http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,2189627…
Quote:Night lights possible for VFL Grand Final 13 June 2007 Herald-Sun Mike Sheahan GRAND Final weekend could soon become an even bigger footy feast in Melbourne. The Victorian Football League plans to explore the concept of a night grand final at Telstra Dome on the eve of the AFL's biggest day. AFL Victoria chief executive Peter Schwab said last night: "It's an interesting concept; I'm happy to explore the idea." The revelation comes 10 days before the AFL Commission considers a Ten Network proposal to reschedule the AFL Grand Final as a twilight event. While AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou remains committed to an afternoon event, the commission hasn't dismissed the Ten push. The VFL, which usually plays its grand final on the Sunday of the AFL's preliminary final weekend, has struggled to "sell" the event in recent years. The change to the following Friday night has obvious merit with tens of thousands of visitors in Melbourne for the weekend. "The idea has merit because there are so many extra people in town that weekend," Schwab said. The night final idea came from Port Melbourne president Peter Saultry after an informal meeting of presidents a few months ago. Saultry, a former AFL umpire, said last night: "We talk about things we think should be put on the agenda. "We've got to try new things. If it does click, it would be the greatest thing ever. "If it bites us on the bum, bad luck, we know we've tried something. I raised it with him (Schwab) after his first meeting (as chief executive)." Sandringham and Geelong attracted an estimated 12,000 people to the 2006 grand final at Princes Park. Saultry said the VFL grand final had lost its aura since the days 30 years ago of crowds as big as 32,000. "Personally, I feel we've got to try other avenues," he said. Schwab said: "I don't think we should rule anything like that out. It might be a bit hard to get it up this year, but, as a concept, it's not bad. It's just got to fit in with a few criteria." Schwab said the obvious concerns were the two-week break between the preliminary finals and the grand final, costs, and the attitude of the clubs. The grand final at Princes Park costs $80,000-100,000, but would cost considerably more at Telstra Dome. "The first step would be to discuss it internally, speak to the board, carry out what they call the due diligence," Schwab said. "You never know until you try, but you wouldn't want to lose a heap of money." One obvious impediment is the VFL's arrangement with the ABC, which telecasts games on Saturday/Sunday afternoons. The ABC is highly unlikely to consider interrupting regular Friday night programs for a football game.
IM certainly not "living in the past glories" as they age gone forever but Im glad to have had the good fortune to attend most of the important games of the past 50 odd years of the old VFA .
Telstra is worth a try but would be a disaster with a small crowd maybe playing a week after the AFL GF might work remembering that in the past the biggest VFA GF crowds were when the game was played a week after the then VFL GF at the Junction Oval.
Personally I would prefer a packed Toorak Park or North Port to a deserted Telstra, Princes Park or Moorabbin
Footyman, it is only my opinion that Skilled Stadium should get the flick as a VFL venue. I take your comments on board.
I believe it should be given the flick as less than 1000 people attend Geelong's non-curtain raiser games, and in a 23,000 seat stadium, the atmosphere is non-existent, plus on many occasions, the entire of the ground is open with staff, etc., and you are only getting a trickle of people thru, so it's costing money to employ those people. Like for instance, from a media perspective, all the times I've commentated games at Skilled Stadium, they've employed a woman to man the secured elevator for the media. Now during AFL games, the media section of the grandstand is closed off with gates, so the only way the media can access their broadcast booths is to go via this secured elevator. However, at every single VFL game I've covered at the ground, they've opened the gates, so the media could simply walk thru to the grandstand and into their broadcast booth. Thus, they are paying out money to employ this woman to man the elevator, when it's completely unnecessary.
There are many grounds in the Geelong suburban area which adequately cater for between 3-4,000 people. These grounds have more than adequate facilities and surfaces to house VFL matches, and thus would provide a better atmosphere for fans, and also be a lot more cost-effective for the VFL and more aesthetically pleasing on TV.
As I said though, this is just my opinion on this, I respect your opinion on the matter footyman. Cheers mate.
Have you written to the VFL and/or Geelong about this, Anthony?
I agree there are many grounds around Geelong that can accommodate VFL sized crowds comfortably, but I assume Geelong FC have a lease on Skilled Stadium, so why would they go out and use other venues? It would probably cost them as much, if not more, to prepare and hire other clubs facilities.
Also, these other grounds around Geelong are already suffering enough from the drought, not to mention that many of them already have solid workloads with U18s, Ressies and Seniors played on them plus juniors and training during the week. Skilled Stadium is like a bowling green, and has water exemptions, imagine the uproar from the locals if it was protected for a couple of Cats training sessions a week and 8 games of AFL football a year while the Cats VFL team goes and turns everyone elses grounds into a more of a mudheap.
Yeah its a big stadium, yeah it looks empty. But if the Cats VFL team don't use it, then who will? The last thing the ground should be doing is sitting vacant most Saturdays and Sundays during the footy season.
But thats only my opinion, and I respect your Anthony cos I think you are from down that part of the state and probably understand things a lot better than I do.
That would be one of the reasons i use against having VFL/AFL aligned sides.
Sure, the second half will be a massive crowd, but you'd be hard pressed to find Geelong supporters that give an actual rats about the competition let alone anyone that cares who they are playing.
I'm sure Geelong supporters will take an interest in individuals playing, as in Geelong players, but not the league itself.
A lot of people have had who they take an interest in in the VFL thrust upon them, not chosen themselves. Some embrace, but most wouldn't i'd dare say.
I say they should be played at different times. Not so much a problem with the venue, but definitely as a curtain raiser.
I agree there are many grounds around Geelong that can accommodate VFL sized crowds comfortably, but I assume Geelong FC have a lease on Skilled Stadium, so why would they go out and use other venues? It would probably cost them as much, if not more, to prepare and hire other clubs facilities.
Also, these other grounds around Geelong are already suffering enough from the drought, not to mention that many of them already have solid workloads with U18s, Ressies and Seniors played on them plus juniors and training during the week. Skilled Stadium is like a bowling green, and has water exemptions, imagine the uproar from the locals if it was protected for a couple of Cats training sessions a week and 8 games of AFL football a year while the Cats VFL team goes and turns everyone elses grounds into a more of a mudheap.
Yeah its a big stadium, yeah it looks empty. But if the Cats VFL team don't use it, then who will? The last thing the ground should be doing is sitting vacant most Saturdays and Sundays during the footy season.
But thats only my opinion, and I respect your Anthony cos I think you are from down that part of the state and probably understand things a lot better than I do.[/quote]
All fair points footyman. I can't see the Cats going to any other ground, so we'll see. And yes, I am from down Sleepy Hollow way, but it's just my opinion that I hate seeing those stands empty and the lack of atmosphere.
I have not written to the club about this situation Ben, do you think it would be worthwhile?
I think it's something worth doing and maybe even writing to the Geelong Advertiser about it.
Jason Shields wrote a comment piece in today's issue of the Advertiser say that the City Greater Geelong's decision to not allow the Geelong v Williamstown game to go ahead at Skilled Stadium is a joke.
The MCG hosts 45 games in a home and away season, plus some TAC Cup games as well as some special games like school comepetition grand finals etc.
Compare this to Skilled Stadium that hosts seven AFL games, nine VFL games and nine TAC Cup and four National Under18 Championships games during any given season.*
A particular thing that Jason said in his piece was the following:
"A fortnight ago, a big crowd turned out to see corageous Cat Tom Lonergan make his comeback after a serious kidney injury.
He was playing in the VFL game prior to Geelong's senior match against Brisbane. It was wet and cold, but the ground held up and the crowd love it.
Imagine if the COGG cancelled that match to protect a few blades of grass."
* Stats for MCG and Skilled Stadium games from "Nothing Skilled about City Hall call" comment piece by Jason Shields in The Geelong Advertiser 27/6/07.
Ben, I do not read the Geelong Advertiser, so thank you for alerting me to this article. I will read it and send a little ditty to the readers opinion part of the Addy. Thanks mate.
Ok, I am closing this thread as it no longer relates to the Thread topic. I will split it off and re-activate it when I get a chance.
Ben, I do not read the Geelong Advertiser, so thank you for alerting me to this article. I will read it and send a little ditty to the readers opinion part of the Addy. Thanks mate.[/quote]
Did you end up sending something to them?