After the AFL announced last month that it would purchase Etihad Stadium, they have confirmed on Wednesday Afternoon that the deal has now been completed.
This means the AFL will now formally take over management and day-to-day operations in running the stadium.
The deal, which was signed by the AFL last month and was reportedly worth a massive $200 million saw all financial transfers completed today.
While the AFL’s plans for the stadium at this time are still unknown, it’s thought they will make an expansion to the stadium, which opened in 2000 and can currently seat 54,000 people.
The stadium’s owners and AFL had originally worked out a deal that would have seen the ground transferred to the AFL’s ownership in 2025, however AFL boss Gillon McLachlan wanted to bring that deal forward.
At the time of the original announcement for the AFL to take over the stadium, McLachlan said they would be looking at upgrading the ground and doing a better deal with tenant clubs the Western Bulldogs, Carlton, St Kilda and Melbourne.
“We think that there’s a whole series of aspects that need upgrading and we want to do deals with the tenant clubs so they can make more money,” he told 3AW radio last month.
“We’d like to work with the state government, in partnership, so the stadium works more seven days a week, 365 days a year and interacts with the precinct better.”
There have been no complaints made by any major players from the clubs or the media about the deal since it was announced. Collingwood president Eddie McGuire believes the stadium could have been demolished and re-built to the tune of $1 billion, rather than spending money on a redevelopment of the current structure.
The stadium is the home ground of a number of AFL teams, as well as being used for other sporting codes like rugby union, rugby league and football.
Redb
Roar Guru
I think it does depend on where your sitting at Etihad, the bottom deck is really good, top deck is too far from the action and it does not have the grandeur of the MCG or the thunderous roar.
Bruce
Guest
To be clear - Vic was broke after the Cain Labor govt and tricontinental etc
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
According to Brian Cook, they were making 750,000 a game when the stadium was 22,000 capacity. ""We are very willing for that to happen. They would make very good money. Our capacity crowd was 22,000 last year and we made about $750,000 profit per game." http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/the-western-bulldogs-could-reap-about-750000-if-they-play-home-games-in-geelong/story-e6frf9jf-1226600992429 One would expect it to be more now - that offer was tables in 2013, since then the Cats have average 25k, 34k and 23k at Simonds. $800,000 is probably about right at the moment.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
That deal expired this year, and while it has been renewed, Hobart City Council are no longer financial contributors. Ttline is now the sole sponsor of the Hobart games - the amount is going to be held commercial in confidence. http://www.premier.tas.gov.au/releases/exciting_new_agreement_for_afl_football_in_tasmania
Greg
Guest
I honestly dont care if the stadium is easy to get to, it is average and boring. It doesn't give it any aura or sense of uniqueness. Its seating is no different to any other ground in Australia. Im not sure what "lines of sight" refers to, but it does not hold a superior viewing experience to any other grounds and is far behind the likes of Suncorp. I dont have kids so maybe i do underplay the whole convenience factor. But for me it doesnt take away from it just simply being a very mediocre stadium.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
SportsFanGC - Yeah, I do wanna check out Metricon at some stage! Freo plays the Lions in Queensland on Saturday June 12, which is annoyingly the same day Gold Coast play the Hawks in Melbourne. No chance seeing a Metricon game if I make it to Brisvegas (is that an acceptable nickname for Brisbane anymore?) for the Freo game.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Yeah - in those days when the Monash Freeway was the South East Arterial with traffic lights until you hit the 'Mulgrave Freeway' section. Trains to Clayton or Glen Waverley and buses up to the ground the best option.
Macho
Guest
Speaking of stadia the Fairfax papers were complaining today that the perth stadium was behind schedule and wouldn't be ready for 2017 Ashes tour. It was always going to open on Round 1 2018 AFL season and never before...
Mister Football
Roar Guru
That's right, every club used to play 3 or 4 of their home games at Waverley. I can even remember a couple of Geelong vs Footscray fixtures out there - about the worst geographical position for both clubs imaginable.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
Its likely, just like all clubs had to play games at Waverly when it opened.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Macho So correct. Nothing wrong with generating revenue. It's no good having a premiership but the club going bust because outgoings outstrip incomings.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I'll be down at Metricon for round one 2017 with some friends - got an irish ladyfriend here in Brisbane who loves her footy and her boy "piers" hanley so she wants to pop down and see his first game in his new strip. Haven't been there before but I've heard very good things.
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
PaulD - Completely agree with your assessment of the Gabba. It could definitely do with some renovation work internally. AdelaideDocker - If you get the chance to visit Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast I would highly recommend it. Excellent stadium, great sight lines, plenty of bus transport from both Surfers and Broadbeach. The one criticism I have is that the service provided by the catering companies that fill the different beer and food stalls is much slower than compared with Melbourne/Sydney stadiums.
Macho
Guest
Thanks Mr Football for your continued balance input. The AFL still has work to do in the north judging by this headline in todays Sydney herald about a British migrant soccer kid growing up in Perth who played AFL at school possibly as a lark. He was encouraged to keep going by his coaches but stuck to soccer a s a teenager but to suggest he was stolen from the A-League is Sydney victimism at its worst. "AFL coaches tried to steal Sydney FC's Brandon O'Neill away from A-league" in the printed edition which has been since revised in the digital edition to "sway" instead of "steal" as maybe the AFL reminded Fairfax owners (who also own 2UE) that the AFL radio rights are on 2UE (stablemate of 3AW) next year. Perhaps a sub-editor was unaware of the new relationship but this sort of factless bias is a continual challenge up here.
Macho
Guest
Its funny that the non profit making AFL are all about coin and the other codes are somehow above this yet soccer A league and NRL have private owners who surely aren't in it for the love. There maybe an element of love but cant lose money for ever.
Macho
Guest
I think H and away is a better measure because if the big drawing clubs make the finals they will draw a bigger crowd - on the other side if the big drawing clubs make the finals they will have had a good year and will have drawn big crowds in H and A
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Okay, lesson learnt: don't talk to Paul about optimism. Ha. But yeah, I was equally surprised just how "good" we were when we annihilated you at the Gabba. I didn't expect it, whatsoever. Did you go to that game? On another note, I flicked you through another email Paul. No biggie if you can't reply today, though.
Paul D
Roar Guru
No drop in wickets at the Gabba - still has the original pitch square Good anecdotes though, does put my grumblings into perspective!
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Paul D That's interesting - the Gabba - with that camber of the ground given that it hosted Olympic soccer in 2000, one would have thought a key feature of that would have been the flattening of the field along with drainage and these days drop in cricket pitches. I remember the old days of ground level in Melbourne and seeing head and shoulders only on the far side due to the raised centre. Cheap plastic seats and concrete surrounds are okay - the old wooden benches with splinters and no arm room weren't that great anyway. Standing on the terraces - by the time the reserves were done it was a wearing the friendship a bit thin by the time the seniors came out. And Etihad - when the wind is blowing in and the rain pelting down - to have the roof closed is really quite rather civilised. I used to love the MCG on Friday nights as a North fan in the '90s but there certainly were days when you wouldn't go too near it if you had kids or the elderly with you.
Cat
Roar Guru
That explains the inaccuracies then.