Jets are in one of the massive media markets (NY) and they're currently the "good" NY team, and have one of the most well-known/popular/polarising players in Aaron Rodgers. It's all about projected TV numbers, but if you look at historical numbers the Jets will have flatlined last year because Rodgers got injured at the beginning of the first game and flatlined every year prior because they've been crap forever. This year they project good numbers (assuming Rodgers stays healthy) so they get the reward. Same reason the Dallas Cowboys gets a heap of prime time slots, as well as whoever the best QB is in a given year (Mahomes for the Kansas City Chiefs now) and any other successful/exciting/big market team.
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wow
just saw the Pendles news
Including Ginnivan , McStay & Murphy thats now 9 missing from the premiership side
absence brings opportunity
Time to stand up Bytel , Dean , Harrison , Johnson , Macrae , Parker , Sullivan and show you belong at this level.
Trust the process and the structure/system
Looks like only Checkers , Titch (?) & WHE possibly return before the Bye.
I know people love taking about Collingwood's fixture , but what is the reason we have to travel to play a home ground at Marvel ? , bewildering , even more so given the opposition's home ground is Marvel
The team for the people should be at the G each and every round
Floreat Pica
just saw the Pendles news
Including Ginnivan , McStay & Murphy thats now 9 missing from the premiership side
absence brings opportunity
Time to stand up Bytel , Dean , Harrison , Johnson , Macrae , Parker , Sullivan and show you belong at this level.
Trust the process and the structure/system
Looks like only Checkers , Titch (?) & WHE possibly return before the Bye.
I know people love taking about Collingwood's fixture , but what is the reason we have to travel to play a home ground at Marvel ? , bewildering , even more so given the opposition's home ground is Marvel
The team for the people should be at the G each and every round
Floreat Pica
I would have thought the last thing a Collingwood supporter would want to do, is bleat about fixturing. Every MCG home team gets their share of home games at Marvel, and yes, sometimes even against Marvel Tennant's.
Every club has played at GMHBA in fairly recent times........ except Collingwood!!!
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wow
just saw the Pendles news
Including Ginnivan , McStay & Murphy thats now 9 missing from the premiership side
absence brings opportunity
Time to stand up Bytel , Dean , Harrison , Johnson , Macrae , Parker , Sullivan and show you belong at this level.
Trust the process and the structure/system
Looks like only Checkers , Titch (?) & WHE possibly return before the Bye.
I know people love taking about Collingwood's fixture , but what is the reason we have to travel to play a home ground at Marvel ? , bewildering , even more so given the opposition's home ground is Marvel
The team for the people should be at the G each and every round
Floreat Pica
EDIT West Coast game @ Marvel as well , did I miss the news that the G is no longer our home ground
ok it is part of a contract to play 2 Home Games @ Marvel each season
just saw the Pendles news
Including Ginnivan , McStay & Murphy thats now 9 missing from the premiership side
absence brings opportunity
Time to stand up Bytel , Dean , Harrison , Johnson , Macrae , Parker , Sullivan and show you belong at this level.
Trust the process and the structure/system
Looks like only Checkers , Titch (?) & WHE possibly return before the Bye.
I know people love taking about Collingwood's fixture , but what is the reason we have to travel to play a home ground at Marvel ? , bewildering , even more so given the opposition's home ground is Marvel
The team for the people should be at the G each and every round
Floreat Pica
EDIT West Coast game @ Marvel as well , did I miss the news that the G is no longer our home ground
ok it is part of a contract to play 2 Home Games @ Marvel each season
How many home games have Geelong had against us since 1999 ? surely they have the choice on where to play their home games against us ?
In all fairness we should play away games against them at GMHBA,
Its getting worse , just read Craig Kelly is looking at selling a home game next year either in Brisbane , Gold Coast or even Perth.
Out of the loop didn't realize we had a contractual arrangement to play 2 home games at Marvel each year.
We play the same amount of H & A games as every other club , not our fault clubs want to "host" games at the G against us.
Even if Collingwood (and the other Victorian clubs) traveled interstate 8 times a season to play , where would the other 15-16 games be played ?
I once emailed the AFL about that idea , I remember one of their responses was then how do the non-Victorian clubs get to experience playing at the G ?
Actually don't oppose the idea of playing 2 Victorian teams in Adelaide , Brisbane or Perth each year at a neutral venue to balance up the fairness of the fixture.
I am not that stupid to realize the fixture is not fair given 10 teams come from one state.
The only way it could ever be fair is if they play a 17 H & A fixture (reverse the venues the next year) or play a 34 H & A fixture , both of which will never happen.
Conference system (3 x 6) possibly makes it fairer but not sure what criteria you would use to set up the initial 6 teams in each division.
In all fairness we should play away games against them at GMHBA,
Its getting worse , just read Craig Kelly is looking at selling a home game next year either in Brisbane , Gold Coast or even Perth.
Out of the loop didn't realize we had a contractual arrangement to play 2 home games at Marvel each year.
We play the same amount of H & A games as every other club , not our fault clubs want to "host" games at the G against us.
Even if Collingwood (and the other Victorian clubs) traveled interstate 8 times a season to play , where would the other 15-16 games be played ?
I once emailed the AFL about that idea , I remember one of their responses was then how do the non-Victorian clubs get to experience playing at the G ?
Actually don't oppose the idea of playing 2 Victorian teams in Adelaide , Brisbane or Perth each year at a neutral venue to balance up the fairness of the fixture.
I am not that stupid to realize the fixture is not fair given 10 teams come from one state.
The only way it could ever be fair is if they play a 17 H & A fixture (reverse the venues the next year) or play a 34 H & A fixture , both of which will never happen.
Conference system (3 x 6) possibly makes it fairer but not sure what criteria you would use to set up the initial 6 teams in each division.
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I thought the fact that Collingwood and Geelong play at the MCG for Geelong home games was due to a deal done between the two clubs. Not the AFL directly. It’s not like the AFL have put this on Geelong - I think they asked for it. I do remember Eddie talking about this when the question was raised a few years ago. I have tried to look and find it, but cannot. So maybe my memory is flawed. But I think that was the case.
now that might be another arrangement I am not fully aware of , is that Essendon's choice to play the game at the G instead of @ Marvel (not sure of how the commercial arrangements work for Essendon in that case), obviosuly Anzac Day match at Marvel just wouldn't be the same.
I am sure we used to let Melbourne be the "home" team each year for Queen's birthday as well (better check that though)
I am sure we used to let Melbourne be the "home" team each year for Queen's birthday as well (better check that though)
so lets come up with a fair fixture
Collingwood can play every non-Victorian team twice per season (once at the G and once at their venue) = 16 games
9 teams left
let's say we play Carlton , Essendon , North Melbourne , Richmond , St Kilda & Western Bulldogs all at Marvel every year
Hawthorn , Melbourne , North Melbourne at the G
Leaves Geelong down at Kardinia Park (reverse venue next season)
Home Games v Interstate Opponents at the G = 8
Home Games v MCG tenants at the G = 3
Away Games v Interstate Opponents = 8
Away Games v Marvel tenants = 5
v Geelong Away & Home alternate years
25 game season is the answer , no double up on blockbusters, don't need to worry about limited crowds at Marvel
Same basis (I guess) applies to the other Victorian clubs
not sure how it works for the non-Victorian clubs, theoretically they would get at least 8 games in Melbourne each year though
Collingwood can play every non-Victorian team twice per season (once at the G and once at their venue) = 16 games
9 teams left
let's say we play Carlton , Essendon , North Melbourne , Richmond , St Kilda & Western Bulldogs all at Marvel every year
Hawthorn , Melbourne , North Melbourne at the G
Leaves Geelong down at Kardinia Park (reverse venue next season)
Home Games v Interstate Opponents at the G = 8
Home Games v MCG tenants at the G = 3
Away Games v Interstate Opponents = 8
Away Games v Marvel tenants = 5
v Geelong Away & Home alternate years
25 game season is the answer , no double up on blockbusters, don't need to worry about limited crowds at Marvel
Same basis (I guess) applies to the other Victorian clubs
not sure how it works for the non-Victorian clubs, theoretically they would get at least 8 games in Melbourne each year though
Time to build a new stadium at a neutral location.
I cant access this article from the Age 6 days ago
Why Dons, Blues and Saints want fewer Marvel games
I cant access this article from the Age 6 days ago
Why Dons, Blues and Saints want fewer Marvel games
God I feel like there could be a separate thread for fixture chats and it would blow up! Hard to see a fair fixture given the number of factors that compromise it (10 VIC teams, travel factor for interstate clubs, blockbuster match ups, small number of double match ups, etc).
Would love to see the AFL explore some things to balance it out more though. One thing that has always struck me is the Home, Away, Home, Away cycle for interstate clubs. Yes I get wanting to give fans a home game regularly, but would be interesting if they explored "road trips" in the same way they do in some American sports. West Coat fly over to the east coast, maybe play 1-2 Melbourne teams, a Sydney team, etc), and then fly home for a block of 3-4 home games in a row. Would significantly cut down on the travel times if they don't need to do the long flight as frequently, and with the right resourcing and support it could work.
But yeah, lots of options!
Would love to see the AFL explore some things to balance it out more though. One thing that has always struck me is the Home, Away, Home, Away cycle for interstate clubs. Yes I get wanting to give fans a home game regularly, but would be interesting if they explored "road trips" in the same way they do in some American sports. West Coat fly over to the east coast, maybe play 1-2 Melbourne teams, a Sydney team, etc), and then fly home for a block of 3-4 home games in a row. Would significantly cut down on the travel times if they don't need to do the long flight as frequently, and with the right resourcing and support it could work.
But yeah, lots of options!
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Grounds for complaint: Why Dons, Blues and Saints want fewer Marvel games
By Jake Niall
May 25, 2024 — 5.00am
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Three of Marvel Stadium’s tenant clubs – Essendon, Carlton and St Kilda – have asked the AFL to reduce their number of games at the stadium that is wholly owned by the league.
Essendon are asking that the Bombers’ long-standing split of seven games at Docklands and four at the MCG be changed to six and five in favour of the MCG. The Bombers have been the anchor tenant since the ground’s inception.
Marvel Stadium’s tenant clubs are pushing for more games at the MCG.CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
Carlton, which have a six-five split between Marvel and the MCG, have requested just one more MCG game to cater for a leviathan fan base, that like Essendon’s, is coming out in large numbers and in full-throated support after decades of disappointment.
The Saints have been in discussions with the MCC and the AFL about their ambit claim, which would be to have a deal similar to Essendon’s current 4-7 divvy-up.
This proposal has Buckley’s hope of being accepted by the AFL, but St Kilda have asked the AFL for two MCG games in the near future – a more realistic claim.
St Kilda chief executive Carl Dilena’s pitch to the AFL is clever: give us more games at the MCG (St Kilda had one in 2023 and 2024 for special occasions) and we will happily accept less money from the AFL under the socialised funding model; the Saints have been the most heavily funded of the Victorian clubs in the decade up to 2022 and are tired of carrying the stigma of being a mendicant club.
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The AFL is renegotiating deals with tenant clubs at Marvel Stadium for 2025 and beyond. It is a negotiation of some significance for the league and for the game, considering the state government just gave the AFL $225 million to renovate Marvel – funding that was a direct trade-off for keeping the grand final at the MCG until 2057.
Collingwood, who play two games at Marvel, are considering shifting one of those games to the Gold Coast in 2025.
Why do these clubs want fewer games at the stadium that, technically speaking, they co-own with 15 other clubs?
In the case of Essendon and Carlton, it is largely a matter of what they can make – and the capacity for growth – represented by the iconic MCG.
Essendon and St Kilda drew a big crowd to Marvel Stadium in round three.CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
Judged solely on match returns, the MCG makes the clubs more money, despite Marvel being AFL-owned.
A crowd of 30,000 at the MCG still makes more money than the same attendance at Marvel and the dollars increase further as the crowds climb up. This doesn’t count membership entry or seasonal reserve seat sales, with the AFL noting that the MCG has more general admission that goes into match returns.
Essendon, though, have developed a home-crowd advantage at Marvel that coach Brad Scott has sold to his players. A crowd of 45,000 Bombers makes a hell of a din, due in part to the ground’s closed-in design, which creates a wall of sound.
It would not be lost on Carlton and Essendon, though, that their rival Collingwood have been pulling monstrous attendances at the MCG, on the back of success under Craig McRae. The Pies attracted more than 60,000 to all four home games against the Adelaide clubs in 2023 and this year, comfortably exceeding Marvel’s capacity.
Richmond, the other Victorian giant and whose fans are the least receptive to Marvel (besides the Demons), are experiencing hard times, but the Tigers certainly cashed in at the MCG and grew during the glory days of 2017-2020. They and Collingwood would not play any home games at Marvel if they had their druthers.
St Kilda’s motives, as enunciated by Dilena, are to unlock the sizeable latent part of their supporter base that will show up for events, such as “Spud’s Game” (commemorating the late Danny Frawley) this year against Collingwood, to reduce their unhealthy reliance on the AFL, and to grow their younger membership.
St Kilda’s smart pitch was ill-timed, however, given their drab offerings on the field in 2024, when their slumping fortunes led to a poor turnout of 18,000 at Marvel for their home game against Fremantle last round.
But if the on-field product is less than enticing, the Saints are also well aware that the AFL will be gaining eight games from Tasmania when the Devils enter the competition, and that both Marvel and the MCG should pick up the slack and gain games.
Essendon hosted Hawthorn at the MCG in their season-opening clash this year. CREDIT: AFL PHOTOS
That the three tenants wish to play less often at Marvel underscores the AFL’s problem with their Docklands asset, which replaced Waverley Park and has also replaced the oft-maligned “Arctic Park” in the sense that it will always run second to the city’s Jolimont cathedral. The issue is not helped by the nature – or lack of it – of a concrete-heavy Docklands precinct that is more Soviet than Paris end of the CBD. There are no sparrows or possums on the walk to Marvel.
The AFL does not play finals at Marvel any longer due to the lesser (54,000) capacity, and it has not been willing to fixture AFLW games, either – too small for one, not large enough for the other. It can make a killing, however, with concerts and one-off events – from boxing to Robbie Williams – under the roof.
Arguably, the AFL has erred in persuading/compelling Essendon and Carlton, two of the biggest sporting clubs in the country, to play most of their games at the smaller-capacity stadium, which seldom breaks 50,000 due to the Medallion Club and no-shows by ticket holders.
If maximising attendances was paramount, the Bombers and Blues wouldn’t have Marvel-majority home-game fixtures.
Conversely, if the AFL loses a few Essendon and Carlton games and eventually replaces those games with ones that hold less box-office appeal, they will be reducing the marketability of their own asset – an asset, incidentally, which helped the AFL stay afloat during the 2020-21 pandemic (the league using the stadium as collateral for bank loans).
The choice, thus, isn’t an easy one: let the tenants have their wish – in the interests of fans – or make your own stadium less appealing.
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By Jake Niall
May 25, 2024 — 5.00am
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Normal text sizeALarger text sizeAVery large text sizeA
Three of Marvel Stadium’s tenant clubs – Essendon, Carlton and St Kilda – have asked the AFL to reduce their number of games at the stadium that is wholly owned by the league.
Essendon are asking that the Bombers’ long-standing split of seven games at Docklands and four at the MCG be changed to six and five in favour of the MCG. The Bombers have been the anchor tenant since the ground’s inception.
Marvel Stadium’s tenant clubs are pushing for more games at the MCG.CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
Carlton, which have a six-five split between Marvel and the MCG, have requested just one more MCG game to cater for a leviathan fan base, that like Essendon’s, is coming out in large numbers and in full-throated support after decades of disappointment.
The Saints have been in discussions with the MCC and the AFL about their ambit claim, which would be to have a deal similar to Essendon’s current 4-7 divvy-up.
This proposal has Buckley’s hope of being accepted by the AFL, but St Kilda have asked the AFL for two MCG games in the near future – a more realistic claim.
St Kilda chief executive Carl Dilena’s pitch to the AFL is clever: give us more games at the MCG (St Kilda had one in 2023 and 2024 for special occasions) and we will happily accept less money from the AFL under the socialised funding model; the Saints have been the most heavily funded of the Victorian clubs in the decade up to 2022 and are tired of carrying the stigma of being a mendicant club.
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The AFL is renegotiating deals with tenant clubs at Marvel Stadium for 2025 and beyond. It is a negotiation of some significance for the league and for the game, considering the state government just gave the AFL $225 million to renovate Marvel – funding that was a direct trade-off for keeping the grand final at the MCG until 2057.
Collingwood, who play two games at Marvel, are considering shifting one of those games to the Gold Coast in 2025.
Why do these clubs want fewer games at the stadium that, technically speaking, they co-own with 15 other clubs?
In the case of Essendon and Carlton, it is largely a matter of what they can make – and the capacity for growth – represented by the iconic MCG.
Essendon and St Kilda drew a big crowd to Marvel Stadium in round three.CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
Judged solely on match returns, the MCG makes the clubs more money, despite Marvel being AFL-owned.
A crowd of 30,000 at the MCG still makes more money than the same attendance at Marvel and the dollars increase further as the crowds climb up. This doesn’t count membership entry or seasonal reserve seat sales, with the AFL noting that the MCG has more general admission that goes into match returns.
Essendon, though, have developed a home-crowd advantage at Marvel that coach Brad Scott has sold to his players. A crowd of 45,000 Bombers makes a hell of a din, due in part to the ground’s closed-in design, which creates a wall of sound.
It would not be lost on Carlton and Essendon, though, that their rival Collingwood have been pulling monstrous attendances at the MCG, on the back of success under Craig McRae. The Pies attracted more than 60,000 to all four home games against the Adelaide clubs in 2023 and this year, comfortably exceeding Marvel’s capacity.
Richmond, the other Victorian giant and whose fans are the least receptive to Marvel (besides the Demons), are experiencing hard times, but the Tigers certainly cashed in at the MCG and grew during the glory days of 2017-2020. They and Collingwood would not play any home games at Marvel if they had their druthers.
St Kilda’s motives, as enunciated by Dilena, are to unlock the sizeable latent part of their supporter base that will show up for events, such as “Spud’s Game” (commemorating the late Danny Frawley) this year against Collingwood, to reduce their unhealthy reliance on the AFL, and to grow their younger membership.
St Kilda’s smart pitch was ill-timed, however, given their drab offerings on the field in 2024, when their slumping fortunes led to a poor turnout of 18,000 at Marvel for their home game against Fremantle last round.
But if the on-field product is less than enticing, the Saints are also well aware that the AFL will be gaining eight games from Tasmania when the Devils enter the competition, and that both Marvel and the MCG should pick up the slack and gain games.
Essendon hosted Hawthorn at the MCG in their season-opening clash this year. CREDIT: AFL PHOTOS
That the three tenants wish to play less often at Marvel underscores the AFL’s problem with their Docklands asset, which replaced Waverley Park and has also replaced the oft-maligned “Arctic Park” in the sense that it will always run second to the city’s Jolimont cathedral. The issue is not helped by the nature – or lack of it – of a concrete-heavy Docklands precinct that is more Soviet than Paris end of the CBD. There are no sparrows or possums on the walk to Marvel.
The AFL does not play finals at Marvel any longer due to the lesser (54,000) capacity, and it has not been willing to fixture AFLW games, either – too small for one, not large enough for the other. It can make a killing, however, with concerts and one-off events – from boxing to Robbie Williams – under the roof.
Arguably, the AFL has erred in persuading/compelling Essendon and Carlton, two of the biggest sporting clubs in the country, to play most of their games at the smaller-capacity stadium, which seldom breaks 50,000 due to the Medallion Club and no-shows by ticket holders.
If maximising attendances was paramount, the Bombers and Blues wouldn’t have Marvel-majority home-game fixtures.
Conversely, if the AFL loses a few Essendon and Carlton games and eventually replaces those games with ones that hold less box-office appeal, they will be reducing the marketability of their own asset – an asset, incidentally, which helped the AFL stay afloat during the 2020-21 pandemic (the league using the stadium as collateral for bank loans).
The choice, thus, isn’t an easy one: let the tenants have their wish – in the interests of fans – or make your own stadium less appealing.
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The complaints about fixturing do my brain in. If WCE and FREO want to travel less they could drop down to the WAFL. You can't do much when 10 teams are here and you play 22 games is a 18 team comp. All you could do is add games to balance things better...then then the players have a cry that it is too many games. Then whinge ohhh they had 6 days off and us only 5. Add games, shorten QTRS ever so slightly. Like 18 minutes a qtr.
When it come to having a crack at the "advantage" vic clubs get, vic clubs don't get 10 games where there is an absoulute clear advantage. Collingwood have no home ground advantage against hawthorn, Richmond, Melbourne. And a slight but very minimal advantage over saints, dogs, north. I cbf searching but I'd imagine carlton and essendon get a decent amount of G games?
When it come to having a crack at the "advantage" vic clubs get, vic clubs don't get 10 games where there is an absoulute clear advantage. Collingwood have no home ground advantage against hawthorn, Richmond, Melbourne. And a slight but very minimal advantage over saints, dogs, north. I cbf searching but I'd imagine carlton and essendon get a decent amount of G games?