If Government don’t chip in they’ll have some serious questions to answer considering the largesse piled into other AFL clubs. The community access will be the sell and if our board and CEO can’t raise the funds then they should resign on mass. We can no longer remain the only club without a proper home base. We all wait patiently 😂

10 hours ago, george_on_the_outer said:

Spot on.....

Even this thread has been going since 2020, and for the older people on this site, it goes back even longer...

At the "merger" rallies Brian Dixon said something along the lines of "we don't want second rate facilities like Glenferrie...we want the best in the league"

That was now 30 years ago, and we still don't have anything!

In recent times we have been told the Board has been investigating:

1. A facility outside the MCG toward Jolimont station. Never going to fly because of local resident opposition ...ever. Yet time and effort was wasted.

2. Car Park F at AAMI....still left us with substandard oval on Public land at Gosch's with shared facilities with Storm, Victory etc

3. Car Park E at AAMI ...overlooked by Collingwoods facility, and an even smaller footprint...yeah that'll work!

4. We were promised by the CEO at a sponsors event in 2022 that something would be definitely be announced by year end, but could't say anything yet because it was "commercial in confidence"

5. 4 years later we have the same with Caulfied....can't say anything, even after redevelopment was touted in 2023!

I have confidence in one thing George. I will never see a new/ good home for the MFC. I have heard so many options from so many boards that I just roll my eyes these days. It is a half century wait and counting.

I don’t see a Government contribution of say $30m being removed, as scuttling the project.

First, it would be unlikely to not get anything, if that was the figure that was originally promised, even if there was a reduction and secondly, say 30000 adult members of the MFC, if there was no other way to get the missing contribution, would only need to up their membership by $100.00 a year for 10 years to cover that whole amount.

That member contribution of course relates to the whole $30m and without any other efforts to find that amount.

I don’t see us losing a Government contribution, given the contribution made to other clubs.

Also with Tassie coming in, the TV rights will increase and the AFL may have more to provide if there was a shortfall.

Then of course there will be the extra money we will get for winning the next few flags.

Per other comments above I cannot see the State Government not contributing given they have an obligation to contribute financially to the facilities of all Victorian AFL clubs, that we have recieved by far the least funding of all AFL clubs and have the worst facilities of any AFL clubs. If this is genuinely a stumbling block then perhaps we start talks with the NT Governments re what they could offer if we relocate.

1 hour ago, Redleg said:

Also with Tassie coming in, the TV rights will increase and the AFL may have more to provide if there was a shortfall.

Will they? I am not so sure Tassie coming in will increase the amount the TV rights will be worth.

16 hours ago, Roost it far said:

Are you saying that if the government don’t come to the party the project is dead?

I'd say this is likely.

The club owe us a helluva lot more transparency with this project. The updates of 'progress is being made but we can't provide an update' will no longer cut it. I'm calling on the board to provide us with honest and upfront details, in line with club values of TRUE.

If it is that we awaiting government funding, then so be it. Us supporters are going to be no more restless than we have been for the last 10 years. The bits and bobs you hear suggest that this is the cause of delay and not the Racecourse Reserve, Glen Eira Council or MRC.

Edited 22 hours ago22 hr by Dannyz

Meetings are taking place with key governmental stakeholders. I think this will get done.

Working with government agencies in my line of work, I know they have strict announcement clauses and announcing to members is made difficult for this reason.

I've been a big critic of the administration over the last little while, but I'm prepared to give them a little longer.

What I would advise is that the administration STFU about announcing any updates to members, because it sets a perfectly reasonable expectation from members for a promises to be kept.

It's a difficult funding environment at the moment, but I think they potentially need to get more creative. It's in the Monash precinct, a partnership with their sports science faculty seems a no brainer that I've never heard any discussion around.

If state and/or federal funding falls through, we need to strengthen our case for that funding by value adding. Education spending is always a pretty good angle. I'd have been exploring that route before going to governments. Maybe they did, but I doubt it.

Edited 20 hours ago20 hr by Adam The God

I’m pretty sure that supporters would be more than happy to significantly contribute to raising money if the club informed us of concrete action.

3 hours ago, Demon Disciple said:

I’m pretty sure that supporters would be more than happy to significantly contribute to raising money if the club informed us of concrete action.

Pity is, this should have been started years ago.....it could have been a "future home base" Fund. Just like Hawthorn have done...

How much would members have contributed to it, post the 2021 Premiership? Yet not a damn thing was done.

How much would we have in the bank if there was a small membership levy toward that future project?

We have to stop waiting for handouts or white Knights, and do something ourselves....

6 hours ago, chookrat said:

Per other comments above I cannot see the State Government not contributing given they have an obligation to contribute financially to the facilities of all Victorian AFL clubs, that we have recieved by far the least funding of all AFL clubs and have the worst facilities of any AFL clubs. If this is genuinely a stumbling block then perhaps we start talks with the NT Governments re what they could offer if we relocate.

An obligation to contribute! Governments seldom spend money on an obligation. It is always to make themselves look good. For a Labor party government that is broke spending money on silver tail clubs like racing and football is not a good look to their voters who's electorates are crying for funds. Just one item Take a drive around the outer west, the roads are in terrible nick with a multitude pot holes etc. There are no labour votes for giving money to the MFC. IMO finance i

7 hours ago, Redleg said:

I don’t see a Government contribution of say $30m being removed, as scuttling the project.

First, it would be unlikely to not get anything, if that was the figure that was originally promised, even if there was a reduction and secondly, say 30000 adult members of the MFC, if there was no other way to get the missing contribution, would only need to up their membership by $100.00 a year for 10 years to cover that whole amount.

That member contribution of course relates to the whole $30m and without any other efforts to find that amount.

I don’t see us losing a Government contribution, given the contribution made to other clubs.

Also with Tassie coming in, the TV rights will increase and the AFL may have more to provide if there was a shortfall.

Then of course there will be the extra money we will get for winning the next few flags.

s the big one for us. If we had $50 millions to contribute to the project it would under way now. As is don't hold your breath. With the election on 10 months away this project will remaining in the planning stage for another year or two. How long has the rail link to the city been discussed? At least 20 years and still not a sod turned.

22 hours ago, Roost it far said:

Are you saying that if the government don’t come to the party the project is dead?

That will be the reality, there will be no deal if the Govt. doesn't put up a % of the Funding...

1 hour ago, george_on_the_outer said:

Pity is, this should have been started years ago.....it could have been a "future home base" Fund. Just like Hawthorn have done...

I doubt a ‘future fund’ would get much success, as supporters have been told many a time that something is coming soon and have rightfully figured out that it is just bs.

Many, myself included, will be reluctant to donate to a cause that remains a dream. I’m sure when/if the time ever comes that we finally break ground, money will quickly flow in from supporters.

4 hours ago, george_on_the_outer said:

Pity is, this should have been started years ago.....it could have been a "future home base" Fund. Just like Hawthorn have done...

More than 3/4 of their Dingley home base was funded by 1 pub/pokies sale. They got lucky, as usual

Edited 12 hours ago12 hr by dice

12 hours ago, dice said:

More than 3/4 of their Dingley home base was funded by 1 pub/pokies sale. They got lucky, as usual

Our 'one club/pokies' sale funds sit in a 'future fund', I believe, and is ring-fenced from this capital spend.

Can someone remind us why?