Is the FFA "boning" Sydney?

[Jazzie]

MCG to host farewell before next years World Cup

Australia will play its farewell match prior to departing for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa at the MCG in Melbourne.

Although the opposition is not yet confirmed, the Qantas Socceroos 2010 farewell match was announced in Melbourne today by the Victorian Premier, John Brumby and Football Federation Australia (FFA) CEO, Ben Buckley.

The farewell match is one of three games announced by Premier Brumby and Buckley in a new arrangement between the Victorian Government and FFA.

"Like the Australia v Greece game at the MCG in 2006, where a crowd of over 95,000 farewelled the Qantas Socceroos before the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Melbournians and visitors will be keen to get behind the Australian team in 2010 and show our support for the Qantas Socceroos FIFA World Cup campaign in South Africa.

"Melbourne not only holds the title of Worlds Ultimate Sports City, were the unofficial home of football in Australia," said Brumby.

The agreement between the Victorian Government and FFA secures a Qantas Socceroos match for Melbourne in each of 2010, 2012 and 2013, and follows last nights 2010 FIFA World Cup Asian Group qualifier in which Australia defeated Japan, 2-1, to finish top of their group.

Buckley said that Melbourne will continue to witness some of the most significant and compelling football matches under this new partnership with the Victorian Government.

Full story below.

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/2009InsideFFA/default.aspx?s=insideffa_newsfeatures_newsitem_new&id=27832


With the "new partnership" between the FFA and the Victorian government, is Sydney and all points north going to be excluded from any scheduled international games? From reading the article, it seems that we are. If this is the case, the FFA are at serious risk of alienating an expansive supporter base north of the Victorian border. Especially at this time when the FFA are begging supporters from all over Australia to get behind the WC bid.

The NSW government needs to get their fingers out if they want to attract first class games to Sydney, and at the very least, lodge a strongly worded "please explain" to the FFA.

If I have got the wrong end of the stick about this, I'm sure someone will let me know, but I get the feeling that the FFA has turned it's back on Sydney and other cities in exchange for the lucre down south.

 

[Jesus]

I can not really see where you are drawing the long bow from?

The FFA constantly announces deals with the NSW, Vic and Qld govts to play matches there.

Cant see any changes. If they think a match will sell better in melbourne it will go to melbourne.

But if they think a match will sell out in sydney or do better in syd will go there.

And they will take quality but not huge games to brisbane because the rarety adds to the level of support.

I look forward to the day where the FFA can be announcing reasonable sized games in syd/melb/bris/perth/adel/scumcastle.

 

[~Floss~]

If they think a match will sell better in melbourne it will go to melbourne.

Not surprised in the slightest after the crowds/atmosphere at the last 2 weeks' WCQ's TBH

 

[Tassiemariner]

The atmosphere created in the 'G is simply amazing.
I cant speak for sydney socceroos matches but the Greece match 3 years ago and the Japan match last week had fantastic atmosphere's and people always turn out at the MCG.
Deserves the World cup final whenever we get it. 

 

[serious14]

Does the very simple idea of the money from 20 000 extra seats make sense??  And showing off a full MCG (where the World Cup final will be held if we get 2022 - they'd be stupid to have it anywhere else) to FIFA and the world..... not to mention the lift the lads would get from it.

There's no "hidden agenda" here, no "boning", no story to be found.  It's clearly a transparent financial decision.  We'll still get games, we're playing enough these days. 

 

[Jesus]

I dont know that it will go to the mcg. But if NSw wants it they will need to return homebush to max capacity.

I am certain Lowy will want the game in sydney, but ultimately comes down to Govt money. I know Iemma was very much in favour of hosting as much of the world cup as possible in NSW whatever it took, but dont know if rees has those sentiments, though the economic benefits will surely mean yes. Especially with the advantage of having 2 stadiums in sydney as well as using Scumcastle.

 

[dibo]

if both grounds are going to spend up on upgrades (and frankly, I'd assume they will), homebush's upgrades will make the bigger difference for football.

because homebush's use is and will continue to be primarily rectangular (~3 AFL matches and 2 2020 matches are easy enough to do without) it'd be much more likely that homebush would square off the ends to better serve the sports that actually play there regularly and plug in x thousand seats behind - basically turning it into a monster dedicated rectangle. whether you'd get 15k more seats in is debatable, but the ground would be massively improved.

fix the side stands in and fill the gaps behind, reduce the length from end to end from 180m to about 130m (i'd like 125, but i accept that won't happen) with basically a kop at each end and
(if we're gonna go nuts here) drop the pitch/sdjust the lower bowl to bring the side fences closer to the touchline (85m wide fence to fence).

it would boost capacity, make it a much nicer place to watch 3 out of 4 football codes from and a much more intimidating place to visit.

because post-WC the MCG will still be relying on aussie rules and cricket, melbourne will just get another northern stand on the southern side. it'd likely cost about what homebush's changes would cost (or more), but it won't change any of the fundamental issues with the ground.

 

[ryan]

In hindsight it's a shame they took the end stands off after the Olympics

 

[goingtoadisco]

Why the fuss. Sydney only got 40 000 to thier qualifyer while melbourne got 80 000 +

If you were at the FFA what would you do ?

 

[dibo]

In hindsight it's a shame they took the end stands off after the Olympics

It's a shame that they left the interior in a quasi-oval shape. It's pointless for three AFL matches a year and a couple of matches of interstate hit-and-giggle. It should be a dedicated rectangle, and inside the perimeter of the existing building (that is, leaving off the end stands which were miles from the action and exposed to the elements) you could comfortably fit more than 90,000 seats with fencelines close to the action and every seat covered.

if we had that, we'd have the world cup final without any trouble whatsoever, and every code would get better crowds there. the AFL wouldn't lose anything either - their crowds there haven't cracked 40k in a few years, so they could have all their matches at the SCG again without trouble.

 

[midfielder]

JON made it very clear that Socceroo matches are going to the highest bidder and it has been a major source of revenue for the FFA . No real surprise the Vic's were smarter the NSW boys. That should not be a surprise really.

 

[Jesus]

Why the fuss. Sydney only got 40 000 to thier qualifyer while melbourne got 80 000 +

If you were at the FFA what would you do ?

Because anyone who thinks that the world cup final in sydney or melbourne or perth could not sell out a 200k stadium is insane.

If anything it suggests to throw shitter matches at melbourne so they get filled, while having draw cards in sydney for a higher average.

But from what lowy says it has not been decided. It comes down to cash. Maybe the nsw government will be happy with 3 stadiums and a semi. But i think they will go for broke for the final. I really think they will match anything melbourne offers, which leaves it in sydneys hands since
a) the stadium, homebush at 100 odd thousand is a better football venue than mcg,
b) lowy will see it as a massive way to crack the sydney sports market with bling/WSyd maybe gong and ccm.
c) Lowy is a sydney man, he did not take the congress to melbourne. If it is as simple as all things being equal, it will go to sydney.

 

[serious14]

Homebush is 83 500.  MCG is a touch over 100 000.  World Cup finals have been staged in oval/circular venues before with great success..... I don't even see why this is up for debate??

Gotta disagree on your "all things being equal" call too Jesus - Melbourne is quite simply better at hosting major sporting events, and has a layout to do so that is far far faaaaaaaaaaar superior to Sydney's.

 

[MrCelery]

Don't forget also that apart from Lowy, FFA is now staffed at the senior level by many AFL credentialled people. It's no surprise that they would have a decided bias towards Melbourne, even ignoring all the financial incentives.

While I'm no big fan of Melbourne as a city, you can't ignore their passion for sport, and Sydney's apathy.

Whether it is better to kill off Rugby League in Sydney, or take on the power of AFL in Melbourne I'm not sure.

 

[Jesus]

Homebush is 83 500.  MCG is a touch over 100 000.  World Cup finals have been staged in oval/circular venues before with great success..... I don't even see why this is up for debate??

Gotta disagree on your "all things being equal" call too Jesus - Melbourne is quite simply better at hosting major sporting events, and has a layout to do so that is far far faaaaaaaaaaar superior to Sydney's.

Beacause homebush would never be re-expanded for such a major event? Of course it will be.

Don't forget also that apart from Lowy, FFA is now staffed at the senior level by many AFL credentialled people. It's no surprise that they would have a decided bias towards Melbourne, even ignoring all the financial incentives.

While I'm no big fan of Melbourne as a city, you can't ignore their passion for sport, and Sydney's apathy.

Whether it is better to kill off Rugby League in Sydney, or take on the power of AFL in Melbourne I'm not sure.

But Lowy is the head, and will have the power.

The event is big enough that "apathy" will not be worried about. Eg Shit sports at the sydney olympics being well sold.

 

[MrCelery]

The atmosphere created in the 'G is simply amazing.
I cant speak for sydney socceroos matches but the Greece match 3 years ago and the Japan match last week had fantastic atmosphere's and people always turn out at the MCG.
Deserves the World cup final whenever we get it. 

Been to nearly all Sydney and Melbourne World Cup qualifiers (the serious ones) over the years. Melbourne does a good show, no doubt about that. But nothing, absolutely nothing, that Melbourne has put on goes close to the atmosphere in Sydney on the 16 November 2005.

The Iran match was the closest, but even that was muted compared to Sydney, and that's before we threw a 2-0 lead, drew and got knocked out.

 

[midfielder]

Jazzie

Everyone's said  why.... it is just business ...