Theres a very good reason many don't / won't go to Etihad.

It's a hole.

Beeb it's more than that. We have a perfectly good home ground a couple of km's away, it is the best ground in the world. Many of us are MCC/MFC members and like to sit in our favorite spots with regular like minded supporters around us. Why would we pay thousands to park in the bomb shelter to sit in krappy seats with feral supporters of other clubs? As I have said before, its the G or the TV for me.

Our home game fixtures (excl NT games) are actually commercially better than last year and we should get an overall higher aggregate crowd figure. It helps immensely to be hosting Richmond and Hawthorn and not hosting GWS at Etihad.

2015 home crowds:

GC - 27,000

Freo -23,000

Sydney - 27,000

WB - 29,000

Collingwood - 66,000

Brisbane - 25,000

St Kilda - 23,000

North - 30,000

GWS - 9,000 (Etihad)

TOTAL = 259,000

2016 budgeted home crowds:

GWS - 20,000

Richmond - 55,000

St Kilda - 22,000 (Eithad)

WB - 31,000

Collingwood - 65,000

Adelaide - 22,000

GC - 18,000

Haw -35,000

Brisbane - 24,000

Total = 292,000

This article is about how to make good use of the bye rnd at 2016 eos.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/afl-2016-bye-round-five-ways-league-can-build-on-season-momentum-week-off-before-finals/story-e6frf3e3-1227590764701

Extract:

1. WOMEN’S EXHIBITION MATCH

If the AFL is serious in its endeavour to launch a womens league by 2017, playing a stand-alone exhibition match is both commercially and morally sound.

2. NAB RISING STAR

Moving the ceremony to the bye week would not only boost the profile of the winner, but shine the spotlight on all of the young talent nominated throughout the year.

3. TAC CUP MATCH

Another way to showcase young talent, in what could be a Vic Metro v Vic Country game, either double-billed with the women’s match or played as a stand-alone fixture.

4. ALL-AUSTRALIAN AWARDS

The end of Round 23 would also sound the end of the 2016 home and away fixture — so why not host the All-Australian awards then, too?

5. REP-GAME

This could take many forms. Perhaps two teams comprised of players from teams out of finals contention, or an exhibition match played between retired greats and celebrities, or even a State of Origin match. Either way, there’s plenty to play with.

Personally, I like all of the above.

- A Rep Game Fri night from teams out of finals contention...a defacto State of Origin...some excellent players in non-finals teams

- A TAC Cup match followed by a Women's on Sat night

- Awards during the week after the 'bye'.

After all, the AFL just can't 'free kick' that weekend to other codes....not to mention the tv networks being at a loss with those time slots!

beelzebub, on 02 Nov 2015 - 11:48 AM, said:

Theres a very good reason many don't / won't go to Etihad.

It's a hole.

Geeus Bub........Have you never stood on beer cans in the outer at Victoria Park?....or.....Stood out in the rain behind the goals at Kardinia Park? ...or stood by the rail line at Glenferrie oval?

A good crowd at Etihad has a good atmosphere , close rail line, plenty of pubs, restaurants to drown your sorrows after the game, It is a ground that never gets rained on.

Give it a try (We actually one a game there this year)

Geeus Bub........Have you never stood on beer cans in the outer at Victoria Park?....or.....Stood out in the rain behind the goals at Kardinia Park? ...or stood by the rail line at Glenferrie oval?

A good crowd at Etihad has a good atmosphere , close rail line, plenty of pubs, restaurants to drown your sorrows after the game, It is a ground that never gets rained on.

Give it a try (We actually one a game there this year)

I agree with your comments above and you can add good service by PT however I agree with bb I just don't like the place.

Unless you pay through the nose you cannot get into the lower deck.

There is just something about playing AFL indoors that just does rest easy with me.

That is from someone who lovers Basketball.

Geeus Bub........Have you never stood on beer cans in the outer at Victoria Park?....or.....Stood out in the rain behind the goals at Kardinia Park? ...or stood by the rail line at Glenferrie oval?

A good crowd at Etihad has a good atmosphere , close rail line, plenty of pubs, restaurants to drown your sorrows after the game, It is a ground that never gets rained on.

Give it a try (We actually one a game there this year)

Such negativity! It's apparently detrimental, you know.

Such negativity! It's apparently detrimental, you know.

Yes we now know who the problem has been all along.

Should we report him to PR and PJ?

Theres a very good reason many don't / won't go to Etihad.

It's a hole.

You obviously never went to any of the old suburban grounds or Waverley? Or for that matter the MCG before the recent upgrades. Docklands is far less a "hole" than any of those grounds.

I don't like it but to suggest it is a "hole" is ridiculous.

And I'll go watch the MFC play wherever it's not about the ground it's about the club. Those who refuse to support the club at Docklands because of some hissy fit about it's not fair and I don't like it are just as bad as though who refuse to buy a membership as a means of "sending a message to the club" - especially when the club has no say in the scheduling of these games.

Nb. I'm not saying there aren't reasons for not going/buying memberships but those who otherwise would but choose not to because they're having a sook are quite frankly part of the problem.

Beeb it's more than that. We have a perfectly good home ground a couple of km's away, it is the best ground in the world. Many of us are MCC/MFC members and like to sit in our favorite spots with regular like minded supporters around us. Why would we pay thousands to park in the bomb shelter to sit in krappy seats with feral supporters of other clubs? As I have said before, its the G or the TV for me.

Case in point.

Haha "thousands" - get a grip.

Case in point.

Haha "thousands" - get a grip.

D G I thought saying thousands made it an obvious exaggeration. Perhaps I'll try gazillions next time. I don't remember the price but tickets and parking cost me hundreds more than the going to the MCC. Yes hundreds.

Edit :- for some reasons gaziilions - gazillions does not work with spell check. It does with gaziilion ---no now its working. hmmmmfft.

I agree with your comments above and you can add good service by PT however I agree with bb I just don't like the place.

Unless you pay through the nose you cannot get into the lower deck.

There is just something about playing AFL indoors that just does rest easy with me.

That is from someone who lovers Basketball.

Maybe it is just me, but I have never had a problem getting into the lower deck. I scan my 16-game card at the gate, and wander in. I usually end up near where Roos and the other coaches run onto the ground, which feels like it should be for top-notch members only, but no-one has ever stopped me or asked me for a ticket.

Etihad is just awful. The atmosphere is horrible and the whole place seems artificial. Signage is poor and finding your way to a seat is not as straightforward as it should be,

And when its our home game I just won't go.

Maybe it is just me, but I have never had a problem getting into the lower deck. I scan my 16-game card at the gate, and wander in. I usually end up near where Roos and the other coaches run onto the ground, which feels like it should be for top-notch members only, but no-one has ever stopped me or asked me for a ticket.

Probably due to my membership being 11 games R and B.

At non MFC home games I have always been turned away.

That means deck three which I hate.

Add in I don't get a good feeling there and it means I seldom go.

But in the end if I miss a game or two because they are at ES so be it no big deal for me.

Geeus Bub........Have you never stood on beer cans in the outer at Victoria Park?....or.....Stood out in the rain behind the goals at Kardinia Park? ...or stood by the rail line at Glenferrie oval?

A good crowd at Etihad has a good atmosphere , close rail line, plenty of pubs, restaurants to drown your sorrows after the game, It is a ground that never gets rained on.

Give it a try (We actually one a game there this year)

What a great game it was too! (First time I'd been to Etihad since a nab cup game against the Tiges 2 years ago). I reckon the 9000 of us there, enjoyed that Etihad win, more than hawthorn supporters enjoyed this year's flag.

So the RIchmond Anzac eve game is our home game? thank christ gor that. We really need to get early wins, if we are looking the goods at long last that game vs the Tigers could get a 60k+ crowd and some nice coin for the club. And a win of course.

Etihad is just awful. The atmosphere is horrible and the whole place seems artificial. Signage is poor and finding your way to a seat is not as straightforward as it should be,

And when its our home game I just won't go.

I completely agree with your first paragraph.

I can't comprehend the second.

Probably due to my membership being 11 games R and B.

At non MFC home games I have always been turned away.

That means deck three which I hate.

Add in I don't get a good feeling there and it means I seldom go.

But in the end if I miss a game or two because they are at ES so be it no big deal for me.

I may be alone here, but I much prefer sitting higher up rather than in the lower deck. It's easier to see the play unfolding as well as what's happening on the other side of the ground.

Kinda off topic but what date does Preseason training begin?

Kinda off topic but what date does Preseason training begin?

Usually around now? Maybe mid-November for the older players.

What a great game it was too! (First time I'd been to Etihad since a nab cup game against the Tiges 2 years ago). I reckon the 9000 of us there, enjoyed that Etihad win, more than hawthorn supporters enjoyed this year's flag.

Agree with you.

The 9000 'genuine die-hard' Melbourne supporters that bothered to turn up to a venue that's a whopping 3 kilometres away from the MCG, were treated to a well overdue and enjoyable upset win over GWS.

I can understand Melbourne members not turning up to see their side play an away game at Etihad, but a home game...seriously...

Probably due to my membership being 11 games R and B.

At non MFC home games I have always been turned away.

That means deck three which I hate.

Add in I don't get a good feeling there and it means I seldom go.

But in the end if I miss a game or two because they are at ES so be it no big deal for me.

Understood OD. But I think in practice once you are inside, the ticket doesn't seem to matter.

Agree with you.

The 9000 'genuine die-hard' Melbourne supporters that bothered to turn up to a venue that's a whopping 3 kilometres away from the MCG, were treated to a well overdue and enjoyable upset win over GWS.

I can understand Melbourne members not turning up to see their side play an away game at Etihad, but a home game...seriously...

I don't know about anyone else, but for me, I struggle to go to Etihad games purely due to the lack of familiarity, and yes I understand the paradox there...

I love going to the G because I know where I can get a park, know which gate I'm heading to, know where all my mates will meet up and where we'll watch the game. I find Etihad awkward for parking and getting in, as well as the mystery of where we'll be allowed to sit/stand on that particular day. I'm sure if we played there more often MFC supporters would be more familiar with it and would start going more. I hope we don't get more games there though...

I may be alone here, but I much prefer sitting higher up rather than in the lower deck. It's easier to see the play unfolding as well as what's happening on the other side of the ground.

To each their own. I sometimes start up high in the Olympic stand at the MCG and then head down to the Punt road end at half-time of three-quarter time, depending which way we are kicking. At Etihad I tend to stay near the fence.

Can't wait for Petracca to get on the park, watching him in the middle with Jones, Viney and Brayshaw will be brutal.

For anyone interested heres an in depth game by game breakdown by melboutnefc.com laureate Sir Matt Burgan

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-11-06/melbournes-2016-fixture-game-by-game

Johnny-come-lately to this thread.. but I was looking at the fixture and I reckon it's pretty good. Sides shown in green are teams we beat last year, while orange denotes a side we didn't beat, but finished below us. That's 13 of the 22 we should be in with a likelihood of winning. The first 9 weeks is a dream run when viewed like this. I'll be surprised if we don't win 10 or 11 total.

MELB v GWS

ESS v MELB

NMFC v MELB

COLL v MELB

MELB v RICH

MELB v STK

GCFC v MELB

MELB v WB

MELB v BL

MELB v PORT

HAW v MELB

MELB v COLL

SYD v MELB

MELB v ADEL

MELB v FRE

STK v MELB

WCE v MELB

MELB v GCFC

MELB v HAW

PORT v MELB

CARL v MELB

GEEL v MELB