Grand Final

[kevrenor]

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/195981,grand-final-poser.aspx

4-4-2: "EXCLUSIVE: If the marauding Central Coast win the right to host the 2011 A-League grand final, the season showpiece could still be played at the SFS rather than Bluetongue stadium in Gosford" ...

This time (if we get there) there should be a revolt! It has taken us 3 seasons to recover from the contribution that decision made to losing our way with the community and of course fans!

 

[mariners4ever]

no surprises there tbh, but hey if the FFA want to play in a half full sfs rather then a packed out bluetongue, so be it

 

[kevrenor]

third full at best

 

[timmers]

That is an awful article.

Firstly, Bluetongue holds more than 20,000 (with a record NRL crowd of 20,059) not the 18,000 stated in the article.

Then this is written

The Mariners won the right to host the 2008 showpiece game against the Jets .

But that game was shifted to the SFS due to Newcastle’s home ground EA Stadium’s capacity of around 24,000.

If we won the hosting rights, then what difference does the EAS capacity make?

There may well be demand for more than 20,000 if we host the GF (I would hope so) but that is no reason to move it.

 

[dibo]

Who could we play and expect to sell 30k+?

There's nothing wrong with a sellout. There's nothing wring with our ground. There's a lot wrong with the idea of taking away another Grand Final.

Letters to the editor? Talkback? Banner at semi?

Anything but MVFC style silent protests and boycotts.

 

[kevrenor]

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2011/02/12/291125_gold-coast-soccer.html

 

[Arabmariner]

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2011/02/12/291125_gold-coast-soccer.html

They're just using the pitch as an excuse to move the game because of GC's low crowds imo.A week ago that pitch was good enough for them to transfer a NQ game there.
And if we are first through to the GF I could accept moving it to a neutral venue (ie SFS) but not to the home venue of our opposition.
Competition integrity should come before crowd numbers/marketing etc.This is about having a fair competition for all teams involved.
If we qualify 2nd for a GF I'll travel.If we qualify 1st and then they transfer it to a neutral ground I'll travel.
If we qualify 1st and they transfer it to our opposition's ground they can get f**ked I'll watch it on the telly.

 

[ballantyne]

This is a very difficult problem to solve. We want everything; a big crowd in a big stadium, broadly available tickets, a neutral venue or a fairly allocated partisan one, minimum amount of travel expense/carbon footprint. It's difficult to make a consistent rule that achieves all of these things.
Neutral venue seems the fairest, but what if it's Perth v Brisbane?
Fairly allocated partisan ground seems the next choice, but in the case of CCM v Brisbane, moving to SFS would increase availability and encourage Brisbane fans to travel, both good things. Is it the A-League's fault that Coasties can't be arsed to/are scared of travelling to Sydney for our biggest game in years?
Our GF against Newcastle was disgustingly unfair, and there will be many more of these to come for the non-capital city teams. It seems the best we can do is accept that regional clubs play Grand Finals at a disadvantage, and hope that it is mitigated by a flow of cash from capital city clubs.
I think we take a lead from Qatar - purpose build air-conditioned stadia in the desert, around which vibrant new communities will spring up.

 

[yellowcake]

1. Surely if the skilled surface is unplayable, the GCU v. MVFC semi cannot be played in Melbourne (projected cowd reasons or otherwise). That would be akin to changing their positions on the ladder. Why not just change a few more then?
Must be in Queensland, presumably Suncorp.

2. I have no issues with a consistent formula for minimum sized state / regional stadia for the "showpiece" Grand Final. Further, the NRL's is always in Sydney and AFL's always at the MCG, In recent years each have been contested with both teams from outside Sydney and Melbourne. The FA Cup Final is always at Wembley (except during the rebuild).

Sure we lost a big local football promotion opportunity in 2008 but I'm not convinced we would have had many more supporters than the 15,000 we took to the SFS. Would have been a sell-out though. Viddy may well still have missed Bridge and the Scum could have been lifting the toilet-seat at our home. Horrible thought.

I think it's fitting that the 5 GFs so far have been at 40,000+ capacity SFS or Etihad and (and lucky that 4 of those five were normally allocated, we've been the only club otherwise affected). May well be Suncorp this year - OK, but not if we win rights to host it (and that's what they'd be doing to CGU's semi)

3. The Final's different. If we are unsuccessful in the 2-legged semi, must be at Bluetongue.


I'd travel to anywhere. Hanging for the away semi confirmation to book flights.
(Of final's series games) only missed the 2006 Final in Adelaide so far - won't happen again.

 

[Jesus]

Club says purely up to FFA.

It is a slap in the face to the wholie region not just the club and fans. And people remember, they dont forget that, and it stops them coming.

 

[ExiledMariner]

Just goes to show $$ drives football. Makes me sick to think another Grand Final could potentially be taken away from the Coast and I'm saying this stuck in Brisbane with more to gain personally if the GF is moved.

What happens if the Fury earn the right to host a GF?

 

[pjennings]

Club says purely up to FFA.

It is a slap in the face to the wholie region not just the club and fans. And people remember, they dont forget that, and it stops them coming.

They also say that 'We have had several meetings and discussions with the FFA, and they are under no illusions that we want to have the Grand Final at Bluetongue. We will continue these representations.'

 

[MagpieMariner]

Be interesting to see the crowd numbers on Saturday, especially the number of orange shirts. If we only get 10-12K and not many from north, it may be valid to say that BT WILL be large enough to hold the GF.
Of course, we have to win the right first and that's not going to be easy. If we can't go to Suncorp with a good lead, all the specific debate will be meaningless.
In a way, it might make a good point for the future if we win the right & we only get about 20K at SFS. FFA won't have an argument in future years.

 

[dibo]

They also say that 'We have had several meetings and discussions with the FFA, and they are under no illusions that we want to have the Grand Final at Bluetongue. We will continue these representations.'

The way that reads, I take that to mean "we want to have the Grand Final anywhere other than Bluetongue". Presumably this is sloppy writing and not something more sinister.

 

[pjennings]

The way that reads, I take that to mean "we want to have the Grand Final anywhere other than Bluetongue". Presumably this is sloppy writing and not something more sinister.

I can't see that. If it is true what possible reason would there be for the club wanting to relocate?

 

[dibo]

None whatsoever - it's why I think they're sloppy with their phrasing.

 

[kevrenor]

Football Federation Australia are launching a dedicated email address for fans to communicate with the national football chiefs
Email: feedback@footballaustralia.com.au

 

[adz]

heh, you reckon anyone will be checking it?

 

[Forum Phoenix]

LOL. Don't they read the 442 forums!
Being on the other end of that would have to be the worst job in Australian football.

 

[Dutch Wives]

Football Federation Australia are launching a dedicated email address for fans to communicate with the national football chiefs
Email: feedback@footballaustralia.com.au

Just sent them a lengthy email about moving the GF to Sydney should we win the rights. Can't see it having much effect if it even gets read, but ahh well, why not.