On Wednesday, the AFL announced that Gillon McLachlan will take over from Andrew Demetriou as the new CEO.
The decision was, from the outside, a fairly simple decision. Football has very rarely swayed outside its own four walls when appointing a new CEO.
One item on the list of things for McLachlan to fix is the total cost of going to the football. In his own words he: “is determined to take the pain out of going to the footy for fans”.
The stark reality is that most of those sitting inside the four walls of plush AFL offices, with six to seven figure salaries and bonuses worth more than the average man’s salary, have lost touch with the common footy fan.
As crowd figures have diminished this year it is only now that they have come to realise the mistakes of their money hungry decisions. They tried to fill their pockets but have ultimately been burnt.
The truth is the heavy weights of the AFL don’t know a thing about footy fans.
When was the last time they had to pay for a ticket? When was the last time they went and ordered a couple of pies, a bucket of chips and two bottle of soft drink? When did they last have to pay for parking at Etihad Stadium?
The game is in good shape financially and many decisions the AFL have made have been good for the game. Yet when decisions are made to financially benefit small proportions or individuals and the fan is left to pick up the cost, then the result is going to have consequences.
The fans are not just important to the AFL but more important to the clubs they represent and support.
As a supporter of a club, not only is it ticket prices but memberships, merchandise, memorabilia, events and everything else that goes with supporting a club.
The AFL must work with clubs to increase membership. Carlton says it believes to have close to 800,000 supporters, but only 45,000 members.
All clubs have a membership database of current and former members, but what about fans that have never been a member?
How does the AFL work with clubs to get this large segment of fans to buy a membership? Why have these fans never purchased a membership?
There are a couple of ways for the AFL to do so. They should open up channels for conversations, engage in social media and use these platforms to find out who their fans are.
From there, they can work to tailor membership packages to meet the experience they want.
The AFL and clubs should also work to get large numbers of fans to games. Working out where fans are based and then organising travel to and from games from a central location is a great way of taking out the hassle.
Catching public transport can be a nightmare and driving is also not cheap when you take into consideration parking.
The elderly are less likely to want to catch public transport and taxis are too expensive.
The AFL must also realise that fans don’t go to games because it is too expensive, but other events happen. Buying a membership shows a commitment to attend most games, yet this isn’t possible for many.
The AFL must work with clubs to have a wider scale of membership levels, to cater for all fans. In recent times this has been three-game memberships, but clubs often determine which games these are. Why not simply give fans a choice of any three-games?
Another major issue for all fans is the price of food. Unfortunately the cost is out of the AFL’s hands and in those of the stadium owners.
Food prices must be unified among all venues and in line with normal expectations.
Much debate has also been made about the spectacle itself – the two hours of entertainment the players put on.
In reality, most people go to watch their team win or lose. Rolling mauls, interchanges, ball-ups, and wrong decisions are very rarely counted while watching the game, so why do the AFL make such a big deal about them?
As McLachlan starts his tenure as CEO, his mantra is to take the pain out of going to the footy. It is a mantra that he will be held accountable for?
If the AFL is to return the game to the fans, who are its number one commodity, then it is time to listen and engage with us and not the people that sign your pay cheque.
Before you sign off on anything, McLachlan, ask yourself this: if you were a fan would you be happy with the decision about to be made?
Axle an the guru
Guest
The food and drink outlets would be paying a massive rent bill for that space. Thats why everything would be so expensive.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
I struggle with that when it revolves around Etihad ( which i see as a blight on the AFL landscape ) for the second Stadium in Melbourne, must resemble VFL Park in having a 75000 capacity. It cannot be like Etihad, with 50000, and 10000 already given to the Chardonnay sipping corporate toffs meaning the home members struggle to get in, and forget about it if you are a visiting fan
Cat
Roar Guru
Home teams should play the game at their home ground regardless of who the opponent it. It is ABSOLUTE bulldonkey that Collingwood gets to play all its 'away' games in Melbourne at its home ground.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
The only real qualm I have is them scheduling marque matches, where between 50-80000 will attend at a Stadium like Etihad, which only seats just on 50. These games should always be at the 'G', and allow every one who wants to see it to see it. Plus, the recent trend of 'double dipping' on members for games they deem as 'blockbuster' or replacement games is shameful Prices for food/drink are absurd, but it is just how it is, and sense would dictate that pay $2 at Coles for crisps and taking them into the ground is far wiser than paying $5 for a packet a 10th of the size in the ground
Raymond Musgrove
Guest
great article by Joel Clarke: his most pointed comment to do with new appointees promise to "take the pain out og going' is to measure up his decisions by asking himself: "If I was a fan, would I be happy with this?" Boycott the Red Rooster and other pirateer purveyors of junk food at Restaurant prices ! As a granddad now I still fondly remember mum taking thermos of Cocoa and slices of fruit cake to Victoria Park, Food and drink costs then ? very little...... It was about $8.50 adult entry at the gate. Good old days in magpieland. I love our home ground advantage at the G. Dont go to any Etihad games as I qualified for MCG membership 10 yrs ago.
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
Ticket prices seem to be the hot topic and I will add my two cents worth from a QLD perspective being that I watch all my live football at Metricon Stadium and The Gabba. I still can’t fathom why the Suns have ticket prices up to $81 for an adult pass? The structure currently is $81, $61, $50, $40, $33 and $25 GA. I question the wisdom of having ticket prices as high as $81 in a new area where you are trying to build support with a team that was completely uncompetitive in its first two seasons, lifted to being slightly competitive in season 3 and now looks like they may be trying to grab a spot in the 8. Would it not have been smarter to cap all tickets at the venue to a maximum $50 and have both areas behind the goal and the entire ground level on the Eastern Stand capped at $25 and get as many through the gates as possible in the early days and when demand starts exceeding supply then slowly increase the ticket price as the team performs? Looking at the Gabba their price structure sits as follows; $61, $50, $37, $25 which I think is more in line with what they could and should charge in QLD. You can’t charge more than this when the Lions are rebuilding and not expected to win many games in 2014. From a food and beverage point of view best thing to do is avoid eating/drinking at the venue. Eat before you go in which is not hard to arrange and why people insist on buying watered down beer and spirits for $8-$9 a cup is beyond me. Get as much into you at home or the pub beforehand then you may only buy 1 bottle of water or coke when you are inside. These companies only care about profits and nothing hits profits more than their product sitting on the shelves and not moving to the consumer. Reading this back it sounds more ranty than intended but they are genuine issues for QLD AFL fans attending these venues.
Axle an the guru
Guest
Hoe much do they rob you for a beer now, Ash Harvey? When i do my 8ball night at the local hall i charge $3.50 for a stubby of Heavy.
Ash
Roar Rookie
What about a Beer then , should be $6.00 max
Axle an the guru
Guest
Dont think your allowed to take a thermos are you Tas rules? It may have bourbon in it, heaven forbid we carnt rob the AFL of a sale.
Claza
Guest
I can't speak for food at grounds in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney or Brisbane as I am from perth. The biggest problem I have with the food at subiaco oval is the quality is very low. When you go to the games you expect to pay more but when you pay top dollar you expect top quality which it isn't. This is not just relating to afl. All sporting events the wildcats, glory western force have the same problem the quality of the food is rubbish
Franko
Guest
Even better for Friday night matches, get up at 6am to make the Pea & Ham soup, decant in to thermos, take to work and then on to the footy that night. 12 hours later, mmmmmmm Jubbly :) Don't forget to take the thermos with you when you go to the pub after for a drink with your mates and wash it when you get home :) Happy days
Tas Rules
Guest
Take a thermos!!!! Pea & Ham, mmmmmmmmmmm
Franko
Guest
Mmmmm cold sandwiches on a 14 degree afternoon at the G, lovely :)
Myles Stedman
Roar Guru
Yeah, get rid of the food at the footy. What a great idea.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Heres a way for the whiners to deal with the cost of food at the footy. Bring your own.
Franko
Guest
Agreed, there is a severe lack of quinoa at the football these days!
Axle an the guru
Guest
You will get a lot of gooses on roar arguing with you AJ, that thats skillful modern football.
Adam Julian
Roar Guru
They must also work to resolve pack football, awful to watch live with empty 50's and a mass of bodies around the ball in a small part of a very large field.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
Why do you need to have food at games? A bucket of salty fatty chips washed down with a Cherry Rripe and Coke is something that's not overly enjoyable and not very good for you.