Will storm survive long run?

[Genghis Chan]

Will the storm survive in the long run? Without a doubt. The NRL needs Melbourne. Melbourne is the 2nd largest city in Australia (I think 2nd, anyone know for sure - in terms of population that is) With the new taces on clubs in New South Wales it is more important than ever for a team in Melbourne. If Melbourne were to go under, then there goes a lot of sponsorship for the NRL. Why should sponsors pay what they pay now if Melbourne were to go when the range of their exposure will be isolated to 2 states. Keeping Melbourne means keeping something like 80 to 90% of Australia possibly exposed to their sponsorship. Cut out Melbourne, say goodbye to large sponsorship deals with the NRL.

Sponsors get what they pay for, and will pay less if exposure will be less. The NRL needs Melbourne. Without the Storm, the financial situiation will worsen for the NRL.

 

[Southern Rooster]

An upgrade into an all purpose soccer and league stadium at Olympic Park would be ideal. The Vic govt could fund it and the new soccer team in the APL as well as the Storm could play out of it. We need to move with it and get our pollies moving with it as well.

 

[Drew]

An upgrade into an all purpose soccer and league stadium at Olympic Park would be ideal. The Vic govt could fund it and the new soccer team in the APL as well as the Storm could play out of it. We need to move with it and get our pollies moving with it as well.

The current Vic Govt will never fund anything to do with the NRL, let's face it... it's the wrong code... I bet Bracksy would be doing well to know that the Storm even exists...

I think the chances of Storm becoming another Rabbitohs is marginal. I dont believe that Melbourne does need the NRL, or vice versa. The supporters definitely need the Storm, and that the Storm need the supporters, but Melbourne doesn't come into it. If that were the case, then we would have more than one NRL team based out of Melbourne. Face it, Melbourne is straight up, an AFL town... It always has been, and probably always will be. Any other code of any other sport (aside from Cricket) will always play second fiddle during the Winter.

I think the idea of discounted entry to AFL members is a good idea. 10% discount is PROBABLY enough for most people to be encouraged to come to at least one game, and hell, one game may be enough... It certainly was for me!!!

Another Grand Final would help, but let's not put too much pressure on the coaches and the boys all at once, eh? ;-)

Hmm... end of my views for now...

See y'all at Wagga Wagga for Trial Game #2

Cheers,

Andrew 8)

 

[Alan Shore]

An upgrade into an all purpose soccer and league stadium at Olympic Park would be ideal. The Vic govt could fund it and the new soccer team in the APL as well as the Storm could play out of it. We need to move with it and get our pollies moving with it as well.

The current Vic Govt will never fund anything to do with the NRL, let's face it... it's the wrong code... I bet Bracksy would be doing well to know that the Storm even exists...

I think the chances of Storm becoming another Rabbitohs is marginal. I dont believe that Melbourne does need the NRL, or vice versa. The supporters definitely need the Storm, and that the Storm need the supporters, but Melbourne doesn't come into it. If that were the case, then we would have more than one NRL team based out of Melbourne. Face it, Melbourne is straight up, an AFL town... It always has been, and probably always will be. Any other code of any other sport (aside from Cricket) will always play second fiddle during the Winter.

I think the idea of discounted entry to AFL members is a good idea. 10% discount is PROBABLY enough for most people to be encouraged to come to at least one game, and hell, one game may be enough... It certainly was for me!!!

Another Grand Final would help, but let's not put too much pressure on the coaches and the boys all at once, eh? ;-)

Hmm... end of my views for now...

See y'all at Wagga Wagga for Trial Game #2

Cheers,

Andrew 8)

Nothing will change re Government support when we have a Minister for AFL and Brick-a-Brack-I-don't-do-jack for a pathetic premier. Bring back Kennett!

According to your flawed logic, would you suggest that because we only have one Melbourne NRL team, we should get rid of it and the AFL should drop Brisbane & Sydney? Yeah, right :roll:

10% discount to AFL members is definently a good idea, and we should combine forces with soccer. Frank Lowy is an astute businessman who knows what he is doing and is trying to recruit John O'Neill to run the APL.

Melbourne unfortunately always will be an AFL town - but League can carve a SIGNIFICANT niche Swans/Lions style.

 

[robbieando]

Upgrading Olympic Park to an all purpose League/Soccer Stadium will never happen regardless if the Minister for Sport was Matt Orford himself. The ground MUST have an athletics track, so any upgrade has to take that into account. Anyway the Storm can survive in this town if they are given a fair go by the NRL.

Also while News Limited's funding is nice the Storm have to attempt to lower the amount of funding needed, so that if News Limited one day decided to pull its funding the Storm would be able to stand on their own two feet.

Though nothing will change unless junior development in this state is kept the way it is. The NRL, ARL and VRL, must work with the Storm to develop a plan to get the code out there. Also crying over the TV coverage isn't going to help while Ch 9 have the AFL's rights the same time Ch 9 show the NRL into Sydney.

 

[Stevo_G]

what about the storm going to play at the rectangular bob jane stadium in melbourne it has no running track, but maybe not close to city as olympic park

 

[joshreading]

I have been thinking, in Sydney the Swans have really made a niche in the eastern and northern Suburbs, where in Melbourne could the Storm make a niche and by aiming for a niche start to place particular emphasis on the area atleast until the Storm grows in strength.

 

[Surandy]

what about the storm going to play at the rectangular bob jane stadium in melbourne it has no running track, but maybe not close to city as olympic park

That actually sounds like a good idea, I've never been there but anywhere that brings the fans closer to the action is better for the game of rugby league.

The spectacle that is rugby league is better the closer you are to the action. Main problem I see with Bob Jane Stadium is it's crowd capacity at present isn't much different to that of Olympic Park. I think if the Storm were to move to a new home they need somewhere like Bob Jane Stadium but they need somewhere with a capacity of 25,000 or more. It also needs to have good facilities, able to view the game when queueing for drinks, ie live or tv.

I'm actually going to have a sticky beak at the ground, from the outside at least, when I go to the Grand Prix next month as I've never been there.

Surandy

 

[Craig]

From a financial aspect I hope that the Storm aren't affected by the troubles their primary sponsor is having.

Adecco's parent company based in Europe had some accounting problem.

Parmalat?

 

[Stormwarning[c]]

A move to Bob Jane stadium was put to the club back in 2000, and a couple of items came up.

1) The size of the stadium wouldn't allow for growth in crowd numbers.
2) Lack of facilitities for the crowd and the club
3) Stadium naming rights

Now I have always believe we should move to Albert Park as there were a number of 'pubs' that we could have adopted as the social club as well.

But for Storm to have an increase in game day support in the future (longer than 5 to 10 years) we need to have a stadium that can already hold increase numbers.

Now if that pratt of a Victorian Sports Minister (sorry, the Minister for AFL)hadn't taken the $17.5 million that Kennett had allocated to a re-development of O.P. and given it to AFL junior development when Bracks first came into power we would already start to see a very different and new stadium where we are.

Also remember, Bracks is spending $55 million to remove 10 rows of seats, lay a running track and then rip it up and replace the 10 rows 20 days later at the MCG for the Commonwealth Games.

Now if we could get Crazy Johns to buy and develop Bob Jane stadium for us, I sure the club would be more than grateful and given him Naming rights on the jerseys, which a little birdy has told me he is after.

 

[Surandy]

From a financial aspect I hope that the Storm aren't affected by the troubles their primary sponsor is having.

Adecco's parent company based in Europe had some accounting problem.

Parmalat?

No, Adecco.

 

[ash the bash]

I have been thinking, in Sydney the Swans have really made a niche in the eastern and northern Suburbs, where in Melbourne could the Storm make a niche and by aiming for a niche start to place particular emphasis on the area atleast until the Storm grows in strength.

I actually wonder whether the do have a niche area, it would be interesting to know what part of melbourne most of the supporters some from, i have a feeling it may be in some where, crap i don't know, maybe in the east :roll:

 

[chemicalbrother]

THE SOUTH EAST suburbs Right were waverly were!!!!

I know there is heaps of AFL fans that have gone AWOL!!!.

 

[steaming stormer]

I live in the west and I am a member of the club, along with a lot of other people I know from the town I live.

Moving to the east will get rid of a number of supporters... remember that is why Waverley died as an AFL ground... too far away and not enough people went

 

[Surandy]

I see quite a lot of people in Storm gear in Melbourne's western suburbs and in Geelong. Even out of season. Places I have seen Storm gear worn this summer.

Sunshine Plaza, Werribee, Williamstown (does looking in the mirror count?), Geelong, Highpoint. And that is just in 5 or 6 weeks.

Storm really need to play somewhere relatively central and waverley is far from central.

Surandy

 

[olympic park]

I see quite a lot of people in Storm gear in Melbourne's western suburbs and in Geelong. Even out of season. Places I have seen Storm gear worn this summer.

Sunshine Plaza, Werribee, Williamstown (does looking in the mirror count?), Geelong, Highpoint. And that is just in 5 or 6 weeks.

Storm really need to play somewhere relatively central and waverley is far from central.

Surandy

yes i've seen many people go around wearing their storm gear - although i must admit im another guilty soul who does the same!!

on the topic of storm and home grounds etc. the problem lies solely with the victorian government's bungle not to improve olympic park. if it had a U-shaped grandstand (ie only open bit faces the MCG/rail lines) it would seat far more people undercover!!

although ideally a new purpose-built square stadium at docklands is the real way to go for a league/soccer stadium in melbourne!!!

 

[Stormwarning[c]]

although ideally a new purpose-built square stadium at docklands is the real way to go for a league/soccer stadium in melbourne!!!

It has already been built.

The land is owned by News Ltd, the stadium is managed partly by channel 7 and will be given to the AFL after a number of years.....it's called Telstra Dome.

The only sport in the world not to have their goals run north south is the AFL. Rugby League, Union, Soccer all have their goals (International grounds) running North South. The same as Telstra Dome.......funny that.

Another stuff up by the Victorian Government.