St Kilda in St Kilda: the End Game.

[Dave McNamara]

Thanks for reading Saintsationalists. Please bear with me a moment, and please forgive the clumsy wording, but hopefully I can get across what is at stake here, what is possible for a our beloved club.

We should try to incorporate a backpackers hotel into the facility. A way of getting young tourists supporting our club whilst in the country, offer 3 game memberships?
Stkilda is a backpacking hotspot for tourists from all over the world.
We have the chance for this extra revenue that no other club has.

We could also do packages with tours of facilty\accom\ meet with players. international sports enthusiasts would like packages like this I'm sure!

This land is prime real estate and needs to be used accordingly to bring in extra revenue.

This is the sort of thinking! Another Saintsationalist who 'gets it' re the possibilities.


Whilst running a backpackers is probably straying from that weasel word term 'core business', we don't need to anyway. There's even one right over the road.

Ok, IMHO, here is why I want to get back to our Junction Oval in our St Kilda. Here is the end game...

To anyone who worries about the transient nature of tourists, I'd say that's actually also a good thing. It's a numbers game, and St Kilda and surrounds has the numbers.

Picture a tourist having a great stay in Australia. Memories that will last a lifetime.

And if part of those memories is time spent in St Kilda...
and if part of that happy time in St Kilda is derived from happy memories involving interactions with our cool and funky footy club...
maybe... seeing a band, having a meal, watching a training session and getting a tour of the joint, big screen in the middle of the oval viewing a Saint's interstate game, big screen in the middle of the oval viewing a movie, seeing a live game (most preferably at the Junction, but could be Dockedlands)... the list goes on...

We can become a part of these people's wonderful time and experiences in Australia. And when they return home, with the internet and all, some will be keen to keep in touch with how the club is going. Having an Aussie Rules team could become an on-going 'souvenir and continuation' of their time in this country. And guess which team they will follow... maybe even taking out an international membership. Or just boosting traffic to the Saint's website, and hence boosting sponsorship.

If only 1 or 2 in 100 tourists do this, the word will slowly filter out. They will tell their mates back home, some of them will follow in the same footsteps. The 'St Kilda FC experience' could eventually become akin to the 'Secret Lives of Us' or 'Neighbours' must-do list for many who come to Melbourne.

This is where the whole thing comes in about how we could eventually become the best known Australian club... worldwide.

No other club has the name nor suburb of St Kilda. Handled correctly by us... this is gold!

It's a numbers game, and St Kilda and surrounds has.the.numbers!




PS: Eventually, I WANT chosen boutique St Kilda home games played at our Junction Oval. And with a bit of sensible give n' take from the various parties involved, a can't see a good reason why not, only many many mutually-beneficial-for-all reasons why yes.

That said, the tapping into our SOUL to connect our uniquely marketable club, eventually with not only a national, but an international supporter base, requires us to be based in St Kilda. It does not actually depend upon us playing matches at the Junction Oval.

PPS: Again, please forgive the clumsy wording, but I do sincerely hope that I've been able to get across the basic idea of what is eventually possible for our club.

That's why I posted that St Kilda getting back to the Junction can be the defining moment in AFL history... the seminal move that can lead our club to a huge national profile, but also lead to our club being the first to gain an international profile.

I can't see any of the vanilla entities being able to do what we could do. That's what Austinnnn was referring to in his posts in the 'Saints homeward bound!!' thread.

[Dave McNamara]

And just to refresh, here's some of what Austinnnnnnn posted.

Nationally...

I reckon there should be a bridge that connects the training facilities to the Ian Johnson Oval, Qatar Airlines Oval, LinFox Oval or whatever it will be called. And that bridge should be adorned with a bloody great big St Kilda FC shield so anyone driving down Lakeside drive would get an eyeful.

You've got to laugh at anyone doubting that the move will boost our profile. I haven't been to Australia recently, but I'm pretty sure Queen's Parade and Fitzroy St are a bit busier than any road halfway down the Mornington peninsula. That area doesn't just get direct traffic, it gets loads of connecting traffic, plus pedestrians.

Like it or not, St Kilda/The Junction is slap bang in the middle of a rich area, and to have a stronger identity in that area is key to tapping into that market. You can't deny that people have a better chance of becoming Saints fans if they feel that it represents 'their patch'.

It is GREAT to for the inner suburbs south of the river to have a club identity again, which has been lacking since South Melbourne became Sydney. These places would finally have a local AFL club, a place where kids could grow up watching their players train, etc; Albert Park, South Yarra and Toorak, Prahran, Balaclava, Elwood, Armadale, Brighton, Elsternwick, and of course the fantastic multi-suburb of St Kilda, temporary home to backpackers from all over the world and favourite hangout of trendy muso/fashion types that might just help us with our image, which for many people is intrinsically linked to a certain ex-player and club legend's ongoing courtcase and the club's support for him, not to mention the schoolgirl scandal.

Eric Bana has helped us a bit with our image - didn't Jason Holmes say recently that he first heard of the Saints on a film that Bana made? - and so does the Sacred Heart/Espy Rockdogs annual footy match and there are a few other high profile supporters, but we're still not really a trendy club. I'm sure you guys don't give a continental about that, but impressionable youngsters do, and we have been considering for a long time where the next generation of supporters is going to come from.

Even in the recent years when we were a powerful and successful team (as much as you can be without winning a cup), we still didn't become a lot more popular. If we can get it right again on field, and boost our local identity at the same time, we have a big chance of increasing our profile enough to at least survive without handouts. Remember that Jake Niall article from earlier this year that compared Hawthorn to St Kilda since 1997. It can be turned around, we've finally got people on board who are pros and insiders.

[Dave McNamara]

Internationally...

... play at the big table with the AFL and basically evolve. Forget the Hawks, we'll far surpass them, be closer to Pies, though it's hard to believe. Iconic club/locale, internationally used colours/name/anthem, recognised worldwide. Southampton, New Orleans, etc. We should aim to be better than the best, not as good, because they will be looking to strengthen too.

Our new home also needs to be built as a mecca to supporters, not just a training centre. Not a disgusting pokies room to fleece the poor, but commercial enterprises that give as well as take.

Once we have been there for a while and created a bit of history there, we can even do tours of the place. I have been on tours of Nue Camp and Anfield; I know we are a long way from those clubs, but it was thrilling.

Lots of other fantastic posts by fellow Saintsationalists in the 'Return...' thread, and I'll finish with a theme from just one of them...



As Con put it so well... return to St Kilda, return to our SOUL.

[realdeal]

Some fantastic ideas coming through! Regardless of them happening or not we really need to start thinking big and outside the box.

Friends and I were recently discussing the viability of placing statues all around St.Kilda or along the bay of St.Kilda champions... Plugger on Fitzroy st, Harvs on the Esplanade, Barks on Acland st, Baldock on Carlisle st , Roo by the pier etc etc.. Not only would it be a great way of celebrating past greats but it would further represent our club in the are.. It may prove too expensive but it's just a thought..

[gringo]

The marketing component is the most attractive part. St Kilda suburb is already buying into the team colours as suburb colours. Further pushing the club locally will get the kids of the inner city who are now the future wealthy professionals on board. St Kilda festival, Grand Prix and triathalons etc all give us more profile. We need to think big and imagine a big future not a humble little league oval in the back blocks of seaford.

[Austinnn]

Preach, brother! ;^)

Dave maybe you and Con would like to join me in the HOPEium den! Optimism is infectious, but I think Plugger is immunised. No worries, good to discuss it without aggression, better than everyone agreeing with each other.

[Dave McNamara]

Lifted from the '2014 List Management - Draft & Trade Discussion' thread...

Trelore would be ace but my mail is he is staying till end of next year and wants to play at either Carlton or Collingwood in 2016.....But if we can showcase our club and our direction as a team maybe he would come on board. I would take trelore and pick 19 for,pick 1 or pick 1 for Jeremy Cameron.

Again from what I have heard Jeremy might be our new centre half back next year....GWS just have to say ok

What you say about Trelore is an interesting one IMHO andrew. I'll just use him as an example, but could apply equally to any other player in a similar position.

Collingwood currently genuinely have the wobbles. They've secured a lot of early draft picks, so (unfortunately) I'm not sure that they will be down for as long as we'd all like. That said, one gets the impression that all has not been good off-field there for a few years, and it's now that the wallpaper is peeling to reveal those cracks. If not sorted, they could well stay down after all. Here's hoping...

Carlscum! Seriously, why would any player go there except for the $$$???

They still haven't worked out that a club now gets players by the draft and trading c/f by the chequebook. They've largely wasted all those tanked-for prime draft picks and are stuck in mid-table limbo. Rabble!


From season 2016 we will be on the rise, and (with a tad of luck) will be back in groovy hip n' happening St Kilda. The icon club returns to its icon birthplace!

So yep, I agree with you Andrew, it shouldn't be too hard to 'showcase' our club and convince players that St Kilda FC in St Kilda is the place to be!



(And remember, all new players get their picture taken with Pluggs, in front of the historic Fox-McNamara Stand at the Junction. )

[plugger66]

Lifted from the '2014 List Management - Draft & Trade Discussion' thread...

Trelore would be ace but my mail is he is staying till end of next year and wants to play at either Carlton or Collingwood in 2016.....But if we can showcase our club and our direction as a team maybe he would come on board. I would take trelore and pick 19 for,pick 1 or pick 1 for Jeremy Cameron.

Again from what I have heard Jeremy might be our new centre half back next year....GWS just have to say ok

What you say about Trelore is an interesting one IMHO andrew. I'll just use him as an example, but could apply equally to any other player in a similar position.

Collingwood currently genuinely have the wobbles. They've secured a lot of early draft picks, so (unfortunately) I'm not sure that they will be down for as long as we'd all like. That said, one gets the impression that all has not been good off-field there for a few years, and it's now that the wallpaper is peeling to reveal those cracks. If not sorted, they could well stay down after all. Here's hoping...

Carlscum! Seriously, why would any player go there except for the $$$???

They still haven't worked out that a club now gets players by the draft and trading c/f by the chequebook. They've largely wasted all those tanked-for prime draft picks and are stuck in mid-table limbo. Rabble!


From season 2016 we will be on the rise, and (with a tad of luck) will be back in groovy hip n' happening St Kilda. The icon club returns to its icon birthplace!

So yep, I agree with you Andrew, it shouldn't be too hard to 'showcase' our club and convince players that St Kilda FC in St Kilda is the place to be!



(And remember, all new players get their picture taken with Pluggs, in front of the historic Fox-McNamara Stand at the Junction. )

You have some serious issues. By the way do you know where we are training I we move to StKilda?

[andrewg]

I would live to see afl games at junction oval...would love to see Trelore at the saints and I meant centre half forward for Cameron.

At the end of the day for team that came last and looks like a similar fate next year, there is a lot of excitement around the club regarding youngsters, trading, drafting and future home grounds.......which means our off field team is working hard.

[Dave McNamara]

You have some serious issues. By the way do you know where we are training I we move to StKilda?

Snap!






Worked again.



PS: To answer your question Pluggs... training: St Kilda of course. And you plan on following the club and moving to St Kilda yourself? Good move I reckon.

[The Fireman]

Nice hunting Dave

[Bernard Shakey]

Funniest thing I've read all year. Will never happen!

[plugger66]

You have some serious issues. By the way do you know where we are training I we move to StKilda?

Snap!






Worked again.



PS: To answer your question Pluggs... training: St Kilda of course. And you plan on following the club and moving to St Kilda yourself? Good move I reckon.

Where is St Kilda? And why would I move there when my family and friends are in east benntleigh. No one watches training anyway.

[gringo]

Talking of Seaford I drove past the other day it's already falling down. It looks like a third world shanty town now. The signage that faces the freeway has lost half the letters so says "linen oue" the huge shield crest has broken in half so has half of it and globs of glue where it once stood. There is some dumped crap surrounded by a temporary fence that is crooked and half fallen over. It looks embarrassing. It's so far worse than even most suburban club grounds. We have made it look just as bad as moorabin was before we moved. Are we a deficient club? Are the decision makers mentally impaired? WTF is going on down there. The grass is browned and it's not even hot yet. Just sad.

[Con Gorozidis]

Talking of Seaford I drove past the other day it's already falling down. It looks like a third world shanty town now. The signage that faces the freeway has lost half the letters so says "linen oue" the huge shield crest has broken in half so has half of it and globs of glue where it once stood. There is some dumped crap surrounded by a temporary fence that is crooked and half fallen over. It looks embarrassing. It's so far worse than even most suburban club grounds. We have made it look just as bad as moorabin was before we moved. Are we a deficient club? Are the decision makers mentally impaired? WTF is going on down there. The grass is browned and it's not even hot yet. Just sad.

No no its a 'world class' facility. Just ask Archie Fraser and the Saints marketing dept.

Honestly - We have requests from multiple Champions League and NFL clubs wanting to use the facility. Really its just great. The players love it too.

[Dave McNamara]

I hear that the local Seaford shops are getting a Starbucks.





... that should be the final nail in the coffin for that site.








PS: Pluggs, I don't know your reasons for moving to St Kilda. I could think of many. I was merely commenting on what you posted.

[Austinnn]

Talking of Seaford I drove past the other day it's already falling down. It looks like a third world shanty town now. The signage that faces the freeway has lost half the letters so says "linen oue" the huge shield crest has broken in half so has half of it and globs of glue where it once stood. There is some dumped crap surrounded by a temporary fence that is crooked and half fallen over. It looks embarrassing. It's so far worse than even most suburban club grounds. We have made it look just as bad as moorabin was before we moved. Are we a deficient club? Are the decision makers mentally impaired? WTF is going on down there. The grass is browned and it's not even hot yet. Just sad.

If this is true, then the St Kilda football club should - to a person - hang their head and be ashamed. That is is inexcusable for any club with dozens of able-bodied personnel, let alone a professional sporting club with thousands of paying members. I will choose to believe it's an exaggeration until I see photos, because I can't believe that the custodians of our club care so little about it that they would present such a broken image to the public.

It doesn't matter how much you hate the place, for now it's our home and it deserves respect. It's like your parents sending you off to school with a ripped shirt and holes in your shoes.

I echo these words from the quote above: "Are the decision makers mentally impaired? WTF is going on down there."

Maybe we don't deserve to survive if that is the best we can do.

[loris]

Oh Davey Mac that is a shocking, distressing photo of that wee Mousie, .......................... I'm sure Robbie Burns would not be impressed to see an earth-born companion meet such an end.

[loris]

Oh Davey Mac that is a shocking, distressing photo of that wee Mousie, .......................... I'm sure Robbie Burns would not be impressed to see an earth-born companion meet such an end.

And I hope Robbie Burns words don't come back to haunt after our pitch for returning to the Junction Oval.

"The best laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft a-gley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain
For promis'd joy."

[Con Gorozidis]

If you cant imagine what success looks like at the JO look no further than the Rabbitohs.
Sydney City Council upgraded Redfern Oval in 2008/9 for $20m bucks as their training facility. Classic inner urban club culture.
3km from the CBD. Huge following all over NSW. Real momentum these last 5 years.

[evertonfc]

I love the ambition involved.

The move to Junction Oval is an opportunity to re-energise the club's brand, image and identity.

[evertonfc]

If you cant imagine what success looks like at the JO look no further than the Rabbitohs.
Sydney City Council upgraded Redfern Oval in 2008/9 for $20m bucks as their training facility. Classic inner urban club culture.
3km from the CBD. Huge following all over NSW. Real momentum these last 5 years.

Fantastic call.

We could be hosting NAB matches at our own home. Our real home. Imagine that?

The potential we have before us is something to behold.

[plugger66]

I hear that the local Seaford shops are getting a Starbucks.





... that should be the final nail in the coffin for that site.








PS: Pluggs, I don't know your reasons for moving to St Kilda. I could think of many. I was merely commenting on what you posted.

Get help. Now.

[Jacks Back]

Talking of Seaford I drove past the other day it's already falling down. It looks like a third world shanty town now. The signage that faces the freeway has lost half the letters so says "linen oue" the huge shield crest has broken in half so has half of it and globs of glue where it once stood. There is some dumped crap surrounded by a temporary fence that is crooked and half fallen over. It looks embarrassing. It's so far worse than even most suburban club grounds. We have made it look just as bad as moorabin was before we moved. Are we a deficient club? Are the decision makers mentally impaired? WTF is going on down there. The grass is browned and it's not even hot yet. Just sad.

I saw that too the other day with the emblem half missing. Maybe they are trying to do a Fawlty Towers.

[samuraisaint]

The lettering has started to fall off and in big letters it reads 'Linen Use'.
And half the st. kilda shield has dropped off the side of the training facility.
It really doesn't look great and the club needs to get it sorted out, because it has been that way for a while. It reflects poorly on the admnistration and makes the whole set up look like amateur hour.