Friday’s announcement of a new 40-year to keep the Australian Football League grand final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is a slap in the face, and a step back towards the old days of the VFL.
I wonder if Gillon McLachlan and the rest of the AFL board understand that by hosting the grand final in the same city continuously, they are actually preventing people that live in Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney – the four cities that host 45 per cent of the competition’s clubs – from attending the biggest game of the year.
Let’s say Bill, 44 years old, is a Tigers supporter from Richmond who decides in 2016 he’s had enough of not seeing his team make a grand final, and purchases one ticket to the 2016 grand final to see the Western Bulldogs defeat the Sydney Swans for $190 (approximately).
Then, in 2017, his beloved Tigers make the grand final and Bill once again is lucky enough to secure a ticket for $190 (cheapest again, approximately). He’s spent $380 and seen two grand finals in two years, pretty happy!
Geoff, on the other hand, is a Crows supporter, who lives in Adelaide. He was only five years old when the Crows won their second flag, in 1998, and in he snags one of the cheap tickets to the big dance for $190.
Now Geoff needs to get to Melbourne to see the game. The cheapest flights he can find is $500 each way, as the airlines increase prices when interstate supporters are looking for seats, and he has to take the Friday off work. Accommodation in Melbourne for Friday and Saturday night is split with a mate at $150 a night.
Geoff watches his beloved Adelaide go down to Richmond for the cost of $1340, plus loses a day’s salary.
$380 and two grand finals for Bill, who lives in Melbourne, $1340 for one grand final for Geoff, who lives in Adelaide. Hardly seems fair, and hardly seems like the AFL wants as many people as possible to go to the grand final.
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The AFL preaches equalisation, has a draft to allow weaker clubs access to quality players, has a salary cap on player payments, a salary cap on football department spending, subsidises weaker financial clubs with funds from stronger clubs, yet forces teams from outside Victoria to travel ten times a season (more if they make finals) and now has removed any chance of a non-Victorian club playing a grand final at home until at least 2058.
Hardly equal – and I haven’t even mentioned the father-son-rule!
But rather than just slamming the AFL for its grand final decision, here are two ideas that would’ve been worth considering.
Last year’s minor premiers have the right to host
The club must pay an amount to activate hosting rights, and has the right to refuse to host, at which point the MCG shall become host.
So the Crows were 2017’s minor premiers, meaning in August 2017 they have earned the right to host the 2018 grand final. They pay the AFL $5 million (rough number) to activate hosting rights, or turn the opportunity down and it’s held at the MCG.
Host stadium allocated based on percentage of clubs in each state
Victoria have ten of the 18 clubs, which is 55 per cent, while NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia have eight, for 45 per cent.
Let’s make that five out of nine at the MCG, with therefore the other four held interstate. As per the previous suggestion, a stadium must pay $X to activate hosting rights, with the right to refuse, at which point the MCG shall become host.
Here’s hoping that someone can come up with a more equitable grand final arrangement – the AFL took five years to grant a non-Victorian club finals hosting rights, surely it won’t take another 40 years to work out that 45 per cent of their clubs and supporters exist outside Victoria.
RT
Roar Rookie
I was only lucky enough to find this article because it was referenced in another from the same author. The argument about high cost of travel for supporters is the weakest argument that could be raised on the issue of Grand Final location. Adelaide had no problem selling its allocation of tickets in 2017 to members, so cost of travel and accommodation wasn't an issue. I am pretty sure West Coast had the same result in 2018. GWS certainly didn't in 2019, but it wasn't due to travel costs, but lack of interest. By the way, airline increase prices for finals in other states too, just ask Melbourne supporters getting to Perth for that prelim in 2018.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
Apparently the VFL cannot manage a micky mouse comp but the US can.....go figure.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
In that case I guess we will never see a true impartial competition...too bad.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
Lets face it....Victorians cannot build stadiums without these deals.....aparranlty other states can do it but not Vics.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
Actually Adelaide had to play one of its finals (not GF) in Melbourne so the biased rules were still in place. It was becoming embarrasing and so the VFL had to change tack...but only a little bit.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
You must have gone to a Port game.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
That is just marketing crap. What makes the MCG the "spiritual home". The first game was not played there...you and others are just falling into the VFL marketing crap. It is also not a "neutral venue". just because some crap commentators like McAveney say it is.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
No problem there as long as the Vics own up to the disadvantage. Funny watching Eddie McGuire gripe on radio about unfair advantage of having one less day to prepare for Richmond game...where is he now that Collingwood play their away GF at home!!!!
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
The AFL is doing a great job in building the game and supporting all levels...they just have to openly admit it is at the cost of a true top level national league where all teams are treated equal.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
You have to give up...the Vic based supporters will always refuse to acknowledge the unfairness. Meanwhile the rest of the country just have to put asterix's next to the compromised premierships. That includes Richmod V Adelaide, WB V Sydney and quite a few others where the non-Vic teams played their home GF in Melbourne.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
You do realise that the AFL gets billions (thats with a B) from its media deals....and you want to argue over a paltry few million (thats with an m). Too bad Vics cannot acknowledge the unfairness. It would be a lot easier for interstate supporters to stomache if only the Vics would at least acknowledge the unfariness and the dadvantage given to the Vic clubs. PS Geelong are also disadvantaged as for instnce they had to play Richmod at the MCG in 2017 despite it being their home final. They would have thumped richmond if only the VFL was truely impartial.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
I dont have a problem with this...as long as the Victorian clubs can only claim the "Compromised Premiership" and not allow history to white wash the extra leg up they are given by the VFL...I mean AFL.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
Why is it Victorians dont seem to be able to sustain their statdiums without these deals. SA, and WA seem to be able to build/maintain stadiums but Vics cannot...pathetic.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
And too bad for those sucker families outside of Victoria who might actually want to take their children - forget it - it'll cost like $10K. AFL sucks balls! Hope Murdock and Packer can sort this issue out with a break-away comp.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
Meanwhile money flows out of the state and money pours into Melbourne - great for Vic jobs I guess.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
Thats your best comeback. Pleeeeeaaase.....there is a reason the AFL refuses to acknowledge there is a thing called home ground advantage. It exists, it is real and everyone who knows anything about sport knows it exists. Everyone just turns a blind eye to it. Even McAveney on the weekend was talking about some statistic where Richmond how great they are and just missed out on the record of consecutive straight wins at home...wtf....the only team they beat outside of the MCG was Gold Coast....this does not make them a great side. They also disadvantaged Geelong by moving Gellongs home game to the MCG whcih Richmond won, otherwise they would have lost that game too.
Roger Gambitt
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately it does not matter because hotels association in Melbourne are one of the backers. Even if only 10,000 travel across that is a boon for them. Lets face it. Its unfair and big business is one of the stakeholders. The Vic government is also in the ring with their hat. The best the non-Victorians can do is to continually remind Vic supporters that premierships like the one Richmond "won" is a compromised premiership and they would ever have won it without the biased setup that the VFL/AFL is. Put an asterix against every Vic team that wins a premiership when they did not earn a homee final - that includes if Collingwood win this weekend.
Bangkokpussey
Roar Rookie
Queensland supporters want the Grand Final played in Brisbane. South Australian supporters want it played in Adelaide West Australians want it played at their new oval and Victorians are happy to have it played at the MCG in Melbourne. There is one obvious solution staring everyone in the face, which removes the game from Melbourne, and with advantage to almost no one. Play the Grand final at Kardinia Park. Problem solved. I seem to be the only one who can see the blindingly obvious solution.
anon
Roar Pro
It looks like 34k tickets are given to competing members not 24k. Doesn't change my point. A quick google search will show my numbers are correct about GF revenue.
Paul D
Roar Guru
As you've provided no evidence or links for your figures as usual - and given you've totally ignored my comment exposing your crowd number figure as bunk, I'm not going to bother arguing this one with you any further. Good luck to you