WTF is this all about
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/...5-23211,00.htmlMCC buckles on finals
By Greg Denham
June 3, 2005
AN uncompromised finals schedule that does not disadvantage the six non-Victorian clubs will be introduced as early as this season.
Brisbane fans at last year's grand final / AAP file
A meeting next week between the Melbourne Cricket Club and AFL management is set to end the controversial deadlock between the two powerful bodies over unfair scheduling in the past of preliminary finals at the MCG.
In the first positive public signal that the MCC-AFL conflict is over, MCC president David Jones yesterday said both parties were "very close".
"We're in a position where we want it fixed and it should be early next week," Jones said. "Resolution is in the air. And if all goes well, the changes will be in for this year."
The MCC, which controls the Melbourne Cricket Ground, is prepared to compromise on a long-standing contract which stipulates that at least one preliminary final be played there until 2032.
The unjust preliminary final scenario came to a head last year when the higher-ranked Brisbane was forced to host the second preliminary final at the MCG, despite having earned the right to play Geelong at the Gabba.
Jones has endorsed a new 25-year contract which will be entered into by both parties, to be reviewed every five years.
As part of the compromise, the AFL will schedule a minimum 45 home-and-away games at the MCG after the stadium's Commonwealth Games-interrupted football season next year.
This year the MCG will host 42 games, one more than its contract.
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In the new deal, the MCC wants Collingwood, acknowledged as the competition's highest drawing club, to play 14 home-and-away games at the 100,000 capacity venue. This year the Magpies play 12 at the MCG.
Friday night games are expected to increase from five this year to 10, with the bulk in autumn but possibly one or two played in August.
Jones said the MCC would request that Melbourne plays more home games at its traditional home ground. The Demons play 10 home games in Melbourne this year, but two of those are at Telstra Dome.
Another long-time tenant club, Richmond, could also play an additional home game at the MCG where it has seven this season.
The MCC will also seek provision in the AFL schedule to have an annual one-off major event, probably from one of the other football codes, rugby union, soccer or rugby league.
What will remain in the new contract is a guarantee that the MCG gets 10 of the best 12 crowd-drawing home-and-away games involving Victorian clubs each season, and financial compensation based on a formula in case of a fall off in attendances which can be attributed to an increase in television ratings.
The MCC also wants all Melbourne finals played at the MCG. But first the AFL, which controls scheduling, would have to erase an agreement with Telstra Dome that stipulates a final be played there if two Melbourne finals are played in the first week of the series.
A meeting planned for today between the AFL and the MCC was cancelled yesterday and rescheduled for next week. The MCC will now meet tonight to formalise its position in preparation for its discussion with the AFL.
Jones said enormous inroads into a satisfactory settlement had been achieved following several informal meetings between himself and AFL Commission chairman Ron Evans.
A fairer system of finals scheduling at the MCG was one of 10 pledges made by the league's chief executive Andrew Demetriou at this year's season launch.
For Brisbane, it's come a year too late.
Coach Leigh Matthews last month questioned whether the AFL sabotaged Brisbane's attempt at four straight flags. He implied the league was either naive or sinister in taking a deserved home-ground advantage away from his club.
In a bid to end the impasse, the AFL last year offered the MCC a $1 million one-off payment to transfer the Brisbane preliminary final to the Gabba.
Emotions outside Victoria have run so high in the past two years over the controversial preliminary final issue that state premiers joined forces in demanding a fairer system be introduced.
In the original 40-year contract drawn up in 1991, at least one final had to be played at the MCG each week.
However, that was revisited four years ago to include a flexible banking system for the first two weeks of the finals, with 12 finals games at the MCG in three-year blocks, including a preliminary final and the grand final each year.
While both parties have claimed faults on either side contributed to the on-going stalemate, the AFL last year acted on the MCC's reluctance to end its preliminary final stance by initiating reprisals against the MCG in this year's schedule.
The league scheduled a number of low-drawing matches at the ground, including Carlton-Fremantle, Carlton-Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs versus West Coast.
It also fixtured MCG tenants Melbourne and Richmond to play each other last week at Telstra Dome, which this year has 49 games, well over its contracted minimum.
The AFL used the term "negotiating leverage" rather than retaliation, in relation to the poor-drawing games.
The Australian
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WHAT - Collingwood offered 14 home games and We get maybe 8 - What a frikkin joke is the MCC and AFL - As time goes by the closer I get to just saying F it all
