Diamond_Jim

You're probably right. I can see it funded in time by the station going underground and a series of high rise apartments on top. With the glut of apartments though can't see it happening soon. Whoever allowed the build up of apartments etc on the concourse surrounding Docklands was a genius.... Not.

This on ground advertising is a worrying trend. LED billboards around the ground are one thing but you can see where they are going. Next will be the goal square and then .................... And then computer generated ads and crowds over the fans in the stands during boundary kicks and throw ins. The only thing stopping open slather is that different bodies control different aspects. AFL= the playing surface, MCC= the around ground adverts and the broadcaster = whatever deal they can do.

I suspect as earlier mentioned it might have been backloaded. Interesting though... Gary Ablett's contract at the Suns was reportedly front loaded but no mention of him having to repay for that last season. Seems that it may only work one way unless the contracts are getting more specific about these eventualities.

closer to four teams.... 11 on the field at any one time with 46 players activated per game. Have never liked the sideline clutter of players and officials. If you add in all the chain men,TV cameras etc you have got over a hundred people on the side lines.

perhaps there really was an offer from Port Melbourne Anyway... welcome aboard and let's hope this has a great ending

that was a plan for a boutique stadium of around 40k which imagined demolishing Docklands. Not as silly as it sounded but the AFL and more importantly the State Government is now probably committed to Docklands.

Interesting... I preferred his idea for the 35,000 seat stadium but at least it gets people talking. A 100,000 seat stadium that only reaches 90% capacity on 6-8 days a year while still keeping ticket prices reasonable in a high wage country such as Australia will always be a tall ask. The idea of concerts at first blush sounds great but remember the artists would need to be mega and they would need similar venues in the other major cities to make it work. It would also cut in big time into how the AFL hopes to make money at Docklands not to mention the Tennis centre.They would all effectively be competing for government money. As to fixing the train stations........ you're talking mega mega money not to mention transport disruption. Good idea though but I suspect they would just adopt a bandaid solution. Covering the railyards is like finding the northwest passage. So many plans but never commenced.

Bring on the rolling fixture Blockbusters do the MFC no favours. The draw gets more compromised each year. As an aside apparently the halftime break was not shortened because the TV companies were worried about selling less ads during half time (do they really think anyone watches the TV during the half time break ??)

Don't want to sound tough but we are in the driver's seat on this one and I would like to think we have guaranteed signing options for 2021 that do not include a multi year contract. 2020 we will probbaly see around 6-8 senior games at best. If he gets past 2021 he deserves whatever he can get on the open market.

Merit in what you say but in reality these events are largely glorified trade missions and are heavily subsidized by DFAT. and equivalent State Government bodies... The real sunk cost in China has come from the ground renovations which cost several million. Not sure that the USA is a natural market but I am sure someone has done the sums on several possibilities. As to growing the game itself as distinct from the more esoteric idea of growing the TV audience this is just dreaming. Even the growth of the TV audience is a long shot. Would not surprise me if the AFL is given away for free to most of the foreign pay TV services.

Good game KC got the benefit of two close decisions which could have gone either way. The half time entertainment was woeful. While the singers may be very good their choice of songs and the over production using dancers left a lot to be desired.

Once went to an ice hockey game. It was the first of a play off series between the Washington Capitals and the Penguins. Very strange rules. Had no idea what was going on most of the time with seemingly more players in the sin bin than on the ice. Must be similar for a first time viewer of AFL. From my American friends test cricket is their hardest to appreciate. I tell them it's much the same for us and baseball. Many people with team colours but 95% with one player on their jacket.... Ovechkin... felt sorry for the other members of the team

in a perfect world you would have a choice between three sound tracks being full commentary, light commentary (soccer like...minimal words) and just crowd noise. Hard to think of other sports where you get a radio style commentary while play is in progress

we should be honest.... we all turn the sound up when we are 30plus points ahead in the last quarter. Need I say more Speeeeeeeeeciallllll Cyril...................

Slow I agree but it's the perfect TV game. The permutations are relatively limited and therefore the TV camera angles are second to none. Best watched on replay with the ff button. Harder to do these days without knowing the scores in advance. Go Skins

one of those famous...it seemed like a good idea at the time activities !

Interesting wonder who will play. The Marsh series have extended benches which does not leave that many missing out if you assume an injury list of say three (a marvellous number for MFC). Will they allow the Casey listed players to play to make up numbers etc

Time perhaps for the broadcasters to give multiple streams so you can follow how you like it. Foxtel cricket gave you a choice between their sky camera and the traditional view. It didn't do much for me as cricket is a different game for viewing purposes but I think it would be useful for AFL. Kayo being forced to take the channel 7 feed for many AFL games is a real downer for the product as well.

If he does make it his nickname should definitely be Starman For those wishing to dig deeper into the allegory.... search the Golden Calf of 1912

we stayed out of the top draft for two or more years and have sold next year. It's time

Marvellous..... reminds me of a time I went to watch a socceroos closed practice in a faraway country. Your understanding of what they were doing was far better than mine. Now... do we have a new game plan....

Of course we do well... they are always held in an even year !! 2000 also springs to mind

definitely worthy of a discussion. Inter club movement in the AFL is limited relative to many other world sports. Not sure why but I suspect the relatively small salary cap has something to do with it.

Frankly you would expect a few rumblings in the off field area after 2019. Their budgeted figures were massacred and it is not too much to think that their sponsor KPI's were far from maximised (ratings and finals just to mention two). The blame quite rightly fell on the coaching staff and in the main they are now gone save for number 1. Running a club with the downs and relatively occasional ups of the MFC must be hell.... (but of course the puff piece said we are now back from hell.) No one saw the possibility of 17th in 2019 nor did they see that the season would be effectively finished after so few rounds. Next time you are at a medium level MFC match count the number of super boxes that are open. We've a long way to go.

Does anyone know how the finances work for these games. Does the MFC pay the Hawks anything, a lump sum or a fee per head? Thanks