Brighton Homes Arena (Springfield) discussions

[Heato]

From an outsider, what's the go with the Lions and their deal with the Gabba? I'm assuming it's not a very good situation considering this thread is all about moving elsewhere. Is this an initiative from the club itself, or just something the fans have thought up? Very interested in Lions stuff as I'm a fan of AFL in QLD in general.

Brisbane are unable to use the Gabba from the months of October-March due to Queensland and Australian cricket. This forces Brisbane to use mostly sub-par training facilities at Coorparoo, Yeronga and Burpengary which have to be shared with junior and amatuer senior clubs for entire preseasons. Having multiple locations is also rather inconvenient.

While we get the Gabba during footy season it too has fallen behind almost all other training facilities in the AFL. I'm fairly certain we are the only club that consistently needs to train at their stadium besides Geelong, however Kardinia Park does not have to be split with cricket (Sydney use Lakeside Oval next to the SCG, GC can use Metricon Oval #2).

The club is very keen to find a devoted training and administration base because of all that.

 

[Fatcat08]

Brisbane are unable to use the Gabba from the months of October-March due to Queensland and Australian cricket. This forces Brisbane to use mostly sub-par training facilities at Coorparoo, Yeronga and Burpengary which have to be shared with junior and amatuer senior clubs for entire preseasons. Having multiple locations is also rather inconvenient.

While we get the Gabba during footy season it too has fallen behind almost all other training facilities in the AFL. I'm fairly certain we are the only club that consistently needs to train at their stadium besides Geelong, however Kardinia Park does not have to be split with cricket (Sydney use Lakeside Oval next to the SCG, GC can use Metricon Oval #2).

The club is very keen to find a devoted training and administration base because of all that.

Mostly accurate but its important to seperate the Gabba field and gabba facilities. Facilities we use all year round ie gym recovery etc. Field we can only use once a week even in the season proper.

 

[bigleague]

A flood level check at the City Council would tell the tale...it might not flood often but I think there has been some beauties in Kedron Brook.

Being Brisbane, wherever they build it will probably end up needing some measure of protection against flood. The Broncos new facilities are being built next to a creek on a floodplain and apparently the training field will be suspended to prevent flooding,
http://www.broncos.com.au/content/dam/broncos/pdfs/2014/club/training-centre-fact-sheet.pdf

 

[western royboy]

"In partnership with both the Queensland and Federal Governments, the Brisbane Broncos football club is proposing to build a new whole-of-business home and elite training facility, including a football field."

??????????????????

 

[Fatcat08]

"In partnership with both the Queensland and Federal Governments, the Brisbane Broncos football club is proposing to build a new whole-of-business home and elite training facility, including a football field."

??????????????????

Thats what happens when you're the big dog in a city, you get help so pollies can wave it in front of voters and say hey we helped out your beloved sporting team.

 

[John]

"In partnership with both the Queensland and Federal Governments, the Brisbane Broncos football club is proposing to build a new whole-of-business home and elite training facility, including a football field."

??????????????????

The pork barrel effect. Gotta save Can dooooooooo his gig.

 

[Skoob]

Thats what happens when you're the big dog in a city, you get help so pollies can wave it in front of voters and say hey we helped out your beloved sporting team.

That's what happens when certain people are in each others pockets.

 

[BuntonRules]

So................The Broncos are a publicly listed company - existing solely to return a divident to shareholders, and we are a genuine club, a community organisation. But they get government money to supply the capital for their business, & we get jack?

 

[bigleague]

That's what happens when certain people are in each others pockets.

Not unlike the springfield fiasco.

 

[western royboy]

So................The Broncos are a publicly listed company - existing solely to return a divident to shareholders, and we are a genuine club, a community organisation. But they get government money to supply the capital for their business, & we get jack?

That was my thinking as well

 

[bigleague]

So................The Broncos are a publicly listed company - existing solely to return a divident to shareholders, and we are a genuine club, a community organisation. But they get government money to supply the capital for their business, & we get jack?

Divident?

I think the peppercorn lease of the land has been given to the leagues club, not the listed football club, not sure about the federal money.

 

[western royboy]

Divident?

I think the peppercorn lease of the land has been given to the leagues club, not the listed football club, not sure about the federal money.

Potato - Pot-ato

 

[Skoob]

Not unlike the springfield fiasco.

Yeah, but we picked a party in a losing position.

 

[Skoob]

So................The Broncos are a publicly listed company - existing solely to return a divident to shareholders, and we are a genuine club, a community organisation. But they get government money to supply the capital for their business, & we get jack?

Despite my love for the club, I am a bit ignorant of the politics and administration of it (particularly of the past). Brisbane was a privately owned club IIRC, was it bought and now owned by the AFL, or is it a "community organisation" as you describe? Probably a moot point, as I think both offer the same in terms of community.

 

[BuntonRules]

Despite my love for the club, I am a bit ignorant of the politics and administration of it (particularly of the past). Brisbane was a privately owned club IIRC, was it bought and now owned by the AFL, or is it a "community organisation" as you describe? Probably a moot point, as I think both offer the same in terms of community.

The Broncos are, & have always been a publicly listed company.

The Broncos are the only publicly listed NRL club.[31] The parent company of the Brisbane Broncos is Nationwide News Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of News Limited, which as of 30 June 2007, owns 68.87% of Broncos shares.

The Brisbane Bears began under private ownership

In 1986, the VFL Commission announced plans to set up privately owned clubs based in Perth and Brisbane, motivated by the need to sell multi-million dollar licences to save a number of Victorian clubs which were struggling financially. A consortium headed by former actor Paul Cronin and bankrolled by entrepreneur Christopher Skase was awarded the Brisbane licence.

By 1990 ownership had changed.

The collapse of Skase's business empire and his sudden departure for Spain in late 1989 almost resulted in the death of the Bears. Over the ensuing preseason the players threatened strike action, but Cronin resigned, the club was taken over by the AFL, re-sold to Gold Coast businessman Reuben Pelerman, and the crisis was averted

Around the time that the Bears moved from Cararra to the 'Gabba, the club's structure changed to a traditional member owned & controlled community organisation

Off-field, Pelerman was losing millions of dollars annually on the club, and he agreed to release the Bears from private ownership and revert to a traditional club structure in which the club's members were able to elect the board.

In 1996 the Brisbane Bears & Fitzroy merged to form the Brisbane Lions AFC

The Brisbane Lions were officially launched on 1 November 1996, joining the national competition in 1997.

All quotes are from wikipedia.

 

[BuntonRules]

Good to see the communication from the club

http://www.lions.com.au/news/2014-10-22/swann-qa-training-facilty

 

[Skoob]

Good to see the communication from the club

http://www.lions.com.au/news/2014-10-22/swann-qa-training-facilty

5. Does the club realise how far out Springfield is from Brisbane? Catching the train to the facilities is great infrastructure but has the Club considered how long fans would need to travel before and after games?

Do you reckon the club published this question as a way of saying "See what we have to put up with?" ?

 

[chopperduck]

Yeah, because all of a sudden thousands of fans are gonna start going to training regularly.

 

[Skoob]

Yeah, because all of a sudden thousands of fans are gonna start going to training regularly.

before and after games?

Or hang out in the gym on game day?

 

[QAFL_Fan]

Brisbane are unable to use the Gabba from the months of October-March due to Queensland and Australian cricket. This forces Brisbane to use mostly sub-par training facilities at Coorparoo, Yeronga and Burpengary which have to be shared with junior and amatuer senior clubs for entire preseasons. Having multiple locations is also rather inconvenient.

The facilities at Yeronga are exceptional. The only downside there is that the field is a bit small. Their rooms are AFL standard with hot/cold spas and ice baths etc. The lights are 200+ LUX and the location is very central.

Coorparoo is a terrible facility and I've heard great things about Burpengary and the playing arena and surface are great, but I've not seen inside the rooms.

The Lions should take over Western Districts sportsground at Chelmer, next door to the Western Magpies. They have always been shonky, they don't have a senior presence other than subletting to Kenmore Bears and its nice and central. The lights are already up to standard, so there is a $100k+ saved.

They just need to install decent rooms.

 

[Skoob]

The facilities at Yeronga are exceptional. The only downside there is that the field is a bit small. Their rooms are AFL standard with hot/cold spas and ice baths etc. The lights are 200+ LUX and the location is very central.
The Lions should take over Western Districts sportsground at Chelmer, next door to the Western Magpies. They have always been shonky, they don't have a senior presence other than subletting to Kenmore Bears and its nice and central. The lights are already up to standard, so there is a $100k+ saved.

They just need to install decent rooms.

So, you work in lighting then?

 

[QAFL_Fan]

No, but I've held previous roles at AFLQ and remain very involved in local footy - so I know the lighting situations at many grounds.

 

[Heato]

The facilities at Yeronga are exceptional. The only downside there is that the field is a bit small. Their rooms are AFL standard with hot/cold spas and ice baths etc. The lights are 200+ LUX and the location is very central.

Yeah nothing seriously wrong with the fields at Yeronga apart from the flood plain issue and the Yeronga juniors & seniors. I must have never been in the good rooms at Yeronga though because the ones that I have been in the last couple of years aren't as spacious as the new home, new away and old home ones at Coorparoo. Plus they have long benches running through the middle which makes it really awkward to sing the team song after a win!

 

[QAFL_Fan]

The new rooms between Oval 1 and oval 2 are not the rooms the Lions use.

There are facilities on the ground floor of AFLQ building. Rooms with proper lockers, ice baths, spa facilities, medical rooms etc.

QAFL sides and Yeronga Devils don't get to use them. They really just sit there never getting used all year really.

 

[Fatcat08]

My question about yeronga is where are you going to build a building of the size needed to house an AFL club and administration. Is there enough room for such a facility?