WACA, Subiaco Oval to be sold

Discuss stadium news, redevelopment, construction & future stadiums.
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stadiumking
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Post by stadiumking »

Actually I also have an article that might interest, especially seeing as this forum has branched into a discussion of clubs' financial status' as well. is there someone i can email it to in order to post it (it is in pdf format)?

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stadiumking
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Post by stadiumking »

Actually I also have an article that might interest, especially seeing as this forum has branched into a discussion of clubs' financial status' as well. is there someone i can email it to in order to post it (it is in pdf format)?

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stadiumking
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Post by stadiumking »

Actually I also have an article that might interest, especially seeing as this forum has branched into a discussion of clubs' financial status' as well. is there someone i can email it to in order to post it (it is in pdf format)?

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stadiumking
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Post by stadiumking »

heh sorry didnt mean to post that 3 times

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Egan
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Post by Egan »

I know exactly a way of how to keep Subiaco and the WACA.

Bring another Perth team to the AFL, charge low prices aim it at the lower class. You may only get around 15-20000 a year but will effectively starve off the demand for a new stadium that Perth has. The eagles lost hardly any membership when the Dockers came in they had to work thier way up to the place they are at the moment. If you get another Perth side effectively those disgruntled with having to pay steep prices can go to this club. Evidently it will force Eagles and Dockers games to be cheaper.

Maybe in 10-15 years.

Your right Yob though, it needs to be in a vicinity of 80,000. Especially since the train network is being extended and will reach where those people are going to live. Including out of the metro area Into the semi rural areas. Freeway extension, it would be quite easy to get 80,000 a game for both sides when the population reaches 2 million, especially if you dont have a Super 12 or Rugby League side competing in the winter market.

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yob
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Post by yob »

Why a new side? Is WAFL history not worth preserving? Instead of a new no hoper side with scarce support in the AFL, i'd much prefer 5,000 extra people at each WAFL game. I go to Norwood Oval every week, despite not being a supporter, because nothing beats grassroots footy AND a crowd. 6,200 last fortnight, 5,200 this weekend. I'd die if the AFL started a new side in Adelaide, we need supporters supporting our heritage, not these new beachfront sides in the AFL so Victorians can turn around and claim that we have no footballing history because our franchise teams are only 10 years old.

The WAFL and SANFL are second tier competitions - yet compare them to the English first dividision. 2,000 crowds in our local leagues is pathetic. A city such as perth with 1.4 million people ought to have 10,000 people at local football games. Leave the blockbuster stuff to the 2 big boys, and reinforce the foundation below them.

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Post by perthsmike »

100% agree with yob. no more afl team in perth. if a third team was introduced, with little support and targeting lower class supporters the club is bound to fail. low memberships and little member support (ie buying club things etc) would see the club lose money every season. this would then test the resources of the WAFL which would rely on WCE and Freo to support this club. in effect we would be holding them up and stunting our own development, growth and most impoartantly profit.

the only alternate if a bigger stadium (gee wat a shame :P)

mike

PS. did i just see egan offering advice to help SAVE the WACA!?!?! holy sh*t man, r u feeling ok?! ;)

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Egan
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Post by Egan »

The WAFL is a competition that I support haphazardly and I got to three or four games a year only because of the gross mismanagement that we have in this competition. Its a pity we do not have the crowds like Adelaides

The management of Peel Thunder my local side has been disgraceful, changing every year no guarantee to be in the comp year after year. The Thunder WOULD get crowds of 4-5000 a game if they actually had a good side. Due to no salary cap the difference between the best and worst is remarkable, the Thunder won one game last year. It has all to do with the pigheadedness of Subiaco, West Perth etc.

Its a suggestion instead of a higher capacity stadium.

My dad tells me about how it used to be at the WAFL and that you literally couldnt move. I wish I had watched it one day.

My dad played in the WAFL for Swan Districts during the 80s although not playing many league games Im in awe of the players he played against and who he was coached by. So Ive got great pride in it. Its just the debt means we cant afford to advertise, and get the crowds you get. Plus the old fashioned attitudes of the powerhouse clubs with the rich supporters, East Perth, Subiaco, Sth Fremantle.

Your reply is what many will have to do in the future. With only two teams in a stadium of 43,000 supporters in the future you will see crowds increase remarkably as people no longer go to AFL.

Yob your being a bit optomistic of an average of 2000 for the season its something like 1500. Some games get about 700.

WAFL coverage is left to the newspaper to give, which the west gives great coverage however all the TV networks give very average coverage,

Once a year my local club Peel Thunder has a family day it got around 4800 to the ground on this occassion, due to the massive publicity and advertising in the local area, just as happens in Adelaide. BTW it was counteracted with live coverage into the area by ABC. SO it might have reduced the crowd by about 1000

They are trying Friday night games in Freo, due to its inner city location. AFL has not exactly been doing the best for the WAFL with the scheduling of AFL games on the saturday.
I'd die if the AFL started a new side in Adelaide
The difference is that Adelaides population is stagnant, while Perth and even more so the areas around it are skyrocketing. Their are some country people I know of that drive 3 hours every second week to go to every home game of the year then drive 3 hours home again. The same with all sports, the country people love coming to the city to watch the games.

East Perth and Swan Districts get the biggest support of late and have an average of around 2500

Claremont barely manages to scrape over 1000 people. The problem is all our local grounds except West Perth and Peel are a stones throw away from each other.

Egsample, Claremont, East Fremantle and Fremantle Ovals are all 10 mins away from each others home ground. Leederville and Lathlain are only a few mins away now because of the tunnel.

Most of our local teams stadiums are located in the 'wealthier' western suburbs so the results are that they are abandoned as all of them support AFL.

Hopefully it changes in the future.

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Post by Jeffles »

I applaud yob for really getting behind state based footy. Most of my RL watching is State based footy (GO THE JETS!!!)

The WAFL, SANFL, Tassie comps and QLD Cup (RL) have incredible potential because they were all once top grade competitions. The growth of the AFL and NRL have relegated the comps back to 2nd grade but the potential is still there.

My competition, the NSWRL VB Premier League is borne out of the old NSWRL Reserve grade competition. So it is difficult to market based on history etc. Having said that, we host the top grade for 4 Foundation RL clubs (Newtown, Norths, Wests and Balmain) who are, as expected, among the top four clubs for crowds the rare times that Premier League re played on their own and are not curtain raisers to NRL.

The NSWRL is also a problem. They run the Premier League comp but are more interested in promoting Jim Beam Cup (3rd Grade) and the Junior representative sides. Premier League almost exists in a vaccuum. It is most club's reserve teams and very few people's first team. But there is heaps of potential. Look at the VFL. I understand it has gone great since the AFL dropped the Reserves comp and it gets great coverage in the Herald Sun.

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yob
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Post by yob »

Jeffles wrote:I applaud yob for really getting behind state based footy. Most of my RL watching is State based footy (GO THE JETS!!!)
Quite a source of tension in my family these days.

Mum: "ugh... do you think we're actually going to win this week?"
Me: "Of course we will, we're on top of the bloody ladder!"

No we're n...

*5 second long pause*

"AFL, dear"

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Post by perthsmike »

BIG NEWS: front page of the paper yesterday, inside cover today. eagles are set to start investing in a number of different off feild ventures most significantly being the development of a HUGE supporter facility which will include bars, clubs, stores, a mini museum, and there is even talk of a "west coast" hotel in the massive development. the main purpose will to serve as an eagle domain after matches and during away matches. there will be huge screens, player appearances everything to make the eagles more popular and deliver the best resources and entertainment for members and supporters.

there is also rumours of a power struggle between the eagles and the WAFL. now what does this mean you may ask:

the eagles are romping it in. support has never been higher (apparently memberships are over 40,000 as quoted in the paper yesterday - however im not convinced) and with all this talk of attracting "younger" supporters through these new facilities and supporter bonuses SUBIACO WILL HAVE TO BE REDEVELOPED OR A NEW STADIUM BUILT TO COPE!! :D the wafl still hav to approve development of the eagles ventures however they'll be shooting themselves in the foot if they refuse.

im so excited :D not only due to the new eagles developments but i hav a feeling big things are set to happen- sooner than later.

mike

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Post by Egan »

I just hope they don't turn into a Manchester United, more concerned about the bottom dollar then the fans.


Mike I dont think im too optimisitc, we have had several articles about a bigger stadium, redeveloped Perth Entertainment Centre etc. Ill just wait and see until I see construction.

Im just happy about the railway extension. 50mins by train To MES and Subiaco should be much easier in the future to get to sporting events.
Can't wait.

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Post by perthsmike »

very true we have been told of a number of venues, however i think this is different.

>the 65,000 seater that was proposed a while back that was only to happen if we got the commonwealths - we didn't.
>the 30,000 rectangular stadium near the freeway was something i never really ever thought would happen - and thankgod it didnt its not needed.
>the recent PEC development is still in negotiations. lots of confusion between companies and government bodies (ie multiplex, burswood, channel7, PCC, State government) it will all be sorted with time.

all of these are more "risky" than subiaco and perhaps a new AFL stadium. AFL or at least football is huge in perth. there is no doubt it could support such a venue whereas all these other proposals were very optimistic in their plans for the future of their purpose sports. thats why i think that although it seems a tbit far fetched at the moment, something is bound to happen.

mike

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Egan
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Post by Egan »

Your forgetting one organisation

THE WACA

THE DEVILS OF THE WEST :evil:

My proposal for a third AFL team is due to the prospect of the belief that the WACA will stay there until their 99 year lease is up. That is what I believe after listening to the crap they said about it being "iconic" in Perth and that most people like the WACA.

Then Wally Foreman stating the obvious saying it is the'biggest white elephant in perth' Really knocked for six the pro WACA stance that Stateline gave.

The Government Im 100% sure will not build a new stadium without the WACA shifting to Leederville (train access) for State Games and the Test and one dayers at the bigger stadium.

Although if this new WACA CEO and committee do a better job then Kath White and team I will probably change my negativity and if they get a winter tenant to start paying some bills for the redevelopment, give more available tickets to the public. Increase the capacity so more then 14,000 of the General Public can get in. reduce the members per seat allocation which is more seats then people, due to the shambles it is in.

Only way to do this is to get a Super 12 side, more people will become WACA members. At the moment they are at the lowest levels ever.

I can remember when the WACA was over utilised. 6 night games of AFL a year, ING, Test, Baseball and Rugby League and a better capacity for people to watch sporting events even if the facilities arent as new as today. Then add a Glory Final, Soccer matches and other events and the ground was utilised to its full potential.

Lets hope Perthsmike optimism is fufilled and we get a new stadium sooner then we think. Remember Bob Kucera did state in 14 years, but in all liklihood they wont be their to fufill their promise in 14 years time. I doubt they will hold government for the next 14 years.

I think its just Media building up the hopes of us West Aussies yet knowing its unlikely to happen.

Which is a pity. I hold onto hope, but not optimism, that was lost when the Court Government scrapped the Soccer Stadium and we had to wait longer then we had to. They where going to spend 30 million dollars on a soccer stadium without the Glory having to contribute and now the government spent a total of 6 million dollars on the upgrade and the Glory are paying the rest of to the Town Of Vincent.

Money is not spent on Stadium Infrastructure in this state.
6 million dollars for MES and nothing else has been spent on any redevelopment of stadiums in the city for a long long time.

Even now the new PEC is being built by a private company, which im not saying is a bad thing, its just this government does not spend money on stadiums. They have a 'conditions apply' tag. which results in the footy commission being in massive debt, the Glory in debt the WACA in debt, we have a substandard Entertainment Complex due to the NON COMMITAL TO ANY FUNDING FOR STADIUMS by the WA Government. Yet the convention centre can have 180 million dollars contribution to it even though it will not be owned by the government.

Although I cant complain the Railways coming down south :D

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Post by james_ »

Egan wrote:Only way to do this is to get a Super 12 side, more people will become WACA members. At the moment they are at the lowest levels ever.
I've said it before elsewhere, but I'll say it again: Surely rugby spectators would be better catered for by Members Equity Stadium. The rectangular playing field offers greater intimacy, which I believe creates better atmosphere.

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