Carlton close in on MCG home ground deal Jay Clark
From: Herald Sun
July 01, 2013 8:00PMCARLTON is closer to making the MCG its primary home ground after eclipsing 50,000 members for the first time in the club's history.
The Blues are confident they will secure a deal to play up to eight games a season at the MCG when their contract at Etihad Stadium expires at the end of next season.
The controversial appointment of coach Michael Malthouse has helped the club set a membership record - which it needed to help prove it had outgrown the indoor venue.
Carlton has averaged a crowd of about 65,000 at its MCG games this year and expects almost 90,000 to attend its blockbuster Pratt Cup clash against arch rivals Collingwood on Friday night.
Next season will be the Blues 150th AFL/VFL year and upsizing to the MCG for a minimum seven games would help draw more blockbuster crowds and deliver the club a major financial boost.
Swann said the club was waiting on a proposal from Etihad and was likely to have an answer on the club's MCG pitch by the end of the year.
"I think we are (in a strong position). Considering our average crowds we get at the MCG and from an AFL point of view they still want to maximise attendances, so I think for us to play more games at the MCG it fits all that criteria," he said.
"I'm pretty confident it will happen."
Swann said the club's members has sent a clear message they wanted "a better split" of games at the MCG.
"You survey all your members and those sort of things and one of the big things was they wanted to get back to the MCG and we said that's fine but it will help us if we have a lot of members and true to their word they've jumped on board," he said.
"So our people go there, they like going there. Hopefully this gives us a bit more ammunition to get more games there."
http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/carlton-close-in-on-mcg-home-ground-deal/story-fndv8f7j-1226672765150#mm-breached
