Anonymous
Years ago

MEL v PER Holiday Season OpenAir Annual Fixture?

What do you guys think of making this an annual "marquee" fixture on the Melbourne sporting calendar. You already have things like the Anzac Day AFL game, the Boxing Day Cricket match.

This game reminded me a bit of the Anzac Day game. I don't think that was initially intended to be an annual tradition but it went so well, the people liked it and the first game just happened to be a classic that they thought why not do it again?

This Open-Air game had similarities. Someone said it was "perfectly scripted" - perfect weather, a full-house and then a classic game. With the two teams' venues being dictated by the Hopman Cup and Australian Open around this time of the year, you would think this would be common that Perth will be having some road games (whilst the Hopman is on) and Melbourne getting in their home games (before the Aussie Open) so it should be something that can be arranged. And add in holiday season when people generally have a bit more free time to get out and about and attend a live game, and you have a great formula. Two of the better run organisations in the competition too so they will generally be talented line-ups.

Hopefully it can be a fixture that builds a bit of a status and profile in and of itself as an annual blockbuster.

Your thoughts?

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Anonymous
Years ago

last year melbourne played perth at hisense the first sunday after christmas day aswell and was a great game !! may be a permanent game to the fixure now

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.
Years ago

of course it will be - sell out, close game, lot of interest.

just like the 6ers pre xmas game

if you build it, they will come......

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Dazz
Years ago

and then one year it will rain...

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Anonymous
Years ago

If it rains, then you close the roof. Not a big drama, you mug.

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.
Years ago

doesn't have to be perth - the key ingredients are home team vrs a top team, good weather and no clashes for the sporting fan / $

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Anonymous
Years ago

It should be the same team to encourage tradition. Like the Anzac day football game

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KET
Years ago

Not a great example Anon, the ANZAC Day football game tradition is crap, why do Ess/Coll deserve it? Why not other teams?

Open-air boxing day game is different because it's not tied into the whole ANZAC thing which is special, and there could easily be more than one game on boxing day if they so wish. The special part of it is Melb against another top team with open-air arena.

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Anonymous
Years ago

You've just proved my point, KET. AFL has expanded it's ANZAC Day fixtures in recent seasons - there were 5 Anzac Day games in 2015 after 3 in 2014. But you can bet your bottom dollar that no one can remember what any of the other games were except for Collingwood-Essendon, because that game has built up a "brand" in and of itself through repetition (and quality games for the most part). It sounds like you yourself don't remember by questioning why other teams don't get to play on Anzac Day when there were 5 games last year.

My point is not about who "deserves" to play in certain fixtures due to a sense of fairness, I'm talking about capitalising on a game this year that captured the imagination of the Australian basketball public and seeing if we can repeat it and turn it into something that people remember and want to see over the years. Making it an iconic fixture.

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KET
Years ago

No, that's ANZAC Day Weekend, not ANZAC Day, I didn't forget matches on the other days I was referring specifically to ANZAC DAY.

So, this year (2016) on Monday April 25th, instead of Essendon v Collingwood, it should be open to other teams - perhaps the previous years' grandfinalists?

I think the brand would have been built up regardless of who plays, I don't think it's specifically Essendon and Collingwood. What if Adelaide and West Coast played it? Or two other major teams with huge fan bases?

Boxing Day for instance, could have more than one game.

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paul
Years ago

"Not a great example Anon, the ANZAC Day football game tradition is crap, why do Ess/Coll deserve it? Why not other teams?"

Because they've built the tradition.

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Anonymous
Years ago

No KET that was five games on Anzac day itself. Check your facts

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Luuuc
Years ago

There were 5 ANZAC Day games in 2015 only because ANZAC Day happened to fall on a Saturday last year. Saturday of course being the day that has the most games played in most normal rounds.
People who have followed footy more than 12 months would know that last year wasn't typical ANZAC fixturing.

This year there is just one game on the public holiday Monday - the traditional, and massive, Collingwood-Essendon game. The biggest game of the regular season.

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Anonymous
Years ago

The discussion was about whether having the same teams involved is worthwhile or not. The fact that no one even remembers that there were four other Anzac day games last season is indicative that consistency of the two teams being involved has contributed to the memorable nature of that specific fixture.

I rest my case.

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Isaac
Years ago

There's an article on Fox about the NBL having more open-air games on the agenda.

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Luuuc
Years ago

To anon above who rests his/her case, I don't think you can draw a direct parallel to the AFL in this case. If it's an open air NBL game then as long as United are the only team in Melbourne I don't think it matters nearly as much who the opponent is.

There's no doubt that ANZAC Day became huge partly because it was always the same teams involved and they are both traditional 'power' clubs, but Perth being an NBL power club means a lot less to fans in Melbourne than Essendon or Collingwood being one. It's not like you're ever going to get Hisense half full of Cats fans on Dec 27th.

I would have thought that maybe Sydney might be a better opponent to get established for an annual fixture like this, being that Melbourne & Sydney are natural rivals outside of basketball as well. But I'm just guessing. However they work it, having an open air 'event' game on the same date each year strikes me as a no-brainer to try out, based on the success of this recent one.

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Anonymous
Years ago

What about the east/west coast rivalry, luuuc? Or simply a rivalry against the most successful team in the history of this league. There is significant brand associated with the wildcats in Aussie basketball, just because they aren't based in Melbourne doesn't mean fans won't care. I think the argument about the kings being so important is a tired one. We used to hear all the time about how important they were to a successful competition but I don't think their brand is that good and in fact is probably more associated with ineptness, which the current team is not helping with. Open air blockbuster against the bottom of the ladder violet crumbles certainly doesn't sound exciting besides the team being from a big city

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Anonymous
Years ago

OPen air games have been slated for years off and on and generally my recollection is that most games were under roof because of the fickle weather at the time/s

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paul
Years ago

The games played under a closed roof were on Boxing Day, and for some reason it seems to rain a lot on Boxing Day in Melbourne even if it's 35-40 degrees the week before and week after!

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Hoops

MEL v PER Holiday Season OpenAir Annual Fixture?

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