More Swans Games at Homebush

[Charlie]

Must admit to not having read this thread in great detail - but I'll give my relatively simple thoughts about a second team in Sydney.

- The Swans are healthier than they have been in the past, but are still not a powerhouse, on-field or off. Football as a sport is still marginal. The Swans as a club are not currently marginal. They have a fairly well established supporter base - it's just not big enough.

- A second team in Sydney would not automatically double the numbers of AFL supporters in Sydney. Inevitably, both the new team and the Swans would struggle for supporters, by the time some Swans fans jump ship and the other club realises that the Swans aren't the only competition in town.

- This would then result in a crisis for the Swans. We cannot afford to lose members at this time. I, for one, don't really give a toss about grassroots footy in NSW (yes, I realise that many here do). I'm a Swans fan. They come first, and I expect everyone at the club - and at the AFL, for that matter - to have the Sydney Football Club's wellbeing foremost in their minds no matter what NSW policy they consider.

- I can't see that having two marginal clubs is better than having one reasonably healthy club.

[footyhead]

Originally posted by Mark
The above is hypocrisy in the extreme

Numerous surveys have shown that a very very significant majority of Swans members (ie those who actually pay year in year out) live in the eastern suburbs or lower north shore. Therefore, there is no relevance whatsoever to where 75% of sydneys overall population lives.

I believe there is a rather large population centre in China, should we schedule some games in beijing ?

Maybe you should open your eyes rather than imploring others to do so.

As for the company car jibe, quite pathetic really, having such a large chip on your shoulder will always distorts your view of anything !

Yet another reason Sydney need a second team in the west - the culture that the Swans are appealing to just won't cut it in the perceived harsher realities of the tradtionally working class western Suberbs.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by cruiser
I am very much in favour of more Swans games at Telstra Stadium (I love the ground) but I'm not so keen on a second Sydney team yet. However, I like the idea of playing Ess v Coll at Telstra Stadium, although I would have thought that it would more likely be played at Telstra Dome in Melbourne.

I was talking with Norris Lurker about this when we walked past the ground in the rain singing our heads off after a great Kings victory against the Swine last night.

At Docklands you would get a guaranteed 53000 to the match. How much promotion and spruiking would the AFL have to engage in to even get half that at Telstra Stadium?! And would it be money well spent?

Whilst I can see the benefits of having such a big match up here from a promotion viewpoint, I fear the negative publicity the game would cop when one of the year's marque fixtures is played in front of empty stands.

JF

[Norris Lurker]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
I was talking with Norris Lurker about this when we walked past the ground in the rain singing our heads off after a great Kings victory against the Swine last night.

At Docklands you would get a guaranteed 53000 to the match. How much promotion and spruiking would the AFL have to engage in to even get half that at Telstra Stadium?! And would it be money well spent?

Whilst I can see the benefits of having such a big match up here from a promotion viewpoint, I fear the negative publicity the game would cop when one of the year's marque fixtures is played in front of empty stands.

If Essendon and Collingwood were to play off in Sydney, I'd estimate a crowd of around 28-30,000. Much as I'd like to see it, it won't happen.
The game will be played at Docklands, and as JF mentioned will get a 53,000 sellout. The AFL could live with that - last year at the MCG they got 57,000, and about 16,000 of them were MCC members who the AFL get nothing for. So there'll be more tickets and better revenue for the AFL next year than there was last year.
Absolutely not a chance the game will be played in Sydney. If I'm wrong and Essendon v Collingwood on Anzac Day 2006 is scheduled to be played in Sydney, I will buy a ticket for any RWOer who wants to go to the game.

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by Norris Lurker
Absolutely not a chance the game will be played in Sydney. If I'm wrong and Essendon v Collingwood on Anzac Day 2006 is scheduled to be played in Sydney, I will buy a ticket for any RWOer who wants to go to the game.

I'll take you up on that offer NL!

[footyhead]

[i] If I'm wrong and Essendon v Collingwood on Anzac Day 2006 is scheduled to be played in Sydney, I will buy a ticket for any RWOer who wants to go to the game. [/B]

me to.

[Beaussie]

Originally posted by Norris Lurker
Absolutely not a chance the game will be played in Sydney. If I'm wrong and Essendon v Collingwood on Anzac Day 2006 is scheduled to be played in Sydney, I will buy a ticket for any RWOer who wants to go to the game.

I'll also take you up on that offer.

[j s]

Originally posted by Norris Lurker
I will buy a ticket for any RWOer who wants to go to the game.

I too will take you up on that offer MIchael, as long as I don't have to cheer for either side.

[Matt79]

Originally posted by Norris Lurker

Absolutely not a chance the game will be played in Sydney. If I'm wrong and Essendon v Collingwood on Anzac Day 2006 is scheduled to be played in Sydney, I will buy a ticket for any RWOer who wants to go to the game.

Buy two tickets for my wife and I please!

I am sorry But I disagree. To many people's surprise there are actually AFL supporters living in Sydney and not just Sydney Swans fans. I am a loyal, passionate Swans supporter AND also a loyal AFL supporter...I love the game.

If the game is played here next year I will definately be going and drumming up support for the game as well.

Once a year, my wife and I head to Melbourne for a FOOTY weekend, watching 4 games in one weekend including a Swans game and it is true bliss...I love the Swans and the game of AFL as well!

[Charlie]

I think Norris is now very hopeful that Essendon and Collingwood don't play in Sydney next year.

[The Undertaker]

Originally posted by peterh_oz
So where do you travel from?



Sounds like the city circle to me - do you live in the CBD? Of course the SCG is close and easy to get to. Try coming in from the west, where 75% of Sydney lives. Hmmm ...

Train? - every weekend there is trackwork on at least 1 line. Then the bus from Central. 3 people on the bus @ $4.40 each - its cheaper to catch a taxi!
OK so public transport to the SCG sucks - ok drive then: Parramatta Road? Its pretty slow. Then again, its a freeway when compared to Cleveland Street. It can take an hour to go 8 blocks on Cleveand Street. And from the west, there's not many options! The M5? OK its not bad - but the last 1km can still take longer than the first 40!

Lets compare to Homebush ...
Geographically its in the middle - much easier for everyone (on average). Not as easy for a Paddington or Randwick resident but MUCH easier for Hornsby, Liverpool, Sutherland, Penrith, Campbelltown, Blue Mtns, Hills District, Southern Highlands. Even Central Coast - one change of trains at Strathfield! No buses, same ticket (so its cheaper).

You may not live in the city - I don't know. But just because the SCG is better for YOU, open your eyes, open a map, and look where most people live in this city. Especially those who can't use their company car to drive for free! And also remember where the future of our game is - its not the kids in Randwick, its the kids in Greater Sydney!

Listen here smartarse,

For starters,i have posted to this thread twice previously and i you had bothered to read my first post,i did state that if you were from Western Sydney,then i guess Telstra Stadium would be easier to get to!

For your info,i live in Bondi Junction and i am not one of these types who believe Sydney ends at Anzac Pde.Before i lived in Bondi,i lived in Hillsdale(south eastern suburbs of Sydney)so the SCG has always been fairly close to me in the six years i haved lived in this city!Before that,i used to travel from the CENTRAL COAST TO GET TO GAMES!!!!.So don't start lecturing me on where people live and how they travel ok pal!.

If you are getting out of Homebush by public transport,there is only two train lines and a bus service so far away from the actually stadium.It takes forever to get in and out of the place because there isnt much choice.On the other hand,getting to and from the SCG from the city via public transport,there are a lot of bus services.

But hey,what would i know?I am not as intelligent as you and i am so selfish!

[Mike_B]

I'll say it one last time - there's no place on this board for mud-slinging. Keep it clean of personal insults or take yourself elsewhere.

I'd like to think everyone is intelligent and civil enough to be able to conduct a rational conversation without resorting to childish namecalling.

If you are prepared to voice your opinion, be prepared to have someone voice a different one. Just because they don't agree with you doesn't mean you can turn around and insult them.

That is all.

[peterh_oz]

Originally posted by Mark
The above is hypocrisy in the extreme

Numerous surveys have shown that a very very significant majority of Swans members (ie those who actually pay year in year out) live in the eastern suburbs or lower north shore. Therefore, there is no relevance whatsoever to where 75% of sydneys overall population lives.

I believe there is a rather large population centre in China, should we schedule some games in beijing ?

Maybe you should open your eyes rather than imploring others to do so.

As for the company car jibe, quite pathetic really, having such a large chip on your shoulder will always distorts your view of anything !

For a start the company car line was tongue in cheek. However the remainder stands as said. If you don't want the game to grow, or the club to grow, then keep the game as an Eastern suburbs hobby. If you do want it to grow, take it to the people. If you don't, then those people will remain with the NRL or take up Rugby. We are in the most competitive sporting market on the planet. I don't care about this generation - decisions have been made in their hearts. But its the future I look for. The kids. And their kids. I want to see fields with 4 posts at each end, and no cross-bar.

If your theory is right, then leave Formula 1 in Europe, leave gridiron in America, and leave rugby in NSW/Qld. Have a look - all three of these are hugely successful, yet they are expanding into other markets. How many Chinese can afford a ferrari? Yet they ARE racing there. And there is a viable NFL-Europe league (supplying regular yet growing numbers of recruits to the NFL), and Rugby has just expanded its Super 12 comp into Perth.

I would prefer the AFL and the Swans to expand into Western Sydney. It is a LONG way from holding its own club - that is at least 2 generations away (there's still too many cross-bars on the fields in Sydney for 2 teams to flourish, not just survive). Yet small steps can be made, and expaning into Homebush is one of them.

By the way, I checked and I can't see any chips.

[peterh_oz]

Originally posted by Norris Lurker
If I'm wrong and Essendon v Collingwood on Anzac Day 2006 is scheduled to be played in Sydney, I will buy a ticket for any RWOer who wants to go to the game.

Better start saving my friend! And it'll get more than 30,000 (weather permitting). It'll be an event. And remember any cost of marketing will be offset by the ratings provided by a live telecast into Melbourne (probably at night!), allowing for most of the marketing to be done on the network that is showing it (therefore scratching each other's back and at minimal actual cost). And Eddie & Sheeds can easily get multiple pages written even here in Sydney. Remember the first Syd v Coll game @ Homebush? Eddie was here fr a week drumming up support and gota sell-out crowd in the rain! He & Sheeds will do it again. Sheeds is all for the game growing and will back it all the way.

[swansrule100]

Originally posted by peterh_oz
Better start saving my friend! And it'll get more than 30,000 (weather permitting). It'll be an event. And remember any cost of marketing will be offset by the ratings provided by a live telecast into Melbourne (probably at night!), allowing for most of the marketing to be done on the network that is showing it (therefore scratching each other's back and at minimal actual cost). And Eddie & Sheeds can easily get multiple pages written even here in Sydney. Remember the first Syd v Coll game @ Homebush? Eddie was here fr a week drumming up support and gota sell-out crowd in the rain! He & Sheeds will do it again. Sheeds is all for the game growing and will back it all the way.

whered u find this out??

why they giving up a home game and a melbourne tradition?
if its true, it would annoy more people in melbourne than people it would make happy in sydney.

I dont believe it at the moment, u sure its true?