March wants our home games at the 'G

[Piping Shrike]

Yes. But its still too much.

[WilliamPowell]

"Why did Melbourne get a million last year and therefore made a million profit while others who made losses got nothing?

Bloody good question Gary 

"At the moment I will sit down with (MCG chief executive) Stephen Gough and he will say, 'I can't offer you a bigger cut of catering or whatever because you can't tell me who you are going to be playing next year and you can't tell me if you are going to play seven, nine or 11 games here. If you tell me you are going to play nine games here and you will play Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon twice then I can negotiate a much better deal, but you can't'. "

Very good point he makes here.

The Western Bulldogs fared the worst from their stadiums deal and would, under the Richmond system, receive $1.9 million instead of the $1.5 million they now get.

The proposed changes are on top of the $2 million per club per year sought from the broadcast agreement.

"That's about $3.8 million for the Bulldogs," March said. "If the Bulldogs — for the sake of the example — cannot manage their books with an additional $2.3 million on top of what they get now then they shouldn't be in the competition long term."

Fair call - I reckon. How long do you prop clubs up for?

Under the model, the Tigers would have received $900,000 this year, but a better blend of venues and games this season would likely get a smaller payment next year.

"That's fair — if we get three blockbusters one year and two the next, or our gate receipts improve and the stadiums deal is better, then we don't deserve the payment. But because we might get three, another club won't and therefore they would be entitled to it."

Seems they've put alot of effort into this submission and done their sums really well.

It seems like a fair an equitable way of doing things

With this....

Under Richmond's plan, Carlton, on last year's figures, would get nothing.

being an added bonus 

Love your thinking Tigers

 

[WilliamPowell]

Tigers eye double Pie

18 May 2006   Herald Sun
Jon Pierik

RICHMOND will lobby the AFL next week to schedule two matches against Collingwood next season, including the season opener at the MCG.

Tigers president Gary March said last night it was time the clubs, who had a falling out over gate receipts in 2004, again clashed twice a year.

March said the plan was again to split gate receipts, as the Tigers would do in their two matches against Essendon this year.

"We are both very big drawing clubs at the MCG, we would like to go back to playing Collingwood twice a year," March said.

"We would also like to play our big arch rivals Carlton and Essendon twice a year."

The Magpies and Tigers last met twice in 2004, including the season opener.

As revealed in Saturday's Herald Sun, the Tigers will also ask for nine home matches at the MCG next season, up from seven this year.

The Tigers met the AFL Commission and executive yesterday and addressed several issues, including providing clubs with a better overall financial return from their home-ground deals.

The AFL was happy the Tigers expect to post a $350,000 profit this season, the second straight year the club will be in the black.

"Today was about us presenting where the Richmond Football Club is at, from where we came from two of three years ago," March said.

"Obviously we are travelling a lot better now, heading towards another profitable year. There seems to be a much better level of
confidence in Richmond than maybe there was a couple of years ago."

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,19172298%255E19742,00.html

[WilliamPowell]

RICHMOND will lobby the AFL next week to schedule two matches against Collingwood next season, including the season opener at the MCG.

Tigers president Gary March said last night it was time the clubs, who had a falling out over gate receipts in 2004, again clashed twice a year.

March said the plan was again to split gate receipts, as the Tigers would do in their two matches against Essendon this year.

  - with proper planning we can do these sort of deals with other clubs

The AFL was happy the Tigers expect to post a $350,000 profit this season, the second straight year the club will be in the black.

"Today was about us presenting where the Richmond Football Club is at, from where we came from two of three years ago," March said.

"Obviously we are travelling a lot better now, heading towards another profitable year. There seems to be a much better level of
confidence in Richmond than maybe there was a couple of years ago."

  Although we still have an overdraft at least our balance sheet will be closer to being in the black (assets over liabilities) if we make a $350k profit (down from ($704k to $354K)

 

[mightytiges]

The AFL was happy the Tigers expect to post a $350,000 profit this season, the second straight year the club will be in the black.

Great news.  Good to see the Club be so proactive too  .

As we're making profits now under the current stadia situation, if the AFL accepts our suggestion then we can use the extra $500-900k or whatever to eat into our overdraft.

[one-eyed]

Tigers homesick
30 May 2006   Herald Sun
Mark Stevens

RICHMOND is preparing to step up its bid for more home games at the MCG.

The Tigers would dearly love at least 10 matches at their spiritual home – and could even be prepared to consider moving a game interstate.

Club president Gary March yesterday said the Tigers expect to meet the AFL in the next fortnight in an aggressive push for fewer games at Telstra Dome.

And March is prepared to think left-field to treat his members to more MCG action.

He said yesterday a mix of 10 games at the MCG and one interstate was more palatable to the Tigers than the current schedule of seven matches at the MCG and four at Telstra Dome.

In a perfect world, the Tigers want 11 games at the MCG and none at Telstra Dome. They are hoping for at least nine at the MCG next year.

But March said the Tigers are prepared to consider other options if the AFL could guarantee 10 games at their traditional home.

"We're prepared to be flexible for one game if it means getting 10 at the MCG," March said.

"We'd have to discuss it as a board because as a board we don't want to go interstate, but if we got 10 games at the MCG we'd seriously have to consider it," March said.

"That's more palatable to us than playing seven home games at the MCG."

In an in-depth interview with the Herald Sun, the Tigers president also said:

THE club is predicting a profit of $350,000 – but is hopeful it will be better if on-field performance continues to improve.

THE media rights bonanza should be split equally – and if the Tigers reap $2 million it will be used to pay off their debt, which is about $4.4 million.

IF the new media deal provides a significant distribution, any trading profits will be pumped into the Tigers' football department – with plans afoot for a new full-time development coach and an expanded recruiting team.

THE long-term future of the Tigers and six or seven other clubs is still in jeopardy unless the AFL can equalise stadium deals.

THE club hoped to wipe out its debt in two years.

March said Richmond members "scream" about playing games at Telstra Dome because they don't like the reserved seating and can't go to the social club at Punt Rd.

He is confident the Tigers could lift membership by about 2000 by playing more games at the MCG.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,19300765%255E19742,00.html

[mightytiges]

"We're prepared to be flexible for one game if it means getting 10 at the MCG," March said.

"We'd have to discuss it as a board because as a board we don't want to go interstate, but if we got 10 games at the MCG we'd seriously have to consider it," March said.

"That's more palatable to us than playing seven home games at the MCG."

I'm all for more home games at the 'G but say no way to playing any interstate. We're a Victorian club not a nomadic one like the Roos and our home ground has always been in Yarra Park. If we want to make a deal with the AFL then play our away games against the Dees and Roos and even the Doggies at Carrara with Southport's financial support. 

THE club is predicting a profit of $350,000 – but is hopeful it will be better if on-field performance continues to improve.

THE media rights bonanza should be split equally – and if the Tigers reap $2 million it will be used to pay off their debt, which is about $4.4 million.

IF the new media deal provides a significant distribution, any trading profits will be pumped into the Tigers' football department – with plans afoot for a new full-time development coach and an expanded recruiting team.

THE club hoped to wipe out its debt in two years.

All great news 

[Fishfinger]

I can see Gary March's logic that to get something you need to trade something for it. My problem with it is that the MCG is our home ground so we shouldn't have to trade anything to play our home games there.

I'd be happy with 9 MCG and 2 TD. For now, anyway. That's because it'd be a big improvement on what we've got now.

11 home games at the MCG, like it used to be, would be ideal. It would also be better for me financially as an MCC member. I like TD though. From what I read, it seems I'm the only Richmond supporter who does.
Having 1 or 2 home games there plus whatever away games there are means the ground stays neutral for us against sides who are tenants there. Now the team is becoming skillful I think the supporters will warm to the ground when we cease being constantly spanked there.
As an aside, it would be harder for the club to market an MCC Tigers package without entry to 1 or 2 TD games.

[mightytiges]

As a spectator I like the Dome too FF and I understand for financial reasons why we play 4 home games there. However from a winning games point of view it's annoying playing "home" games there against Dome tenants and interstate sides that struggle at the 'G. From an injury/player management p.o.v. the surface is also too hard. I read the Advertiser this morning and Port players were complaining about being sorer than usual after just one match at the Dome.

In the VFL days we played 9 or 10 home games at the 'G and the remaining 1 or 2 at Waverley. So 9 'G/2 Dome home games would be an improvement. 

[Tiger Spirit]

"We're prepared to be flexible for one game if it means getting 10 at the MCG," March said.

"We'd have to discuss it as a board because as a board we don't want to go interstate, but if we got 10 games at the MCG we'd seriously have to consider it," March said.

"That's more palatable to us than playing seven home games at the MCG."

I'm all for more home games at the 'G but say no way to playing any interstate. We're a Victorian club not a nomadic one like the Roos and our home ground has always been in Yarra Park. If we want to make a deal with the AFL then play our away games against the Dees and Roos and even the Doggies at Carrara with Southport's financial support.

Have to agree there MT.  As it is, I’ll be lucky to get to 13 games this year, for various reasons.  I partly moved to Melbourne so I could watch my team play and each season it seems I get to see them less and less.  The way things are going, may as well have moved to Timbucktoo.

Maybe that’s a selfish attitude to have, but whatever direction the AFL is taking the game in, they need to realise that supporters are being asked for a far greater financial outlay, as well as time commitment than has been expected from members and supporters in the past.  Yet the AFL and clubs just seem to expect that people can and will continue to follow their team week after week, season after season without any impact on people’s ability to attend games and also purchase memberships.

The flexible lifestyle supporters need to have, and the number of interstate games clubs play, means Clubs need to be careful not erode the footy culture that has existed in Melbourne.  And no way known is taking more of our games outside of Melbourne palatable.  If playing at TD keeps us in Melbourne then so be it.  Why we’re playing Hawthorn in Tasmania this year is beyond me.  It’s their home game, I know, and they can do what they like, but it seems a strange game to take there when you could anticipate a half decent crowd in Melbourne.

[PuntRdRoar]

Ive thought alot about this today. In the end, I understand that people dont want any home games interstate but for mine if Gary March can get us 10 home games at the MCG per season and he can get a deal where that is guaranteed for say 5 years then I wouldnt be against having 1 game in say Tassie.

You win premierships at the G. 10 home MCG Games + probably 2 or 3 MCG Away games + 2 or 3 away games at Telstra Dome would gives more than enough games in Melbourne. The trade off of 1 game shouldnt really be seen in a negative light i dont reckon if we end up with that type of Deal.

[Piping Shrike]

10+1 may be OK if we can get a members recognition in lieu of the 1 game (as I believe the Hawks do), so you can still use the ticket for 11 games. However, maybe we could do an 11+0, 10+1, or at worst 9+2 (MCG/TD) in return for offering to play away games anywhere anytime. Hence we play 11 homes games where we want (MCG), but are also happy to play the 6 standard interstate games and any others (North-Canberra, Hawks-Tas, Demons-Qld) or whatever the draw asks in a particular year. My theory is, own your home games and defend them to the last, but then accept whatever away games you get. And remember, while the flag is won at the G, there's a fair chance some of your finals will be played out of Vic.

[WilliamPowell]

He said yesterday a mix of 10 games at the MCG and one interstate was more palatable to the Tigers than the current schedule of seven matches at the MCG and four at Telstra Dome......

"We're prepared to be flexible for one game if it means getting 10 at the MCG," March said.

 

The Club may be prepared to flexible but I am not

I'm all for more home games at the 'G but say no way to playing any interstate. We're a Victorian club not a nomadic one like the Roos and our home ground has always been in Yarra Park.

 

I always had the view and I'll never change it that we should not play any home games interstate.

I am fortunate that I can go to interstate games but what about those who cannot.

Other clubs sell home games out of necessity I don't think we are in that position yet and cannot see us needing to in the future.

On the contrary we are showing that through hardwork and proper planning and management you can turn your finances around without selling games

TS makes an excellent point every year we asked to pay more and more and we receive less.

I know people hate Telstra Dome, understand it and accept it but .....

If it comes down to a choice between 11 home games in Melbourne shared between the MCG and Telstra (9-2 or 8-3) or selling one off interstate to guarantee 10 MCG games then I'd take the 11 home games in Melbourne any day

[PuntRdRoar]

I actually agree that our membership and reserve seat ticket prices are getting to stage where the club needs to give consideration to the clubs supporters many of whom are still salaried people and not corporate types. Theres been an exponential increase for mine in costs over the past 5 years or so.

[cub]

If it comes down to a choice between 11 home games in Melbourne shared between the MCG and Telstra (9-2 or 8-3) or selling one off interstate to guarantee 10 MCG games then I'd take the 11 home games in Melbourne any day

I hate telstra - but yeah your'e right.

Ohh to turn the clock back and go exploring the suburbs every second week.