Diamond_Jim

as mentioned it's a money saving exercise by seven. Interesting thing was that the televised VFL match was on Saturday and these are being televised on Sunday. I assume no Saturday televised VFL on the weekends of the Sunday game. VFL games call out for streaming... a few fixed cameras and some IT ... commentary optional... would be a very cheap product.

One has to wonder about how close the club is to the wheels of power. This plan had pipe dream written all over it from day 1. Can't think of one group that came out in favour. Politics 101... perception and short term perception is where it's at. The best spin is that it was an ambit claim and that we are now going for option B but you really have to wonder.

don't get too excited... around 60 games per year on the MCG and they are offering 4 VFL games "An agreement, in principle, struck on Monday between the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) and AFL sees four VFL fixtures set for the MCG prior to AFL matches next year. In a boost for fans, it will also result in the AFL reducing the time between the end of a curtain-raiser and the start of an AFL matches from around 60 minutes to a minimum of 35-45 minutes." And why is it happening: AFL.com.au understands the move was originally raised by Channel Seven in a cost-saving strategy to create a VFL-AFL double header prior to their broadcast Sunday 3.20pm AFL game.

not many children in those shoe boxes in the cbd and even then North Melbourne is probably closer to many. Southbank is relatively well serviced by Port Melbourne ovals

that and taking the air out of the exposure window for other sports

T20 came from the English Counties... so the other way may be possible. I liked the community feel of the early AFLW. Seems that the AFL want an immediate television success which perhaps explains the approach.

not meaning to be facetious but I suspect there aren't that many children in the immediate area. The nearest concentration would probably be at the Collingwood and Richmond high rise areas. Heard on the radio this morning that the Bulldogs got another $5M today to upgrade the Whitten oval. Cannot find a link

Don't disagree with the concept but why not trial it at VFL and AFLW level. Similarly get the kids playing at school etc. Even bring a team or two from overseas if the scheduling allows. Then if and when the momentum and demand are there move it to the seniors level. It would also have the benefit of giving the VFL players exposure similar to the big bash. At the moment it just has too much of a gimmick factor to it and is heading for a flash in the pan type destiny. I could be wrong but it just seems to me they have the cart before the horse. PS: I particularly like the idea of playing on a rectangular field but why play it at Docklands where the crowd is then miles from the action. My first game at AAMI park during the Soccer Asian Cup blew my mind at how close you could be to the action.

Not sure if people remember but around the same time as the ODI's started there was 6 a side cricket. They played internationals in Hong Kong if I recall. Never really took off, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Cricket_Sixes

A somewhat apposite article about the members of a golf club adjoining the Wimbledon tennis complex selling out: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/13/wimbledon-to-expand-after-golf-club-members-vote-to-sell-for-65m "Debate over the merits of the takeover had fractured the peace and tranquillity of the golf club’s fairways, laid out on parkland created by Capability Brown in the 18th century. “It’s like Brexit,” Devons, said. “You are either for it or against it. The offer split members and put decades-long golf partnerships on the rocks.” mind you each of the members picked up a cool $170K or thereabouts

Agree.. but they had they had that with the format from last year. This is entering the theatre of the absurd.

okay.. let's turn this thread on its head and ask why in the hell the AFL would go for this. In the world of the so called "thought bubble" this would not last for a millisecond. We're all missing something. First there is the game itself... okay it's not the best and needs some work but in these days of "fast sport" and the need to play on smaller ovals (rectangles) another version makes some degree of sense. But why turn a fiasco into an utterly unbelievable piece of#$%^. My only explanation is that they actually want to spoof the whole thing up (think World Championship wrestling). I'm lost.. the AFL are dumb sometimes but they are never this dumb.

T20 was born in England county cricket and remained there for a while before being introduced as a state based comp here in the form of BBL and of course the IPL. It was well and truly tried and tested before it moved to the top tier. The game needs to be trialled and perfected a lower levels with the public then demanding the game at the higher level. You can't force it on people.

This is the stuff straight out of Rob Sitch's Utopia ... amazing

Many have commented that it seems to be a deliberate policy of the AFL to soak up the media space whether it be by trading periods, the draft, AFLX or whatever. Other sports just cannot get any free air.

a bad idea that got even worse... one really has to wonder whether the AFL is up to running this sport. Take a lesson from T20.. expose the public via the lower leagues. If it takes off then bring in the higher leagues.

Have you ever wondered where the scalpers etc get their tickets? Arbitrage with GWS memberships not to mention interstate members with guaranteed GF tickets not tied to competing clubs are probably a prime source. In these days of electronic barcoding etc it would be a relatively simple process to check names against ID at the point of entry but it's not in anyone's interest to do it.

Interesting article from today's Guardian discussing a TV show about how the great Man United were relegated to the second division in 1973. Perhaps there is a lesson in that for us. It goes on however to discuss the obvious ... namely that these days the power clubs in all the big leagues are leaving the others far behind. "This week the research group CIES Football Observatory published a paper called Competitive Balance: A Spatio-Temporal Comparison. Its conclusions reflect what we already know to be true, that the top clubs in every European league are pulling away. The champions of the big five leagues raked in 83.3% of all possible points last season. More games are being won by a wider margin by a group of elite clubs, all of whom are now too big to fail. United can have a wretched season, can clank about the pitch like a group of sad, misfiring robots, and still the worst thing that might happen is they finish behind Everton." https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/dec/07/jose-mourinho-manchester-united-relegation Luckily the AFL is a far cry from what have become the almost "life sucking" European leagues but there are salutary lessons for those who think something similar could not happen with the AFL. By the way.... why don't Collingwood publish membership figures?

Agree OD and it really makes you wonder why Richmond agreed to make the Anzac eve match a "make up game " for MFC members. Eagles and I think the Crows have capped their membership lists at around 60k. Reserved seats for Crows fans are treated like diamonds by those who have them. The extra revenue pulled in by the mega clubs year on year has to have an impact on the competition at some time notwithstanding salary caps and equalisation. It has to be spent somewhere.

Richmond on the way to 100,000 members again. Let's say that is a 50k number over Melbourne at an average of say 7 home games at $20 per game. (Conservative probably) That's a cool $7M in additional revenue.

Good post and something we haven't mentioned for a while. Realistically though as more clubs make the mcg their home ground the percentage of MFC followers in the mcc will decrease. Would also love to know the age demographic of the common group. If they are in the main under 40 it could be worth a concerted effort of some magnitude. By the way does the MCC offer common memberships for Richmond and Collingwood etc

great if we can get it. Has a resident summer cricket team and is also used by the Port Melbourne Colts. The Council (City of Port Phillip) did a master plan in 2014 or thereabouts. Worth an ask. The trees around the boundary would be under some kind of preservation order which could present a problem. The admin centre/gym would need to include a major community facility of some kind to give the Council impetus.

Somewhat on point are the arguments presently raging in NSW about the funding of the new NRL stadium. The Labour opposition have said they won't fund the stadium rebuild and in response the NRL have said they may take the finals out of Sydney. Echoes of some of the more famous stadium wars between big American cities and their NFL teams. "On Monday, Daley reiterated his promise not to fund the new stadium and called on the government not to demolish it before the election. “If I’m elected premier I will give the corporate entities, the trust, and others a loan to rebuild and refurbish it,” he said. “Football fans will get the refurbished stadium, but taxpayers will not get screwed for 100% of the costs. “The majority of people who live in NSW will never, ever step foot in one of these stadiums but they’re being asked to pay for the lot … if you think people are angry in Sydney you should go and speak to people in the bush and in the regions, they are absolutely white hot on this.” https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/dec/03/nsw-labor-leader-michael-daley-says-he-will-not-be-bullied-by-nrl-over-sydney-stadiums

the old contract will probably be scrapped as the new one will include a pay rise etc. So in that sense I am agreeing wit you... 4 years ending at the end of season 2022

we need roughly a 10% increase to hit 50k so a 3.8% increase is not going to cut it. AFL club support were also rolled over last week so not sure if they are in the figures. TBH the membership figures mean little if clubs are going to continue including 3 game memberships etc in the same category. Post their 2016 GF Bulldogs had a waiting list for their GFG category. MFC have never had one to my knowledge. That could be a good goal for the 2019 year.