Talking Footy

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/a ... rx220.html

The AFL has bought Etihad Stadium for $200 million nine years early to deliver the biggest boost to tenant clubs struggling under onerous deals to play at the roofed venue.

The long-anticipated buyout, which will see the free-hold and the management rights transfer to the AFL, was confirmed on Friday after state government sign-off. The handover will take effect within weeks.

The deal is likely to result in major upgrades to the 54,000-capacity ground, which opened in 2000. The tenant clubs' financially punishing stadium agreements – which can mean clubs pay to play in low drawing matches – will now be revisited by the AFL as the new owner.

The stadia deals of St Kilda, North Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, in particular, have been one of the main financial burdens for the clubs, creating one of the main imperatives for the AFL to move to purchase the ground ahead of the initial 2025 handover date.

Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon was thrilled at the announcement capping a big and successful month for the club.

He said the tenant clubs had largely paid off the venue for the AFL over the past 15 years due to their stadium arrangements.

"Both the affected clubs and all clubs as a whole have a joint interest in making sure that the stadium tenancy agreements do not create unfairness," Gordon said.

Fantastic new for the AFL and smaller Victorian clubs. Stadium deals with Etihad have been a burden which should ease under new agreements.

It will also be interesting to see if the attendance increases given much of level 2 wasnt avaiable to AFL fans given the ridiculous Access One arrangements. Good news all round. One of the many benefits of having Australia's largest sporting revenues

the AFL only confirming its number one place in Australian sport!

interesting times for the AFL and Etihad, would be awsome if some of this went ahead

Etihad Stadium $300m revamp plans unveiled
Story: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...d ... 0222014280

THE AFL’s plans for a $300 million revamp of Etihad Stadium include a new waterside stadium gateway, open-air bars, restaurants, parks and a running track.

A secret AFL proposal handed to the Andrews Government, which has been obtained by the Herald Sun, outlines the massive revamp of the run-down stadium.

AFL chiefs have presented a glossy 32-page document, titled “Docklands Reimagined”, to Premier Daniel Andrews and Sport Minister John Eren.

The league hopes the Etihad overhaul will kill off a rival plan from Collingwood president Eddie McGuire to build a $1 billion new stadium near the MCG.

Under the AFL’s proposal:

$300m would be pumped into rejuvenating Etihad Stadium and the precinct;

THE arena would open out to Harbour Esplanade and a sprawling waterfront entertainment zone;

A RUNNING track would wind its way around the ground, a giant rock climbing wall built, with grassed parkland; and

COMMUNITY yoga classes on the Etihad playing surface are also in the document.

The revamp will not see any increase to the 54,000-seat capacity but the facade and stands will be upgraded once the AFL wrests control of the venue from its private owners.

“Etihad Stadium is tired and run down,” the pitch document concedes.

“It is 16 years old and provides fans an experience for the year 2000 — not 2016 and beyond.

“It’s not fully integrated into the Docklands precinct, Melbourne’s CBD and the waterfront.

“It does not provide a 365-day destination for the Victorian community. The stadium has never truly reached its potential.”

The AFL hints that a revamped Etihad Stadium would be a major vote winner for the government.

“Involvement in this project would ensure the Andrews Government’s legacy as a dynamic, visionary government,” the document says.

“Importantly, this would be achieved for a fraction of the cost of stadium projects in other states.”

Bhaaaaa
So they've already trying to gouge the Govt .
Lol
After all the crap that dumbo posted about RL getting Govt handouts.
Lol
They bought it
They look after it

AFLcrap1 wrote:

Bhaaaaa
So they've already trying to gouge the Govt .
Lol
After all the crap that dumbo posted about RL getting Govt handouts.
Lol
They bought it
They look after it

lol NRLOL gets grants nd hands outs for decades!
the onlything the NRLOL clubs do is bang a league club on it and collect the poke and gaming revenue

AFL gets money & your jumping up and town in mental jealous fits

Never even heard of the stadium lol

NRL&NFLweLaughATafl wrote:

Never even heard of the stadium lol

lol

they played SOO there a few years ago. The stadium that fits 55k under a roof

NlolRL wrote:

NRL&NFLweLaughATafl wrote:

Never even heard of the stadium lol

lol

they played SOO there a few years ago. The stadium that fits 55k under a roof

He know about etihad stadium, the tin foil hat mob do like to attempt to play dumb, despite the fact they are dimwitted at the best of times

leagueiscrap wrote:

NlolRL wrote:

NRL&NFLweLaughATafl wrote:

Never even heard of the stadium lol

lol

they played SOO there a few years ago. The stadium that fits 55k under a roof

He know about etihad stadium, the tin foil hat mob do like to attempt to play dumb, despite the fact they are dimwitted at the best of times

Great comeback loonie lolololololol almost grammatically correct and so witty. You could get a job in a circus.......can you scoop up Elephant poop? lololololololol

NRL&NFLweLaughATafl wrote:

Never even heard of the stadium lol

Well they played SOO, a RL test match, A-League, NRL matches, RU Tests, Cricket one dayers and BB - you obviously don't get around much do you!

Swans4ever wrote:

NRL&NFLweLaughATafl wrote:

Never even heard of the stadium lol

Well they played SOO, a RL test match, A-League, NRL matches, RU Tests, Cricket one dayers and BB - you obviously don't get around much do you!

well he is a NRL fan!
so its pretty self explanatory

Terry wrote:

leagueiscrap wrote:

NlolRL wrote:

NRL&NFLweLaughATafl wrote:

Never even heard of the stadium lol

lol

they played SOO there a few years ago. The stadium that fits 55k under a roof

He know about etihad stadium, the tin foil hat mob do like to attempt to play dumb, despite the fact they are dimwitted at the best of times

Great comeback loonie lolololololol almost grammatically correct and so witty. You could get a job in a circus.......can you scoop up Elephant poop? lololololololol

nah sounds like to hard ill stick to my current job & take the far better pay for doing a lot less!

but by the sounds of it some one who claims to travel the world for work & stay in fancy hotel rooms, & clearly is a few saltanas short of a fruit cake, terry lololololoon
that could be a good place for you to start?

leagueiscrap wrote:

Terry wrote:

leagueiscrap wrote:

NlolRL wrote:

NRL&NFLweLaughATafl wrote:

Never even heard of the stadium lol

lol

they played SOO there a few years ago. The stadium that fits 55k under a roof

He know about etihad stadium, the tin foil hat mob do like to attempt to play dumb, despite the fact they are dimwitted at the best of times

Great comeback loonie lolololololol almost grammatically correct and so witty. You could get a job in a circus.......can you scoop up Elephant poop? lololololololol

nah sounds like to hard ill stick to my current job & take the far better pay for doing a lot less!

but by the sounds of it some one who claims to travel the world for work & stay in fancy hotel rooms, & clearly is a few saltanas short of a fruit cake, terry lololololoon
that could be a good place for you to start?

It's spelt sultanas ya poor devil lolololololololol. I'm actually back at home now. Harbour was looking great this morning, went a bit pear shaped in the arvo but the Shiraz is pretty good at the mo. If you want a better job PM me and I'll see what I can do. I always try to help the disadvantaged.

leagueiscrap wrote:

Swans4ever wrote:

NRL&NFLweLaughATafl wrote:

Never even heard of the stadium lol

Well they played SOO, a RL test match, A-League, NRL matches, RU Tests, Cricket one dayers and BB - you obviously don't get around much do you!

well he is a NRL fan!
so its pretty self explanatory

lol State of Origin was last played at the MCG in Melbourne and I am imagining this Etihad not being such a good ground for rectangular codes if AFL is buying it.

It had retractable seats to make it rectangular.

Fred wrote:

It had retractable seats to make it rectangular.

Sounds like a smaller version of the current ANZ except with a retractable roof.