This is being covered in multiple threads, so we may as well dump our thoughts on the dump into one dump-tastic thread.
Two things I want to say very clearly.
First, to all those who just can't wrap their heads around why a club with 100k members can't attract 20k to the venue, ask us rather than assume we're too precious to travel five kilometres across town from our home ground! There are myriad reasons that crowd was low, from COVID concerns coming out of our last home game and complex ticketing arrangements that make it hard to sit with family and friends to sub-standard transportation and the poor drawing power of the opposition. To those in the media who struggle to process all that and think you're clever taking a free swing at us, I can't help you.
Second, it seems to me Ticketek or Docklands or the AFL or all of them would prefer empty seats than finding ways to draw in the crowd. That's OK—it is a choice that's been made from the day the dump opened so none of us should be surprised. Does anyone remember the French git who ran the place at the outset? For some unfathomable reason, the decision was made to fully ticket the venue for all games, and this idiot was quoted saying Melburnians would have to simply get used to it. Suffice to say, the blowhard didn't last long in the job and the idea of full ticketing was given the lemon and sars.
Then there was the PR debacle that was the 'lock in', where people couldn't get a pass out in order to buy cheaper food and drink on the concourse. Again, a bad decision, with greed at its heart, that had to be overturned.
I hate supporting the idea that my general admission membership will only get me access to the top level or parts of the bottom level, while countless 'premium' seats remain empty on the other levels. If that's how things are going to be run, Docklands can continue to draw pathetic crowds. It's an idealogical matter and it's at odds with the egalitarian nature of Australian Rules football as we know it. Yes, I know it happens everywhere but there are many more options at the MCG and the difference in cost between general admission and upgraded tickets at Docklands is outrageous.
Supply versus demand is a very simple metric and Docklands has a Herculean task to win back Richmond supporters. The demand to attend games at the venue just isn't there. They should be ashamed so few want to attend their venue. To me, this is more about the drawbacks of Docklands than it is about we supporters. I even detest the fact the AFL tells us we will play a home game there, irrespective of our wishes.
Rather than build goodwill, those responsible for the effective running of the place have fallen at every hurdle.
The fans are voting with their feet.
Two things I want to say very clearly.
First, to all those who just can't wrap their heads around why a club with 100k members can't attract 20k to the venue, ask us rather than assume we're too precious to travel five kilometres across town from our home ground! There are myriad reasons that crowd was low, from COVID concerns coming out of our last home game and complex ticketing arrangements that make it hard to sit with family and friends to sub-standard transportation and the poor drawing power of the opposition. To those in the media who struggle to process all that and think you're clever taking a free swing at us, I can't help you.
Second, it seems to me Ticketek or Docklands or the AFL or all of them would prefer empty seats than finding ways to draw in the crowd. That's OK—it is a choice that's been made from the day the dump opened so none of us should be surprised. Does anyone remember the French git who ran the place at the outset? For some unfathomable reason, the decision was made to fully ticket the venue for all games, and this idiot was quoted saying Melburnians would have to simply get used to it. Suffice to say, the blowhard didn't last long in the job and the idea of full ticketing was given the lemon and sars.
Then there was the PR debacle that was the 'lock in', where people couldn't get a pass out in order to buy cheaper food and drink on the concourse. Again, a bad decision, with greed at its heart, that had to be overturned.
I hate supporting the idea that my general admission membership will only get me access to the top level or parts of the bottom level, while countless 'premium' seats remain empty on the other levels. If that's how things are going to be run, Docklands can continue to draw pathetic crowds. It's an idealogical matter and it's at odds with the egalitarian nature of Australian Rules football as we know it. Yes, I know it happens everywhere but there are many more options at the MCG and the difference in cost between general admission and upgraded tickets at Docklands is outrageous.
Supply versus demand is a very simple metric and Docklands has a Herculean task to win back Richmond supporters. The demand to attend games at the venue just isn't there. They should be ashamed so few want to attend their venue. To me, this is more about the drawbacks of Docklands than it is about we supporters. I even detest the fact the AFL tells us we will play a home game there, irrespective of our wishes.
Rather than build goodwill, those responsible for the effective running of the place have fallen at every hurdle.
The fans are voting with their feet.
