michael collins 49]

Casey is slightly smaller than the greater Geelong area, but the population is larger, and is growing faster. The centre of Melbourne from a population perspective is somewhere around Blackburn, and it's too bad Waverly was sold off rather than fixed. If you look at it that way, the western and northern suburbs have good access to two grounds within about an hour on public transport. If you live in the outer east, you need to pack a lunch if you're going by train to the MCG or Docklands.

A stadium at Casey would have a catchment area of the Peninsula, Yarra Ranges, and Knox as well as Casey, and would be getting close to a million people. Its worth a serious look.

(Then move all the co-tenants out there and give us back the MCG)

Edited May 8, 2013 by michael collins

[dee-luded 2,959]

F___ that. Keep it burning up front.

Let's worry about ourselves, and let others deal with the logistics.

This is $500k+ every game here.

We are not trying to get the best deal for the AFL teams in Melbourne - we are trying to get the best deal for ourselves.

@ Casey virtually everyone has to travel out away from Melbourne to get there. if there was a ground around Dandenong or Sandown Park area, people are all closer, as a Dee-centralized Boutique stadium should be.

We'd struggle to fill the ground out at Casey at the moment, but it will grow, & hopefully grow Red'n'Blue.

[rpfc 28,048]

@ Casey virtually everyone has to travel out away from Melbourne to get there. if there was a ground around Dandenong or Sandown Park area, people are all closer, as a Dee-centralized Boutique stadium should be.

We'd struggle to fill the ground out at Casey at the moment, but it will grow, & hopefully grow Red'n'Blue.

We would get 20k out there tomorrow for an actual AFL game.

[PaulRB 6,297]

I'd prefer the MFC focus on building enough members and a quality team such that we can fill the MCG each week, rather than admitting defeat and plumbing for a baby stadium because we can't fill the G.

Aside from that I'd prefer to see us play in Darwin than Casey.

[rpfc 28,048]

I'd prefer the MFC focus on building enough members and a quality team such that we can fill the MCG each week, rather than admitting defeat and plumbing for a baby stadium because we can't fill the G.

Aside from that I'd prefer to see us play in Darwin than Casey.

We will never fill the G against GWS or GC or Freo or WCE or PA.

Geelong make money from these games. They make $700k from a game of 25k down at Skilled Stadium.

We will never make that sort of money at the G against those teams.

When we start winning - we will get 35k for those games at the G and not get near that figure.

Playing in Casey against low drawing interstate teams not only cements this club in a growth corridor - it is also allows us to make a mint on games we currently make little to zero money from.

[drdrake 3,119]

What we dont want to do is play at another teams ground. The reason geelong mark so much money is they control the oval, they get to sell the signage, contract out the catering, Get turnover from beer sales, sell the corporate boxes, have a social club, all this adds to the bottom line. Go to princess park or punt road all this money will go to carlton and richmond, we might get a bette kick but the afl would just be adding to the bottom line of these clubs.

Casey is a good option for us, as long as we control the ground.

[The heart beats true 17,787]

Bugger Casey.

Turn the Punt Road oval into 35k seater within walking distance from G and MFC HQ.

Melbourne PT and roads work like a wagon wheel with the easiest spots to travel to at the centre.

Building on the fringe would be pissing into the wind.

The public transport thing shouldn't be overlooked, as its ultimately what killed Waverly. A lot of Melbourne supporters would be travelling 2 hours plus into the city and then out to Casey.

For those of you talking about punt round being too close to the road I think it would have to be moved further in to work but makes a lot of sense. Aami, Tennis, MCG or all right there. It's building on what's already there and has worked for 50 years. Dogs, North, Melbourne and potentially Richmond, Hawthorn and Carlton could play interstate teams there, and potentially VFL teams could play there on off weeks before the game at the G for supporters to attend.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

The great thing about Casey is that it is a blank canvas with a lot of space to work with. The ground is fantastic and almost exactly MCG size (very important) and it is something we can make our own.

If (big if) the funding was there I would be all for it.

[Little Richard 6,213]

Being an MCC/MFC member, I'm not a huge fan of this idea as if it were to happen and Melbourne was shifted away from the G the membership would lose a lot of its benefit. On the other hand, a smaller stadium would obviously be financially great for the club, the potential for membership in that area is great and the atmosphere at our games would probably be a lot more appealing.

[PaulRB 6,297]

We will never fill the G against GWS or GC or Freo or WCE or PA.

Geelong make money from these games. They make $700k from a game of 25k down at Skilled Stadium.

We will never make that sort of money at the G against those teams.

When we start winning - we will get 35k for those games at the G and not get near that figure.

Playing in Casey against low drawing interstate teams not only cements this club in a growth corridor - it is also allows us to make a mint on games we currently make little to zero money from.

Thats fair. however, wouldn't there be many clubs in Melbourne that would have this issue when playing interstate teams?

If so, then a centrally located boutique stadium that enables all the interstate matches with small crowds to be played profitably would seem to make most sense?

I'm not clear, given the MCG is built, and when we have a small crowd there every second shop is closed, why is it so unprofitable? To the extent that building a fresh stadium would be more cost effective. I don't understand this bit..?

Edited May 9, 2013 by PaulRB

[Suzanna 72]

What we dont want to do is play at another teams ground. The reason geelong mark so much money is they control the oval, they get to sell the signage, contract out the catering, Get turnover from beer sales, sell the corporate boxes, have a social club, all this adds to the bottom line. Go to princess park or punt road all this money will go to carlton and richmond, we might get a bette kick but the afl would just be adding to the bottom line of these clubs.

Casey is a good option for us, as long as we control the ground.

Plus Geelong get to do interesting things like charge visitors more than members for parking (maybe we should do that one, cheeky!) and charge people for a seat - your admission just gets you standing room. Plus they seat punters behind the goals and stick the cheer squad in the pocket. Not a very friendly ground to play at. Perhaps we should take a leaf out of their book and make visitors feel unwelcome from the moment they arrive.

[Pates 9,625]

I'm not clear, given the MCG is built, and when we have a small crowd there every second shop is closed, why is it so unprofitable? To the extent that building a fresh stadium would be more cost effective. I don't understand this bit..?

It's to do with the rental agreement on the stadium, plus with a larger ground there will always be more people to employ. Even if we close off the top section they still have to pay people to block the entrances up there.

A small boutique stadium is easier and cheaper to manage, therefor easier to make a profit.

Edited May 9, 2013 by Pates

[rpfc 28,048]

Thats fair. however, wouldn't there be many clubs in Melbourne that would have this issue when playing interstate teams?

If so, then a centrally located boutique stadium that enables all the interstate matches with small crowds to be played profitably would seem to make most sense?

I'm not clear, given the MCG is built, and when we have a small crowd there every second shop is closed, why is it so unprofitable? To the extent that building a fresh stadium would be more cost effective. I don't understand this bit..?

It would be our stadium. As Geelong has Skilled and makes money off of everything - we would have the same or similar set-up.

I couldn't care less about what's best for teams in Melbourne. Just don't care. A Casey 25k seater stadium would set this club up for an eternity.

[dee-luded 2,959]

We would get 20k out there tomorrow for an actual AFL game.

Yeah, you might, but its not what I'd call good governance for the game. or the fans. & what is good for the fans is good for the game.

the ground & the area isn't ready, re traffic, & no station built there yet.. so within the confines of the topic, I should say that a Boutique stadium around Footscray would also be good for us, & the other struggling teams...