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So the AFL is concerned that they will have to close their competition down if Australia wins the World Cup, which could lead to club failures.
As has been pointed out in articles this week, that sounds a stretch considering the code trumpets it is the number one in Australia, has the biggest crowds and believes it should get a billion dollars at their next TV contract.
Let’s not even touch on the money they are going to flood into GWS and the GC.
So how long will the stadiums be needed for in Melbourne? Four weeks, six weeks, ten weeks?
Andrew Demetriou says: “The World Cup starts … in June and there’s four or five weeks of securitising it, putting signage up. They would commence work in late March or early April and that would probably mean we’d just have to cancel the season because that would mean we wouldn’t have the MCG for 16 weeks.
“We could probably do without it for 10 weeks and we’d have to play at Etihad Stadium. But we couldn’t do it [for 16 weeks], we’d have to cancel the season,” he said.
Ben Buckley says: “We need to get access four weeks before the competition for preparation for pitches and preparation for stadia overlay that are required by FIFA and the duration of the tournament.
“In our estimation, that is six to eight week, depending upon where the finals are played and what venues are used”.
So let’s take what Ben Buckley says in terms of timing, which is the official FIFA requirement, of 4 weeks of clean stadiums before kick-off.
To make the MCG rectangular is clearly going to add too much time, and get Demetriou even more riled up.
As such, it is just another ground in Australia, no matter how much the public of Melbourne love it. It does not have any more right to be a World Cup venue than any other Stadium. And since there has been such a backlash, why bother?
We want the World Cup, and the AFL wants their grounds in Melbourne.
So how would it work without the MCG and Etihad?
Here is the basic schedule in South Africa, who are using ten stadiums:
Group Matches
Venues used: 10
Duration: 15 days
Round of 16
Venues used: 8
Duration: 4 days
2 day break
Quarter Finals
Venues used: 4
Duration: 2 days
2 day break
Semi Finals
Venues used: 2
Duration: 2 days
2 day break
Final + 3rd place playoff
Venues used: 2
Duration: 2 days
FIFA
World soccer’s governing body FIFA requires bidding nations stadiums to have a minimum capacity of 40,000.
Thus:
Main two Stadiums: ANZ and Suncorp
Semi Finals: SFS and Perth
Qtrs: ANZ, Suncorp, Adelaide and Perth
Rd 16: ANZ, SFS, Suncorp, SFS, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Newcastle
Group: ANZ, SFS, Suncorp, SFS, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Newcastle, Townsville, Melbourne (Bubbledome).
Melbourne would therefore only have two weeks of matches. Add that to the four weeks that they need a clean the stadium, and you have six weeks.
Upgrade ANZ and Suncorp to be the two jewels in the crown, followed by new stadiums in Perth and Adelaide. Upgrades to be completed on the rest, potentially with some temporary structures.
The Bubbledome needs to be upgraded by 10,000 to comply with FIFA, and should really be increased to 50,000 for its four Group games. Any arguments with Etihad over capacity issues for new stadia sizes can be sorted by the Victorian Government if they want to have some games played in their city.
Melbourne then can get on with their AFL competition, and the rest of the world can get on with the World Cup. Any complaints can be sent to AFL House.
Sorted.
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