Eddie touts Gold Coast move

[bozza1980]

Eddie touts Gold Coast move
12/12/2007 5:02:27 PM
Ronny Lerner
Sportal
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire believes his football club would be the 'biggest show in town' if it was given the chance to fill the void in the Gold Coast market that was sensationally left by the Kangaroos last week.

McGuire says that a hybrid model that would see the Magpies divide their games between Melbourne and the Gold Coast would be viable.

This, despite the fact that earlier in the year North Melbourne failed to convince the AFL that such a plan was feasible.

"Part of the reason that Collingwood put forward the suggestion, and of even moving to a 24-game competition, would mean that the non-Victorian sides who would be playing Collingwood on the Gold Coast would not lose any home games," McGuire said.

"It would become a television bonanza, you'd save $50 million on the Kangaroos deal (from) day one, your TV rights would go through the roof, you'd have an extra two weeks of TV rights, gate receipts, etcetera."

"If Collingwood were to go to Queensland, everyone would make a quid from day one."

With the Kangaroos rejecting the league's proposal to permanently relocate their operations to the Gold Coast, McGuire suggested that it might be a better idea to send one of the strongest teams up to the region instead of one of the weakest.

"If we're gonna take on these other sporting codes, you gotta send the 'big hitter' up sometimes rather than send the teams on death's door," said McGuire.

"We had 10,000 people turn up to training at Carrara only 18 months ago when Collingwood had a training camp up there, we pull great crowds wherever we play and we would be obviously a big hit."

The AFL is also considering the introduction of a 17th side into the competition in south-east Queensland after the Kangaroos made their intentions clear that their future remains in Melbourne.

Although McGuire has an open mind to the possibility of expanding the number of sides in the league, he admits there are arguments for and against the proposal.

"The AFL competition has gone from eight teams, to 11 teams, to 12 teams, to 14 teams, 16 teams and we have a great competition. The argument could be then put that going to 18 teams won't make any difference," McGuire pointed out.

"A lot of us would probably say that finding another 100 players to play senior football is a bit of a stretch."

The Collingwood president insists that the integrity of the competition must be maintained if an additional team was brought into the league.

"When we saw Fitzroy merge with Brisbane there were significant impacts as far as the salary cap was concerned (and) draft concessions," said McGuire.

"The things that keep this game great are the salary cap and also the draft, that's what the AFL have got to be fighting for."

And McGuire remains cautious about the league's ability to set up a team in western Sydney in the foreseeable future.

"There's still a fair bit of work (to be done in western Sydney), but that whole corridor right up the east coast of Australia is the major growth corridor and we have to be there," he said.
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Typical McEddie, whilst talking about a very Collingwood weighted deal, tries to sell it as a wonder deal for everyone else. He is one of a kind!!

[Go Sretnias Go]

What a load of garbage, what one would expect from a failed CEO.

[Stephen Theodore]

Good old Eddie, always thinking of the other teams, not just his mob. Of course the cynics would say it has something to do with Collingwood playing 17 games in Melbourne and the other 5 at Carrara. What next Eddie, finals games at the Lexus Centre, maybe.

[Armoooo]

Ok, now THIS is arrogant...

[Teflon]

What a load of garbage, what one would expect from a failed CEO.

yep as a CEO hes a good game show host......

scrap that....hes lousy at both.

[Eastern]

Ok, now THIS is arrogant...

Arrogant just doesn't seem like a strong enough term for Heddie. Can we invent a new term just for him? !!

[ausfatcat]

Good old Eddie, always thinking of the other teams, not just his mob. Of course the cynics would say it has something to do with Collingwood playing 17 games in Melbourne and the other 5 at Carrara. What next Eddie, finals games at the Lexus Centre, maybe.

no the draft trading and AA selection are held there with Eddie in charge of all of them.

[n1ck]

Whats the big deal?

So he offered an over the top dream deal thats good for his team. WOW thats horrible

Fair dinkum.

Eddie is the best thing to happen to Collingwood in the last 50 years - the best thing to happen to Australian sport since World Series Cricket.

Get over yourselves.

Im sure ill be flamed for this, but jeeze, the guy wants the best for his footy club. The best run footy club in the country.

I can only dream that Westaway achieves what Mcguire's done for Collingwood.

[SaintBot]

Whats the big deal?

So he offered an over the top dream deal thats good for his team. WOW thats horrible

Fair dinkum.

Eddie is the best thing to happen to Collingwood in the last 50 years - the best thing to happen to Australian sport since World Series Cricket.

Get over yourselves.

Im sure ill be flamed for this, but jeeze, the guy wants the best for his footy club. The best run footy club in the country.

I can only dream that Westaway achieves what Mcguire's done for Collingwood.

correct....

i dont think he gives a rats if the rest of the competition hates him

he wants whats best for his side and good on him

[karnak]

Totally agreed Nick.


I think as part of St Kilda culture we're used to really hating the tall popies etc. But we need to understand how they operate and do better.

If we're to be in Melbourne in 50 years then we need to be as inventive and creative as the pies have been.

[Armoooo]

Whats the big deal?

So he offered an over the top dream deal thats good for his team. WOW thats horrible

Fair dinkum.

Eddie is the best thing to happen to Collingwood in the last 50 years - the best thing to happen to Australian sport since World Series Cricket.

Get over yourselves.

Im sure ill be flamed for this, but jeeze, the guy wants the best for his footy club. The best run footy club in the country.

I can only dream that Westaway achieves what Mcguire's done for Collingwood.

correct....

i dont think he gives a rats if the rest of the competition hates him

he wants whats best for his side and good on him

I agree to a certain extent, I had no problem with the original proposal however he is trying to change the format of the game I love, I don't think that any one club should be able to change the game like that...

I normally have no problem with Collingwood but IMO this is a disgrace.

Good point about not caring about anyone lse hating them, I would like to see us take that up, we're St.Kilda f**k the rest!!

[fisher_fan]

i know eddie is looking out for his club...but there are 15 other clubs in the competition. some are not as fortunate as his, why does he always try and get collingwood involved in everything?

[Armoooo]

i know eddie is looking out for his club...but there are 15 other clubs in the competition. some are not as fortunate as his, why does he always try and get collingwood involved in everything?

I think you answered your own question...

[ausfatcat]

Incase anyone didn't know it involves Collingwood "playing away games" at the Goldcoast, in other words forcing other teams to giveup home games to play at Collingwoods second home ground.




In all probablity the Saints would lose a home game to Collingwood if this went through.


So collingwood would play 17 games at the MCG and 5 games at the Goldcoast each year and never travel to subi, aami, Gabba or Sydney.

Now if Collingwood somehow managed to get this deal through (highly unlikely due to all the other clubs kicking up a stink) they would virtually play 22 home games a year at the cost of 5 other clubs losing a home game each.

[evertonfc]

Whats the big deal?

So he offered an over the top dream deal thats good for his team. WOW thats horrible

Fair dinkum.

Eddie is the best thing to happen to Collingwood in the last 50 years - the best thing to happen to Australian sport since World Series Cricket.

Get over yourselves.

Im sure ill be flamed for this, but jeeze, the guy wants the best for his footy club. The best run footy club in the country.

I can only dream that Westaway achieves what Mcguire's done for Collingwood.

Spot on.

I'd kill for people with the same mentality at St Kilda.

[borderbarry]

Everyone is forgetting that the Saints have also expressed a wish to play games at the Gold Coast. Now that Eddie has piped up, does that mean that the Saints offer is no longer an issue?

[ausfatcat]

Everyone is forgetting that the Saints have also expressed a wish to play games at the Gold Coast. Now that Eddie has piped up, does that mean that the Saints offer is no longer an issue?

Eddies offer was before the saints offer, ours was using some of our home games not other peoples home games

[bozza1980]

Whats the big deal?

So he offered an over the top dream deal thats good for his team. WOW thats horrible

Fair dinkum.

Eddie is the best thing to happen to Collingwood in the last 50 years - the best thing to happen to Australian sport since World Series Cricket.

Get over yourselves.

Im sure ill be flamed for this, but jeeze, the guy wants the best for his footy club. The best run footy club in the country.

I can only dream that Westaway achieves what Mcguire's done for Collingwood.

I agree with you.

I just find it funny how he paints the picture that it is great for everyone else too. Especially the interstate clubs, who in a 24 round season retain 11 home games. Shane Warne would be happy with that kind of spin!!!

I don't think the fact that he is doing the best for Collingwood gets up people's noses it's the fact that he paints himself as working for the best interest of everybody.

I think it's funny, but that's just me.

[Go Sretnias Go]

I am not only passionate about the Saints, I can also say without contradiction that St. Kilda has always played it fair, promoted the competition on a level playing field for ALL the 16 Clubs.

Oh no, not "Eddie the Mouth" - sprooks the Collingwood brand as the biggest in the land and everyone believes him, except me.

Is 18 games in Melbourne and 4 interstate games plus 3 or 4 Blockbusters each year a level playing field - of course it's not.

It just gives Collingwood the opportunity for greater exposure than anyone else thus expanding the opportunity for their sponsorship deals at the expense of everyone else.

It really is time for the other Clubs, particularly the Melbourne Clubs, to put extreme pressure on Dimwit and the AFL to revert to a balanced competition, not one that favours one or two (Essendon) and get back to the " level playing field"

[riccardo]

"What Eddie has done with Collingwood"

Despite my blind hatred for Collingwood, they have the most supporters in the AFL and are also the most hated. It is a club that is, sad though it is, virtually guarenteed large crowds, big membership and large merch turnover.

Dount it has much to do with Ed, honestly. Remembver the only other top job he had was at the then-and-still ailing Channel 9, and we all know how well that went.

[Stephen Theodore]

n1ck wrote: Eddie is the best thing to happen to Collingwood in the last 50 years - the best thing to happen to Australian sport since World Series Cricket.

The best thing to happen to Collingwood, definitely if you care about the filth, but the best thing to happen to Australian sport in the last 30 years ! You are joking arent you ?

[saintspremiers]

Eddie is right re 24 games per year this is a MUST.

Get with the picture AFL/Dimwit and PLEASE DO IT for the 2009 season!

22 rounds aint enough for the market, another 2 games is a sinch, another 4 games may be a struggle, but 2 extra should be feasible.

As to the Pies having no interstate away games, well that's typical Eddie crap!