Never ending Docklands tango takes a twist
Roar Pro
By Michael C, 12 Jun 2009 The Crowd is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- AFL, Docklands, FIFA World Cup, Geelong Cats, HAL Grand Final, MCG, NAB Cup, Skilled Stadium, St Kilda Saints
So, the AFL claims a contractual ‘booking’ of Docklands for the weekend in mid-February 2010 when three sell out AC/DC concerts are scheduled. We’re only talking NAB Cup matches, so of course the AFL should move.
But, where too?
The MCG is reserved for cricket and Skilled Stadium in Geelong will be having upgrade works conducted at the time.
And then, should the AFL really move?
In 2009, the AFL moved a Saturday fixture to Thursday night to allow the HAL Grand Final to go ahead.
That wasn’t too big a deal, as the configuration of the ground was ready to go for AFL NAB Cup matches on the Friday and Sunday. However, a massive concert stage and seating over the playing field? That’s another matter.
The issue of being a little flexible with respect to a standing contract and allowing common sense to prevail is a sticky point here.
The AFL would love to transfer the upcoming Geelong Vs St Kilda clash of the (thus far) undefeated titans to the MCG.
Presently, this highly anticipated match would draw 90,000 easily. Alas, it’s all too hard as Docklands won’t come to the party to help facilitate it. Why then should the AFL bend over now for Docklands’ benefit?
We also have the ongoing dispute around stadium deals at Docklands.
Some AFL clubs are losing over $100,000 a game because of inflexible deals, given the previous AFL administration effectively left those clubs in the cold, with zero bargaining power.
For Docklands management to expect the AFL to be ‘flexible’ around existing contracts should obviously be a two way street.
The State Government could get involved, except they already tried to bring parties together earlier this year and failed.
Their major problem is that the State Government doesn’t own either stadium and, instead of investing in the AFL via a state owned and built third stadium, they built a $30,000 soccer-rugby stadium, which doesn’t help.
This Docklands tango is becoming more tangled all the time. So why then would the AFL not be willing to dig their heels in should Australia win hosting rights to a FIFA World Cup, for example?
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Pippinu said | June 12th 2009 @ 10:00am | Report comment
MC
good article.
Considering the amount of money the AFL generates for the Dome, it’s about time it was treated like the primary tenant it really is.
Forgetmenot said | June 12th 2009 @ 11:06am | Report comment
Perhaps an indiviual auditor could go into the dome and report where all the money is going. Maybe then we will see who is telling the truth.
Kick2kick said | June 12th 2009 @ 11:24am | Report comment
Nice balanced article of both sides.
but surely their are other ex-afl standard grounds in VIC that could host NAB games (after all these are JUST NAB pre season games). Princess Park, Waverly and then why not play them in the regional areas??
Redb said | June 12th 2009 @ 11:26am | Report comment
It’s amazing how Ian Collins never sticks his head out from his Etihad bunker to speak to the press. Stubborn pig headed Carlton supporter.
The AFL is being blamed for the ACDC concert clash when Etihad is the real culprit.
Redb
Michael C said | June 12th 2009 @ 11:28am | Report comment
I was amazed yesterday to read the 50/50 split in the comments in the Herald Sun between those who have realised that Docklands and their arrogance of double booking and screwing over the AFL time and again compared to those who regard the AFL as being arrogant and seriously believe that the AFL would not ultimately make room for AC-DC, as they did for the HAL GF, as they did for the C’wealth Games and the Olympic Games and no doubt would for a FIFA WC.
Reality is the AFL has only so many bargaining chips – and right here, the Docklands in their apparent arrogance have potentially handed the AFL an ace that the AFL would be negligent – given the bigger picture – to not play.
btw – the State Govt is useless as t%ts on a bull in all this – they’ve already tried to bring the parties together and failed – - and the State Govt lack power or credibility on the issue anyway. Firstly, they have zero stake in Docklands and zero real stake in the AFL. They have no power to leverage. And, quite the opposite, the STate Govt effectively is the enemy to both parties. The ultimate proof of that is the new $280 mill plus stadium that
A. takes business away from Docklands and provides a State Govt funded competitor that Docklands shareholders didn’t need,
and B. only makes more obvious the lack of State Govt investment in the biggest game in town (the AFL), via stuff all money to the MCG re-config thus handing the MCC a huge debt that is recouped primarily via the AFL. ’nuff said about zero investment in Docklands, and of course, the history of STate Govts included NOT honouring commitments to link Waverley because the State Govt didn’t want the VFL grand final in those days taken away from the MCG.
So – - – it’s far from a simple situation.
I was pleased though to hear Leigh Matthews on 3AW last night commenting about how little the State Govt has put into stadiums. First enough people realise this, comment on it and then the bigger picture will become more obvioius to more people. The sooner the state govt bites the bullet and builds/upgrades a 3rd AFL venue then there’ll be no real issue. (or do they consider their investment in Geelong will suffice??).
Pippinu said | June 12th 2009 @ 11:30am | Report comment
Just like Peter Gordon used to say (shouting from the outer) – bloody Carlton capitalists!!
tifosi said | June 12th 2009 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
The stadium situation is becoming rather embarrassing for the AFL.
I understand the AFL’s point of view, they are getting upset at the way they are being treated.
However, much like the A-league final debacle they got involved with, the public see them as arrogant because they want to play a bunch of pre season cup matches, which mean very little, compared to a great AC/DC concert.
If it was a regular season game, it might have meant more to the public, but the NAB cup ?
As for the world cup situation, you wont have to worry about it. I envisage the rectangular stadium increased to 45,000 for the duration of the tournament, at the expense of you victorian taxpayers of course.
Redb said | June 12th 2009 @ 12:55pm | Report comment
I just wonder if ACDC could play at my old High School like they did in 1975 instead.
Redb
Redb said | June 12th 2009 @ 1:07pm | Report comment
Pip,
What did he say at Manuka a couple of weeks ago ” Bloody Sydney merchant bankers?”
Redb
Michael C said | June 12th 2009 @ 1:11pm | Report comment
Tifosi -
sadly, like so often – the public are either ignorant, or, only see things in black and white and single issue.
The larger reality of course is that the Geel vs StKilda game IS a regular season fixture – one that Docklands management dug their heels in on. And, so, now, the game is sold out at Etihad 3 weeks in advance, and the AFL has worked nicely with it’s broadcast partners and have put the game back an hour and got it going live – including into WA where the game was to be a Foxtel game – and now will be a Ch.7 FTA game. There’s a lot of work that goes into even doing that – - let alone what a lot of supposed fans or observors believe should be a simple venue switch in the first place.
So – when the Stadium operators are ‘hostile’ – - it’s very sad that people see only that it’s a NAB cup game or games.
Apart from anything else – it’d be nice if Docklands management would actually consult with their major tennant when there’s a potential double booking. The AFL – for the NAB cup – will always be pretty pliable. Which again – makes one wonder why some people seem only too keen to jump (too) quickly to a position of regarding the AFL as arrogant. (and, more often than not – based on media reports rather than actually hearing either Demetriou or Adrian Anderson speak – because, from what I’ve heard from them they’ve indicated that they don’t intend using AC-DC as a bargaining tool and that they would simply like to have been consulted first. Hardly arrogant!!!!).
The HAL GF – again, there was never any indication that they weren’t going to be flexible – - simply though, that they couldn’t announce anything firm until they’d worked through with their broadcasters and the clubs and the other stakeholders (including the arrogant amatuer run double booking non consulting head in the clouds stadium management who seem unaccountable in the court of public opinion – - in fact, Ian Collins was due on radio SEN yesterday but, in light of this, pulled out – — Collo, love him or hate him – becomes a singularly focussed terrier, he was at Carlton, and at the AFL and now at Docklands. He does his job and doesn’t worry about anyone else.).