Somers Street isn’t going to work. PT is terrible to that ground and it is does next to nothing to help activate the areas that it wants to tap into in the future.

Geelong and Ballarat they are largely stuck with now until they pull their finger out and get the stadium built in Tarneit.

The last thing they need now is this talk of moving away from Geelong at such an early stage when they need all the support they can get.

That can’t be correct SFC have told us we can’t have Southern Expansion because 76% of their fans come from that region. Not 21%. I don’t get out of bed for 21%

I'd say that south/south east data covers a big chunk of the eastern suburbs. Then you would have another 30% in the northern suburbs and another 30% in the western suburbs (give or take a percent or two). Like I said, it would be fairly evenly spread for both MV and MC.

This is the details from the Deloitte report:-


"Perhaps the most telling set of numbers in the Deloitte data are those that look at the impact of the six shortlisted bids on the existing A-League clubs. 

The Deloitte data looked at the number of existing A-League clubs members in each of the expansion bid geographic regions. 

..."
https://footballtoday.news/features/long-read-unpacking-the-metrics-in-the-a-league-expansion-decision
https://footballtoday.news/features/long-read-unpacking-the-metrics-in-the-a-league-expansion-decision

It doesn't have data for the west unfortunately.

I agree.

I'd be surprised if there is any single area that has a substantially higher number of MV supporters. I live in the North but I work in the East and typically catch the train to games, so on Friday night games I'm travelling on eastern train lines. I reckon they both have a similar number of supporters. If you look across the platforms at flinders st or southern cross after a game there is a fairly even distribution on most platforms. It would be interesting to see the membership postcode breakdown to see what the spread is actually like. 

Well I live in that area and there's plenty of blue on the train in when we're playing, I'd say it's one of our strongest areas, if we have one.

Inner Western suburbs probably already have a very strong Victory supporter base.

Somers Street is good to capture the west market, for Sunshine, St Albans, Keilor , etc.
Whitten oval really is location perfect for them, with train station, being inner west.
Melbourne Showgrouds...  well maybe this is possible to too? I'm not sure.
If Western United play out of Somers Street, and Whitten Oval (plus a few appearances in Ballarat) for the next few seasons , and then move to Tarneit when the stadium is complete,  I think they'll build a real stronghold in the west, covering inner west, wild west, keilor , taylors lakes, lavo, point cook, hoppers, etc. They'd really have a monopoly and the only way a 2nd Western Suburbs team could enter the A-leage would be via Promotion / Relegation.

Used to think this but I swear I've Knight's Pres say somewhere (possibly twitter) that they'd be much more open to this than most would have thought. Obviously there would have to be a fee but that's not surprising.

A conversation at a pub in Geelong:
 - Anyone been to the sokkah?
 - I was gunna go, but I'm so upset that there's been no news about the new stadium in Tarneit - I refuse to go till I hear something!

Yep.
I didn't want to be the one coming out all negative, but there is not a chance in hell of the Knights doing WU any favours (unless they were willing to pay a premium price).

yep agree with all of this. but the lack of communication with fans seems to be a HAL-wide issue.

I also agree with Whitten Oval as an option. I said this 12 months ago. Yes its an AFL ground, but its small, in the west and much more suitable for them than a 36,000 stadium.

Heidelburg's Olympic Village is an interesting one as it's in City's notional home area, and is currently undergoing an upgrade: https://shaping.banyule.vic.gov.au/olympicpark

CFG could throw in with them and spring for more seating on the Western side. Anyone with fond memories of the 15k crowd for that FFA Cup match would be keen.

As well they should.  

It has a bit of a covered area next to the canteen, grass banks on three sides and a lemon tree.

On paper Knights stadium would be perfect, but I cant imagine them giving the green light, considering the grudge that clubs like Knights and South would hold against the A league and the FFA, and if they do it would be at some exorbitant rental cost. It's a real shame as I think it would have been perfect.

Does Green Gully actually have any stands? I thought it was just an open field. What about Olympic Village or Pascoe Vale?

Regarding the Roar, that was a brilliant venue with so much potential. If they redevelop the stand at the open end then they are onto a winner.

Hopefully they have seen the light and try to move more of their games here.Also, it's great leverage for getting a better deal with SunCorp

City at Lakeside would be very interesting to see. Could help SM lobby for upgrades to support your own bid.

Victory can barely afford to play at AAMI Park, and that's with far higher attendances, hence the need to have some games at Docklands. CFG must be losing a fortune to play there.

It's a smart move but ffs the decision to go to Geelong in the first place certainly wasn't...
At least their willing to correct themselves.
As I've said in the past... once the stadium announcement comes (early next year), people will stop being so cynical about this club.

Yeah, its definitely the venue that is the problem...

Knights should go for it imo.

Personally i'd love to have city at lakeside or even have WU play a couple there to test their reach in the cbd..our social club would make a killing.

Green gully would be pretty stupid.

Seems like if they got it right they could sell much food and drink also.

They let Avondale play there, they'd only get more for letting WU use it.

It's not too late for WU to move their Ballarat games to Morshead Park.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballarat_Regional_Soccer_Facility

https://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/stadiums.php?id=417

https://twitter.com/PaulMavroudis/status/738958906982989825

https://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/arch-showcase/2016/10/19/ballarat-regional-soccer-facility-in-victoria-australia-by-k20-architecture/

Footscray station is nowhere near Whitten oval.  You're thinking of west Footscray station

One of the reasons crowds are low has to be the lack of information regarding the Tarneit stadium. It's been nearly 12 months and all we have is O'Rouke telling us that WU told him that its going to happen early next year. Which may be true, but the fans need to hear this stuff from the club. The fans aren't going to invest their time and money in a club that they have little idea about what the future holds. They need some proper evidence that this stadium is going to happen.
As for other stadiums, I still reckon they could trial a game or two at Whitten Oval. Obviously no footy oval is ideal, but the location is about as perfect as it gets for club representing the West. All Western train lines run through footscray station and the stadium is literally across the road. 

The last FFA A League clusterfuck. And what a doozy it is

MK would have to first allow it but I don’t see why not if it adds up financially. Also I don’t see why MK couldn’t play in the AL out if that stadium at the same time also.

They must be the most deluded people in Aussie football (and that's saying something) if they thought they'd pull more than a 5k average in a soulless oval stadium 50km's away from where their "true" home is. 

They should honestly just fuck off this whole "western region" business, rename themselves West Melbourne United and play out the next few years at Knights Stadium. The public transport is shit but I'm sure they could arrange some bus services from Albion station or whichever is closest. They wouldn't be expecting more than 5k average there anyways, which at Somers St. would actually be rocking. 

So one team?
after 2 new stadiums in Sydney?