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Future of the NT

Lord Nev
Lord Nev
in Melbourne Demons

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Posted

Didn't realize until today that the game in Alice on Sunday was the last of our current deal with the NT (and AFL).

Pert would already have quite the full desk at the moment, and I think this will be an intriguing decision. PJ always seemed keen on it, both as an income generator and from a community interaction point of view, so I wonder if Pert will take the same approach (particularly given our exit from pokies).

From memory, our record up there is not too bad (comparative to our overall performances), so I could see it continuing given all the circumstances. There's also the Redtails/Pinktails partnership and our academy link to take into consideration, on top of other programs we've either been part of or initiated.

Both Mahoney and Pert have previously made comments about continuing our links up there, but that could always be separated from actually playing games I guess.

 

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    it'll continue i believe

    the 'heart of the nation' game has been given a serious leg-up and genuine push by channel 7

    in addition to the redtails / pinktails partnerhip and our academy it's also worth bearing in mind that the nt govt are our 'shorts sponsor' to the tune of in excess of $1m a year...and that's why we have to play up there too

     

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    1 minute ago, whatwhatsaywhat said:

    it'll continue i believe

    the 'heart of the nation' game has been given a serious leg-up and genuine push by channel 7

    in addition to the redtails / pinktails partnerhip and our academy it's also worth bearing in mind that the nt govt are our 'shorts sponsor' to the tune of in excess of $1m a year...and that's why we have to play up there too

     

    I hope it does. IMO it makes so much sense from a financial point of view, but I love the link to the community and clubs up there even more, and totally agree the 'Heart Of The Nation' game has really started to become a feature. I love seeing all the blokes talk about their connection to the land and people, and seeing Gilly getting a bit emotional in the pregame is one of my favourite footy moments of 2019.

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    If we are to continue with this sub standard agreement we must determine the criteria.

    When we play

    Who we play

    The week after we play

    Darwin for example could be played as the opening game of the season on a Wednesday night followed by a 9/10 day break.

    Alice is a little easier but it should be played on the weekend of the indigenous round as a "national celebration". Ideally at night for TV audiences.

    As to whom we play I am realistic but I would like to see it rotated through the interstate teams including Queensland. The benefits of such an arrangement should be obvious.

    Finally I would like to see some more linkage with Melbourne based MFC supporters. Ideally it would become an aspirational destination for supporters.

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    WE cannot continue to sell 2 home matches tonthe NT, especially if we are to play sides like Adelaide, West Coast and Fremantle. They get more of the home support and it makes a game at the G, in which we would be favourites, become a 50/50 every year.

    i am happy to retain the Alice game, as it’s a great spectacle and is getting a good push from Ch 7. The climate in Alice also better for football. I’d flick Darwin or make it that we play a pre-season match there (dunno whether that is wet season).

    i just hate that we don’t seem to have made any inroads with the locals up there. They don’t support our club. We don’t have enough indigenous players I guess. 

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    Not sure on this but maybe someone can confirm.

    With the current zones that have been put in place by the AFL Darwin is currently not zoned to any club.

    A lot of the big clubs are wrangling for it, for obvious reasons.

    I would think we would/should be negotiating it as part of our future agreement.

    We are the club putting in the effort so we should get some tangible benefit for doing the work.

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    12 minutes ago, rjay said:

    Not sure on this but maybe someone can confirm.

    With the current zones that have been put in place by the AFL Darwin is currently not zoned to any club.

    A lot of the big clubs are wrangling for it, for obvious reasons.

    I would think we would/should be negotiating it as part of our future agreement.

    We are the club putting in the effort so we should get some tangible benefit for doing the work.

    https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-likely-to-give-darwin-zone-to-struggling-gold-coast-20190724-p52a8u.html

    THIS WAS JUST RELEASED! 

    Edited by Engorged Onion

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    It all depends if we are in a good financial position or not.  Obviously we would prefer to have the advantage of playing at home over playing in the NT. Recently we have played poorly at the G but overall playing home is of course an advantage - adding in the travel and conditions in Darwin. Not to mention us fans being able to attend 2 more games per year

    From a commercial point of view it has not worked as we seem to have little support in the NT.

    If we continue with the deal, it will mean we need the money.

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    We should ask to play North up there, considering we've been forced to play at their dump of a ground 3 of the last 4 years. Make St Kilda or Dogs the other side.

    To make this venue a genuine home ground advantage, we need to stop playing against the SA and WA clubs.

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    My preference would be two games per year in the Alice.  Leave Darwin to the Gold Coast.  I'd think GWS and North would be good opponents.  Two games in the centre would start to feel like a home ground advantage.

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    25 minutes ago, Engorged Onion said:

    https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-likely-to-give-darwin-zone-to-struggling-gold-coast-20190724-p52a8u.html

    THIS WAS JUST RELEASED! 

    What a complete Farce. We have played up there for over 10 years, and are then shafted for the lucrative zone, that the AFL has awarded to itself

    reminds me of the China Southern deal a bit. 

    Who makes all the cash and splash in China? Not us. 

    Time for the CEO to realign this Club

    Sick of rolling over for others

    Bring the Games back to The ‘G

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    53 minutes ago, Leoncelli_36 said:

    WE cannot continue to sell 2 home matches tonthe NT, especially if we are to play sides like Adelaide, West Coast and Fremantle. They get more of the home support and it makes a game at the G, in which we would be favourites, become a 50/50 every year.

    i am happy to retain the Alice game, as it’s a great spectacle and is getting a good push from Ch 7. The climate in Alice also better for football. I’d flick Darwin or make it that we play a pre-season match there (dunno whether that is wet season).

    i just hate that we don’t seem to have made any inroads with the locals up there. They don’t support our club. We don’t have enough indigenous players I guess. 

    With pokies coming out, how do you propose we make up the millions we would lose in income though?

    And have you seen our record at the G mate? It's very poor. I would wager we're a better chance in NT than at the G.

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    If we're going to continue the deal, it needs an increased value purely due to our better standing as a club (yes, realise this year's a fail, but the club was a basket case when all this began).

    It also needs to be done properly. The AFL needs to understand if they give Darwin to the GC, we're out, wasted decade all round. The deal needs to be for the whole of NT to be our academy zone. We agree to put serious effort into an academy, as well as local clubs.

    If all that was accepted, then we need to go out and get Tippa, and the brothers Hill.

    These things would all go a long way to building a following in NT, rather than have our own shots for goal booed. Surely all the powers involved realise that's not a good look for a 'home' team.

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    They won't pay for Alice alone... Darwin is the capital and the relative population centre.

    Unfortunately we will always need the money unless we fundamentally change our structures. Equally we will probably remain on the cusp of receiving equalisation payments.

    If we stay we must structure in it in a way that maximises the chances of winning.

    If we want to ditch the games  we need to change our  revenue structures.

    For example we could look at placing a medium term "growth" levy of say $30 per membership per year that regarded simplistically would provide just over $1M per year assuming no reduction in memberships.

    We could also negotiate hard with the AFL for a better break even figure for games at Docklands that would make playing these teams more attractive.

    Out of the box how about an MCG double header with North or St Kilda where they also played an interstate team. Should get a better return given that the MCC's fixed game costs should remain similar.

    Edited by Diamond_Jim

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    I know we need the cash, but this deal is an absolute stinker for us and I hope the next deal is negotiated to benefit us, now that we are in a less “got no money will take anything” position. 

    For one it needs to feel like our home game. It also needs to be played prior to a 7 day break or a bye. It needs to come at the expense for other interstate trips and it needs to pay up big. These games are no worse or harder than going to say Perth, but selling 2 of them a year should come with a clause that excludes us from say traveling down to mother effing Geelong on a yearly basis. 

    I hope Pert works this new deal hard to make sure we really benefit out of it. 

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    Since every other Victorian team gets to play often on the MCG, the reality is for this season we have only 4 games at the MCG which truly give us a traditional home ground advantage. The NT deal sucks bad. Support from the locals is non existent. Given the small population it appears they support anyone but us at every game since they always turn out in numbers. It’s like a Harlem Globe Trotters game for WC, Freo, Port and Adelaide with us playing as the hapless Washington Generals. If the AFL want games up there they should make it annual GWS and Suns games. The locals get their game, the TV Channels  get a game to show and no else would care. 

    Edited by america de cali

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    We were never getting Darwin zoning, and I doubt GC will get it either.  It is just too rich, and too established in its own right.

    If we got the Central Australia zone, played appropriate opposition there, and get replacement games, then I’m OK with the NT thing.  We get cash, guaranteed TV coverage and a trip away for the team (which they seem to relish), regardless of our poopy ladder position.  Hopefully we are in a better negotiating position next time around and can extract some further value for the club from the arrangement.

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    Forget NT. Hey Brisbane looks like it is putting an ominous side together must be about time we started selling our home games again to them for the next few years! 

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    6 hours ago, whatwhatsaywhat said:

     

    in addition to the redtails / pinktails partnerhip and our academy it's also worth bearing in mind that the nt govt are our 'shorts sponsor' to the tune of in excess of $1m a year...and that's why we have to play up there too.

    Johnny Walker is our short sponsor.  NT Tourism hasn't been on our attire for the last 2 seasons

    6 hours ago, whatwhatsaywhat said:

     

     

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