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2024 Crowd Watch

Steel Saints

Juniors
Messages
1,049
Yeah I get that but fact is this is the 21st century and a city of 5 million has a rectangular stadium which at most holds 30000. The larger grounds in Melbourne provide a sub standard experience for league union and football fans. You’d think with some forward thinking a 50000 stadium would be in the wings but no.
Originally AAMI Park was supposed to be 20,000. At the time of planning for a new rectangular stadium, Melbourne Victory were getting more than 20,000 at Docklands. Eventually Victory signed up as a tenant, and of course so did the Storm.

However, a capacity of 30,000 is still relatively small. That was highlighted last year in the WWC, where it only hosted the group games and round of 16. AAMI Park and the city of Melbourne were MIA from the quarter finals and beyond.

Melbourne should at least have their own Allianz Stadium, but instead have MacDonald Jones Stadium, a venue in regional Newcastle, Hunter Valley.
 

Jamberoo

Juniors
Messages
1,433
Originally AAMI Park was supposed to be 20,000. At the time of planning for a new rectangular stadium, Melbourne Victory were getting more than 20,000 at Docklands. Eventually Victory signed up as a tenant, and of course so did the Storm.

However, a capacity of 30,000 is still relatively small. That was highlighted last year in the WWC, where it only hosted the group games and round of 16. AAMI Park and the city of Melbourne were MIA from the quarter finals and beyond.

Melbourne should at least have their own Allianz Stadium, but instead have MacDonald Jones Stadium, a venue in regional Newcastle, Hunter Valley.
Disagree. Storm crowds of 20k or even 28k would lack atmosphere at a 40k+ stadium. Wouldn‘t want to lose that just to gain an occasional soccer match. 30k is perfect until Storm are selling out the majority of home games.
 

Vlad59

Bench
Messages
4,048
Disagree. Storm crowds of 20k or even 28k would lack atmosphere at a 40k+ stadium. Wouldn‘t want to lose that just to gain an occasional soccer match. 30k is perfect until Storm are selling out the majority of home games.
Take that AFL hat off before responding thanks. A city of 5 million having a rectangular stadium of only 30000 capacity is ridiculous. It’s not just about the Storm although there is nothing stopping them needing a bigger stadium on the future. And no your afl stadium Docklands is not the answer.
 

Jamberoo

Juniors
Messages
1,433
Take that AFL hat off before responding thanks. A city of 5 million having a rectangular stadium of only 30000 capacity is ridiculous. It’s not just about the Storm although there is nothing stopping them needing a bigger stadium on the future. And no your afl stadium Docklands is not the answer.
What has having a bigger stadium so we can host soccer games got to do with AFL? It would not be better for Storm. I didn’t mention AFL. You are obsessed with AFL, not me.
 

Jamberoo

Juniors
Messages
1,433
Marvel stadium for the prelim final
In between AFL and cricket seasons, so if this Saturday is a full house, and they are allowed to bring the stands in they should do it. Great crowds there during the WWC. Very good stadium for watching RL in my experience.
 
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Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
33,630
In between AFL and crickets seasons, so if they are allowed to bring the stands in they should do it. Great crowds there during the WWC. Very good stadium for watching RL games in my experience,
Been there for origin and league World Cup

Wasnt a huge fan but it’s got the capacity for a prelim
 

Jamberoo

Juniors
Messages
1,433
Been there for origin and league World Cup

Wasnt a huge fan but it’s got the capacity for a prelim
Level 2 is very close to the action, great sight lines for RL, same with L1 sidelines with stands brought in. I sat in L3 (top level) for the first SOO there and the atmosphere was brilliant under the roof, but you are a little far away. Then again, better to be a little further away than locked out of a sold out AAMI.
 

The_Wookie

Bench
Messages
3,247
Take that AFL hat off before responding thanks. A city of 5 million having a rectangular stadium of only 30000 capacity is ridiculous. It’s not just about the Storm although there is nothing stopping them needing a bigger stadium on the future. And no your afl stadium Docklands is not the answer.

Victoria has deliberately staggered its stadiums and gets the max use out of all three as a result. Its a deliberate policy of successive governments that saw Docklands unable to be constructed over its 56,000 capacity so as to protect the MCGs interests, and Aami park unable to be easily built over 30k. Rectangle sports can take it or leave it in the southern states. They CAN be played on oval stadiums - Origins, Union tests and football matches have all been played on them, even if its not perfectly ideal.
 

Vlad59

Bench
Messages
4,048
Victoria has deliberately staggered its stadiums and gets the max use out of all three as a result. It’s a deliberate policy of successive governments that saw Docklands unable to be constructed over its 56,000 capacity so as to protect the MCGs interests, and Aami park unable to be easily built over 30k. Rectangle sports can take it or leave it in the southern states. They CAN be played on oval stadiums - Origins, Union tests and football matches have all been played on them, even if it’s not perfectly ideal.
Looks like a strategy for a government with no vision for the future. Deliberately failing to cater for international codes of sport such as football thus depriving yourself of major international events is really stupid. Selling your state as a the home of second rate sporting experiences while bullshitting on endlessly about being the sporting capital of the world is really stupid. The storms crowds will outgrow Aami and they’ll forced to play at an unsuitable ground owned by our major opposition. That’s stupid. But that’s Victoria.
 

Suitman

Post Whore
Messages
55,899
Victoria has deliberately staggered its stadiums and gets the max use out of all three as a result. Its a deliberate policy of successive governments that saw Docklands unable to be constructed over its 56,000 capacity so as to protect the MCGs interests, and Aami park unable to be easily built over 30k. Rectangle sports can take it or leave it in the southern states. They CAN be played on oval stadiums - Origins, Union tests and football matches have all been played on them, even if its not perfectly ideal.


Mmmm.
I actually love your work here mate but that is a very Victorian comment.
The so-called self-proclaimed sporting capital of the world should be exactly that. Yet, without a decent sized rectangular stadium, that claim falls flat.
We all know why there isn't a much larger rectangular stadium in Melbourne.
AFL.
Their fear and animosity of any other sport except cricket is blatantly clear. Hence why Melbourne was given the scraps during last years WWC which was a massive success elsewhere across the country and also NZ - except Perth. Adelaide doesn't count either. 2 other AFL states.
 

DIOGENES

Juniors
Messages
1,683
Mmmm.
I actually love your work here mate but that is a very Victorian comment.
The so-called self-proclaimed sporting capital of the world should be exactly that. Yet, without a decent sized rectangular stadium, that claim falls flat.
We all know why there isn't a much larger rectangular stadium in Melbourne.
AFL.
Their fear and animosity of any other sport except cricket is blatantly clear. Hence why Melbourne was given the scraps during last years WWC which was a massive success elsewhere across the country and also NZ - except Perth. Adelaide doesn't count either. 2 other AFL states.
As the world’s sport is Soccer, I think any Australian city that claims to be the sporting capital of the world is having a tug
 

undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,974
Marvel stadium for the prelim final
Agreed.

Should the Storm win this coming Saturday, the NRL needs to test the waters and move their home prelim final to Docklands.

With proper promotion and fair ticket pricing, I'm 100% confident the ground record for a Storm home game (33427 vs Parramatta in 2007 PF) is there to be broken.
 
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undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,974
Been there for origin and league World Cup

Wasnt a huge fan but it’s got the capacity for a prelim

Regarding RL test matches, I'm critical of Australia vs New Zealand or England matches in Melbourne being played at AAMI Park instead of Docklands.

The two tests Docklands has hosted got good crowds. Even with the shithouse promotion and tv coverage at the time, 36k for the Australia vs England 2008 RLWC match shows there's potential (especially given that the profile of international RL has grown since then) should a planned three-test Ashes series take place next year, with the cities most likely to host being Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
 

The_Wookie

Bench
Messages
3,247
Mmmm.
I actually love your work here mate but that is a very Victorian comment.

its a statement borne out by the facts., A rectangular stadium is not essential when you have several oval stadiums that can accommodate a rectangular field - and it hasnt affected crowd attendance whatsoever.

Its an issue which is going to screw over Queensland when the time comes to upgrade Suncorp and the Gabba - both coming towards end of life periods in the next decade. You cant play AFL/Cricket at Suncorp, and the alternatives re: retractable seating havent exactly borne stellar results to date here.

The so-called self-proclaimed sporting capital of the world should be exactly that. Yet, without a decent sized rectangular stadium, that claim falls flat.

The MCG is the most attended stadium in Australia by miles. Docklands is generally 2 or 3. For me its about value to the taxpayer, and the fact that it works in Victoria, SA and WA.

We all know why there isn't a much larger rectangular stadium in Melbourne.

Actually its because there was a deal done that prevented Aami Park exceeding its current capacity that ended in 2025 in order to protect the private -not AFL - investment in Docklands

Their fear and animosity of any other sport except cricket is blatantly clear. Hence why Melbourne was given the scraps during last years WWC which was a massive success elsewhere across the country and also NZ - except Perth. Adelaide doesn't count either. 2 other AFL states.

Melbourne was given the scraps because the organising body didnt want to even bother dealing with the Victorian Government - which owns the MCG and has rights to use Docklands during major events, or the AFL, which owns Docklands, as well as being naturally opposed to using Oval stadiums, which then limited their options to Aami Park. They literally used Docklands for the last womens match for the Matildas before the WWC started.

No southern or western AU government is going to build big rectangular stadiums. Makes no sense for the taxpayer.
 

undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,974
And even more if they had a higher capacity ground.

Get it to 40k. Build stands behind the goalposts at each end.
Yes. I agree with you

I was stating that 25k+ figure on the assumption the capacity remains capped at 30k for Lord knows how long. The 30k capacity restriction at McDonald Jones Stadium is a joke and one of my biggest frustrations: all the "sold-out" home matches the Knights got towards the end of last season and throughout this season were capable of possibly getting up to a few thousand more people through the gates if 30k+ was allowed. The ground record (32890) would've definitely been given a run for it's money for that finals match last year vs Canberra.

Had Australia won the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, having the Knights' home ground renovated to the required 40k capacity needed to host World Cup matches would've been awesome. Yes, it would've meant saying goodbye to the northern and southern hills and converting the venue to an all-seater, but as has been proven over the past few years with the Western Sydney Stadium, Cowboy's new home ground and Allianz Stadium, these renovations have made a big difference to the spectator experience.
 

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