- why the hell not???

as per:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 22,00.html

"We won't lose Canberra as a market, because if the Kangaroos decide to go to the Gold Coast, we will continue to play football (in Canberra), we need to," he said. "It's an important market for us."

with the Kangas moving to Gold Coast and Canberra still a high priority for the AFL, it's an obvoius winner for the Blues in terms of their $$$ situation!

and strangely enuf, I know of a local supporters group there and I reckon wholeheartedly that they'd get behind this move and help to organise major functions in support!!!!

I'll start drafting my letter to "Big Mal" tonight!

Rich

Why the hell not???

Are you serious???

Yes, let's follow the hugely successful kangaroos. They've shifted games to Canberra and now they're looking to get out. Their membership is terrible and getting no better. They can't draft good kids because they're forced to trade early picks for fading stars.

Boo to Canberra.

How about we stay where we are.

Anyone happy with that?

Hell ****ing NO...

At least our siren works up here. And it's a cracking day weather wise today.

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The only way for some people to understand is for them to be on the receiving end

Left wing moralists
In self serving denial
They shit me no end

Piss off!!

If Carlton relocate i'll never watch or attend a game of AFL again. Melbourne Victory will get 100% of my money.

I don't believe Carlton will ever re-locate, but to get some money in the coffers and entice sponsors etc, I can see that they may play the odd home game interstate against the low drawing interstate teams. They would be stupid not to consider all such options in the short term ,to shore up our financial position, Dick Pratt or not coming to our rescue.

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A Blues Supporter - not a Blues Bagger.

Neither the article or bluey mentioned relocation.

We're talking about playing 1-3 games a season there.

Most of us would prefer not to play any home games interstate, but in our current situation if were to receive $500k to play 3 games in Canberra we would have to consider it.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

some people are getting a bit precious.

if we take the blinkers off for a second. $500,000 is not a vaild and compelling reason to sell one game?

if we sold one game against freo or port and played anywere with a half mill carrot being dangled then i would be happy.


obviously being a canberra resident i would be over the moon for us to play here even if only a nab cup game.

this season we are playing 5 interstate games, so selling a home game you would think would still limit us to 5 interstate games (although i wouldn't put anything past the AFL).

yesterday we hosted Essendon* in front of just 32,000 odd people, i dont even think that is the break even point at the 'G.

last season against freo we had just 16,076 show up, and against port a few weeks latter 16,371 watched us play.

assuming good weather canberra would get between 12 to 14500 (which is basically the capacity) turn up (and being a small ground the break even would be very low).

especially if it's the only AFL game there for the year. now port have played in canberra several times including the first game for premership points played there (think whinnie abraham's screamer). lots of neutral supporters show up to these games as it's Canberra's only chance to see some AFL action. doesn't really matter too much who is playing you almost always get 10,000 people. i'm sure carlton would pull a decent crowd.

also it's a bit of extra exposure to another region, the club could potentially sign a few more interstate members up (with a bit of effort). you would probably even get footy fans from the coast coming to canberra for the game from as far north and sydney and as south as merimbula (trust me the die hards will come, i was one).

the last Manuka game i went too (roos v port 05) i must have seen a dozern people in Carlton gear. big deal you might think but it doesn show we have some support here and that like i said neutral supporters do turn up.

a guy i work with is a blues supporter but a kangaroos 5 game member (see neutral's do show interest), i'm considering buying him a blue membership for him just to try and guilt trip him into joinng up next season.

we are also 'helping' our relationship with the AFL if we put our hands up for Canberra. i could see the Canberra Carlton Supporters Club http://www.canberracarltonblues.com/ working with the club to hold some sort of a function.

Carlton v Port or Freo in Canberra would be great and we could request to play them only once so we dont have the return leg later in the season, hopefully still limiting interstate games. also we could organise with the AFL for a melbourne away game to be considered a home game for members much like the hawks had against us in round 4. so melborune based members dont loose out in any way, as instead of having to play freo at subi or port at ammi we just play them once and it's at in canberra with an extra half mill going in the coffers.

seems a viable option at a glance

good work rich, let me know if there is anything i can do to help.

Beautifully put, Gez, plus there would be a big opportunity to convert a chunk of Canberra and Sydney supporters to memberships, which is sorely needed.

And let's face it, Canberra is pretty much just a southers Sydney suburb these days. It's pretty much as easy to get to Manuka for a match as it is to get to almost anywhere else in Sydney.

Plus, by playing one of the "low draw" teams, Freo, or Port, specifically, we'd well and truly make money above and beyond the "carrot", as break-even would be very low.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

They might pick up 500K for selling a home game but will lose 500K in membership funds when a cpl of thousand disgruntled Melb based fans tell them to go and get stuffed.

what like the 7000 people who didn't sign up this year?

did you even read my post? go on, have a go, see if you can figure it out.

this might be a good place to start

I thought we are contracted to play all our games at the MCG and TD for a few years yet, hence selling home games is not possible?

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Mjonc signing off at 8888

weren't we contracted to play at optus till 2012 or something like that?

i'm something could be organised with the AFL's blessing. wouldn't be to hard to manipulate, we just get an extra home game in affect.


if the maggies only travel 3 times a year surely we can have our TD and MCG quota satisfied while we sell a home game to Canberra.

I'd rather we sold some games to be played at Deakin Reserve. Might not get huge crowds, but it'd make it easier for me to get to the games.

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

Firstly, I disagree in principle with selling home games to interstate venues. It's a short-term cash injection at the expense of longer-term gain. All it does is weaken your supporter base. Look what it's done for the kangaroos and melbourne. St Kilda can't wait to ditch Tasmania, either.

Secondly, a smart club would do what Collingwood has been trying to con the AFL into approving: play four 'away' games at the same venue in a developing (ie, Sydney) market.

That way you still get your 11 home games, plus you grow your supporter base at no cost to your core constituency.

Thirdly, if our club were ever to do this, why on earth would it choose Canberra? No offence to the good TCers who live there, but it's hardly one of Australia's growth hubs. Surely you'd choose either Queensland or Sydney - vibrant markets with genuine sponsorship opportunities, and more importantly, vital markets for the AFL to conquer.

Finally, if we moved any home games from Melbourne then that'd pretty much be the final nail in the coffin (for me at least) of the Carlton Football Club having a sense of place.

It may surprise many people to know this, but the Carlton Football Club has spent its whole life in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton. This matters a lot to a lot of supporters, and if we start prostituting ourselves to make a quick buck, then we'll be derided just like the poor old Kangaroos - who tried to turn their back on the North Melbourne Football Club and at last count are failing miserably: no new supporters/members, but plenty of disenfranchised existing members.

yeah but just ask Gez, we could get some porn and some fireworks cheap as.

end of season pie nights just got a hell of a lot more interesting.

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Back like a raging case of pubic lice

Well put, JohnM.

Agree completely.

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NOW YOU'RE JUST SOME CLUB THAT I USED TO KNOW.