Opinion Match day experience

[iameviljez]

Maybe my memory is fuzzy but hasn’t the Docklands always been about the “experience“? I feel like they had these flashing lights when a goal was scored (or maybe it was just the team colours adorning the LED fences) and music blaring when I was last there, which could be 2018 or 2019.

For me, with the whole Docklands “experience” I am not sure I will step foot in there again. Especially now without the convenience of being in the city on a Friday to cut out the many annoyances.

Kudos to Cats supporters who would schlep there from Geelong.

Most of the games I attended in Docklands from 2004-18 didn’t have this stuff. And it was, at the time, the best stadium to go watch the footy at IMO.

 

[iameviljez]

This epileptic says no to Flashing lights and Nosebleed seats. The older I get the less I can handle the grandstands. I'd hate to sit in the Riverbank stand in Adelaide I'd Fair dinkum spew. As a Norwood fan we blame everything that's crap on Port so I'll stick true to type and say duck your match day experience INXS bulltish, I just want to watch footy.

And that's my old man rant for the day.

No issue with the nosebleed seats personally - they are a mile better than being light years away from the footy a la Waverley - but yeah, the lighting can go do one.

 

[Spearman]

I’ve just been to an ice hockey match in Edmonton (which is, even in Canada, known as a hockey-mad city).

A couple of observations re the match day experience:

• There’s no gate keeping or self consciousness around team jerseys. The rule at the AFL seems to be that you abstain from wearing a team jersey as soon as you’re too old to play AFL, and having a favourite player’s number is strictly for kids. Here in Edmonton, EVERYONE wears a numbered jersey. And they don’t just do it at the game - it’s at the mall, down the street…
• The level of fandom here is NUTS. I think most AFL supporters enjoy the game, but it’s not life or death. For a LOT of people in Edmonton, the Oilers are a huge part of their identity.
• The light and sound show lasts about ten minutes and it is spectacular.
• The sound of the light and sound show is absolutely deafening, and that is the point.
• The crowd absolutely gets up for the light and sound show. They cheer when they’re supposed to. It’s a sense of theatre.
• There is no cringe at all about going Full Nuff.
• The light and sound stuff also works better simply because it is a smaller indoor stadium with incredibly steep rake, based on a small hockey rink, as opposed to the MCG.

In short, it works incredibly well if you have a crowd who buy into the theatre of it. But in Australia we are a lot more self conscious and want to enjoy footy on our own terms.

TBF hockey jerseys are large loose-fitting sweaters, not thin and tight-fitting and which don't always flatter the wearer

 

[kickazz]

I’ve just been to an ice hockey match in Edmonton (which is, even in Canada, known as a hockey-mad city).

A couple of observations re the match day experience:

• There’s no gate keeping or self consciousness around team jerseys. The rule at the AFL seems to be that you abstain from wearing a team jersey as soon as you’re too old to play AFL, and having a favourite player’s number is strictly for kids. Here in Edmonton, EVERYONE wears a numbered jersey. And they don’t just do it at the game - it’s at the mall, down the street…
• The level of fandom here is NUTS. I think most AFL supporters enjoy the game, but it’s not life or death. For a LOT of people in Edmonton, the Oilers are a huge part of their identity.
• The light and sound show lasts about ten minutes and it is spectacular.
• The sound of the light and sound show is absolutely deafening, and that is the point.
• The crowd absolutely gets up for the light and sound show. They cheer when they’re supposed to. It’s a sense of theatre.
• There is no cringe at all about going Full Nuff.
• The light and sound stuff also works better simply because it is a smaller indoor stadium with incredibly steep rake, based on a small hockey rink, as opposed to the MCG.

In short, it works incredibly well if you have a crowd who buy into the theatre of it. But in Australia we are a lot more self conscious and want to enjoy footy on our own terms.

Good points.

Similar to what Mason Cox recently said about a negative in Australian culture - we are not that keen on anything outside of the box so to speak. Very "pull ya head in" type of culture. One of the very British influences on us.

Life is to be lived and if you are not hurting anyone my wearing a team jumper then when you think about it, what is the problem with it?

 

[Biased99]

Oddly enough, I logged into the site for the first time in ages, to ask about ticketing/seating for the Cats vs WCE game here in Perth next week.

But I have had/do have my reservations about going - for exactly the same reasons as stated in the OP (and many subsequent posts).

I took the Mrs to watch the Cats vs Swans at "that" game back in late 2007, so she could get an idea of what a parochial AFL crowd could be like (in a good way), and that experience was really good (despite getting a bit of rain during the game).

But - even on TV - I've noticed a worrying trend to (as others have said) "Americanise" the game/cater to those with short attention spans, where there always has to be "some" noise or distraction going on.

Gone are the days where you could simply barrack for your team, "direct" the umpire to an opposition player's misdeeds ("Sir, I think he may have been holding the ball there..." ), and then enjoy the breaks in play in relative quiet, while you grabbed some food or a beverage...

Now it's all constant noise and exhortations to make more noise.

Are fans really that disengaged with the game that they need to be told when to cheer?

Anyway, on a side note, are there any local (Perth) people going along to the WCE match on the 18th, as we'd like to sit with a group of like-minded people on the day if possible. Perhaps someone could PM me to discuss...?

 

[iameviljez]

Good points.

Similar to what Mason Cox recently said about a negative in Australian culture - we are not that keen on anything outside of the box so to speak. Very "pull ya head in" type of culture. One of the very British influences on us.

Life is to be lived and if you are not hurting anyone my wearing a team jumper then when you think about it, what is the problem with it?

I think it is more just… Australians look at it as being a bit cringe, even if you aren’t hurting anyone.

 

[Partridge]

Totally agree. I’m on record as saying if they keep this up at KP it will be the end of me spending $1500+ on memberships/seats for my family annually. My kids keep asking “why are they always shouting at us?”

Exactly the same. I'm getting more and more selective on when to go, and especially on how much to spend. They (and that means the club and especially the governing body) can jam it.

 

[stevothedevo]

Yeah I think it's important to acknowledge and cater to the metropolitan supporter base when we can. It's a significant number.

It's why I don't mind a couple of home games in Melbourne as well as some functions.

Agreed. Years ago was at a friend of a friends house up in Greensborough. A house full of Geelong supporters and I still remember asking them "why do you support Geelong" They bluntly answered "cause there's no team from Greensborough".

Us Geelongites are often puzzled why Melbournians would support Geelong. But maybe I should be asking, why wouldn't ya?

 

[FredLeDeux]

Agreed. Years ago was at a friend of a friends house up in Greensborough. A house full of Geelong supporters and I still remember asking them "why do you support Geelong" They bluntly answered "cause there's no team from Greensborough".

Us Geelongites are often puzzled why Melbournians would support Geelong. But maybe I should be asking, why wouldn't ya?

Greensborough is not totally bereft when it comes to footy.

Buddy Franklin's dad was born and bred in the Borough, where his father, grandfather and great-grandfather all played for Greensborough, going back to the 1890s.

 

[iameviljez]

Agreed. Years ago was at a friend of a friends house up in Greensborough. A house full of Geelong supporters and I still remember asking them "why do you support Geelong" They bluntly answered "cause there's no team from Greensborough".

Us Geelongites are often puzzled why Melbournians would support Geelong. But maybe I should be asking, why wouldn't ya?

Traditionally, that whole area is Collingwood’s stomping ground.

But yeah, as a Melbourne raised Geelong fan, people have all kinds of reason. Mine was inherited, like HIV.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Dangerfield on team engagement.
Should note also his sister in law works at the club as community engagement manager.

 

[catters_28]

They can get rid of this marching band. We aren't an American college. Just creates an annoying din.

 

[Baudolino]

They can get rid of this marching band. We aren't an American college. Just creates an annoying din.

The band sounds genuinely awful. Is there a single person who enjoys it? Surely even the "performers" can't be delusional enough to think it sounds good, can they?

 

[dazbroncos]

The band sounds genuinely awful. Is there a single person who enjoys it? Surely even the "performers" can't be delusional enough to think it sounds good, can they?

Just trying to copy the seppo college Game day experience … it’s a thing there… but not here… in the bin

Go Catters

 

[Baudolino]

Also, I think it says a lot about how out of touch the club are with what supporters want that they give when it comes to traditional AFL match experience norms that people enjoy, they give zero f*cks about casually discarding them, but apparently the matchday tradition of the marching band - which almost no one enjoys - is somehow sacred and must be preserved. That's the tradition they want to keep?

 

[Spearman]

Just trying to copy the seppo college Game day experience … it’s a thing there… but not here… in the bin

Go Catters

I agree, as a seppo I guess?
It is a US college thing. Stop appropriating our culture.
Actually the band are students so it's the whole college inclusion thing. Also, the music is usually secondary, even when they do contemporary hits. The band is loud in a stadium full of buzzed students, and if they are good at the formations they can rev up said student spectators. IE the script Ohio

 

[catters_28]

Tonight shows we don't need any of the people on the pa system telling us to get involved, marching bands, cats roaring in order for the crowd to get involved. Give us a big game and watch the crowd fire up.