Docklands Stadium Makeover

[Demonland 72,491]

 

[In Harmes Way 7,806]

I wonder if the “never before seen experience” is watching the footy with the roof open

[hemingway 7,630]

Just pull the bloody thing down. Terrible place and can’t see a makeover helping. However it is clear that we will see more innovations that will seek  to entertain fans. Flashing lights, advertising and every other device for fans with short attention spans The mind boggles what they have in store.

[Trisul 664]

So from the details available the bottleneck from the station isnt being addressed despite a planned increased in traffic.  Here's hoping the stadium management tuck some money away for that, and some to ensure an adequte number of gates are open and staffed for matches.

Edited February 28, 2022 by Trisul

[Chook 15,013]

Hope they install a newfangled invention called a "volume down button" on the PA. It's all the rage right now amongst fans who like to retain their hearing after a day at the footy.

[Diamond_Jim 12,600]

It's just a light show... which is nice but it doesn't address the fundamentals

Level 1... Not sufficient gradient in the seating

Level 2/3 Inaccessible to the general fan

Level 4... lower half ... okay

Upper half... rubbish

[Pates 9,660]

Can’t help but feel, if there’s money for this project then where’s our bloody new training base that has been in the works for ages?

[Stiff Arm 4,419]

$225mill???

That's some very expensive cup holders in every seat 

[David-Demon 567]

2 hours ago, Pates said:

Can’t help but feel, if there’s money for this project then where’s our bloody new training base that has been in the works for ages?

Well I had a dream last night that our new base will be within the MCG precinct redevelopment. That the Club Rooms and training facilities will be underground in the now Southern stand area. The football sized replica of the MCG ground will also be five stories underground. No one will ever see the light of day - ever. Maybe even a hotel 10 stories underground for the Players and Coaches too with giant water slides and merry go rounds....

[58er 6,464]

7 hours ago, Pates said:

Can’t help but feel, if there’s money for this project then where’s our bloody new training base that has been in the works for ages? 
 

Seriously the two issues are about as far away as Christmas.

AFL own Marvel and that's that. 

The Stste Govt and other stakeholders are in control of the Training Base for MFC.

End of story. 
 

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

9 hours ago, hemingway said:

Just pull the bloody thing down. Terrible place and can’t see a makeover helping. However it is clear that we will see more innovations that will seek  to entertain fans. Flashing lights, advertising and every other device for fans with short attention spans The mind boggles what they have in store.

If you've ever been to a game of ice hockey in the States, you will have experienced the brain-deadening effect of constant lights, music, gimmicks, etc, ad nauseum, literally taking up every spare second between "the play". Let's say the ref calls a stoppage. Immediately music blares AND I MEAN BLARES as the ref sorts out the players, holds up the puck and drops it onto the ice to restart play. The music only stops when the puck hits the ice. The whole thing can take 3 seconds. Three whole seconds where the viewing audience is deemed to be in desperate need of flashing lights, noise and stimulation. That happens over and over and over and over again throughout the game, and then there's the pre-game [censored], not to mention in between quarters (yeah, I know, there's only 3 of them) ... constant noise, announcements, TV screens everywhere, kiss cam, [censored] cam, on and on and on it goes.

At the MCG, the inane ground announcer and the music played at volumes hostile to conversation rate about one out of ten compared to the full on numbing trauma of the NHL. Robbo's Haymes paint thing looks like a country school fete in comparison to the full body assault of the NHL. Be very afraid!

[Pates 9,660]

1 hour ago, 58er said:

9 hours ago, Pates said:

Can’t help but feel, if there’s money for this project then where’s our bloody new training base that has been in the works for ages? 
 

Seriously the two issues are about as far away as Christmas.

AFL own Marvel and that's that. 

The Stste Govt and other stakeholders are in control of the Training Base for MFC.

End of story. 
 

I get what you’re saying but they aren’t as far apart as you say. It wasn’t only the AFL announcing this upgrade, the Vic Sports minister was also there pumping it up, which means $$$ and collaboration from the state government, also almost every single recent development regarding other clubs facilities has had significant contribution and assistance by the AFL. 

Basically the two stakeholders that were at this event are also likely to be involved in the plans and funding for our new facilities. I get there are others involved but it’s a little frustrating seeing other projects get launched while ours stays in a holding pattern. 

[poita 3,902]

10 hours ago, hemingway said:

Just pull the bloody thing down. 

Yep, it's a disgraceful venue in every respect. Tear it down and start again from scratch.

[hemingway 7,630]

1 hour ago, Mazer Rackham said:

If you've ever been to a game of ice hockey in the States, you will have experienced the brain-deadening effect of constant lights, music, gimmicks, etc, ad nauseum, literally taking up every spare second between "the play". Let's say the ref calls a stoppage. Immediately music blares AND I MEAN BLARES as the ref sorts out the players, holds up the puck and drops it onto the ice to restart play. The music only stops when the puck hits the ice. The whole thing can take 3 seconds. Three whole seconds where the viewing audience is deemed to be in desperate need of flashing lights, noise and stimulation. That happens over and over and over and over again throughout the game, and then there's the pre-game [censored], not to mention in between quarters (yeah, I know, there's only 3 of them) ... constant noise, announcements, TV screens everywhere, kiss cam, [censored] cam, on and on and on it goes.

At the MCG, the inane ground announcer and the music played at volumes hostile to conversation rate about one out of ten compared to the full on numbing trauma of the NHL. Robbo's Haymes paint thing looks like a country school fete in comparison to the full body assault of the NHL. Be very afraid!

Agree, the MCG is bad enough. The full body assault as you put it Master seems to be on the way at Marvel. Welcome to the nightmare!

 

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,816]

1 hour ago, Mazer Rackham said:

That happens over and over and over and over again throughout the game, and then there's the pre-game [censored], not to mention in between quarters (yeah, I know, there's only 3 of them) ... constant noise, announcements, TV screens everywhere, kiss cam, [censored] cam, on and on and on it goes.

 

I'm a bit nervous about asking this question. But "kiss cam" is followed by "[censored] cam". Is it safe to ask what's happening with [censored] cam?

[Dr. Gonzo 24,237]

1 hour ago, Pates said:

I get what you’re saying but they aren’t as far apart as you say. It wasn’t only the AFL announcing this upgrade, the Vic Sports minister was also there pumping it up, which means $$$ and collaboration from the state government, also almost every single recent development regarding other clubs facilities has had significant contribution and assistance by the AFL. 

Basically the two stakeholders that were at this event are also likely to be involved in the plans and funding for our new facilities. I get there are others involved but it’s a little frustrating seeing other projects get launched while ours stays in a holding pattern. 

It was part of the deal when the Docklands stadium was bought out early by the AFL. It's irrelevant to any funding for our new home base.

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

2 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

I'm a bit nervous about asking this question. But "kiss cam" is followed by "[censored] cam". Is it safe to ask what's happening with [censored] cam?

The Yanks are so prurient it's a wonder they even do kiss cam. (Depends on where you are, of course ... it's a big country. In some cities it might be "vow of faith and exchange of purity rings while clothed neck to ankle" cam.) But my pre-censored adjective was a good old earthy expression of derision and contempt, involving cattle. Same one I used earlier in the same sentence. Not meant to imply anything that might naturally progress from kissing. Although if that brings the crowds and $$$ in, the AFL might legislate for it. Buy your ticket, scan in, show your vaxx certificate, and sign this document indicating your willingness to perform [censored] on camera.

[Dingo 1,064]

This is a waste of money.It should be spent on grass roots footy.

[The heart beats true 18,129]

4 hours ago, Mazer Rackham said:

‘Music played at volumes hostile to conversation’

This is my favourite thing about going to the footy with my family. I can’t hear them.

[Supermercado 2,797]

20 hours ago, Trisul said:

So from the details available the bottleneck from the station isnt being addressed despite a planned increased in traffic.  Here's hoping the stadium management tuck some money away for that, and some to ensure an adequte number of gates are open and staffed for matches.

There is a new stairway down to ground level from the railway side. Presumably the idea is to allow people to cross to the Docklands side without having to battle through traffic coming the other way towards Southern Cross. Still doesn't do much for the crush on the bridge, which is a disaster ready to happen. When something really bad happens they'll look back and wonder if the money wouldn't have been better spent on moving people safely than giving us the chance to see terrible 'entertainment' in 900K HD.

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

24 minutes ago, Supermercado said:

There is a new stairway down to ground level from the railway side. Presumably the idea is to allow people to cross to the Docklands side without having to battle through traffic coming the other way towards Southern Cross. Still doesn't do much for the crush on the bridge, which is a disaster ready to happen. When something really bad happens they'll look back and wonder if the money wouldn't have been better spent on moving people safely than giving us the chance to see terrible 'entertainment' in 900K HD.

Moving people safely! Ha ha! Does that sell more dolls of Luke Skywalker or Spiderman? We're selling gambling ads here providing a fuller entertainment experience at the game, don't you know.

[Engorged Onion 10,223]

I remember getting a tour of it in 1998 at my first year as a Sports Administration student at Vic Uni - we had a jaunt into town from out at Sunbury... come see the amazing Colonial Stadium we were told... we got to walk around - and then they went to show us how the seating arrangements could be reconfigured in a relatively short space of time from AFL seating to  soccer (closer in seats that moved in on wheels ) into a square ground arrangement.

The seats then proceed to move... and then we hear grinding noises and then it halts...

20 minutes later pass and then we are told that due to unforseen circumstances the preview of the amazing seating configuration could not take place. 80 uni students start pissing themselves laughing.

I'd hazard a guess those mechanics have barely if ever been used since 1998.

Edited March 1, 2022 by Engorged Onion

[monoccular 17,444]

Sounds like lipstick on a pig - stand angles were all wrong from the design stage - hard to believe that this was "in the computer age".  How could someone get away with not allowing sufficient slope to see the boundary line from most of the upper deck?

The dark / sun contrast when the lid was off on a sunny day made / makes the game unwatchable, so what was their solution? Shut the lid in sunshine - madness.  How about a translucent roof and overhangs - surely there must be appropriate materials for this.

And just one other of the many things that has kept me from attending Docklands for about a decade was the dangerous crush trying to access Spencer Street Station - not sure if they are still there but there were even quite a number of steel bench seats about half a meter off the ground presumably designed for unsuspecting departees to trip on or skin their shin in a crush in the dark.  (Maybe some sort of partnership with Epworth ED?)

And don't start me on the fake noise - I am glad to read that it is not only ancient me who finds the annual increase in inane noise totally off putting. (Still, it is the same at the G - and whenever I air my complains it falls on deaf - or probably deafened - ears.)

Edited March 1, 2022 by monoccular

[old dee 23,805]

22 hours ago, hemingway said:

Agree, the MCG is bad enough. The full body assault as you put it Master seems to be on the way at Marvel. Welcome to the nightmare!

 

That word be the end for me. Ammos from then. 

[old dee 23,805]

10 hours ago, monoccular said:

Sounds like lipstick on a pig - stand angles were all wrong from the design stage - hard to believe that this was "in the computer age".  How could someone get away with not allowing sufficient slope to see the boundary line from most of the upper deck?

The dark / sun contrast when the lid was off on a sunny day made / makes the game unwatchable, so what was their solution? Shut the lid in sunshine - madness.  How about a translucent roof and overhangs - surely there must be appropriate materials for this.

And just one other of the many things that has kept me from attending Docklands for about a decade was the dangerous crush trying to access Spencer Street Station - not sure if they are still there but there were even quite a number of steel bench seats about half a meter off the ground presumably designed for unsuspecting departees to trip on or skin their shin in a crush in the dark.  (Maybe some sort of partnership with Epworth ED?)

And don't start me on the fake noise - I am glad to read that it is not only ancient me who finds the annual increase in inane noise totally off putting. (Still, it is the same at the G - and whenever I air my complains it falls on deaf - or probably deafened - ears.)

You are not alone mono. My only saving grace is when attending a game I leave my aids at home. Makes it almost bearable. I often wonder why it is needed surely everyone goes to watch the game. Surely there is no one who would stay home if there was no loud inane music?