Screwed over by Etihad - thanks Jimmy!

[saintspremiers]

http://m.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/nor ... m2urf.html

Brayshaw has paid out nicely on the idiotic deal North (and also us of course) get at Etihad.

Good to see the current Etihad chief buries his sand in the pit just like Collo did.

Love to hear how the negotiations re buying out Etihad are going. Just need some journos to do some work and put some pressure on to get some answers from either the AFL or Etihad owners.

[gringo]

The stadium deals are s*** and causing damage to the clubs who are forced to pay off the debts of the AFL. Then we are stigmatised by the idiots at the clubs who tenant elsewhere and aren't crippled by them.

[ROLS-LEE]

Geelong take in nearly 800k for a home game at the cattery with 30k attendance. We break even at Eithad with the same attendance.

[saintbrat]

Geelong take in nearly 800k for a home game at the cattery with 30k attendance. We break even at Eithad with the same attendance.

That said The cats blamed stadium for their loss in $ last year

[plugger66]

Geelong take in nearly 800k for a home game at the cattery with 30k attendance. We break even at Eithad with the same attendance.

We did get 3.8 million partly because of a bad stadium deal.

[falka]

Why did they, us etc sign such a s*** deal instead of going to the G? Or developing Moorabbin.
Seriously I they are so bad on paper, why sign it?

[plugger66]

Why did they, us etc sign such a s*** deal instead of going to the G? Or developing Moorabbin.
Seriously I they are so bad on paper, why sign it?

I cant answer that but lets face it Moorabbin wasn't an option. As for the G I suppose they need to want us and we were a pretty ordinary side back then and even worse, on the slide. It was just bad timing. Essendon were on the up and got a great deal.

[Darth Vader]

Why did they, us etc sign such a s*** deal instead of going to the G? Or developing Moorabbin.
Seriously I they are so bad on paper, why sign it?

I cant answer that but lets face it Moorabbin wasn't an option. As for the G I suppose they need to want us and we were a pretty ordinary side back then and even worse, on the slide. It was just bad timing. Essendon were on the up and got a great deal.

The deal offered by Etihad at the time was much better than that offered by the G.

[Austinnn]

I seem to remember at the time a huge AFL drive to shut down all suburban grounds - around this time Carlton were basically gang pressed to give up Princes Park - and it seemed like if we agreed to move to Docklands, the place would be more set up as our home than the G was.

We know now that it was a terrible deal: maybe Plympton was offered an up front incentive that would help the Saints short term. We should ask him, when he takes a break from crowing about how great and totally professional his administration was.

[SaintPav]

We're a financially weak club so we're a 'price taker' when it comes to stadium deals or any commercial deals for that matter.

It doesn't help that club officials who signed us up to this slow euthanization had no 'skin in the game'.

The poor old Saints have very pretty limited 'leverage' and nothing has changed much in 35 years.

Sorry for the cliches but how long do these deals last for?

[saintspremiers]

We left Moorabbin the early 90's for VFL Park.

It closed at the end of 99 and the year after it was either Colonial Stadium or MCG. Moorabbin was already long gone and never an option.

Whilst Visy Park was still being used for AFL games in 2000, it would've morally destroyed the club moving there if it was an option.

[mullet]

Well I went tonight and they have installed about a million televisions around the place. Walking into the toilet, yep television. Televisions on every exit on the third level. Talk about overkill. perhaps that is where all the money went

[Dave McNamara]

A couple of little corrections guys...

Geelong take in nearly 800k for a home game at the cattery with 30k attendance. We break even at Eithad with the same attendance.

They average only 26,000 to make $850K per game.

At Dockedlands a 30K attendance is break-even for us... 26K attendance means that we pay ~$73K.

I hate to image what a 16K-odd crowd would cost us...

That said The cats blamed stadium for their loss in $ last year

Last year's loss was from their Point Cook gaming facility... which they are getting out of, and not transferring those pokies anywhere else.

[matrix]

this is friggin stupid
so this year if we get 25 thou to games we are going to lose around 100k every game
and with where we are on the ladder how many games at he dome are we going to get 40 tho plus to and make a small profit

f*** all im betting

[gringo]

I seem to remember at the time a huge AFL drive to shut down all suburban grounds - around this time Carlton were basically gang pressed to give up Princes Park - and it seemed like if we agreed to move to Docklands, the place would be more set up as our home than the G was.

We know now that it was a terrible deal: maybe Plympton was offered an up front incentive that would help the Saints short term. We should ask him, when he takes a break from crowing about how great and totally professional his administration was.

I spoke to Plympton's mum and she said the AFL blackmailed us to keep VFL park which we preferred we would have to do a multi million dollar upgrade and maintain all facilities and maintenance. While we negotiated with the Hawks to go in together they got the G offer and jumped at it we lost the "anchor tenant club" offer the AFL were offering us when Essendon went there. We were forced to take anything anyone was offering.

[plugger66]

I seem to remember at the time a huge AFL drive to shut down all suburban grounds - around this time Carlton were basically gang pressed to give up Princes Park - and it seemed like if we agreed to move to Docklands, the place would be more set up as our home than the G was.

We know now that it was a terrible deal: maybe Plympton was offered an up front incentive that would help the Saints short term. We should ask him, when he takes a break from crowing about how great and totally professional his administration was.

I spoke to Plympton's mum and she said the AFL blackmailed us to keep VFL park which we preferred we would have to do a multi million dollar upgrade and maintain all facilities and maintenance. While we negotiated with the Hawks to go in together they got the G offer and jumped at it we lost the "anchor tenant club" offer the AFL were offering us when Essendon went there. We were forced to take anything anyone was offering.

I spoke to Plymptons sister and she said to say Hi. And I think Plymptons mum was on drugs if she really said that.

[SaintPav]

I spoke to Plymo in late 2006 and not my opinion but he told me that he brought in GT back to the club and that it was all about him.

Stan lost his way.

Tim lost his way.

Dal would never win us a flag.

[Bluthy]

We left Moorabbin the early 90's for VFL Park.

It closed at the end of 99 and the year after it was either Colonial Stadium or MCG. Moorabbin was already long gone and never an option.

Whilst Visy Park was still being used for AFL games in 2000, it would've morally destroyed the club moving there if it was an option.

Yeah because the Dome feels soooooo much like our home. One of the problems with footy in Melbourne these days is it feels so repetitive. Either MCG or Ethihad. Whoo-hoo - so exciting - the G is bigger so there's that. Visy Park is close to the city, its a good size, its a source of competition to Etihad. When Ethihad is near empty it feels so souless. I still don't know why they don't give some serious consideration to using Visy Park - its better ecomonics, its a bit of variety for fans, gets back to a bit of suburban feel, gives a better negotiation base with Etihad, its a really nice area to be in with actual grass surrounding it rather than Etihad soulless, echoing concrete jungle.

[plugger66]

We left Moorabbin the early 90's for VFL Park.

It closed at the end of 99 and the year after it was either Colonial Stadium or MCG. Moorabbin was already long gone and never an option.

Whilst Visy Park was still being used for AFL games in 2000, it would've morally destroyed the club moving there if it was an option.

Yeah because the Dome feels soooooo much like our home. One of the problems with footy in Melbourne these days is it feels so repetitive. Either MCG or Ethihad. Whoo-hoo - so exciting - the G is bigger so there's that. Visy Park is close to the city, its a good size, its a source of competition to Etihad. When Ethihad is near empty it feels so souless. I still don't know why they don't give some serious consideration to using Visy Park - its better ecomonics, its a bit of variety for fans, gets back to a bit of suburban feel, gives a better negotiation base with Etihad, its a really nice area to be in with actual grass surrounding it rather than Etihad soulless, echoing concrete jungle.

Easy to say when Etihad isn't filled its soulless. What about when its full and we are playing well. The atmosphere is fantastic. Visy park has obviously got better in time because I just remember a ground impossible to park at and then you have to get a tram and a crap ground to watch but its old so its better. Rubbish. It was rubbish 15 years ago and its rubbish now. How sad is it we only have the G, maybe the best stadium in the world and Etihad, another great ground to watch footy. And grass on the outside of a ground means what? Id rather grass on the inside of the ground. I doubt you look outside the ground when you watch footy. Maybe its nice to walk to because he cant get a park or get on a tram.

[Bluthy]

We left Moorabbin the early 90's for VFL Park.

It closed at the end of 99 and the year after it was either Colonial Stadium or MCG. Moorabbin was already long gone and never an option.

Whilst Visy Park was still being used for AFL games in 2000, it would've morally destroyed the club moving there if it was an option.

Yeah because the Dome feels soooooo much like our home. One of the problems with footy in Melbourne these days is it feels so repetitive. Either MCG or Ethihad. Whoo-hoo - so exciting - the G is bigger so there's that. Visy Park is close to the city, its a good size, its a source of competition to Etihad. When Ethihad is near empty it feels so souless. I still don't know why they don't give some serious consideration to using Visy Park - its better ecomonics, its a bit of variety for fans, gets back to a bit of suburban feel, gives a better negotiation base with Etihad, its a really nice area to be in with actual grass surrounding it rather than Etihad soulless, echoing concrete jungle.

Easy to say when Etihad isn't filled its soulless. What about when its full and we are playing well. The atmosphere is fantastic. Visy park has obviously got better in time because I just remember a ground impossible to park at and then you have to get a tram and a crap ground to watch but its old so its better. Rubbish. It was rubbish 15 years ago and its rubbish now. How sad is it we only have the G, maybe the best stadium in the world and Etihad, another great ground to watch footy. And grass on the outside of a ground means what? Id rather grass on the inside of the ground. I doubt you look outside the ground when you watch footy. Maybe its nice to walk to because he cant get a park or get on a tram.

Is that atmosphere that great even when full? The fans are great but the ground never does justice to fans passion. It was never designed that way. It was designed to suck cash out of people in everyway they could think of.

And what about some goddamn variety - its the spice of life. People crave it. Weekends we stand on concrete platforms to get on other concrete platforms to walk over a concrete bridge along a concrete concourse with the light blocked out by ominous high rise towers to channel into the same concrete stadium with hardly any sun even if roof open in the same seats to see basically the same style of game (rolling mauls, flooding) and give them our money and then nicely move out along the boring grey concrete pathway again.

What sort of crowd will be at Easter Sunday against GWS? Why not play it at Visy just to give people something different and actually make some money. Oh you have to catch a crowded train boo-hoo. That's part of the fun of it. Talking about the game pressed up with everyone. Or trying to find a park. Might actually have to park far away and do some, oh no the horror, WALKING!! . And you walk across some actual grass and the sun might be out and you actually get to feel some of it. Just something different for once. That's where the fun is. The joy of working out where to go and getting lost and talking about the game and trying to get there on time and rushing in and its a bit novel and exciting. Remember that?

Mark my words - there is a cancer in the AFL and it is SOULESSNESS (word?) and REPITITION. Maybe I'll start going to VFL. Its actually got some grassroots community feeling and realness instead of the AFL sucking millions out of our hard working pockets to give to GWS and GC so they can win premierships despite having no supporters but they can trumpet about their "Product" and "Consumers" Bah! Bah!

[saintspremiers]

The hot dogs at Sandy area highlight. Quality of footy isn't. AFL is the benchmark by a million miles.

[ROLS-LEE]

A couple of little corrections guys...

Geelong take in nearly 800k for a home game at the cattery with 30k attendance. We break even at Eithad with the same attendance.

They average only 26,000 to make $850K per game.

At Dockedlands a 30K attendance is break-even for us... 26K attendance means that we pay ~$73K.

I hate to image what a 16K-odd crowd would cost us...

That said The cats blamed stadium for their loss in $ last year

Last year's loss was from their Point Cook gaming facility... which they are getting out of, and not transferring those pokies anywhere else.

Thanks for clearing that up. I knew the numbers were close. Geelong were/are trying to get the doggies down there also to make extra cash as well.

[plugger66]

We left Moorabbin the early 90's for VFL Park.

It closed at the end of 99 and the year after it was either Colonial Stadium or MCG. Moorabbin was already long gone and never an option.

Whilst Visy Park was still being used for AFL games in 2000, it would've morally destroyed the club moving there if it was an option.

Yeah because the Dome feels soooooo much like our home. One of the problems with footy in Melbourne these days is it feels so repetitive. Either MCG or Ethihad. Whoo-hoo - so exciting - the G is bigger so there's that. Visy Park is close to the city, its a good size, its a source of competition to Etihad. When Ethihad is near empty it feels so souless. I still don't know why they don't give some serious consideration to using Visy Park - its better ecomonics, its a bit of variety for fans, gets back to a bit of suburban feel, gives a better negotiation base with Etihad, its a really nice area to be in with actual grass surrounding it rather than Etihad soulless, echoing concrete jungle.

Easy to say when Etihad isn't filled its soulless. What about when its full and we are playing well. The atmosphere is fantastic. Visy park has obviously got better in time because I just remember a ground impossible to park at and then you have to get a tram and a crap ground to watch but its old so its better. Rubbish. It was rubbish 15 years ago and its rubbish now. How sad is it we only have the G, maybe the best stadium in the world and Etihad, another great ground to watch footy. And grass on the outside of a ground means what? Id rather grass on the inside of the ground. I doubt you look outside the ground when you watch footy. Maybe its nice to walk to because he cant get a park or get on a tram.

Is that atmosphere that great even when full? The fans are great but the ground never does justice to fans passion. It was never designed that way. It was designed to suck cash out of people in everyway they could think of.

And what about some goddamn variety - its the spice of life. People crave it. Weekends we stand on concrete platforms to get on other concrete platforms to walk over a concrete bridge along a concrete concourse with the light blocked out by ominous high rise towers to channel into the same concrete stadium with hardly any sun even if roof open in the same seats to see basically the same style of game (rolling mauls, flooding) and give them our money and then nicely move out along the boring grey concrete pathway again.

What sort of crowd will be at Easter Sunday against GWS? Why not play it at Visy just to give people something different and actually make some money. Oh you have to catch a crowded train boo-hoo. That's part of the fun of it. Talking about the game pressed up with everyone. Or trying to find a park. Might actually have to park far away and do some, oh no the horror, WALKING!! . And you walk across some actual grass and the sun might be out and you actually get to feel some of it. Just something different for once. That's where the fun is. The joy of working out where to go and getting lost and talking about the game and trying to get there on time and rushing in and its a bit novel and exciting. Remember that?

Mark my words - there is a cancer in the AFL and it is SOULESSNESS (word?) and REPITITION. Maybe I'll start going to VFL. Its actually got some grassroots community feeling and realness instead of the AFL sucking millions out of our hard working pockets to give to GWS and GC so they can win premierships despite having no supporters but they can trumpet about their "Product" and "Consumers" Bah! Bah!

Well that clearly words with no facts at all. The quality when full is great. The second part of that statement is true but rubbish. Who craves for variety? bulls***. My guess is you go the same shops, go to you parents the same day, go to the same job, go to the same places when you go out. I reckon you are talking crap. Visy is crap and on the wrong side of town. And mark my words you are talking crap and lucky our club isn't listening to you. I find most of your posts very funny which adds humour to my life.

[wally]

I watch sunrise from time to time (work is patchy) and Koshy has mentioned the new Adelaide Oval is more costly than the old AAMI stadium.The other day Gill McLachlan was on
and he thanked him personally for fixing up the crook deal,actually before it had been announced officially.

[Jacks Back]

I watch sunrise from time to time (work is patchy) and Koshy has mentioned the new Adelaide Oval is more costly than the old AAMI stadium.The other day Gill McLachlan was on
and he thanked him personally for fixing up the crook deal,actually before it had been announced officially.

What's wrong with us as a club? We keep getting screwed:
- Move away from the Junction Oval due to the cricket club shafting us,
- Move away from Moorabbin due to the council shafting us,
- They close Waverley Park and the AFL shafts us,
- Docklands (Colonial Stadium, Telstra Dome, Etihad Stadium - Have I missed one?) are shafting us. Fair dinkum!!!

Maybe we DO need a third ground somewhere to cater for those unpopular games between the lowly Melbourne clubs and the lower ranked interstate clubs. A 30k seat stadium would be good.