AFL committed to Homebush

[redunderthebed]

well , so my latest Sydney Swans Magazine says......BUT, as an eastern suburbs wacker, I am not at all happy with Telsta Stadium and will seriously consider my membership (of 20 years) if the number of games increase out THERE.
The SCG is perfect for the game (and me) so it is just bleading stupid to increase games out there for no atmosphere and no perceived increase of interest. didn't we see the Kings stuff up on this?

[robbieando]

What are you complaining about?? At least you get to see them live in your home town more than 5 times. Remember the Swans are for the entire Sydney population not just those in the North-Eastern suburbs.

I don't think if there is any increase that it will be any more than an extra match out West.

[desredandwhite]

It doesn't make sense to have more than a handful of games at homebush - You'd basically want a high-drawing team - So any of the "Big Four". And depending on circumstances, finals matches too. Stadium Australia is actually more convenient for me to get to so that's fine by me

I don't mind the ground at all. The sightlines aren't any worse than the top deck of the great southern stand, and the food is just as bad as any other footy ground!! Get 40,000+ in there and the atmosphere is as good as anywhere.

The SCG is where the majority of games should and will stay.

[Bear]

The SCG is too small for quality AFL football to be played. It leads to cramped zig-zag football.

The more the better at the bigger, open Telstra Stadium for the sake of our chances of winning in Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Melb when it counts. Much better open, running football spectacle too, even if you are significantly further away.

Also the more the better for the sake of growing the club's supporter base, which seems to have plateaud in the East.

I would be happy with around a 50-50 split.

[vagary]

rutb why are you complaining? coming from the south of sydney i have to travel a great distance to get to all home games. at least you get most of them not so far away.

[redunderthebed]

sorry, you are right , no excuse ....i am a bleeding ,selfish eastern suberbs richard head.

[cos789]

There should be the flexbility of rostering any game that appears to draw in excess of say 40,000 to Homebush .They shift games in Melbourne to and fro from the MCG so why not the SCG ?

horses for courses.

[bricon]

Originally posted by cos789
There should be the flexbility of rostering any game that appears to draw in excess of say 40,000 to Homebush .They shift games in Melbourne to and fro from the MCG so why not the SCG ?

The MCG and SCG have FAR lower overheads/operating costs than Homebush (and Docklands for that matter). The Swans lost $750,000 staging and promoting the 3 games at Homebush last year with average crowds of well over 40,000. It appears that the break-even crowd at Homebush for AFL is something like 55-60,000 - the break-even figure at the SCG is around 18,000.

From a purely financial consideration, a 35,000 crowd at the SCG would offer the club an infinitely better return than 60,000 at Homebush. If Homebush is seen as a development tool to expand the game into the western suburbs (a very flawed theory in my view) then the AFL should pay for the costs of staging the matches there. Code development is the AFLs domain NOT the clubs'.

[vagary]

Originally posted by redunderthebed
sorry, you are right , no excuse ....i am a bleeding ,selfish eastern suberbs richard head.

i never meant anything like that.

[redunderthebed]

sorry, not meant specifically at you but just a rather poor effort at being a smart alec.....or maybe it was a successful effort of being a smart alec......anyway it was not meant to offend anyone.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Sadly we have such of a high percentage of typically fickle Eastern suburbs yuppies who make up our membership. If the game is anything west of Moore Park, forget it! There are lattes to be sipped in Paddo and white wine to be quaffed in Woollarah.

Like how difficult is it to get on a train at Bondi Junction, then a 15 minute trip to Central, then up to the interurban platforms for a 25 minute trip to Homebush!

Paul from the office even said that there are people deranged enough to go to Melbourne 2-3 times a year who REFUSE to go to Homebush!

Pure and simple, if you are having trouble fitting a 25 minute trip to Homebush into your 'oh-so-hectic' lifestyle, then TOUGH! If you are going to be accepted as a fair-dinkum Sydney fan you should be prepared to go anywhere the team is playing. I'm sure most of the Eastern Suburbs set would be itching to get their designer jeans-wearing derrieres on seats out at Stadium Australia when the finals come around. The pick-and-choose attitude of many inner-city Sydneysiders is one of my pet hates. I see it not only in Swans' fans, but in most of people you meet who live in the inner suburbs. You are a Swans' barracker or not, pure and simple!

Personally to me Homebush has been a huge disappointment. Especially considering I was one of its greatest supporter before we moved matches there. Behind the goals, with the squabbling Little Leaguers leaving in the second quarter, and no roof to keep the sound in, the atmosphere is virtually non-existant. Actually I have never been to a less atmosphere-engendering facility in the AFL yet. Even vocal Cheer Squads like Essendon and Richmond are unable to make much noise there! (So it's not just me!!!) Footy Park, the Gabba, even Waverley resonated more atmosphere than Stadium Australia with 50000 in it! (Having said that, hopefully the new rooves behind the goals will help on that score)

Do I boycott going, of course not! Do I reckon there should be more than 3 games at the venue, no I don't. I had it re-assured to me last year. As much as we love to hate its security team, the SCG is our home. Hopefully with the new grandstand replacing the hill things will improve. I'd personally love for there not to be that huge gap between Bay 22 and the bays above it. Maybe they could have the seats join up with the back part, as they have done of Destructive's and Mike B's wing.

We lost a lot of money last year, in spite of the increased crowds, at Homebush. When you look at today's Terror, methinks our club can hardly afford to be shelling too much cash out on ventures that will lose them money.

I could not handle us having to cry poor to the AFL again. Especially in the face of maggots like Eddie and co squealing blue murder at any hint of "interstate favouritism".

JF

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Oops

Originally posted by redunderthebed
sorry, not meant specifically at you but just a rather poor effort at being a smart alec.....or maybe it was a successful effort of being a smart alec......anyway it was not meant to offend anyone.

Should have read further down the page.

Hopefully there is no personal offence Red. (Des/Gemma, have mercy on lil ol' me! LOL)

Just that the attitude of some Swans' "fans" is something that really gets me hot under the collar.

Still, see you all at the Brewery about 4ish on Saturday. Red, I owe you a beer mate!

JF

[redunderthebed]

but no offense taken and thanks for the beer offer but , confession, i won't be there on saturday night NOT because it is homebush BUT because my missus didn't read the calender and booked us in for a north shore dinner party....now i ask you, is that fair?But there is a positive WE ALWAYS WIN WHEN I MISS A GAME.
enjoy the night and let's hope for a good crowd.

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by redunderthebed
But there is a positive WE ALWAYS WIN WHEN I MISS A GAME.

The same has been said of Des....well, maybe something similar, like when he's at Colonial we NEVER win.

[snajik]

Originally posted by bricon
The MCG and SCG have FAR lower overheads/operating costs than Homebush (and Docklands for that matter). The Swans lost $750,000 staging and promoting the 3 games at Homebush last year with average crowds of well over 40,000. It appears that the break-even crowd at Homebush for AFL is something like 55-60,000 - the break-even figure at the SCG is around 18,000.

From a purely financial consideration, a 35,000 crowd at the SCG would offer the club an infinitely better return than 60,000 at Homebush. If Homebush is seen as a development tool to expand the game into the western suburbs (a very flawed theory in my view) then the AFL should pay for the costs of staging the matches there. Code development is the AFLs domain NOT the clubs'.

It amazes me how the whitest of white elephants can demand such enormous overheads. Surely it needs to be a bit more flexible in order to attract more events. I once worked out there, and there were no more than a dozen 'events' in a calendar year. How does it continue to justify its existence?

Meanwhile, everyone I have spoken with including myself (well we have the occasional discussion) loves the atmosphere at Homebush. We think it rocks. It will be awesome when the rooves go up. Don't quite get the aforementioned comments. Sure that you have your walkmans turned off before the game starts?