Collingwood CEO Craig Kelly says club will be ‘aggressive’ in fight to keep reserved seating
The powers that be at Collingwood have hit back at Hawthorn’s complaints regarding their reserved MCG seats, saying the club has done more than enough to keep their exclusive seating.
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A war of words has erupted between Collingwood and Hawthorn after Magpies CEO Craig Kelly vowed his club would be “aggressive” in its fight to maintain reserved seating at the MCG.
Ahead of Thursday’s practice match between the two sides in Launceston, Kelly hit back at Hawthorn chief executive Justin Reeves who had earlier called for the Pies to lose all of their reserved seating in the Ponsford Stand for away games.
News Corp revealed on Tuesday league chiefs had hatched a peace plan for Collingwood to lose 4000 of the seats when the new deal kicks in for next season.
It would still give Collingwood an extra 11,000 seats in the Ponsford Stand and the use of two corporate hospitality rooms for 2024.
“It’s nice that every other CEO seems to be talking about it,“ Kelly said in clear reference to Reeves.
“I’ll do my talking with my president (Jeff Browne), with the CEO of the MCC.
“We’ll finish the deal, we’ve got to do a new deal. We’re a very important part of the fabric of that stadium.
“We’ve supported that stadium and I’m sure they’ll support us and we’ll get a result that’s fair for us and for the other clubs.
“We do deserve to be quite aggressive about what we want and we will continue to be so for our fans and our supporters.”
Kelly, who was appointed into the role in late January, said there was still plenty to play out before a new deal, which will come into effect for the 2024 season, is completed.
“From my point of view, getting my feet under the desk, it’s been a busy couple of weeks,” he said.
“There’s a lot happening and there’s a lot the AFL needs to work through in regard to making sure there’s a number of clubs in the competition that are profitable and there’s quite a few that aren’t.
“There’s five or so (clubs) that need to actually contribute and actually make sure, worst case scenario they’re breaking even.”
HAWKS DEMAND END TO ‘FUNDAMENTALLY UNFAIR’ PIES DEAL
Jay Clark
Hawthorn wants Collingwood to be stripped of all 15,000 of its member reserved seats at away games as tensions escalated over the MCG seat stoush.
The Hawks have ramped up the pressure on Collingwood to lose all of its special access seats in the Ponsford Stand, labelling the 30-year-old deal with the MCC as “fundamentally unfair”.
News Corp revealed on Tuesday league chiefs had hatched a peace plan for Collingwood to lose 4000 of the seats when the new deal kicks in for next season.
It would still give Collingwood an extra 11,000 seats in the Ponsford Stand and the use of two corporate hospitality rooms for 2024.
The peace plan has strong backing from league and stadium chiefs and is seen as a stepping stone towards a staggered phase-out of all Collingwood’s bonus reserved seat scheme.
But the Hawks remain angry Collingwood would have any special hold on MCG seats at away games and have called on the MCC to strip Collingwood of all of them in what would be a significant blow to the Magpies’ coffers.
The extra seats and rooms help generate a significant windfall for the Magpies, but the league wants those riches spread more evenly among the clubs.
Hawthorn chief executive Justin Reeves said the old reserved seats deal was outdated and was adamant it was time to create a level playing field for MCG tenant clubs.
“This is an agreement between the MCC and the tenant clubs and we look forward to continuing our positive discussions with the MCC to ensure everyone is treated fairly,” Reeves said.
“We respect Collingwood’s contribution to the MCG and the game.
“But it’s 2023, and the previous deal is fundamentally unfair to everyone except Collingwood.”
Collingwood chiefs have told football officials the club does not want to lose any of its extra reserved seats due to the disruption to its members in the Ponsford Stand.
On Wednesday, the club remained tied to its position despite being informed more than four years ago the club would have to give back at least several thousand seats.
It set the scene for a tense tug of war between the MCG tenant clubs including powerhouse Richmond, which has grown the second-largest membership base in the league.
An MCC decision to strip Collingwood of at least 3000-4000 reserved seats for away games is expected by the end of April, with the league’s backing.
Rival clubs have also questioned whether the Magpies should retain exclusive access to the City end change rooms for all MCG games.
The Magpies only ever use the City end change rooms regardless of whether the Magpies are the home or away side as part of a long-held deal with the MCG.
It means Collingwood would be given the home rooms for a final over another MCG tenant club such as Hawthorn even if the Hawks finished higher on the ladder.
But rival clubs have raised the issue in recent weeks, questioning whether the Magpies should be booted to the other change rooms in the event they finish lower on the ladder than their opponent, particularly in finals.
Melbourne and Richmond prefer the ‘away’ rooms and base themselves there for all MCG games.
Collingwood’s ‘home’ room has a wide race for the players to use to run on to the ground at the MCG.
PIES TO LOSE MCG SEATS AS ‘ANGRY’ CLUBS WIN STOUSH
Collingwood will have its number of MCG reserved seats at away games reduced by several thousand as part of a new agreement with the MCC.
Rival clubs are angry the Magpies have been handed 15,000 reserved seats for away games as part of a 30-year-old deal which expires this season.
The extra seats and use of two linked-in corporate rooms have provided a significant financial windfall for the Magpies, but a new agreement to kick in next year will see the number reduced by 3000 to 4000 seats.
Rival club sources said the new peace plan means the Magpies would still retain about 11,000 member reserved seats for away games at the MCG in a significant advantage for the club’s members and its coffers.
It is believed Collingwood has known for four years its total number of seats would be stripped back, although it has tried to retain them in talks with stadium officials in recent months.
The 3000 – 4000 seats which Collingwood will lose access to will be divided among the other clubs in a bid to help balance out access to the seats and spread the profits more equally.
Richmond, in particular, has grown over the past five years off the back of its premiership wins in 2017, 2019-20 under coach Damien Hardwick and highly-respected chief executive Brendon Gale.
Club sources said on Tuesday the situation had become untenable for rival clubs including Richmond, Melbourne, Hawthorn, Carlton and Essendon who lose several thousand of their reserved ticket members’ seats in the Ponsford Stand for home games against Collingwood.
Richmond last year had the second-most members (100, 792) behind top-placed West Coast (102, 897) and in front of third-placed Collingwood (100, 384) and fourth-placed Carlton (88, 776).
Carlton is also on the up as it strives to capitalise on its premiership window after nine years out of finals and is slated to play five home games at the MCG this year, including a home clash against Collingwood in Round 10.
The Blues are expected to lobby for six MCG games next year as part of its joint arrangement with Marvel Stadium, to fit its swelling supporter base.
The Blues grew by more than 7000 members last year, with that number set to surge again in 2023 following a blockbuster draw.
The club was handed six Thursday and Friday night games as well as the Good Friday clash against North Melbourne.
While there will be some disruption for several thousand Collingwood members for away games, it is expected the league will welcome the new arrangement as a more equitable situation, although some clubs have discussed removing all 15,000 Collingwood seats.
League sources have said the 3000 – 4000 seat reduction should help satisfy all parties.
Former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has been vocal in his support for Collingwood retaining all of its seats, saying the Magpies’ members have funded the redevelopments at Australia’s most famous sporting ground.
But club source said the MCC has funded the last 100 years of redevelopments at the MCG including the Great Southern Stand in 1992 and the majority of the Northern Stand in 2006.
The MCC has 150,000 members and 220,000 on the waiting list.
“I’m actually insulted to be honest on behalf of Collingwood people that the MCG and the AFL would even contemplate it (abolishing the deal),” McGuire said.
The reduction of 3000 – 4000 will mean Collingwood’s new-look administration including president Jeff Browne and chief executive Craig Kelly do not lose all of the extra seats they were handed as part of the original deal which had become outdated and desperately in need of review, clubs said.
Rival clubs have been eager for a resolution to the seating stand-off in a bid to make membership, seating and corporate ticket plans for the 2024 season.
Hawthorn and North Melbourne could also be on the lookout for more home games in Melbourne once a new Tasmanian team enters the league.
The two clubs currently play four games each in Tasmania, however the league is committed to a new Tasmanian team, if it the Federal Government can partially-fund a new world-class stadium in Hobart.
MCG tenant club Hawthorn wants to play its games at the MCG, while North Melbourne’s home ground is Marvel Stadium.
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