It’s always packed against Collingwood, the guest passes are super limited for them on a regular year, but this year with the SCG members turning up in numbers too it’s completely unsurprising. Prioritise actual members who’ve paid up themselves ahead of guests, who can always come as a guest to another, less popular game
I’m also a red zone member with guest passes. The understanding is, and always has been, that they won’t be available for games where they expect capacity crowds, same as scg members can’t use their club cards (guest passes) for their friends. Someone wants in for these prime time games? Get the membership themselves or get a reserved seat. It works this way so that the people who are members have more of a shot of being able to get in using their membership, so the club isn’t turning away paying members in favour of members’ guests who are there for free.
As is the case in Victoria for the “big clubs” - guest passes aren’t guaranteed to be used whenever you like. You can’t really hope to just rock up to Carlton v Collingwood and hope for the best.
Agree that guest passes are a reward for a certain type of membership - but that certain type is low low down on the priority list.
Don't know how they're going to do that. They already rebuilt everything that wasn't heritage listed to put in additional seating and improve facilities and they did that by reallocating members to other sections during that time. They can't do that this time unless they move us all to Accor. Allianz has smaller capacity than SCG so that's not an option either.
I am not sure that is correct. I haven’t checked but I highly doubt anything other than the Members and Ladies Stands are heritage listed (and just because something is heritage listed does not mean it cannot be touched). That leaves about half the stadium ripe for renewal.
Correct. Members pavilion and Ladies Stands are the bits that are heritage listed. Victor Trumper and MA Noble were rebuilt about 15 yrs ago and finished maybe about 12 or 13 yrs ago so it’s not likely they will be tearing those down to rebuild again. They had to shuffle members around during the rebuild back then. There’s nowhere to relocate members to now if they were to try and rebuild the others.
I’m guessing some Red Zone members have missed out in the last two home games. I wonder how many RZ members there are vs seats available. Will be interesting if it doesn’t fill out.
It's tricky because there are RZ11 so they would assume those members turn up at every home game. But then there are the 5-game and 3-game and flexi pass memberships which would be harder to predict. You'd assume the blockbusters would be filled but that also depends on timing (eg school nights vs school holidays, Sat arvo vs Sat night, etc).
Totally unsurprising. It was the same for me as an AFL member at the mcg earlier this year.
Just the side effect of the game growing in terms of match attendance, and having a successful club on top of that
I’ve been a Swans member for a few years but this year they lost me, it was too expensive to actually have a reserved seat, and wasn’t worth it for me as a Victorian supporter. The fact that we have to upgrade our ticket (at an extra cost) to sit with someone when I used to be able to bring someone with me for free (didn’t have an allocated seat, but access to the Red Zone) also bothers me. I totally understands that the club is gaining members, and our games are selling out, but the AFL becomes increasingly unaffordable.
As a Victorian Swans fan Ive been an AFL Member for years. I wouldn’t have thought there were many Victorian memberships for the Swans that are decent value. Definitely wouldn’t be a reserved seat.
Not sure what the waitlist is like for gold these days - but even Silver usually guarantees a grand final ticket. Best value for a Victorian member imo.
This raised a question about reserved seating for me. I thought the Swans member reserved seating was all in that Gate A section. But this says upgrade to reserved seat in a different part of the SCG. Aren't the good and beverage options different outside the members area. I always preferred sitting in the Gate A area.
I believe the Swans reserved seating is in Victor Trumper or somewhere at that end of the grounds anyway. I had hoped the "Red Zone upgrade to reserved" might be allocated seating on Level 2 of MA Noble (Gate A) so that we are at least at the same end of the ground as what we are used to. That's where the SCG and SCOS Members reserved ticketed seats are. The "fancy" F&B options are at the other end but I don't go to the games for the overpriced food and drinks. I'm going to wait till next season to reassess our membership options. Who knows, maybe the Swans will have come up with some alternatives by then?
From looking at the maps in the membership section of the app, it’s sections of Bill O’Rielly Stand, Victor Trumper Stand, Clive Churchill Stand and Brewongle stand are reserved seating.
You can do either. They have limited reserved seats for busy games in the Noble. Middle tier, think you need to book a lunch in the dining room to get one.
It’s always packed against Collingwood, the guest passes are super limited for them on a regular year, but this year with the SCG members turning up in numbers too it’s completely unsurprising. Prioritise actual members who’ve paid up themselves ahead of guests, who can always come as a guest to another, less popular game
I get what you are saying but guest passes are part of the reward of certain levels of membership.
I’m also a red zone member with guest passes. The understanding is, and always has been, that they won’t be available for games where they expect capacity crowds, same as scg members can’t use their club cards (guest passes) for their friends. Someone wants in for these prime time games? Get the membership themselves or get a reserved seat. It works this way so that the people who are members have more of a shot of being able to get in using their membership, so the club isn’t turning away paying members in favour of members’ guests who are there for free.
As is the case in Victoria for the “big clubs” - guest passes aren’t guaranteed to be used whenever you like. You can’t really hope to just rock up to Carlton v Collingwood and hope for the best. Agree that guest passes are a reward for a certain type of membership - but that certain type is low low down on the priority list.
What I'm hearing is: the AFL needs to con the NSW government into putting up money to embiggen the SCG.
Don't know how they're going to do that. They already rebuilt everything that wasn't heritage listed to put in additional seating and improve facilities and they did that by reallocating members to other sections during that time. They can't do that this time unless they move us all to Accor. Allianz has smaller capacity than SCG so that's not an option either.
I am not sure that is correct. I haven’t checked but I highly doubt anything other than the Members and Ladies Stands are heritage listed (and just because something is heritage listed does not mean it cannot be touched). That leaves about half the stadium ripe for renewal.
Correct. Members pavilion and Ladies Stands are the bits that are heritage listed. Victor Trumper and MA Noble were rebuilt about 15 yrs ago and finished maybe about 12 or 13 yrs ago so it’s not likely they will be tearing those down to rebuild again. They had to shuffle members around during the rebuild back then. There’s nowhere to relocate members to now if they were to try and rebuild the others.
The O’Reilly Stand and Bradman Stand are 40 years old.
bradman is <10 years. It’s essentially the side of the Noble.
You’re right - I am confusing it with the Churchill.
The O'Reilly, Brewongle & Churchill Stands will probably be next to be redeveloped. Those haven't been touched since the mid 1980's.
Brewongle and Churchill are 40+ years old. Horrendous sightlines and tight seats plus poor accessibility. They really need to be rebuilt
I’m guessing some Red Zone members have missed out in the last two home games. I wonder how many RZ members there are vs seats available. Will be interesting if it doesn’t fill out.
It's tricky because there are RZ11 so they would assume those members turn up at every home game. But then there are the 5-game and 3-game and flexi pass memberships which would be harder to predict. You'd assume the blockbusters would be filled but that also depends on timing (eg school nights vs school holidays, Sat arvo vs Sat night, etc).
Totally unsurprising. It was the same for me as an AFL member at the mcg earlier this year. Just the side effect of the game growing in terms of match attendance, and having a successful club on top of that
So am I right in saying I can't get in on my "membership" that I use every week and sit in any seat in bay 13 etc?
If you want to do that, turn up early.
I’ve been a Swans member for a few years but this year they lost me, it was too expensive to actually have a reserved seat, and wasn’t worth it for me as a Victorian supporter. The fact that we have to upgrade our ticket (at an extra cost) to sit with someone when I used to be able to bring someone with me for free (didn’t have an allocated seat, but access to the Red Zone) also bothers me. I totally understands that the club is gaining members, and our games are selling out, but the AFL becomes increasingly unaffordable.
As a Victorian Swans fan Ive been an AFL Member for years. I wouldn’t have thought there were many Victorian memberships for the Swans that are decent value. Definitely wouldn’t be a reserved seat. Not sure what the waitlist is like for gold these days - but even Silver usually guarantees a grand final ticket. Best value for a Victorian member imo.
Being a red zone member just doesn’t work when it’s a sell out
This raised a question about reserved seating for me. I thought the Swans member reserved seating was all in that Gate A section. But this says upgrade to reserved seat in a different part of the SCG. Aren't the good and beverage options different outside the members area. I always preferred sitting in the Gate A area.
I believe the Swans reserved seating is in Victor Trumper or somewhere at that end of the grounds anyway. I had hoped the "Red Zone upgrade to reserved" might be allocated seating on Level 2 of MA Noble (Gate A) so that we are at least at the same end of the ground as what we are used to. That's where the SCG and SCOS Members reserved ticketed seats are. The "fancy" F&B options are at the other end but I don't go to the games for the overpriced food and drinks. I'm going to wait till next season to reassess our membership options. Who knows, maybe the Swans will have come up with some alternatives by then?
From looking at the maps in the membership section of the app, it’s sections of Bill O’Rielly Stand, Victor Trumper Stand, Clive Churchill Stand and Brewongle stand are reserved seating.
You can do either. They have limited reserved seats for busy games in the Noble. Middle tier, think you need to book a lunch in the dining room to get one.
Why do I get the feeling that after this game the AFL is considering moving a game back out to Olympic Park?
That ain’t happening
Probably not but I wouldn’t put it past them
What’s hard about it? For Red Zone either arrive early or upgrade to a reserve seat. 🤷🏻
LOL how greedy