Tigers, Blues may lose Easter fixture (The Australian)

[one-eyed]

I can't find this on the net so I've bought a copy and typed it out. Please then do not just cut and paste it to other sites 

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Tigers, Blues may lose Easter fixture
By Greg Denham
The Australian, Friday 25 Jul 2008, Page 14

COLLINGWOOD and Geelong have joined forces in an attempt to hijack next year's Easter MCG blockbuster from Carlton and Richmond.

The Magpies and the Cats want the match, on the eve of Good Friday, to be an annual marquee event, and Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said the clash had the approval of the Seven Network, the AFL broadcaster.

While the Blues and the Tigers shared the Thursday spotlight this year for the first time, they are heading for a showdown against Collingwood and Geelong, who are united in putting their case to the AFL to grab the much sought-after fixture date.

The AFL will ultimately determine which two clubs play on Good Friday eve, but it is understood that Carlton and Richmond are angry at being challenged for the game after drawing an attendance of 72,552 in the opening round this season.

The fixture has been shared around the country by different clubs in recent seasons, but the Blues and the Tigers were of the understanding that they would again feature in the blockbuster after this year's success.

Collingwood last played on the Thursday against Brisbane in 2004. Over the next three seasons it was reserved for games between Brisbane and St Kilda.

The Magpies' lobby to play the competition's powerhouse club Geelong twice each year and starting on that Thursday, is gaining momentum with both clubs agreeing to heavily promote the Royal Children's Hospital Appeal.

An extension of the new-found rivalry between the two clubs will lead to a joint approach to the AFL by McGuire and Geelong chief executive Brian Cook after the pair negotiated details this week.

The Pies-Cats Easter concept was first put forward by long-standing Collingwood marketing manager David Emerson, following last year's preliminary final between the two clubs which attracted an MCG crowd bigger than the following weekend's grand final.

The round-nine Friday night clash between the two clubs this season at the MCG, a Collingwood home fixture, attracted 78,206.

Emerson yesterday said that McGuire had already started "talking'' to the AFL.

"We believe we should be playing twice each year, and we can make a massive event out of the Easter fixture,'' Emerson said.

Both Collingwood and Geelong yesterday said that it was likely that the two clubs would enter into an annual net-profit sharing arrangement from matches against each other.

The Pies this year have attracted 967,794 to their matches, at an average of almost 60,500, and slightly up on last year's figure at the corresponding time.

In 11 MCG games this season, Collingwood has achieved an average crowd of 66,800.

More people watch the Magpies on television than any other sporting club in the country with Collingwood games on free-to-air television averaging over one million viewers.

[mjs]

More people watch the Magpies on television than any other sporting club in the country with Collingwood games on free-to-air television averaging over one million viewers.

This is the reality but everything the AFL does perpetuates it - it's so obvious, and in a relatively small league (AFL) it's just going to cause problems long term rather than be a benefit. If you give one team a disproportionate number of blockbuster dates, most TV exposure and most games at the G - what can you expect in terms of supporter base? Then what does this do to the smaller, vulnerable clubs?

Any wonder the Roos loved shafting them last week.

[cub]

Could I possibly hate them anymore - nup

[wayne]

More people watch the Magpies on television than any other sporting club in the country with Collingwood games on free-to-air television averaging over one million viewers.

Is this possibly because, by my count, Collingwood will feature in 13 games this season that are on either Friday night or Saturday night 

 

[Rodgerramjet]

They are just stuffing idiots, and McGuire is just the biggest stuffing idiot of the lot.

[shannon]

the afl wont change it , the blues and tigers will own it because the afl knows that the tigers and the blues are on th everge on big things and successful times. in 2-3 years , the tigers will be a power again and the tigers v the blues will always be a bigger draw card the the cats v the pies

[mightytiges]

8 friday games this year not enough for Collingwood . Any wonder Andy D sits with Eddie at Pie games  .

[tiogar]

There is one simple foolproof way for Richmond - and indeed Carlton - to avoid all this nonsense and that is to get a top 8 team. We have to put up with these indignities because year after year we are outdrawn because we are crap onfield.

A consistently top 8 Richmond would be averaging 55,000 plus per game with 80,000 plus for big 4 clashes and that would have the AFL salivating.

Carlton v Richmond in any type of form is good for 75 to 80K on a feature day and it would be nonsensical to move it.

[tigersalive]

That's right.

Take it away from us, hurt other clubs while the rich get richer. 

We didn't even get a Friday night game this year.     

stuff off Eddie.

[Moi]

I better have the smelling salts ready before I tell my mum about this lol

This is just plain greed.  I've always supported Collingwood and Essendon having Anzac Day, because they were the ones that got off their butts and made it happen, and so far have done a wonderful job of it. 

But this is a nice little precedent which says, hey it's not your right at all to have sole exclusive rights.  The thieving, miserable, gutless creeps.

If the AFL approves this, if the haven't already, the game has lost me totally.  It's nearly there now, this will put it over the top 

[bushranger]

I hate Sir Eddies team, can't even bring myself to putting down their name. But if it did happen then we all should tell the AFL that we want the Anzac Day game to make up for our lose and I bet that would go down like a ton of bricks.

[tiogar]

Mates as I have said there is ONE and ONLY one sure way to stop this kind if thing in its tracks and we can start TODAY but getting to the game V Brisbane. If 40,000 turned up we could say to the AFL "look at the potential of the tiger Army" however if its the usual pee poor turnout  V interstate we can hardly claim to be blockbuster material.

get to the game.

[1965]

Mates as I have said there is ONE and ONLY one sure way to stop this kind if thing in its tracks and we can start TODAY but getting to the game V Brisbane. If 40,000 turned up we could say to the AFL "look at the potential of the tiger Army" however if its the usual pee poor turnout  V interstate we can hardly claim to be blockbuster material.

get to the game.

I have a 50th birthday to attend that I can't get out of.

Would prefer to be at the dome.

Especially as it's my turn to drive so I can't even get half Molly the Monk for free.

 

[Francois Jackson]

Mates as I have said there is ONE and ONLY one sure way to stop this kind if thing in its tracks and we can start TODAY but getting to the game V Brisbane. If 40,000 turned up we could say to the AFL "look at the potential of the tiger Army" however if its the usual pee poor turnout  V interstate we can hardly claim to be blockbuster material.

get to the game.

I have a 50th birthday to attend that I can't get out of.

Would prefer to be at the dome.

Especially as it's my turn to drive so I can't even get half Molly the Monk for free.

 

another weak excuse.

probably not even a member too

[mightytiges]

Mates as I have said there is ONE and ONLY one sure way to stop this kind if thing in its tracks and we can start TODAY but getting to the game V Brisbane. If 40,000 turned up we could say to the AFL "look at the potential of the tiger Army" however if its the usual pee poor turnout  V interstate we can hardly claim to be blockbuster material.

get to the game.

True tiogar although our supporters do turn up in the main. We still finish in the top 4 for crowds each year despite the lack of marque games and despite almost 3 decades of being a crap side. A bit of on-field success (even back-to-back finals appearances) would be needed to get the bandwagon truly going to fill the Dome.  

We also produced two big crowds of 72k and 73k against Carlton this year with both sides outside the top 8. The Pies and Cats with both sides in the top 4 got a one off 78k. Prior to last year no Pies vs Cats H/A game got over 70k even at the 'G. Hardly an argument for change.

I don't really blame Eddie for this. Sure it's greedy but his job is to do what is best and only best for Collingwood. It's Andy D's job to do what is best for the whole competition and for all 16 clubs. As he only cares about maximising $$$ and is Eddie's lovechild sitting next to him at the footy then why should we be surprised when Collingwood and Eddie always get their way. The sooner Andy D and his dopey sidekick AA are gone the better .