Future of the Bulldogs 'Home' game

[Bart]

I don't want to resurrect a fairly emotional and sometimes heated discussion about this topic about what's right or wrong about this, but it appears the Bulldogs are 'reviewing' this. (I know this has been mentiobed in another thread).

Most interesting is this snippet on afl.com

It has been reported that the Dogs might consider playing two home games at Darwin?s Marrara Oval, which is considered neutral territory.

http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=151178

Now clearly that match is NOT going to be against a Melbourne team. Will it be us ? And an even bigger question. Will Peter Hatley drive there ?

[Charlie]

Well, considering the article in the Herald-Sun gave the impression that they were keen to sponge off us at the SCG for a while longer, you'd assume not.

Let's put it simply - either the Swans refuse to go to Darwin, London or wherever, or the Melbourne-based fans find something better to do with their cash. A third successive year of waiting to be noticed isn't an option, as far as I'm concerned.

[Go Swannies]

This is a weird story. Yesterday one Melbourne paper said that the Dogs were looking at bringing their home games back to Melbourne while the other said they may play more out of Victoria.

But you're right, I bet it ain't the Bombers that head north to play them in Darwin. And I hope Peter will be in hot pursuit. He is an inspirational fan - I really don't know how he finds the energy. Should we get him his own special coat?

[Bart]

Originally posted by Charlie
Let's put it simply - either the Swans refuse to go to Darwin, London or wherever, or the Melbourne-based fans find something better to do with their cash. A third successive year of waiting to be noticed isn't an option, as far as I'm concerned.

Not sure how a team can refuse to travel, but maybe they could agree on the condition that they play an extra game or two in Melbourne

11 Sydney
1 Darwin
1 Canberra
2 out of Brisbane/Adelaide/Perth
7 Melbourne

Interestingly PA expressed interest in the Darwin game. Not sure if they got any leverage out of it though as their fixture mirrors ours except for we have one trip to Adelaide and Canberra while they travel to Darwin and York Park (arguably slightly worse than ours)

[Schneidergirl]

Perhaps the Black & White can play against the Doggies in Darwin?

Surely they'd like to promote their great club to the NT!?

[Go Swannies]

The Pies are already doing a lot in the NT. It'd be interesting to see if they would be prepared to forfeit their home advantage for a game to build on their NT base by playing a H&A game there?

After clubs seem to have the Subi factor under control (or maybe the WA teams just aren't playing as well this year), I wonder what the NT heat would do for a team's performance the week after? If it'd wipe them, is there any chance we could get the Blues-Aints game for this weekend moved up there?

[floppinab]

Brissy have got a few links in the NT, as well as a similar travel factor to Melb.
You'd think they might not mind an away game up there.

[Alec]

Maybe now that the AFL has provided them some grants to offset their debts they feel they can afford to give up the $200k they potentially reap from Syd matches?

This could be a good thing for them in that they no longer feel the money is more important than the 4 pts.

I'd be interested to know what sort of revenue playing to a field lined with parked cars in NT could possible bring to the club, though. How important could a "base" up there be?

[Charlie]

Originally posted by Bart
Not sure how a team can refuse to travel, but maybe they could agree on the condition that they play an extra game or two in Melbourne

11 Sydney
1 Darwin
1 Canberra
2 out of Brisbane/Adelaide/Perth
7 Melbourne

Interestingly PA expressed interest in the Darwin game. Not sure if they got any leverage out of it though as their fixture mirrors ours except for we have one trip to Adelaide and Canberra while they travel to Darwin and York Park (arguably slightly worse than ours)

Or, perhaps, they could do something novel and... think.

We've played 'away' games against the Bulldogs nearly every year for the past 8 or so. There is no reason we HAVE to play the Dogs next year.

You seem to assume that because we play them this year, we must next year as well. That is not the case.

[anne]

I am currently in Darwin. Any team who plays a game up here would be a wreck the following week. I would hate it to be Sydney. It is a slightly longer flight from Sydney than it is from Melbourne.Adelaide teams would be the obvious opposition.

[Bart]

Originally posted by Charlie
Or, perhaps, they could do something novel and... think.

We've played 'away' games against the Bulldogs nearly every year for the past 8 or so. There is no reason we HAVE to play the Dogs next year.

You seem to assume that because we play them this year, we must next year as well. That is not the case.

Well. I would assume we are an option, that's all. I also assume it will not be a Melbourne team, so that narrows it down to 6. If PA are happy to continue, then we are down to 1 in 5. You are correct, in that we don't have to play them 'away' every year, but it is also easy to apply the same rationale to our blockbusters at TS. We don't have to play the Pies or Bombers there every year either. But the Pies match single handedly dug us out of a ver bad financial situation.

All I'm saying is that maybe we could explore the option if it meant getting more games in Melbourne.

Also could we assume that Swans Sydney members will be looking for the appropriate reduction in their fees 1/12th at say $20 x 20000 members = $400k.

Your damned if you do and damed if you don't.

[Old Royboy]

If Footscray play two games i Darwin it will be motivated by:

1. Expected loss if they play the game in Melbourne - They would lose more money against any of the SA, WA teams, Sydney and Brisbane next about equal.

2. Crowd pulling potential in Darwin of the other side. - We have no territorians in our side. PA and Brisbane are the draws here.

So, unlikely we would have to go. Dogs would probably request only an away game against us to avoid the loss, otherwise we may end up at the dump they call Optus.

[Bart]

Originally posted by Old Royboy
2. Crowd pulling potential in Darwin of the other side. - We have no territorians in our side. PA and Brisbane are the draws here.

Size of corwd has probably little to do with it. In fact it is not a factor in its current arrangemnet with the Swans.

The answer is will the NT govt pay more to the Dogs to play a game there than the Swans do.

BTW Charlie when you mentioned London I didn't think twice until I just saw in the Tele that the AFL and Swans had knocked back a request from Dees to play a H&A in London. Good grief !

[robbieando]

If the Dogs got a second game in Darwin, it would more than likely be against either of West Coast, Freo or Adelaide, than Sydney or Brisbane. Despite what has been said on this topic before the AFL do understand the needs of the Melbourne based supporters of the Swans and the Lions and are therefore highly unlikely to make the Swans or the Lions play away games in either Darwin or Tassie at the impact of games in Melbourne.

In fact the AFL has said before that the Swans and the Lions won't be the interstate clubs to play the Hawks or the Saints in Tassie and that these games are going to be given to the WA and SA clubs, despite the Hawks in partiular requesting many times to have the Swans or the Lions play them in Tassie.

As for whether Sydney based memberships will fall in price next season in line with less games - I wouldn't count on it.

[DST]

Originally posted by Bart
Size of corwd has probably little to do with it. In fact it is not a factor in its current arrangemnet with the Swans.

The answer is will the NT govt pay more to the Dogs to play a game there than the Swans do.

BTW Charlie when you mentioned London I didn't think twice until I just saw in the Tele that the AFL and Swans had knocked back a request from Dees to play a H&A in London. Good grief !

I don't think they requested a game in London against the Swans but merely floated the idea of it happening. A case of the new Melbourne president preaching to the faithful how progressive the new management team is. Also designed as leverage to get a better deal out of Brisbane in the new contract.

But it is really pie in the sky stuff of taking the game to London for premiership points

DST