its still a short term solution unless we start giving up home games on a permanent basis. if that happens, i reckon you will see more boardroom upheaval or challenges at least.... but that is a whole other threat and argument.

The one thing that made the situation bearable was the fact that we were apparently giving up one of our dome games, cos we have such a bad deal at the dome.... draw is released and low and behold we give up one of our MCG games. it @#$%&! stinks and if Smorgon had been the one to do it, the entire site would have gone into meltdown, but because its the current administration there seems to be some kind of exemption from criticism. It is a load of rubbish.

In My Opinion, it damages the brand and image of the Carlton Football Club far more than 400k compensation

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Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.

Not much different to the M&M game really.

Hardly going to make a long term difference to the Carlton Footbal Club, and the short term cash is very welcome.

freudian slip... i meant whole other thread

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Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.

He also wrote this...



And this is (clearly) what I was referring to.

Anyway, I don't want to keep bashing everyone with my own view. I have stated my view for the interests of others, and explained it. I respect that some will agree, while others will have a differing view. Running a Club would be much easier if everyone knew the 'right' thing to do.

It does sadden me though.

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!

I do understand what you're getting at, and part of me does agree. I respect your views, and it's good that you (and Cranium among others) have outlined them eloquently.

I think that the main point where you're both wrong though is the "damage" it will do to our "brand", and the effect the payment might have. We're not going to know for a season or 2 as to whether it's a positive in exposure, membership etc.

Here's a thought: We've got a pretty damn good draw next year, we play in every state worth playing footy in, and we get quite a few Friday Night matches. These Friday night matches, and better draw will mean positive things for the Club, for FTA viewing, exposure, memberships and support etc.

Maybe, just maybe, the AFL offered us that as an incentive too? If that's the case, does that make it more palatable?

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

The benefits of getting on a more sound financial footing outweigh the risks of image and brand devaluing because of moving a game to the Gold Coast.

$400,000 is (approximately) an 8% reduction in loan principal and also of the loan repayments.

Reductions like this, if they occur over the course of 4 or 5 years, will dramatically reduce the size of our debt.

We could even have a debt under $2 million by 2012 if the money from this venture is used wisely.

If we used part of our profits shrewdly, our net debt could even come in at under $1 million in 4 years time.

Of course, these figures are conservative - it would only take a big decision in a year where we make say a $2 million profit to bring all this forward to maybe 2010...

Id say that if something like that happened and we were a top 4 side at the time - any brand devaluation that occurred because of Gold Coast games would be reversed into brand appreciation...

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My Blue Heaven

That opens up a whole other can of worms KK. AFL 'bribing' clubs to play where the AFL wants them to...

There is no evidence that it is the case, so it's a hypothetical, and we have all seen where hypotheticals get us on this forum.

I guess I'm a traditionalist KK. I've been following Carlton for 40 years, went ot my first game in 1975. I love the tradition, the history and the culture, not only of my Club, but also of my sport. I see that as it's biggest strength. Look at Liverpool. Look at how it's strength of culture and tradition, it's strength as a club, allowed it to win trophies, including the Champions League, in recent years, with a less than champion team.

That is not something to be underestimated. It's what sets Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon* apart from the rest. It is why we are the big 3. As much as we hate Colliingwood and Essendon*, I admire the way they have both (especially Collingwood under Eddie) have built on the tradition and the history that they have. To me, selling home games erodes that. It brings us back to the pack. I do not want to be part of the pack. I want my Club do be the envy of all others. To be hated through jealousy. Selling home games just shows that we are no different than the others. I want to be different. I want Carlton Football Club to make other supporters fearful and envious, to make other teams approach playing us with trepidation.

I want Fremantle to sit on a plane across the Nullabor, wondering how they are going to cope playing on our home turf, in front of 45,000 rabid Carltong supporters baying for blood. I want them to feel intimidated before they even get here.

But that's just my opinion.

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!

what he said

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Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.

yep, what they both think

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

You know, I actually agree with you. To a point.

I agree entirely with what you say about history, tradition, culture etc. But I'm keeping an open mind as to what positives this experiment might have over the next couple of seasons.

In regards to the AFL "bribing" teams, we all know what a spiteful sack of crap Demetriou is, and the sort of punishments he hands out to teams which don't do what he wants them to, maybe it's just the inverse of that. I know it doesn't make it right, but it could conceivably happen.

You know what's really pathetic? The fact that we actually entertain the thought that the head of the AFL is bordering on corrupt, and we don't just shake it off with a "nah, that's not possible"

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Sad but true. The AFL's obssession with money first and everything else a very distant second could come back to kick it in the arse one day.

For the sake of the game, I hope not.

Btw KK...good to have a level-headed, respectful, intelligent debate...nice one.

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!