That is with the zoom on your camera mate. I have been there and its shit seats are fucking terrible. Worse than the shit seats at Homebush.

Our bid will be a laughing-stock if we propose 6 rectangular stadiums and 6 oval stadiums, and the way this thing is playing itself out, I can't see it happening any other way . . .

lmao you moron ...it was not with a zoom but a plain little digital camera that i will show you a pciture of if you do not believe but then again u probably wouldn't believe me anyway:-" oh and by the way i have been to the shit seats in homebush as well and still would prefer the MCG

I also would like to add I feel the biggest infrastructure improvement will be at a grass roots level with the need for high quality training grounds and camps as well as transport to and from games.

Some pics I took from the Australia v Japan match.
Literally from the back row of the Great Southern Stand, no Zoom used.
I honestly had no trouble could see the game perfectly fine. I could pick out Tim Cahill to put that into perspective. The only issue with the MCG is the bottom level, which the FFA are trying to rectify.




Edited by imonfourfourtwo: 7/12/2009 05:54:13 PM

I think it's ridiculous they are trying to shoehorn the MCG for the final.

ANZ was planned for pretty much this exact purpose, as the main stadium for the olympics, and once finished, could be converted into the premiere rectangular stadium in Australia.

Just watched 9 News. Seems Andrew Demitriou threw a tantrum and now the FFA has backed away from the idea of temporary or retractable seating. The MCC have no objection to any plans.
Also seems likely Etihad Stadium will not be used for the World Cup bid to appease the AFL.

So football uses a field designed for AFL and AFL uses a field that can easily be configured specific for football. Pass the kool aid.

Take those photos down lest FIFA or our bid opponents see them.

surely when push comes to shove the government will put huge pressure on AFL to give into the demands considering the massive revenue and other benefits that come with the world cup?

id say its more likely that he is crying so the AFL get a bigger cheque out of it all

AFL proving again to be currently the most astute media managers and govt manipulators in Australian sport. NRL and ARU are so far behind the 8-ball - when you think AFL will barely be affected by the WC - despite the dire predictions to the contrary- and both NRL and ARU will lose their playing and training grounds mid season.

Forza Frank Lowy - he'll sort it out.

you are both perfect correct and why wouldnt they?? it is only smart business to get as much out of the massive business that is the WORLD CUP!!!

Why would that be a good thing? To fill the AFL war chests further for the eventual post 2018/22 WC battle for funding, school kids, and infrastructure to the detriment of football. I know you're from Melbourne, but mate - the rest of Australia doesn't see that so favourably.

Front page of the local "free" newspaper here in Melbourne - Headline: CUP COULD KILL CLUBS - referring to - Melbourne, Western Bulldogs & North Melbourne.

Now there's a legacy I'd like to see the WC leave behind ;)

To be honest people.. I wouldn't object to the MCG as the final venue if we were including mostly rectangular venues in our bid. The problem is all we'll be doing is giving extra incentives for government to upgrade AFL/cricket venues (i.e. melb, adelaide, perth). The only two rectangular venues I'd like to see are in Adelaide (Hindmarsh is fine for United and a round venue would be fine for blockbuster games) and Etihad (although I'd prefer a bubbledome upgrade!) which would then be rejigged to rectangular seating. All other stadiums should be FSpecific.



Maybe if the image were digitally edited to show the rectangular configuration, with 100-110,000

I suggest that you read the FIFA document on stadium design or look up the document I put a link to earlier, they will tell you what a football stadium should look like. You might look at Wembley Stadium on wikipedia. It has a great shot from the back of the stands. Looks great with an infield 84m wide not the monstrous 149m that is the MCG. You say that the view from where you were at the MCG was OK, just imagine being in a rectangular stadium where each row is about 30m closer to the play than you were. I am working on a stadium design at the moment and I can tell you that there is nothing to learn from the MCG about designing a football stadium other than what not to do.

Edit: I though I had better clarify my comment about not being able to learn anything from the design of the MCG. I am talking about the viewing bowl. The accommodation behind the viewing bowl is well worth studying.

Edited by gyfox: 7/12/2009 06:55:04 PM

Edited by gyfox: 7/12/2009 07:16:37 PM

Are you people all forgetting that the parks overseas are often as far back as well. Not perhaps as far as the MCG, but certainly at a distance equal to the middle level. They use track and field stadiums, which are often as wide as our stupid ovals.

found this on some AFL forum, the most sensible AFL fan I have heard of.

"The only ground that will be out of action is the MCG. Just make sure Etihad has three games a week, maybe use Kardinia twice a week and preblem solved. Yes attendances will suffer and clubs will loose money, you could guarrentee every game would be sould out in Melbourne will such high demand and the massive influx of tourists who would go to the occasional game while they are in Melbourne. The AFL will loose one stadium for two months but will gain two stadiums (Adelaide Oval and WA Stadium) for the foreseeable future. FIFA honestly dont give a rats arse about local competitions, and understand that AFL is huge in Australia. The AFL must make sacrifices for the common interest of Australia, and yes the majority of Australians would love to see the biggest sporting tournament in the world take place in Australia. AFL stop winging!"

And the MCG should host the final, once again the Melbourne-Sydney rivalry continues.

The widest ground with an athletics track around it that has been used as a World Cup venue was 118m wide but they can be fitted into a stadium 105m wide. The MCG is 149m wide. It is a world class stadium but it is an absolute dog for watching football.

Great stadium for cricket and Aussie rules.

Snap! AND they'll make sure they get a cut of the WC booty as "compensation".

The AFL are no fools.

Edited by pk75au: 7/12/2009 07:28:25 PM

Final at the MCG would be a fair joke... in the last 18 months I have been to games at Wembley, Emirates, Nou Camp and Stamford Bridge, ANZ among others... the MCG would just be sickening in comparison... what we have in this country are fairly poor... perfect excuse to upgrade or build proper football stadiums so we dont appear a joke.

Ideally we could skip the MCG and come up with another stadium to make up our 2nd 80k stadium.

Suncorp would be due an upgrade by 2018 but I don't know how 30K seats could be added. Rectangle seats at the MCG (lol) would be much cheaper. Etihad will be graying at the temples also, but the AFL would not want that boosted to 80K.

QLD could do it... im not a queenslander, but it would give them a better opportunity to host big world cup matches, big socceroos matches, better rugby, i know theyve been angling to host the NRL grand final

Yes, it does tick a lot of boxes. I guess we'll have to wait until Friday to find out what the Federal Govt and the FFA have planned.

Buckley media interview:

http://media.smh.com.au/sport/sports-hq/afl-wrong-on-cup-bid-buckley-952333.html

Super post, that. Might go and join the "I LOVE BUCKLEY FAN CLUB".

i still reckon that should the bid be successful, the mcg should completely redevelop the southern stand (a plan that has been on the cards for a while) and use world cup funds to make the bottom tier moveable. it's only the first level that's rubbish for football, the rest goes ok (if a bit further back). this would leave a legacy for football (better facilities for big games in melbourne) as well as afl and would appease them a bit.

on another note, a lot of afl-hating going on around here. not productive.

A bit further back = 30m on the sides and 20 m on the ends.

not trying to argue the distances, just the calibre of the viewing. from the ground deck you can barely make out what's going on sometimes. levels 2-4 you have a very clear view of the action.

incidentally, a buckley quote on the matter: