ANZ Stadium rears its ugly head.

[Meg]

"The Swans are in the box seat to host two blockbuster finals this year and are desperate to play them at the SCG."

AFL tight-lipped on Sydney finals venue

[Hotpotato]

Mike Sheahan on AFL 360 seemed to have some inside info.... That our finals will be be played at the SCG.
It's our home ground , ANZ shouldn't be in the picture .

[WolfGang]

So - what is the number of Finals games required to be played at ANZ ???

Is it 1 or 2 this year until all aspects of any contract/s are meet / completed ??

Is this the last year that Finals are required to be played at ANZ ??

Pls advise.

[barry]

I wish the AFL would expend some energy on being able to move the grand final out of the mcg.

[KTigers]

My understanding is one of the biggest issues moving AFL games (be they H & A, or finals) from ANZ to the SCG is compensating the
ANZ box holders who have already paid a lot of money to have the games included in their packages.

[swansrob]

So - what is the number of Finals games required to be played at ANZ ???

Is it 1 or 2 this year until all aspects of any contract/s are meet / completed ??

Is this the last year that Finals are required to be played at ANZ ??

Pls advise.

There are no "required number" of finals games that need to be played at ANZ. The contract with the AFL was for any finals in Sydney to be played at ANZ, unless the NRL needed the ground. That contract expires at the end of this season, so any finals we do play there this year - if any - will be the last for at least 30 years

[barry]

My understanding is one of the biggest issues moving AFL games (be they H & A, or finals) from ANZ to the SCG is compensating the
ANZ box holders who have already paid a lot of money to have the games included in their packages.

That should be equaled out by the SCG box holders / members paying money to get the extra games.

I doubt there are many AFL fans left as ANZ members.

[KTigers]

Technically ANZ Stadium members should be compensated too. Imagine if a Swans SCG game that members had paid up front for was moved to ANZ.

That should be equaled out by the SCG box holders / members paying money to get the extra games.

I doubt there are many AFL fans left as ANZ members.

[Hotpotato]

Cmon AFL, just pay the bloody contract penalty to ANZ stadium and give the fans something back for supporting the game through our back pocket .

[KTigers]

All of this happened because of two games in 2003. A H & A game against Collingwood, and the prelim against Brisbane. Both games pulled 70,000 plus crowds. It's likely there were 25,000 Swans member/fans & 45,000 "theatre goers" at these games. The AFL and the Swans got so excited at the time they went off and signed a fifteen year contract to play three H & A games every year and some finals at ANZ. The theatre goers moved on, because that's what they do, they move on. Personally, I never minded ANZ. It's an oval of sorts, it has grass (mostly), there are goalposts. Footy was played there. But the large bulk of Swans fans can't stand the place for a variety of reasons that are well documented. The AFL & Swans should have been more sensible & cautious and maybe just signed a five year deal to see how the land lies so to speak. ANZ Stadium are big boys and they would have pulled through. The thirty year deal the AFL & Swans have signed to play at the SCG shows they have learnt absolutely nothing. How can anyone possibly know the Swans stadium requirements that far in advance? We mostly all love the SCG now, but in 2042?

[Captain]

My understanding is one of the biggest issues moving AFL games (be they H & A, or finals) from ANZ to the SCG is compensating the
ANZ box holders who have already paid a lot of money to have the games included in their packages.

Makes no sense. Do these box holders get compensated if the Swans missed the 8 too?

[graemed]

A lot of people think the ticket prices for the finals here in Sydney are quite high, and because of the size of ANZ
if you want to be vaguely close to the action you have to buy the most expensive tickets, and not everyone has
money to throw around. There were lots of posts on RWO during the final series last year to this effect. It's probably a bit harsh to criticise members who would like to go but find the ticket prices too high.

I remember paying for $180 a seat for tickets in the "platinum" zone for the PF against Collingwood in 2012. They were right next to the scoreboard on the second highest level and the noise level was overwhelming, the view restricted and the whole experience underwhelming despite the excitement of seeing our team at the peak of their powers.

Ever since I have either paid the minimum and viewed from the usual "Red Zone" or gone with good graces of friends who are Stadium members.

[KTigers]

No, when you buy a box it's sold to you on the basis that you will get some many RL games, so many Union games, so many soccer games, some concerts and some AFL games. The price you pay is based on that. If the AFL games (or any of the other codes) are moved then you are entitled to some kind of compensation. When this years three ANZ home and away games were moved to the SCG just before the season started the Swans hierarchy stated in the press the main issue they had to deal with was the ANZ box holders who were going to miss out on games they'd expected to get at ANZ. The money earned from boxes is very substantial.

Makes no sense. Do these box holders get compensated if the Swans missed the 8 too?

[AnnieH]

I remember paying for $180 a seat for tickets in the "platinum" zone for the PF against Collingwood in 2012. They were right next to the scoreboard on the second highest level and the noise level was overwhelming, the view restricted and the whole experience underwhelming despite the excitement of seeing our team at the peak of their powers.

Ever since I have either paid the minimum and viewed from the usual "Red Zone" or gone with good graces of friends who are Stadium members.

You could have moved to a better spot.
No one checks your tickets. You can pretty much sit wherever you like.

[MadCanuck]

This is extremely positive. Means there is a chance

McLachlan also hinting that a Thursday night final may be on the cards depending on "final configuration". I would not be surprised if that is part of the deal for a SCG final. We play at SCG but only if it is on the Thursday night and the Hawks are the opposition.