Paying the mortgage early- Etihad

[saintbrat]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victor ... 1c57dd2639

AFL close to buying Etihad Stadium in win for Victorian footy fans

A sale worth about $150 million is tipped before Christmas.

The AFL could take ownership of the stadium for just $30 in March 2025, but has been negotiating its early release.

A deal would dramatically improve gate returns for three of the stadium’s four tenant clubs — North Melbourne, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs. Essendon has its own more lucrative arrangement.

The AFL is planning for a $300 million revamp of Etihad Stadium, including a new waterside gateway, open-air bars, restaurants, parks and a running track, as revealed by the Herald Sun ­earlier this year.

[Impatient Sainter]

Wow that would be a major $$$ bonus for the club. Finally light at the end of the tunnel...

Its bewildering how 3 of the less financial clubs in Vic ended up carrying this burden, it was disgraceful the AFL let this go on as long as they did!

[IanRush]

Will be sold off to Chinese Land Developers quicker than you can sing 'Oh Beijing'.

State Govt to fund E-Gate Stadium

[saintspremiers]

Once the AFL buyout Etihad we together with Footscray and Norf should do an analysis based on the Essendon deal and workout the shortfall.

The AFL then should fund us all the difference.

That's the least the motherfuckers could do for us

[prwilkinson]

Good stuff. Gil looking after the Sainters.

[the dome]

Name it simply . . . 'T H E D O M E' or even 'T H E A T M O S P H E R E'

The AFL might prefer 'AFL Stadium' which wouldalso be an improvement on the sucky' etihad' but the two nominations above are better in my humble opinion.

If Gill can end the financial rip off pre-Christmas St.Kilda supporters will be mighty thankful.

[White Winmar]

What about "Heaven" as in where the saints play and live?

[Bernard Shakey]

Gil said nothing happening at the moment on 774 this morning.

[Bluthy]

This is encouraging but I'll wait and see what sort of deal we get. The AFL may well say they need to pay off the 150m and the 300m revamp first (but yeah we'll keep millions into the expansion clubs no probs). We should actually get a share of the stadium seeing as we have helped pay it off. Imagine if we could get an income from soccer and concerts!

I hope our board is on the front foot with staking our claims. Once deals are done, they are done for a long time. The good thing too is it gives AFL control over things like scheduling, the surface, ticketing, even food costs. The worry is that power goes to their head and they go into profit maximisation mode like the previous owners. They could see this as a cash cow too.

PS As Rita Panahi pointed out, why give naming rights to the national airline for the UAE which has incredibly backwards repressive attitudes ingrained in law towards women, LGBT, and dissenters. Playing the Pride game there was classic AFL hypocrisy. Money rules.

[Teflon]

Simple re naming rights: find an Australian company willing to pay??

[saintsRrising]

What has change of ownership got to do with naming rights for the stadium?

It will still be called whatever the sponsoring company of the day wants to call it as there is no way would the AFL knock bak such lucrative naming $$$$

[Griggsy]

Keep dangling that carrot AFL.

[mr six o'clock]

Keep dangling that carrot AFL.

Exactly !
more BS from HQ .
Bit like last season when giligan made a song and dance about food prices and quality at docklands . A few items were added and a few things were cheaper .
Cue this year when whilst there is more variety , the cost has never been higher .
I mean $5.60 for a 600ml coke , when you can buy a 3lt bottle at the supermarket for $3 .
And how much do the saints get for pourage rights at the ground ? A big fat $ 0 !
Thanks Gil
This will probably become one of those things that they "look at " each year . they started last year , its now getting another mench , cue this time next year when they start again !

# willweevergetadecentstadiumdeal !!!!

You'll notice I didn't write good stadium deal , afterall that would be far ken impossible .