If the AFL take note of Port Adelaide President David Koch’s audacious idea, we could be watch the 2016 AFL grand final live from the Adelaide Oval.
Koch’s idea is that every year each state bids for the right to host AFL grand final.
And why not? Some say the MCG is the home of football, but I say the Adelaide Oval could do it just as well.
And other stadiums around the country, like the SCG and Subiaco in Perth, should be given the opportunity to do the same.
The only reason the AFL grand final hasn’t been hosted away from Victoria is because no state government has made a big enough noise. OK, there is the issue of the lease with the Melbourne Cricket Club, but let’s not get bogged down in detail. And there’s the issue of capacity at other venues, again I hate it when things get too complicated.
Koch told Gerard Whateley on Fox Footy’s Round Table that the money raised would help the weaker clubs to survive.
Let me be selfish for a moment.
South Australian treasurer Tom Koutsantonis told us that the Adelaide Oval should be used for all major events, not just football. And fair enough, the Rolling Stones concert was an extraordinary success, and AC/DC will no doubt fill the stadium later this year.
But what bigger event could we attract than the AFL grand final? And let’s grab the Brownlow Medal and the parade as well.
Adelaide local Bruce McAvaney would be happy – for the first time in years he wouldn’t have to travel.
Imagine how busy the city would be, with thousands of visitors from interstate.
Imagine the grand final parade starting on the Norwood Parade, and working its way to the city through the newly built $160 million bus tunnel under the Adelaide parklands, saving the parade seven minutes of travel time.
And then turning right into the mall from King William street and finishing in front of the Malls Balls, where the two coaches would sit and take questions.
Of course I”m being silly, of course I’m having some fun with the idea, because I wouldn’t think the AFL in its wildest dreams would ever let the grand final be played anywhere but the MCG.
But what a wonderful thing it would be if it did happen, and Port or the Crows won the flag at home.
PilbaraFrenzy
Guest
I read 60000 expandable to 70000, but happy to be corrected if I'm wrong!
13th Man
Guest
Won't happen ground is too small. Maybe when the new Perth stadium is built and only if its Dockers v Eagles GF could it happen. Right now MCG is the only suitable ground.
Ando
Guest
Out of interest, what is the allocation of MCC members for GF day? Numbers I heard recently were in the range of 40k, but Im sure that cant be right.
pat malone
Guest
time for you to lose guru status me thinks
Penster
Guest
Excellent article. Anything that p!$$e$ off the MCC members is fine by me.
Rob
Guest
I new the article was toung in cheek when subiaco was mentioned
AR
Guest
A toungue-in-cheek article, but I like it. I should clarify...I'd only like it, if it was an Adelaide v Port GF...or a WCE v Freo GF at the new Perth stadium...or Syd v GWS at ANZ. And of course, such a fixture would only be known 1 week prior, meaning it will/could never happen. But it'd be great to have a "derby GF" in that city.
Shaw
Roar Rookie
Take the Adelaide oval to Queenstown
Sir Ossis
Guest
No, no no. If it means losing that which makes Adelaide Oval unique in the world, then, no. Why do television shots of the oval, whenever possible, feature the grass hill, the historical scoreboard, the Cathedral towering over the ancient and magnificent Morton Bay Figs? Because they are the thing that sets this oval apart from the thousands of near-identical concrete bowls which other cities of the world have to accept. Even if the philistines won and desecrated the oval and increased it's capacity to 70,000 this would still be insufficient. Also, the now happily full-house feel of it would evaporate during regular season games with current crowds of 40 to 50 thousand. How empty does the MCG feel and look when at half capacity? Leave the grand final at the MCG. Nice thought bubble from out-of-towner Kochie, though.
Matthew Pittard
Guest
i thought the new Stadium at Burswood would fit 70,000 thousands and expandable to 80,000. To be honest it should have been built to hold 80,000 to begin with and with a closable roof. I do like the idea of the grand final moving however.
anchorman
Guest
Gee he and Michaelangelo Rucci write the same sort of stuff. Subtle satire.
Aaron
Guest
for those unfamiliar with Mark Aiston as a south Australian media, personality, he is something of a kidder, its subtle satire
APPA
Guest
Mark - I know this is tongue in cheek, but if you are going to refer to real things, you might want to make sure that you're not referring to a fairy story. You seem to have missed the news. It's not a proposed "bus tunnel under the Park Lands". It's a $160m highway for cars trucks, buses and trams, at ground level across Rymill Park, virtually wrecking the 'jewel in the crown' of our Park Lands. That's why thousands of Adelaide people from across the metro area are campaigning against it. Please don't mistakenly become an agent of the Government's misinformation campaign.
conchie
Roar Rookie
2037 the MCG deal ends. I think that if a team deserves a home GF because they they have finished the H & A season o top and won their respective finals then they should have a right to have it at home, but on the other hand the MCG is the spiritual home of the game of Australian football. I am a bit of a each way better on this issue, there are good points on both sides. Crowd capacity should be a non issue because most teams fans can't get in any way.
PilbaraFrenzy
Guest
As a proud West Aussie, I agree that Subiaco (Domain) is not up to scratch, but the new stadium will be, and more capacity than Adelaide Oval being 60,000. Would hope that the GF was more for the fans and less about sponsors who don't care about the result (yes, I'm aware sponsors financially support the league).
Brewin
Guest
Great idea!!
Paul D
Roar Guru
Best suggestion I've heard yet.
TomC
Roar Guru
Aircraft carriers are being decommissioned all the time. The only fair thing to do is to buy one, fit it out as a football stadium, then play the grand final there as it sails between the cities of the two competing teams.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Perfect article for a slow Adam Goodes day.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
There is much talk about this being impossible, but really it only requires the right amount of cash.