GWS Showgrounds upgrade another box ticked by AFL
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By Ben Somerford, 9 Jun 2010 Ben Somerford is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- AFL, Andrew Demetriou, Greater West Sydney, Sydney Showgrounds
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GWS coach Kevin Sheedy addresses players (L-R) Josh Bruce, Tom Kickett and Adam Flagg before a training session at Blacktown Olympic Park, Rooty Hill, NSW.
The home venue of Team GWS has been a bit of an unanswered question for some time now, but yesterday’s announcement of the move to a re-developed Sydney Showgrounds is a suitable solution from the AFL.
Yesterday the AFL, the NSW state government and Team GWS announced a $60m re-development of the Sydney Showgrounds which would become the new franchise’s home ground when they enter the competition in 2012. There’d been some expectancy about the announcement, but now it is official.
The NSW government will provide the majority of the funding for the project with $45m, while the AFL has committed $10m along with a further $5m from the Royal Agricultural Society.
As a result of the re-development the venue’s capacity will increase from 15,000 to around 30,000. So it’s a significant deal for the AFL, who had few other suitable options to house their Greater Western Sydney club.
Indeed, the AFL have been reluctant to use ANZ Stadium, next door to the Showgrounds, due to its 81,500 capacity which isn’t really ideal for their initial attendance targets in West Sydney of 15,000 to 17,000.
It’s fair to say if the AFL had agreed to see GWS play their home games at ANZ, it would’ve been a bad look and bad for publicity with the majority of the stadium empty. The atmosphere inside the stadium would’ve been awful too.
Also the Blacktown complex was never an option for regular season footy, with its limited seating not ideal for an AFL club trying to attract members.
The AFL may be investing around $200m into their Greater Western Sydney project, but they couldn’t afford to start from scratch with a stadium.
So there’s no doubt the AFL had found itself between a rock and a hard place for sometime finding an ideal home for Team GWS, especially considering former NSW premier Nathan Rees rejected the idea of committing $45m to a Showground upgrade nine months ago, when he said: “We’re not about to give that sort of money to the AFL for a stadium next to an existing stadium. I’d much rather spend the money on hospitals and schools.”
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the proposal also faced opposition from the NRL.
Of course, though, Rees no longer holds his post and the AFL have somehow since convinced the new NSW government to do what he wouldn’t.
And while I don’t profess to know the politics behind the AFL’s manouvering here, it appears they’ve been opportunistic.
Full credit to them for that, though, because the move into a smallish, boutique stadium with lower operating costs which is suited for their expected audience makes sense. There will be those saying Homebush isn’t West Sydney and perhaps that’s worth discussing.
Nevertheless, the AFL’s $10m contribution combined by the fact they say the venue will be used by other sports including cricket, rugby league, rugby union and soccer must have been part of the sell.
The AFL have also been fair in investing in arrangements involving the NSW government and Sydney venues in the past, so that would’ve helped seal the deal.
And it’s a good deal which represents a relatively small portion of the AFL’s $200m investment into Greater Western Sydney so it’s good business.
The AFL have found a good solution here and it’s a deal which makes sense. There’s no doubt it’s another hurdle averted by the AFL and another move forward for Aussie Rules into Greater Western Sydney.
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mds1970 said | June 9th 2010 @ 7:43am | Report comment
It’s interesting that from 2012, there will be more venues hosting AFL matches in Sydney than there will be in Melbourne.
But as Ben said in the article, it’s another box ticked for GWS; and it’s hard not to be impressed with the professionalism they are displaying at setting up the new club. A top class training venue, a huge stadium for their blockbuster games and a quality boutique stadium for their less crowd-pulling games. A coach who knows how to attract headlines and positive publicity, sponsors coming on board and beginning to build a playing list. This isn’t some shambolic dream, it’s a well-planned operation.
Still a long way to go, but it’s exciting to see the new club evolve. Hopefully the club will attract a good support base and play a major role in expanding the game.
JVGO said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:44am | Report comment
Why are you excited? Do you live in Western Sydney? Demetriou’s exploits really get you worked up I suppose. More exciting than the actual game maybe.
JamesP said | June 9th 2010 @ 4:41pm | Report comment
I think all AFL followers are at the very least interested as to how the new teams will look in the expanded competition.
I dont live on the Gold coast, but I am excited at how K. Hunt is going to go this weekend playing his first VFL game
punter said | June 9th 2010 @ 4:46pm | Report comment
That was what we called the ‘great Australian game’ as a child, VFL in Sydney, ahhhh memories.
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 7:50am | Report comment
It’s not in western Sydney. The AFL has abandoned Blacktown.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/folau-fallout–dismayed-demetriou-tells-gallop-to-pull-his-head-in-20100608-xtpy.html When asked if he was concerned the venue wasn’t in Greater Western Sydney, and specifically the areas the AFL has been targeting, such as the Hills district, and that it was 25 km from Blacktown, he said: ”I’ve been out there on several occasions and I think it’s a 15-20 minute drive for those people we are trying to attract. I think it’s in a perfect position.”
15-20 minutes! Hilarious! That won’t even get you to Parramatta! Let’s now welcome the AFL’s new Auburn franchise. Sorry Blacktown people, the AFL has dudded you.
JVGO said | June 9th 2010 @ 10:09am | Report comment
Why on earth is this comment deemed poor by the community? Come on. You allow professional AFL PR hacks to make hundreds of posts all over these threads and pick on this one. Really?
Brett McKay said | June 9th 2010 @ 11:39am | Report comment
thumb this one back up people, there’s good points here…
Redb said | June 10th 2010 @ 8:35am | Report comment
Its great that ‘they’ rescued your comments Billo Boy, becuase it is a great chance to prove your rants wrong, again…..
You said: ” It’s not in western Sydney. ” The ‘it’ being the Showgrounds at Homebush, well it seems Geoff Carr the head of the Australian Rugby League beleives that Homebush is indeed in Western Sydney, so much so he reportedly is looking at ways at stopping GWS recuit Israel Folau from playing in SOO 3 in Western Sydney!
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/folaus-inclusion-will-hijack-origin-says-arl-20100609-xwvx.html
Carr said:
“He said the fact that Queensland would be staying in Parramatta and playing at Homebush – both western Sydney areas – would turn the Origin lead-up and the match into a ”circus””
”The issue that we’ve got is we’re struggling to comprehend Queensland playing him in Brisbane, but when it comes to NSW – they’ll be located in western Sydney and they’re playing in western Sydney. We need to seriously look at whether, prior to game three, we can change things.
”There are Origin rules that mean they can pick Israel at the moment, but if they try and bring the whole circus to western Sydney, there’s every opportunity that it’ll get hijacked. We need to make sure it doesn’t happen.”
Perhaps they might be able to hide your comments for you again
Billo Boy said | June 10th 2010 @ 8:54am | Report comment
Sure. Haberfield and Leichardt are west of the city too. But you could walk there from Town Hall.
The fact of the matter is that the AFL spent all of 2009 sucking up the businesses, councils and people of Sydney’s “greater west” which everyone knows starts the western side of Parramatta. The AFL conned the NSW government and Blacktown council to get funding to set up their home base in that “greater west” at Blacktown.
THis week Andrew D told us that the new team’s cactchment is those within 20 minutes drive of Homebush. Well guess what? That 20 minutes excludes everyone west of Parramatta including all the Polys that Folau and Sheedy were calling out to last week.
The team will play, train and live around Homebush. No matter what logic you come up with, to the people of the “greater west” of Sydney you might as well be playing on the moon.
Believe me I’m happy about this decision. The AFL have ruined their shot at western Sydney. When the Libs over turn the Showground funding this AFL team will be on the first bus to Canberra and will happily stand on the F5 and wave them goodbye.
Redb said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:00am | Report comment
Billo Boy,
You persist with the nonsense that Blacktown was intended to be the playing ground of GWS.
Blacktown was created as a training and admin base for GWS, plus a host of other AFL grass roots and junior championships.
Brett McKay said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:06am | Report comment
Redb, please don’t take this as me “rescuing” Billo again, but he wouldn’t be the first person in NSW to have made this assumption (and I’d include the NSW Opposition in that, too). Signs about it being the “Home of GWS” don’t exactly help either…
Redb said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:17am | Report comment
If the training and admin base is the home that is no different to most Vic clubs all of which have a training/admin base and a separate playing ground.
Does it matter?
I suspect Billo Boy seizes on any skeric of information, takes the worst possible view and the procedes to make a mountain out of a molehill, exposing his agenda.
Billo Boy will not be a GWS fan no matter what they do, so let’s not kid anyone.
The Nth QLD Cowboys are based in Townsville, but represent a wide area in FNQ.
Billo Boy said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:23am | Report comment
I have explained this to you Redb ad nauseum.
What you do in Melbourne is not Sydney.
What you can do with a traiditonal old club you can’t do with one you are trying to establish and build, especially when you make such a determined pitch at a specific community as the AFL did with Sydney’s “greater west”.
There are Sydney NRL clubs that play out of their areas but they are very old clubs who have established a fan base which is the same as the AFL has done in Melbourne. Theur fans will cop just about anything the club does to stay solvent.
Sorry if you can;t see the difference.
A new club in western Sydney is not the same as 100 year old club in Melbourne. The people of western Sydney don’t see Homebush as part of their region no matter how the AFL map makers want to try.
Brett McKay said | June 10th 2010 @ 11:13am | Report comment
Redb, it probably doesn’t matter, no, my point was just that the assumption of GWS playing out at Blacktown would have been fairly common, given the amount of work that was put into it, that’s all…
Billo Boy said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:17am | Report comment
It might have been nonsense to you and probably the AFL but that is not the way that the AFL pitched the “GWS” team to western Sydney’s mayors, business and communities.
The AFL either outright lied to Sydney’s west or it has now abandoned Blacktown and western Sydney.
Which is it?
Redb said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:20am | Report comment
Western Sydney is a diverse and big area, why not have a foot in at least two camps within it?
Why not spread the bases and therefore influence?
Billo Boy said | June 10th 2010 @ 9:24am | Report comment
You can’t serve two masters as a new club hoping to embed in a community. Go and see how the Northern Eagles are going.
Redb said | June 10th 2010 @ 11:00am | Report comment
Why not?
The AFL is not aiming to have a team that represents just the 15-20 minute drive from Homebush. Why be so pedantic?
NTh Qld Cowboys respresent and market themselves to a wide area, they are based in Townsville. I’ve seen Cowboys bumper stickers from Emerald to Port Douglas.
Billo Boy said | June 10th 2010 @ 11:44am | Report comment
Pedantic redb? Let’s ask Andrew D.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/folau-fallout–dismayed-demetriou-tells-gallop-to-pull-his-head-in-20100608-xtpy.html When asked if he was concerned the venue wasn’t in Greater Western Sydney, and specifically the areas the AFL has been targeting, such as the Hills district, and that it was 25 km from Blacktown, he said: ”I’ve been out there on several occasions and I think it’s a 15-20 minute drive for those people we are trying to attract. I think it’s in a perfect position.”
Redb said | June 9th 2010 @ 7:55am | Report comment
It is a necessary requirement to move away from neutral grounds to home grounds to build up the Swans v GWS rivalry. I’d imagine Swans fas are rapt they dont have to go to ANZ anymore except for derbies and perhaps the Collingwood game.
I dont know why the NRL persist with ANZ stadium for regular NRL games with their low crowds it destroys the experience for fans.
Melbourne could do with a 25,000 ’boutique’ stadium for virtually all games featuring Nth Melb, Melb and Bulldogs versus interstate teams, these games rarely attract over 25,000. It is only going to increase the frequency of these games with GC and GWS coming in.
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 8:09am | Report comment
Please stop calling them “GWS”. They announced yesterday they will be playing and training at Homebush and only want fans within 15-20 driving time of the stadium. They need a new name. “Should be “IWS” for Inner Western Sydney.
JVGO said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:53am | Report comment
Don’t bother arguing with Redb BB. He is a PR operative for the AFL SS. He works 9-5 M-F spruiking the AFL’s agenda. It must be because real AFL fans aren’t allowed to think for themselves. Hi m and MC who might even be Joel below too are currently trying to shift the evil eye away from Demeriou toward News. That must have been decided by the war committee in Demetiou’s Eagles Lair. Their relentless energy is very professional I have to admit, so professional its farcical actually.
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 10:07am | Report comment
Oh no! We’ve been busted. Code Red! Code Red! Whoop! Whoop! Neenaw! Neenaw!
JVGO said | June 9th 2010 @ 10:13am | Report comment
Well we would hope this was a fan site and the AFL might monitor it to see what the fans really think rather than trying to control it by spin. Is that you Mike C?
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 10:18am | Report comment
I’m sorry, I’ll need to verify your security clearance level before I can reveal that information. Orders from Mr Demetriou, I’m sure you understand.
Redb said | June 9th 2010 @ 10:30am | Report comment
Are you going to keep following me around lIke a little dog JVGO, sniff sniff.
JVGO said | June 9th 2010 @ 10:37am | Report comment
You’re pretty hard to miss Redb. You are everywhere on these threads and endlessly incendiary and irritating. It is ridiculous. I suppose if you didn’t butt into every thread with your AFL spin the real fans might find they actually have some things in common and are probably reasonable people. Go and have a look at the number of posts you and MC are making, you are overdoing it. Go and have your coffee break or something, hatch your next plan.
Norm said | June 9th 2010 @ 1:12pm | Report comment
JVGO they hang around like a bad smell.
JamesP said | June 9th 2010 @ 4:49pm | Report comment
Why not just call the team “Western Sydney” and be done with it.
I have posted this before…according to Googlemaps the stadium is 10 – 15km directly west of Sydney, via:
Western Distributor
City West Link Road
Great Western Highway
Western Motorway
Sounds pretty darn West to me!!!!
OK, its 3 km closer to SCG than Blacktown…but its west of Route 3 (Homebush bay Drive etc) which is right on their border zone (as depicted in the article)
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 4:57pm | Report comment
Ridiculous. Everthing west of the Sydney Heads is WEST. Do you think we don’t understand our own city? The AFL has abandoned Blacktown and Sydney’s greater west.
JamesP said | June 9th 2010 @ 5:33pm | Report comment
Like I said – according to their site…its in the zone…just….its the gateway to the west if you like.
Just call the team Western Sydney – forget this inner or outer or greater nonsence
No AFL team plays in the home suburb (except Richmond)
Harvey the Scouser said | June 9th 2010 @ 5:42pm | Report comment
the AFL’s definition of Western Sydney is so liberal, even the CBD is considered a part of the West!
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:01pm | Report comment
JamesP. That is Melbourne logic.You can move a traditional club to the moon and it work.
You can’t build a new club in a part of Sydney and pretend to be part of that community but instead choose to play somewhere.
Or as Andrew D. says, we’re only after fans within 20 minutes drive anyway! The AFL has abandoned Blacktown. Fact.
Dave1 said | June 10th 2010 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
Prramatta get bigger crowds when they play at homebush than Parramtta. I can see a time when they play their home games at Homebush.
West tigers and St George have home games all over the place…….Its the Sydney way
Al said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:33am | Report comment
The ground isn’t near the area considered GWS, it’s like having a team called Outer East Districts playing in Camberwell.
Brett McKay said | June 9th 2010 @ 11:41am | Report comment
like the Western Bulldogs playing at Docklands??
Al said | June 9th 2010 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
Footscray, the spiritual home of the Dogs is no more than 3km away, nor are they a startup club who have defined a particular region in which they are targetting for brand new support. GWS have even drawn a map of their targetted area and it doesn’t including anything east of Parramatta.
JamesP said | June 9th 2010 @ 4:53pm | Report comment
Wrong…read the article and/or the GWS website
Homebush Bay is in the City of Auburn, which is in their zone…it may be on the edge…but its in the zone
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 4:59pm | Report comment
No. Andrew D has revised the zone at yesterday’s media conference. He said it is now limited to just 20 minutes drive from Homebush. That won’t even get you to Parramatta.
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 6:56pm | Report comment
Big deal. Geelong plays home games in Melbourne which is about 80km away and they don’t have a problem pulling a crowd.
Jay said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:33am | Report comment
Its a cash grab, ANZ stadium provides great financial incentives for NRL clubs to play their games there and to some extent its forced the clubs to do something about crowds.
If the bulldogs and souths didnt play there, I’d doubt that they would be able to get 35k in the door in another stadium.. its not ideal, but the NRL should asipre to become like the AFL clubs and get 50k+ to their home games.. you’re only going to be able to do that at anz, albeit that its a poor stadium.
danwighton said | June 9th 2010 @ 12:27pm | Report comment
There have been several 30,000+ crowds this year, which is a good sign, and shows that the NRL needs to stick with the larger venues for certain games….While ANZ is poor quality to view a rectangular game, and is also very expensive, these larger venues are the future – crowds of 18K at traditional home venues just dont cut it anymore.
The Rd 1 Parra v St George game, the Rd 12 Dragons v Parra game and the recent Dragons v Dogs game only drew 18K, 15k and 15K respectively, but would have drawn 30,000 plus had they been played at the SFS or ANZ.
I think the Tigers have the best approach – playing the big games each year at the SFS but then two or three each at Leichardt and Campbelltown.
Al said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:50am | Report comment
They had a “boutique” stadium, Princes Park. All the clubs except for Carlton didn’t like playing there despite the fact that it had the best surface of any AFl ground by far.
JamesP said | June 9th 2010 @ 4:55pm | Report comment
Waverley had an excellent surface too…
Al said | June 9th 2010 @ 5:08pm | Report comment
And was of large capacity situated in Melbourne’s biggest growth corridor. Nice move by the AFL, screwing over the entire South-East region of Melbourne and Gippsland in favour of another inner city stadium where the grass doesn’t even grow.
Michael C said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:18pm | Report comment
Al -
the VFL as it was got super screwed over by State Govt over VFL park. It was supposed to be expanded to b/w 100,000 and 150,000 capacity – - all built and paid for by the VFL. Alas, state govt’s subsequently refused planning approval and failure to come through on public transport links – - saw the VFL left in the lurch and forced to retain Grand Finals etc at the MCG (with MCC and it’s members having way more power than they should have,….and access to the GF).
So, by the time the mid ’90s came around and VFL park was getting dated and needed a big cash injection and yet it was not to be permitted to become what it had to be to provide the long term financial model………well, the AFL by then had to make decisions,
the Docklands stadium was initially intended as a rectangular stadium,……but that wasn’t going to attract private investment (no surprises there for something of 50K capacity!!!……they still can’t justify Swan St going to 50K!!) – - – AFL got swayed to join the project and spend $30 mill on Docklands rather than $30 mill to sustain VFL park a little longer,
the AFL most likely would’ve loved a VFL park at 100K + to run and host all it’s big games, with PT links etc……..but, the self interest of state govt in Victoria has screwed the VFL/AFL over, for many years.
Like it or not, Docklands is a great location, and coming from Gippsland, by train – - the V/Line trains go straight into the shadow of the stadium with a shorter walk than from Richmond station to the ‘G.
Back in the day, getting to Waverley (VFL park) included getting of the VicRail/Vline service at say Dandenong, catching Met to Clayton, then buses to the ground via Monash Uni, or going all the way into town and herbing out on the Glen Waverley line and more buses……….granted, it was okay to drive to from Warragul, but, gee, back then, the drive from Sale was still a bit of a hike ………. now though, I reckon the train to the footy still wins.
Al said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:47pm | Report comment
I lived in Springvale back in the day so it wasn’t a problem to get there for me or anyone from Blackburn down to Frankston and from Clayton out to Pakenham by road (although the car park was atrocious), a good 1+ million people at least and continually growing.
I agree that a rail link from either Glen Waverley or Huntingdale would have made it a lot easier for people from the northern and western suburbs or from the country to get there however for people who lived in the South-East it was easier to get to then catching a train all the way to Richmond or to Southern Cross today.
Ultimately I still believe that there were enough people in the region to make its location work even with no heavy rail connection. The worst thing about it imo was not the location but the design of the ground, you were too far away from the play, the seating was uncomfortable, it was bleak and depressing, the scoreboard video was archaic and it got bitterly cold.
Dave1 said | June 10th 2010 @ 1:21pm | Report comment
ANZ doesnt have low crowds
it has the highest crowds in Sydney and only Lang Park gets bigger crowds
http://stats.rleague.com/rl/crowds/2010.html#venue
The poet have voted with their feet and homebush is the place for watching football in Sydney
Redb said | June 10th 2010 @ 1:48pm | Report comment
Dave1,
Averaging 19,000 in a 83,000 seat capacity stadium is a tad under used.
Paul J said | June 9th 2010 @ 8:18am | Report comment
Billo Boy
I believe the AFL have not decided on the name yet, which is why Richard Hinds refers to them as the GWS Whatevers.
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 8:23am | Report comment
Well they’ve announced what area that they claimed to be going to serve. Made a big song and dance about all the community work and economic benefits that they would bring to this region of Sydney. Even did a map http://teamgws.com.au/index.php?id=17 But you will see just how much of it is within the Andrew D declared “15-20 minute drive for those people we are trying to attract” zone! About 5%!
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 8:40am | Report comment
Worth noting too that there aren’t very many Polynesians living within Andrew D’s “15-20 minute drive for those people we are trying to attract” zone either.
Al said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:34am | Report comment
Wouldn’t even be a 15-20 minute flight let alone drive.
Dogs Of War said | June 9th 2010 @ 2:05pm | Report comment
Plenty of Polynesians living at belmore/Lakemba etc area. Which is a 15-20min drive to Homebush. About an hour on the train!
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 2:21pm | Report comment
That’s true Dogs. But Bankstown and Canterbury Councils aren’t in the AFL’s GWS pitch. Unless the AFL has changed its mind again! No argument though that they’ve punted Blacktown and the other western Sydney councils from the picture.
JamesP said | June 9th 2010 @ 4:57pm | Report comment
According the link provided above, Bankstown is included
ItsCalledFootball said | June 9th 2010 @ 5:14pm | Report comment
How can a Victorian Aussie Rules organisation identify Sydney’s sporting regions.
West Sydney is whatever the AFL Marketing team define as western Sydney, even if it includes Manly and the Central Coast.
Now they’ve moved their recruitment drive from Blacktown to the Hills District because of lack of interest in Blacktown, it won’t be long before they keep widening their definition of western Sydney because of lack of interest in the Hills Districts.
JF said | June 9th 2010 @ 8:37am | Report comment
$45m of state funds so the AFL don’t have to suffer the indignity of playing in an empty venue? Makes you feel a lot better knowing your tax money is going to such worthy causes, building new AFL stadia in NSW, teaching Sth African kids to play AFL, what great spending in the national interest.
Redb said | June 9th 2010 @ 8:39am | Report comment
The Victorian Govenrment invested $300M in the new rectangular stadium in Melbourne. $45M is a pittance in comparison.
Perhaps it reflects the state of the Victorian v NSW economy?
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 8:45am | Report comment
Please name the other previously existing comparable modern rectangular stadia in Melbourne? You know that ground will bring new $ to Melbourne businesses.
As for AFL ovals in Sydney comparable to the Showground there is just a few short fumbles away a ground that was configured to ensure that AFL could be played on it.
And then there’s the wasted government money spent on the Blacktown oval that now won’t be used by the new IWS team at all.
The Showground can’t be justified by the AFL using some claims about tourism and economic benefit given the same people and sponsors would have gone to the ground next door anyway.
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:25am | Report comment
Interesting, so the reconfigured docklands stadium that the FFA wanted so desperately for the world cup wasn’t good enough for the NRL? Stadium Australia also sucks for watching football, you can’t have it both ways.
Blacktown was never intended as a match day venue and the AFL hasn’t abandoned it at all. The idea it could be upgraded occurred late in the process and was not part of original planning.
You still completely ignore that a lot more money has been spent by governments to the benefit of rugby league than Australian football. Apart from the hundreds of millions spent building a stadium for use by the NRL in Melbourne, the NSW government gave the NRL $45 million for nothing but the right to host an event that was never realistically going anywhere else. The Federal government has also given league $10 million dollars for game development in the PNG. I’m sure there are many other examples.
You should also realize how inappropriate it is for the government to be giving money to support what is a privately owned league over a community owned league. The hypocrisy of NRL fans is astounding. Any dollar spent on the NRL which helps make Rupert richer is good, and dollar spent on a community sport which does nothing but help the community is evidence of gross corruption and treason.
As for the 25 minutes you have repeated several times. Do you seriously think anyone cares? It takes me an hour to commute to the football and I’m probably lucky compared to a lot of people.
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 10:37am | Report comment
Hye, it’s Andrew D telling the story about the 20-25 minute drive fan and sponsor market, not me.
I’m sure all the Councils that the AFL conned in western Sydney are pleased to read that the AFL is only interested in the 20-25 minute drive catchment area.
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 11:10am | Report comment
There’s Demetriou’s spin and then there’s your spin. In the end it doesn’t matter because most people don’t care if it’s 25 minutes or 90 minutes. You’re only looking for a nugget of hope to comfort yourself that the new club will fail.
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 2:23pm | Report comment
So we already know from AFL fans not to take Sheedy seriously and now you’re telling us not to take Andrew D at his word either! Remarkable!
JVGO said | June 9th 2010 @ 3:10pm | Report comment
Redb and Joel (aka Mike C) are tag teaming you Billo Boy. It’s little unfair isn’t it.
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 3:19pm | Report comment
Agent Joel to Agent Redb, the full moon is rising, repeat, the full moon is rising. Over.
Redb said | June 9th 2010 @ 3:23pm | Report comment
Agent Joel,
Alpha Foxtrot Lima has them worried.
over…
JVGO said | June 9th 2010 @ 3:38pm | Report comment
I didn’t say anything about that. You are obviously a team and you are tag teaming him. It is a form of bullying. When you start acting like real people you will be treated like real people. Keep acting like the professional spin machines you are you will be treated that way. Every RL fan on this site can see you for what you are. Maybe some of the AFL fans can too.
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 6:47pm | Report comment
Oh you’ve got us again JVGO. You’re too good. Was it the first or the second of the two relevant responses I made to Billo Boy that gave the game away? I might get demoted for this..
zach said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:21pm | Report comment
Yes, Docklands. Built with AFL money, but nevertheless convertible to a rectangular mode. Why didn’t Melbourne Storm use it? – Cost. The cost of opening the stadium for a crowd of 10,000 out weighed the takings. Hence, the Victorian government built them a brand new $280m stadium small enough for them to use profitably.
Jay said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:38am | Report comment
the investment by the victorian government was worthwhile – melbourne storm, melbourne heart, melbourn victory, melbourn rebels will all use that stadium – 4 codes all year round. add to that low drawing socceroos matches, kangeroos (rl) and wallabies matches there and its a pretty decent investment.
the showground can be used for 9 afl games a year.. brilliant.
zach said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:23pm | Report comment
And the show. And cricket. And rugby league, rugby union and soccer.
AGO74 said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:45am | Report comment
There is a perfecty suitable venue for AFL less than a drop punt away from Homebush Showground. If it was good enough for the Olympics, State of Origin, GF or Bledisloe test, how the hell is it not good enough for the AFL. I find it staggering. What is more staggering is that the idiots in government here in NSW committed $45m to it while the AFL only has to stump up $10m. Staggering. Absolutely staggering.
Don’t give me this AAMI Park comparison. There was no equivalent in Melbourne and AAMI Park is for two well-established teams plus two newly created teams. 4 teams in other words who will use it virtually 52 weeks a year, whilst the Showground will be for one non-established team playing 8 or 9 games a year but then to show the AFL wants to have it cake as well, will play the marquee matches at the ground 100 meters away.
Again – it is absolutely staggering that the government here has fallen for this. They are complete buffoons.
The Phantom said | June 9th 2010 @ 10:19am | Report comment
Be fair ANZ is at least 500 metres away!!!!!!
omarky said | June 9th 2010 @ 2:05pm | Report comment
Gday Phantom!
Today while jogging at lunchtime, I ran directly from Stadium Australia to the Showground
It only took me just over a minute!
It is 300m!!
have a good one mate!
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 7:10pm | Report comment
You’re applying double standards, but let’s do a comparison using your criteria of validity.
Bubbledome: $268 million – $0 (NRL/FFA) / 4 teams = $67 million.
Showgrounds: $60 million – $15 million (AFL/RAS) = $45 million.
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 8:41am | Report comment
It’s a pity Stadium Australian turned out to be such a soulless lemon. A smaller venue is a must for crowds, but its probably also cheaper to operate. The opposition of the NRL is pathetic when you consider all the other benefits and the money Victorians have spent building a stadium for the Storm in Melbourne, to which the NRL contributed nothing.
Redb said | June 9th 2010 @ 8:52am | Report comment
Yes thats right folks, the NRL committed not a cent to the new rectangular stadium in Melbourne.
News Ltd has plenty of money surely they could have chipped in?
The AFL put $10M into the showgrounds redevelopment.
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 8:59am | Report comment
A token effort taken from their $200 million war chest to help deflect criticism in the media from this wasteful use of NSW taxpayers money.
The AFL also sought to deflect criticism by including in its media release comments that the Showground would also be used by soccer and the rugby codes too!
As if anyone seriously believes the AFL given the disadvantages to playing rectangle codes on an oval.
Perhaps AFL should play on the rectangle field in Melbourne given its not mcuh to ask a code to compromise.
Beaver Fever said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:26am | Report comment
Well the show people are happy, and these codes plus cricket can and will use the ground at some stage.
So its a win/win wouldn’t you think?.
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 10:59am | Report comment
You’re easily led if you think any of the rugby codes or soccer will play there. The first anyone made such a suggestion was yesterday in the AFL media release attempting to smother the rapidly growing contempt for the AFL’s IWS franchise.
The Link said | June 9th 2010 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
So the non-AFL codes went from playing on oval grounds / delapidaded rectangal grounds and GWS has a world class oval ground available (ANZ) and gets another oval ground built. This is the same because?
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 7:16pm | Report comment
The NRL would love to be able to make such ‘token efforts’. I found $10 million dollars down the back of the couch, you can have it.
JVGO said | June 10th 2010 @ 8:11am | Report comment
So this is $16 million of the $200 million wasted already and we still have 2 years to go? It should be all burnt up for nought pretty quick at the rate they’re going. All so 300 people with free tickets can watch Izzy run round and round the Showgrounds.
zach said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:26pm | Report comment
Soccer is happy to play on an oval. They put up a pretty big fuss to get the MCG for the World Cup bid.
Michael C said | June 11th 2010 @ 12:04pm | Report comment
Billo Boy -
you do realise the $200 million ‘war chest’ as reported doesn’t actually exist at a single given time.
It’s part of a planned commitment of funds over an extended period of time.
Billo Boy said | June 11th 2010 @ 2:41pm | Report comment
Thanks Andrew.
ItsCalledFootball said | June 9th 2010 @ 7:59pm | Report comment
The AAMI complex in Melbourne is also used for Aussie Rules, its the Melbourne Aussie Rules club training ground and they use the offices rent free as their head office.
Michael C said | June 11th 2010 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
facts please – ICF :
you said its the Melbourne Aussie Rules club training ground and they use the offices rent free as their head office
both are wrong or at very least misleading – - read on please, I’m not trying to put you down on this – - as it’s is complicated even for footy fans in Melb to keep track of and I’ve googled MFC and found an informative breakdown (as included below).
Melbourne FOotball Club will never grace the turf of the MRS (AAMI park). THat is NOT an AFL training ground.
It is NOT doubling up as a footy training ground for MelbourneFC.
The MFC football department will be based within the complex and they will have access to internal training facilities shared with Storm and Victory. The MFC general admin will remain at the MCG. So – - it’s technically misleading to suggest it’s the Clubs ‘head office’,…..it is in effect the FOotball Departments head office though – - so, that’s where I’m letting you off on a ‘misleading’ point and why it’s worth clarification.
below is the MFC access to the venue and precinct :
The key elements of the Club’s tenancy at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium are:
Exclusive
800 m2 of office and change room space
Shared with Melbourne Storm and Melbourne Victory
1000 m2 gymnasium and warm up areaFour lane pool, spas and plunge poolsVideo statistics room (26 cubicles)Players’ loungeOther facilities (including property room, laundry, storage)
Non-Exclusive
Access to training ovals in the precinct – primarily ‘Gosch’s 1’ and, following the redevelopment of Olympic Park, ‘Gosch’s 2’‘Gosch’s 1’ is being refurbished for use by three tenants – MFC, Storm and Victory. This will not be a major issue, as we really only have to negotiate training times with the Melbourne Storm – the AFL season coincides with Melbourne Victory’s off season. Access to ‘Gosch’s 2’ – Collingwood’s current training ground – after the redevelopment of Olympic Park (estimated time – three years)
The Truth said | June 9th 2010 @ 8:44am | Report comment
So not only are they still operating as a vague placeholder brand name, but now a geographically inaccurate one? Who the hell is going to support this team?
Billo Boy said | June 9th 2010 @ 8:47am | Report comment
Expat Victorians living within 15-20 minutes of the ground.
Beaver Fever said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:24am | Report comment
Great news for GWS, remember they dont play for 2 years, expect a name and ramped up PR as we move closer.
As i stasted a while ago GWS COULD be in 10 years one of the biggest clubs in the league.
JVGO said | June 9th 2010 @ 3:55pm | Report comment
They don’t play for another 2 years! Oh my god. So Redb and Joel/Mike C have to keep this up for another two years. They will have burned through 1000 computers at AFL HQ and 10,000 pseudonyms by that stage and we will be expecting a huge crowd of rabid AFL heads at the Showground but it will be just the 2 of them in the $45m ground, waving their AFL complimentaries as fitting reward for their thousands of hours of unstinting loyal work. Demetriou at least give them their own box. You’ve got millions.
JVGO said | June 9th 2010 @ 5:15pm | Report comment
Sorry Andrew D, hundreds of millions.
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 6:49pm | Report comment
No probs… whoops!
Al said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:30am | Report comment
NSW taxpayer money wasted on something no one wants. Kick this moronic government out of office next election please!
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 6:53pm | Report comment
AFL supporters want it and they pay tax. Perhaps you’d like the government to outlaw Australian football? And you feel the same way about the hundreds of millions spent by the Victorian government building a stadium in Melbourne don’t you?
JVGO said | June 10th 2010 @ 8:05am | Report comment
More fool the Vic Government for wasting money on an entity that may well disappear. You should be angry with them. It’s your money.
Jay said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:41am | Report comment
What I would love to see is a Bulldogs game at ANZ at the same time as the GWS game at the showground.
The NRL must fight toe to toe with these guys. Even have a double header involving western sydney teams evertime gws plays right next door to where they will be, and at the same time.
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:55am | Report comment
And risk the very real chance the AFL next door will draw a bigger crowd with half the teams in a smaller venue? Even better, how about the NRL take it right up to the AFL in Melbourne and schedule a Storm v Bulldogs game opposite a Collingwood v Carlton game. That’ll show ‘em.
The Truth said | June 9th 2010 @ 4:25pm | Report comment
Team Walmart outdrawing the Dogs? Haha, right…
Joel said | June 9th 2010 @ 7:21pm | Report comment
Who are you talking about, because if you think Canterbury gets bigger attendances than any AFL clubs well.. that would be funny. How many people went to the NRL last week? There was 30k at the Swans game, care to compare?