Richmond sell one home game to the Gold Coast.

[tigersalive]

THE AFL is set to showcase three strong Melbourne clubs on the Gold Coast for the next two years in a bid to compete with rival codes and continue momentum in its newest growth area.

Richmond, Carlton and St Kilda appear certain to be playing home games at the Gold Coast Stadium at Carrara over the next two years in a bid to maintain high AFL interest before the start-up of the Gold Coast in 2011.

The powerhouse clubs will fill the void left by North Melbourne.

The league needed clubs to fill the gap left by the Kangaroos, who withdrew from the final year of their three-year contract to play three games on the Gold Coast next season.

The North Melbourne deal was for $1.2million from next year, which will now be shared equally among the Tigers, the Blues and the Saints.

The AFL is yet to finalise exact details of next year's fixture, but it is understood that Carlton will play Adelaide and St Kilda could play Brisbane on the Gold Coast after Collingwood pulled out after initially showing interest.

The Magpies broke all home-attendance records at the MCG this season by averaging 65,000, which included games against non-Victorian clubs Fremantle, West Coast and Adelaide.

While the Pies were keen to promote their massive following in Queensland, they believed they could have disenfranchised members and reserved-seat holders had they elected to move a home game to the Gold Coast.

In the Tigers' case, the Melbourne home game they will lose next year would more than likely have been a Telstra Dome match against another Victorian club.

It is believed the Gold Coast fixtures will provide the Tigers with a better net financial result of at least $250,000 in additional revenue each year.

Richmond president Gary March was unavailable for comment but it is understood the Tigers, without a major sponsor for 2009, will treat the Gold Coast as a vehicle for promotion and development of their supporter base outside Victoria. It is also an avenue to attract national sponsorship.

Next season a record number of Melbourne-based clubs will play home games outside Victoria. Only Collingwood, Essendon and the Kangaroos, for the first time in more than a decade, will play all 11 home games at either the MCG or Telstra Dome.

Apart from the Gold Coast exposure for the Tigers, Blues and St Kilda, the Western Bulldogs appear set to again play home games in Darwin and Canberra, Melbourne will play at least one match in Canberra, and Hawthorn will again host four games in Launceston.

The Tigers are heading for a profit this season of about $700,000, while Carlton is expected to make more than $2million.

St Kilda's figure should be somewhere near break-even. In a compete about-face after shunning Tasmania as a home venue, the Saints, with a new administration and coaching staff, will head north instead of south to help their bottom line.

The St Kilda experiment of playing home games in Launceston ended in 2007 after it played eight home games there between 2003 and 2006.

Carlton's desire to host games on the Gold Coast is based on building its national brand and for economic reasons.

As an example, when it hosted Brisbane at Telstra Dome in round eight in front of a crowd of 38,675, chief executive Greg Swann said it received a match return of just $26,700.

The Lions had requested a radical proposal to play Collingwood in consecutive matches next season in Queensland, which Brisbane claimed would have enhanced momentum for the code before the entry of the Gold Coast.

Heading the Lions' fixture wish list for seasons 2009 and 2010, was a bold plan to play the Magpies either side of a bye at the Gabba and Carrara.

Brisbane chief executive Michael Bowers said he was unaware of his club's exact involvement on the Gold Coast over the next two years, but welcomed it as a huge promotional tool for the code.

"As I've said before, the AFL wants to prepare the soil for the new Gold Coast club and we're prepared to be part of that promotion until they enter the competition in 2011," Bowers said.

"It's important that the AFL puts its best foot forward and the Lions should be playing a quality opposition. For us, it's a no-brainer. We want to be part of showcasing the game as an entree for the Gold Coast."

Interest in AFL on the Gold Coast has surpassed all expectation with expressions of interest from potential members now well in excess of 30,000, more than 10,000 ahead of the figure set to be established by next week when the consortium is officially approved by the AFL commission as the 17th licence holder.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24438729-23211,00.html

Takes away a home game at the dump.

We make $400k gross instead of about $30000 at the Dome.

Hopefully it gives us a bit more leverage for a better draw at the MCG.

[Obelix]

I can see the benefits in leveraging an interstate match to attract a better sponsorship deal.  Hadn't thought of that.  I would rather that home game be one against an interstate club such as Port or Freo - one that wouldn't normally draw a big home crowd anyway.

[Smokey]

I can see the benefits in leveraging an interstate match to attract a better sponsorship deal.  Hadn't thought of that.  I would rather that home game be one against an interstate club such as Port or Freo - one that wouldn't normally draw a big home crowd anyway.

Forget all the logic and niceties.  We get to see them at least once and possibly twice up here for the season - don't really care who they lay.  Yahooooooo!!!!!!!

Who cares about sponsorships and money and bottom lines.  It's all my  and  rolled into one.  I think I'll have a  to celebrate.  Actually, its Friday arvo and I have a 2 hour wait at Hervey Bay airport to get home - I'll probably have 1 or 2 anyway.   

Good news hey Julz?

[WilliamPowell]

Understand the $$$ angle but personallyI am deadset against it.

I pay significant $$$ dollars for my membership and I don't see why I should lose a home game in Melb.

Having said that if playing a game on the Gold Coast means we are guaranteedall our remaining games at the MCG then this sort of deal looks appealing.

 

[Smokey]

Understand the $$$ angle but personallyI am deadset against it.

I pay significant $$$ dollars for my membership and I don't see why I should lose a home game in Melb.

Having said that if playing a game on the Gold Coast means we are guaranteedall our remaining games at the MCG then this sort of deal looks appealing.

 

Putting my serious hat back on now, I understand your sentiment and those that buy memberships and can take advantage of the admission benefits year after year should be considered in any decision.  Another angle though, is that there are many, many members from interstate who rarely get a chance to see the club and even more rarely get a chance to benefit by free admission.  Their membership each year is generally more of a donation done in the spirit of something to help the club.  I don't begrudge those lucky enough to benefit from this short term change.  And I'm not saying that just because they chose the Gold Coast and it suits me in particular - the same would apply if it was Tasmania, Northern Territory etc.  Short term, significant financial boost, exposure to new markets - I think the pro's outweigh the con's.

[tigersalive]

Understand the $$$ angle but personallyI am deadset against it.

I pay significant $$$ dollars for my membership and I don't see why I should lose a home game in Melb.

Having said that if playing a game on the Gold Coast means we are guaranteedall our remaining games at the MCG then this sort of deal looks appealing.

Would it change your mind if an away game in Melbourne is changed to a "home game" for Richmond members to attend so therefore still getting your 11 games?

That said I think people need to put the clubs priorities ahead of their own since it's for just one home game.  Support the club first, not yourself.

[cub]

I get a holiday in the sun instead of going to turd dome   

[Ramps]

I could support it if we have 10 MCG home games a year.

[mightytiges]

From a purely dollar stance, you would want the GC game to be against a Victorian club so it'll be beamed back live into Melbourne. If it's against Port or Freo then the tv networks won't want to show it and the national exposure angle for doing it is lost. Also you lose home ground/state advantage playing it against an interstate side. Playing St Kilda up there is a better option given at least Carrara is a neutral venue rather than the Dome.

I can understand the reasoning if the payoff for doing it is we receive 10 home games at the 'G on a significantly better stadia deal playing Coll, Ess, Carl and even Hawthorn twice and by 2011 when GC17 enters the comp we then get all 11 home games at the 'G. Otherwise it just looks a desperate grab for cash by a worried board at the expense of the footy team. These decisions can backfire if playing one less home game in Melbourne costs us a spot in the finals or better. I've seen it happen before.

There's only one sure way to boost finances - Winning games and playing Finals.

[bojangles17]

we would be FOOLS to decline an opportunity to increase revenues in an increasingly difficult economic environment...it's a 2-3 year arrangement that will help us at a small price for us to pay considering we will still see 16-17 games live in melb

[Mopsy]

It will mean another chance for me to see a game next season - we have not had a brissie game for 2 years.

See you there Julz

[Francois Jackson]

What a load of crap.

selling a home game i will never agree with. Its not always about the money. If we made he finals the money and sponsors will come!!

whats next all home games to be played at Telstra.

Anothe great off season find for the RFC

[torch]

[1965]

What a load of crap.

selling a home game i will never agree with. Its not always about the money. If we made he finals the money and sponsors will come!!

whats next all home games to be played at Telstra.

Anothe great off season find for the RFC

It is always about the money.

No money we go out of business.

 

[Francois Jackson]

What a load of crap.

selling a home game i will never agree with. Its not always about the money. If we made he finals the money and sponsors will come!!

whats next all home games to be played at Telstra.

Anothe great off season find for the RFC

It is always about the money.

No money we go out of business.

 

I understand that but our money should come if we play finals.

We do our part as supporters year in year out.

I have been a member for nearly 10 years for jack finals and look at us we are smashing it.

Make finals and we will rival in of the top 3 including the blues. No need to sell games. March is not doing his job if he is selling games like that.