Junction Oval - Worth a thought? (Again)

[shanegrambeau]

I know I’ve made my fair share of light weight, reactive or questionable, sketchy etc..(you get the picture), posts.

However, I do have an idea about the Junction Oval that I think is worth a thought in all seriousness.

Basically, the idea is to play one home game there a year in a vein similar to the Tassie, New Zealand , Cairns, Ballarrat, (Western Bulldogs) type games. It may not be geographically remote like those games, but it is culturally remote and it is a reinvestment in an old heartland and a reach toward a new a vibrant new population that can plausibly be linked by virtue of the locality and name, St Kilda...it has a real history and location fo r people to grasp onto. Believe me, I know you do, when I say that generations can latch on to iconic historical and cultural narratives and legacies....just look at all the back packers visiting Gallipoli and Kokoda.

Well, as we all know, Cricket Victoria are a bunch of pricks as is cricket in general...if I may be blunt. But they can be negotiated with and they will cross the street to deal with footballing scum if the price is right. Witness Eddie McGuire...no offense Eddie.

here are the facts.
Cricket Victoria is broke and was in massive trouble BEFORE Covid, let alone now.
The Junction is bleeding money.

Sen ran a strong last year and it is here. https://www.sen.com.au/news/2020/05/06/ ... bbl-teams/

In which you can find this peach....

The newly developed Junction Oval is thought to be contributing to Cricket Victoria's financial woes.

"They’ve got a big problem at Junction Oval, I’m told," Lalor added.

"That’s an expensive facility and they’ve been unable to utilise it in the winter, so it’s just a costs centre."


Bluestone Arena makes a bucket of money when AFL play there.

I believe we can make a win-win situation for a once a year game.

I propose against Brisbane - because of the ‘Lions’ thing....not that the AFL care two hoots about Fitzroy and its legacy.

As I said a year ago, the St Kilda area, which is itself bleeding badly from COVID could offer all kinds of incentives to game ticket holders or members like yourselves for coming down for the day...yes..day as in afternoon game. (Watch out for Eddie McGuire and co trying their best to ban afternoon games....which they are currently trying very hard to do)

What do you think fans?

One game at the Junction against Brisbane. A boutique game. It’s the sort of game that would attract 20,000 at Marvel at the going speed.

What obstacles do you see?
What solutions could you envisage?
Footy is grass roots community led and it should not be controlled by real estate companies, AFL cronies and politicians who compell us to do things like play in China whilst watching our own front yard turn into dust.

If Cric Victoria continue to bleed, there might be apartments where the Junction oval now stands.

[The Fireman]

The JO is the GO

[Junction Oval]

As an iconic venue for the Saints, it's always worth raising for general discussion. It has a big, great surface. Downsides are now the lack of parking and OHS factors regarding stand safety, toilets, food and change rooms. These may be too costly to fix for the revenue generated in just one game.

[shanegrambeau]

As an iconic venue for the Saints, it's always worth raising for general discussion. It has a big, great surface. Downsides are now the lack of parking and OHS factors regarding stand safety, toilets, food and change rooms. These may be too costly to fix for the revenue generated in just one game.

Yes.

Events cater to many scores of thousands in temporary setups, such as with music festivals.

CV was planning to upgrade their facilities there and here might be an opportunity for another win-win arrangement if negotiations were realistic and honorable.

[Wayne42]

Our limited success as a football club happened after we left the Junction Oval and went to Moorabbin.

I see NO reason for the club to ever go back there, let cricket have it.

[shanegrambeau]

Our limited success as a football club happened after we left the Junction Oval and went to Moorabbin.

I see NO reason for the club to ever go back there, let cricket have it.

I’m not talking about ‘moving from Moorabbin’

I’m talking of playing one or two games a year there.

Our success at Moorabbin, whatever, is untouchable and makes no difference to this conversation.

If we can play New Zealand, Tasmania, Cairns, China etc., we can play JO.

[amusingname]

Our limited success as a football club happened after we left the Junction Oval and went to Moorabbin.

I see NO reason for the club to ever go back there, let cricket have it.

I’m not talking about ‘moving from Moorabbin’

I’m talking of playing one or two games a year there.

Our success at Moorabbin, whatever, is untouchable and makes no difference to this conversation.

If we can play New Zealand, Tasmania, Cairns, China etc., we can play JO.

As I asked when this was brought up previously, why would the AFL want to schedule a game there, when they own marvel stadium? It’s not just the club deciding they want to play a game somewhere, you need sign off from the league and for it to be in their interest.

[Wayne42]

Our limited success as a football club happened after we left the Junction Oval and went to Moorabbin.

I see NO reason for the club to ever go back there, let cricket have it.

I’m not talking about ‘moving from Moorabbin’

I’m talking of playing one or two games a year there.

Our success at Moorabbin, whatever, is untouchable and makes no difference to this conversation.

If we can play New Zealand, Tasmania, Cairns, China etc., we can play JO.

The club has finished with that dump.

[Beno88]

Nice old ground, but has zero relevance to every St Kilda supporter under 70.

[SaintPav]

Why wouldn’t we just play the game at Moorabbin?

[shanegrambeau]

Nice old ground, but has zero relevance to every St Kilda supporter under 70.

Yes, and it has much more relevance to people in China and New Zealand.

Gallipoli has no relevance to anyone under 120!

SaintPav,

Re...why not just Moorabbin
Now you are talking.

Here is what I would say.

I mean no offense to those , including my dear sister who lives there, but ...

Moorabbin is a bland suburb nobody visits. It might be nice to raise a family, but not much else.

Fitzroy street and St Kilda is a commercial and cosmopolitan hub to which people congregate and for good reason.

It’s full of shops and cafes, performance arts venues, the seaside, well connected to inner Melbourne’s transport hub.

It has a very good ground in the Junction Oval with a fantastic surface. The JO is losing money for cricket Australia.

A potential win-win situation is available here.

[B.M]

Is the ground even equipped to host an AFL game??

[Trev from the Bush]

The JO is the GO

Firey. Please! We haven't heard from your obsessive mate Dave for more than a year. Please refrain from resurrecting the dead.

[Trev from the Bush]

Is the ground even equipped to host an AFL game??

No, but it has excellent CRICKET facilities. You don't spend millions developing single purpose sporting facilities just for delusional fools to dream about stealing it for a football club that moved out of there 56 years ago. And you don't spend millions redeveloping that clubs home of 56 years just to walk away from it.

Threads like this are started by people who have tired of playing with themselves!

[shanegrambeau]

Is the ground even equipped to host an AFL game??

No less than China or New Zealand.

Since 1856, there have been quite a few games there.

[shanegrambeau]

Imagine those people saying Albert Park should never be used for the Grand Prix again!
They did it.
And they erect lots of temporary mostly unused stands there once a year...which only a fraction of which would need to be rented.

[happy feet]

Dreamin’

[shanegrambeau]

Is the ground even equipped to host an AFL game??

No, but it has excellent CRICKET facilities. You don't spend millions developing single purpose sporting facilities just for delusional fools to dream about stealing it for a football club that moved out of there 56 years ago. And you don't spend millions redeveloping that clubs home of 56 years just to walk away from it.

Threads like this are started by people who have tired of playing with themselves!

Yes you do!

That is precisely what you do..and it happens all the time.
We spent millions on Moorabbin and left for Wavely in n which millions were spent and then abandoned. And then money was spent on Seaford and abandoned. The MCG has millions spent on it for cricket and footy came in and pushed it out the JO..

I thinking dreaming is good and we outfit to keep pushing.
My ideas have nothing to do with leaving Moorabbin. It’s about playing games in a new frontier based on an old legacy. It has a real basis to succeed. Far more than New Zealand or China. IMO

Yes, it’s an idea..

[Saint 58]

Cats ... Kardinia Park
.
.
.
Saints ... Junction Oval
8+ home games a year
90% Saints supporters
Red, white, black everywhere
Umpire intimidation (think West Coast home games)
8+ (!?) wins a year ?
Almost certain shot at finals every year (... well most years)
Free agents banging down the door to play for us
Sponsorships flooding in
Finals
Premierships

How good would that be ?

Get off your Fat A$$ Mr. Fox, get your other rich mates on board, do something about it

[Trev from the Bush]

Is the ground even equipped to host an AFL game??

No, but it has excellent CRICKET facilities. You don't spend millions developing single purpose sporting facilities just for delusional fools to dream about stealing it for a football club that moved out of there 56 years ago. And you don't spend millions redeveloping that clubs home of 56 years just to walk away from it.

Threads like this are started by people who have tired of playing with themselves!

Yes you do!

That is precisely what you do..and it happens all the time.
We spent millions on Moorabbin and left for Wavely in n which millions were spent and then abandoned. And then money was spent on Seaford and abandoned. The MCG has millions spent on it for cricket and footy came in and pushed it out the JO..

I thinking dreaming is good and we outfit to keep pushing.
My ideas have nothing to do with leaving Moorabbin. It’s about playing games in a new frontier based on an old legacy. It has a real basis to succeed. Far more than New Zealand or China. IMO

Yes, it’s an idea..

I've binned your idea any highly recommend you never, ever stand for the StKilda board!

[The Fireman]

The JO is the GO

Firey. Please! We haven't heard from your obsessive mate Dave for more than a year. Please refrain from resurrecting the dead.

[ausfatcat]

If we can play New Zealand, Tasmania, Cairns, China etc., we can play JO.

All of those venues and bluestone games were backed by Government's covering the cost and incentives to hold them. If the local council or Vic gov does the same then yes could be worth a lot if not it would cost us alot

[saynta]

Why wouldn’t we just play the game at Moorabbin?

Now you are talking.

[saynta]

Nice old ground, but has zero relevance to every St Kilda supporter under 70.

.

Gallipoli has no relevance to anyone under 120!

That's really offensive.

My grandfather was shot in the head at Gallipoli and survived.

He was much loved by me and my siblings.

I also know 4 other people whose grandfathers served in that hell hole and who would also find your statement f****** offensive.

The JO is, was, and will always be a dump.

Take it from someone who spent many miserable wet and cold Saturday afternoons there.

[saynta]

Is the ground even equipped to host an AFL game??

I would not have thought so.