Home games (away) - the rules?

Home games (away) - the rules?

There's seems to be some that feel Phoenix playing a couple of HOME games away from the ROF is a good idea...  if that should happen, I feel, there have to be some rules in place..

(a) The last TWO homes matches, of any season, will NEVER be played away from ROF. Somewhat arbitrary, the TWO stipulation I know, but if Phoenix are going to clinch a title it has to be at the ROF and not elsewhere...

If a major earthquake strikes Wellington and the stadium collapses we clear the pitch and stand on the rubble. I am not seeing us clinch a title anywhere except at our home ground!!

(b) No HOME playoff / "post season" matches anywhere except the ROF.

(c) Season tickets. Season ticket holders could have the same arrangements as this season. OR, perhaps a a season ticket can be sold with no validity for the two "away" games at an appropriately discounted price?  Not all fans can get to these "home" matches. The option should be offered.

I agree it should have happened a lot earlier in the season, but lets face it, the game was only played in  Chch because of the AC/DC concert so the chances of it coming back here aren't guaranteed anyway. Also if the stadium collapsed I think there'd be a few issues around being allowed to play there while fans stand on rubble. I'm getting a bit fed up with this anti Chch stuff. We didn't ask for this game it was given to us by the club owner.

Timmy, read the backpage of todays' Dominion Post and see the speculation that is being offered. 

I have to stop doing this but I agree with DF again. This isn't an anti-Chch thing it is about what is best for the team. Iffy basically came out and said it in the media prior to the game that they would rather play at 'home'. I know the timing of this one was forced upon us but any moves away from home in the future should take place mid-season, when the games are as crucial as these ones we need every advantage we can get. And our biggest advantage is playing at home.

1) Home advantage can only be given away for pre-season games.

I think people are getting carried away with the whole 19k in ch-ch thing.

For focus. This thread is not about the Chch match but about some of the hints/suggestions/rumours/theories that arise...  see the quote Source:

So in the event that this happens what rules do we want in place?

1) Pre Season
2) When stadium is unavailable and schedule CANNOT be worked around. (eg. turf being dug up took a number of weeks)

I'd say if the club is planning on taking games outside of Wellington deliberately, for no cause other than to "reward people", then I say f**k that, give me a discount on my season membership for all the games taken away from the RoF!

I suspect getting the FFA to reschedule for a FIFA event was fairly easy but even though they are legends I don't think AC/DC have much pull with the FFA

One question: How sure are we about the accuracy of the crowd figure? Was that 19K in the ground or was that the number of tickets sold/given away. I am not trying to bag CHCH, just curious because at the RoF we have the turnstiles that count each ticket as they go through but at AMI it was all manual. Surely they didn't sit down and count 19K ticket stubs.

I dare say it was based on transactions.

VBase, possibly owned by the council not sure. I can understand why the disappointment at having an away home game (especially two in the same season). There was never an expectation of having the Phoenix play a regular season game down here, we are just very very grateful that it did happen to us. Chch are lucky in that we've also had the privilege of having the Phoenix down here pre season as well. If the Wellington Phoenix were to make this an annual thing, I could care less if it were right at the beginning of the  season or not, just feel honored to have the team I love play here.

No problem timmy. I think nmost of the angst is toward those pushing for it as their right to have a game annually. Then at the nix management for their contradictory statements and the feeling they misled us in the "it was forced on us" thing,when really the FFA could have EASILY switched home and away rounds with us and adelaide etc...and as someone pointed out,they have managed to do so previously. Tegal2010-02-01 12:45:05

Here's a rule.

1) All home games should be played in Wellington, at The Ring of Fire. None of this Harlem Globetrotters Bullsh*t. Only exception is preseason.
Mr_Incredible2010-02-01 12:52:16

I think Junior 82 had a good point on the other thread. Having a game elsewhere (here ) around the mid season break could possibly ease things a little.

I wholeheartedly agree with points A and B. I think C is a bit of stretch due to the cost (AFAIK) of the season pass being the same as the season before, with the same number of 'home games'. Fair enought point if I'm wrong though.

For all those that are complaining about CHCH having regular season games at all, please stop with the selfish, arrongant, dickheadedness that smacks of Mohammed Bin Hammam and his crazily illogical crusade to get the Nix kicked out of the HAL. When we hear/read the rumours on the news, the most common debate for the Nix is about doing what is best for football - well, what is best for football inthis situation? I'm pretty sure the question answers itself but I'll be happy to articulate this, for anyone who disagrees.

Unless you think it would be best for NZ football for the Nix to spread all the home games around? Do Dunedin deserve any games? Hamilton? Etc?

Sinz while I agree with you I think our situation of being the flag bearer for Football in NZ means we have to change expectations a bit. I have no problem moving 1 or 2 games a season (dear god not to Palmy again though) but do it at the right times of the season e.g. During weeks 8-24 not in the last 3 weeks of the season where we need every advantage we can get.

Junior822010-02-01 13:20:55

It should only be an expectation that season ticket holders get all the home games at 'home' if that expectation is actually set in the first place. It was always clear from the moment the tickets went on sale, that season ticket holders would recieve the same number of games as the season before, and would have the option to get tickets to the homeaway fixtures. If you think you were misled out of home games, when you purchased tickets (given all the information was available forthright) then you are being arrogant and selfish by manufacturing expectations or grizzling that you were misled out of something that you knew wasn't available in the first place (i.e. its not YOUR club, you chose whether to buy the tickets and support the Nix based on the information available).

And of course its better for New Zealand football, though asking whether Dunedin or Hamilton or any other city in NZ 'deserves' a game is just building a strawman argument. Despite whatever city an external game is hosted in, building up national support for a professional football team in NZ solidifies the Nix's position in the HAL as good for football in general.This is the sort of stick we can poke the AFC with.
djtim30002010-02-01 13:25:31

That expectation is implicit in supporting a football club. It's a fundamental aspect of the nature between fan and club.

Fair enough, it would seem that (obviously) I have different expectations from supporting a football club than yourself, I'm just thankful we get decent football at the RoF at all. It could so easily be taken away from us. Whatever the reasoning, there was definate PR behind the call that the intention was to spread the game - again whatever helps keep a vast majority of games at the RoF I will support.

It just frustrates me that the partisan attitude to the homeaway fixtures is the same sort of crap the Nix are getting from the AFC about their status in the HAL.

How many Home games did the Knights & The Kingz play elsewhere?

AFAIK the Knights played all games at NHS.

The Kingz played two games in Wellington (Sydney & Marconi), two/three in Hamilton (Parra and some others, maybe Spirit???), one in New Plymouth (don't remember who but they lost 3-0) and one in Chch (3-3 draw with Perth).

Kingz also played Wollongong in Christchurch. I won a Kingz football at that game 

Lost 4-2 though, Rufer double IIRC

I'd support us playing one away game per season, but as said previously, not in the last few matches of the season. Hopefully Christchurch can pull off a good crowd again next season if they get another game there.

WELLINGTON Phoenix = Home games in WELLINGTON. That's the way it should be, all the talk of 'giving home games' to other cities is bullsh*t, imo

Out of towners, like myself, just have to suck it up and deal with itJag2010-02-01 18:57:34

I think you are both right. It follows that having had 8 teams in the league last season, and then increasing to 10 teams this season, it is fair for fans to expect there will be 2 more home games and that they will be at the dedicated home ground

And also having the information available well before the buying of season tickets, means there isnt much excuse for moaning later

I suspect that the club has not been as upfront as it could have been on this. Maybe they couldnt reschedule, maybe they didnt try hard enough, but I wonder if they put the "it is out of our hands" line out early to encourage last years loyal ticket holders to buy their tickets as usual, and then they changed the marketing later to "we are taking the game around the country" to try and get the feel good factor to the fans in those two homeaway venues, so they would come and support the efforts of the club

Whatever, it has created a dilemma, in that it was hugely successful in Christchurch, a great crowd, a good moneyspinner and a result at "home",  and must havegot them thinking about what to do next year, and of course opened up the whole debate about it on this forum.

 


hepatitis2010-02-01 15:48:50

otagofan2010-02-01 16:51:38

I agree with the points in the OP.

I agree that Wellington Phoenix should remain Wellington Phoenix, partly because I hate the idea of a NZ team in an Australian competition, and partly because Wellington is a great city and I hope to one day move there myself and I do feel a degree of sympathy for the season ticket holders who couldn't make it here. But like djtim3000 said, you were under no illusion about the two away home fixtures. I can't remember if I said this here or in another thread but I felt very privileged to have the team I love and adore come to my town and play.

Hard thread to follow.. many of you a overdoing your comments. I be happy with the points in the first post. Phoenix can go away twice a year as far as I am concerned but Wellington fans (and mostly season ticket holders)  must always come first.

We were under no illusion about the two "stolen" games? It was sprung on us when the fixtures were announced this season and caused much angst on these forums from people who understandably felt as though we were being treated as part time supporters.

Just out of curiosity, which came first, purchasing season tickets or the draw being released?

The phoenix are what they are because of the Wellington supporters who go to every game, chant til their throat is sore and in general get behind the team. It would be such a slap in the face if the Phoenix become a traveling circus just for a few extra $. One game to CHCH is acceptable I can deal with that but honestly it would be so frustrating if they tried to pull 3 games out of Wellington next year.

The illusion referred to by Dairyflat I think is the clubs stance on these home away games- that at first they said it was forced but that hasn't been mentioned in quite a while.

Love your work Jag.