Never ending Docklands tango takes a twist
Roar Guru By Michael C, 12 Jun 2009 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
- 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?
Recommend this story.
- Explore:
- AFL, Docklands, FIFA World Cup, Geelong Cats, HAL Grand Final, MCG, NAB Cup, Skilled Stadium, St Kilda Saints
June 12th 2009 @ 2:52pm
tifosi said | June 12th 2009 @ 2:52pm | Report comment
I see the AFL’s point of view but they express their opinions in a poor manner and come off looking second best. I know they are fed up with the deals they get but they dont seem to be winning the PR war on this.
In hindsight selling off Waverly has been a problem for them, there are no other suitable grounds which to play on, so they are stuck with some average deals.
June 12th 2009 @ 3:03pm
Redb said | June 12th 2009 @ 3:03pm | Report comment
Tifosi,
This is nothing to deal with the stadium deals. Etihad have kept quiet all along re ACDC despite being approached by the AFL to explain how they allowed the booking of the ACDC concert at time when the AFL uses Etihad for its pre season competition.
Etihad has just allowed the AFL to take the PR hit with the A League GF clash as well, this time however there are many AFL fans are who starting to see the real culprit.
Redb
June 15th 2009 @ 11:01pm
westy said | June 15th 2009 @ 11:01pm | Report comment
Michael C Do you have any idea of what is the contractual position of the AFL is in relation to Etihad . No trap. i do not know do you have any idea? i cannot believe they would have let there tenancy not have primacy in the event of conflict.
June 16th 2009 @ 11:04am
Michael C said | June 16th 2009 @ 11:04am | Report comment
Westy -
I believe the AFL has ‘first option’ on DOcklands from February through to the first week of September (i.e. after week 1 of the finals, the MCG would host all matches in Melbourne as the most would be 2 per weekend).
That’s why the AFL quite reasonably wonder what Docklands management are doing when they go and book in HAL Grand Finals or AC-DC concerts without even the courtesy of discussing or informing the AFL. Thus far, the AFL usually does it’s best to make way.
The main problem here is that this isn’t an isolated incident, that there are huge other issues of Docklands inflexibility, and also that the whole premise of the NAB cup is that the ‘live’ games (i.e. teams NOT ‘eliminated’ from the knock out tourney) ARE held at the best venues. If the middle week of the NAB cup is week 1 or 2, then there will be from 8 to 4 games (depending which week) that require the ‘main’ venues. And, some have said, well, just schedule games in Perth and Adelaide and Brissie and Sydney etc – - but, again, the Gabba has cricket commitments like the MCG, as does the SCG and potentially ANZ Stadium as well as the NRL starts earlier than the AFL, and Subiaco might be hosting Super 14s etc etc.
You can see the problems when you can’t even rely on the contract with Docklands to build some form of certainty around.
as far as playing regional matches – that DOES happen for what become the ‘NAB Challenge’ games, i.e. the knocked out teams DO travel the countryside akin to the Leylands. Including MtGambier, Geraldton, Albury, Nerranderra, Morwell etc etc.