Sam Kekovich speech to Centre Square

[Moccha]

Grand Final Day 2008


My fellow Australians,

I've been invited here to talk to Centre Square, in these big marquees on
Punt Road Oval. And speaking of Punt Road Oval, let me tell you something for nothing - Jack Dyer would be spinning in his grave if he could see the place right now. Full of a bunch of Collins Street corporate criminals, Chapel Street designer cats and Toorak poodle rooters who have about as much interest in football as Paris Hilton has an
interest in astrophysics.

Captain Blood didn't break every bone in his body and commit multiple acts of on-field heroism and homicide so he could see his beloved home ground turned into an over-priced pre-match party for chardonnay-swilling spivs and their assorted hangers-on attending their one footy match of the year, whilst tens of thousands of hard-working honest battlers who love the game and love their team are denied the chance to attend the greatest game in the world.

I've had a gutful. Whilst this bunch of Armani-wearing, Audi-driving,
Prada-carrying try-hards monopolise priceless vantage points in the MCG,
millions of genuine footy fans who have followed their team through thick
and thin have to make do by watching the game at home or down at the local pub, whilst the Melbourne spivocracy get to sit on their fat posteriors in a marquee and wouldn't even know the way to the MCG without a tour guide.

Since most of you haven't attended a single match this year and know nothing about football, let me give you a few tips - Geelong wears blue, Hawthorn wears brown, and in case you were wondering, there'll be no fashions on the field at half-time, and no, the Lexus Centre across the road is not a prestige car dealership.

Centre Square is not only unfair. Centre Square is not only inequitable.
Centre Square is downright un-Australian! And so are all of you! In fact, I
bet you're all so un-Australian that you all hate the Anzacs, you booed
Cathy Freeman, and you want to cull cute cuddly koalas because one of them once jumped out in front of your Range Rover on the way to Mount Hotham.

But it's not just you who are at fault. I also blame the AFL - those
out-of-touch, opera-loving elitists at AFL headquarters who are responsible
for this unconscionable abomination need to take a good hard look in the
mirror. That is if they can handle the sight of moral and spiritual
bankruptcy staring back at them.

I also blame the government. Our new Prime Minister has clearly failed his
first test of leadership if he thinks it's acceptable to allow an event like
this to go ahead without a pre-emptive strike by the SAS. The PM is doing
nothing to ease the squeeze on working families on the bottom rung of the
ladder of opportunity who just want to see their team in the Granny. But
he'd better get his act together and do something about it, or millions of
angry footy fans will do it for him. Revolutions have been started and
governments have been overthrown for lesser outrages than this. And people ask why we need capital punishment.

So cut off your silver tails, tear up your fur coats and get fair dinkum.
Our great Australian game is the greatest game in the world - the game of
the people. Not some once-a-year marquee piss-up for an overpaid,
over-dressed pack of passionless corporate cretins who only turn up for the free chardonnay and then spend the actual game looking about as interested and excited as a line of Easter Island statues.

So don't bother coming across to the MCG this afternoon, because you're not welcome. The next train out of Melbourne leaves Richmond station in 10 minutes - so make sure you're on it. Or, better still, under it.

So don't be un-Australian - everyone here in Centre Square can get stuffed! You know it makes sense.



I'm Sam Kekovich.

[st.byron]

Did he actually deliver that speech or is it just a print article?
Absolutely brilliant. And accurate. Gold.

[True Blue Sainter]

Typical Kekovich. But I agree with the main point of what he has to say. The way the AFL has embraced the corporate sector is an absolute disgrace. There are ways of obtaining sponsorship dollars than giving upwards of 50,000 tickets to those who wouldn't even know a single player who would be playing out there.

Football is a game of the people, and that's the way it always has been (up until the last few years) and the way it always should be. If Demetriou has any clue about how to maintain the supporters of this game, lowering ticket prices for the finals, and DRASTICALLY cutting the amount of corporate seats at the finals should be one of the first things he and his crew should think about.

[Moccha]

Sounds like he did

[plugger66]

Typical Kekovich. But I agree with the main point of what he has to say. The way the AFL has embraced the corporate sector is an absolute disgrace. There are ways of obtaining sponsorship dollars than giving upwards of 50,000 tickets to those who wouldn't even know a single player who would be playing out there.

Football is a game of the people, and that's the way it always has been (up until the last few years) and the way it always should be. If Demetriou has any clue about how to maintain the supporters of this game, lowering ticket prices for the finals, and DRASTICALLY cutting the amount of corporate seats at the finals should be one of the first things he and his crew should think about.

If it wasnt for the corparate sector a few clubs wouldnt exist anymore and who knows who they may be. As for the 50,000 who wouldnt know a player out there well the AFL and MCC members might not all follow the clubs playing but I am pretty sure they follow the game. Yes it would be great to get more supporters of the clubs in the ground but then other clubs will pay the price.

[Gabba]

Fantastic. Have been saying what he said for years.

[saint66au]

Typical Kekovich. But I agree with the main point of what he has to say. The way the AFL has embraced the corporate sector is an absolute disgrace. There are ways of obtaining sponsorship dollars than giving upwards of 50,000 tickets to those who wouldn't even know a single player who would be playing out there.

Football is a game of the people, and that's the way it always has been (up until the last few years) and the way it always should be. If Demetriou has any clue about how to maintain the supporters of this game, lowering ticket prices for the finals, and DRASTICALLY cutting the amount of corporate seats at the finals should be one of the first things he and his crew should think about.

If it wasnt for the corparate sector a few clubs wouldnt exist anymore and who knows who they may be. As for the 50,000 who wouldnt know a player out there well the AFL and MCC members might not all follow the clubs playing but I am pretty sure they follow the game. Yes it would be great to get more supporters of the clubs in the ground but then other clubs will pay the price.

See plugger, down here on Planet Earth we have this thing called "taking the pyss"....and th..oh never mind

Sen-fricking-sational

[plugger66]

Typical Kekovich. But I agree with the main point of what he has to say. The way the AFL has embraced the corporate sector is an absolute disgrace. There are ways of obtaining sponsorship dollars than giving upwards of 50,000 tickets to those who wouldn't even know a single player who would be playing out there.

Football is a game of the people, and that's the way it always has been (up until the last few years) and the way it always should be. If Demetriou has any clue about how to maintain the supporters of this game, lowering ticket prices for the finals, and DRASTICALLY cutting the amount of corporate seats at the finals should be one of the first things he and his crew should think about.

If it wasnt for the corparate sector a few clubs wouldnt exist anymore and who knows who they may be. As for the 50,000 who wouldnt know a player out there well the AFL and MCC members might not all follow the clubs playing but I am pretty sure they follow the game. Yes it would be great to get more supporters of the clubs in the ground but then other clubs will pay the price.

See plugger, down here on Planet Earth we have this thing called "taking the pyss"....and th..oh never mind

So true blue sainter was taking the pyss. I wasnt commenting on what Keka said I was commenting on true Blue Sainter. Just one question do you think he is taking the pyss because it doesnt come across that way to me.

[st.byron]

[

If it wasnt for the corparate sector a few clubs wouldnt exist anymore and who knows who they may be. As for the 50,000 who wouldnt know a player out there well the AFL and MCC members might not all follow the clubs playing but I am pretty sure they follow the game. Yes it would be great to get more supporters of the clubs in the ground but then other clubs will pay the price.

it's so unbalanced though plugger and has swung so far away from the average fan who genuinely loves the game. My love of the game was nurtured going week after week to suburban grounds to watch games. Then at the end of the season, I was a fair chance of getting a seat to the GF even if my club wasn't playing, which they mostly weren't. If I couldn't get a seat I could get standing room. The 'G was packed to the rafters with people who loved the game and the atmosphere and passion of GF's I attended was a highlight every year.
Now, unless my club's playing ( and even then it's no guarantee) or I have some corporate connections I'm bugger all chance of getting a seat, unless of course I want to pay some greedy scalping arsehole an inflated sum for the privelege.
Kekovich is spot on. Suits and well heeled knobs who don't go to a game all year getting preference over those that go every week. Absolutely stinks.

My best mate's a Newcastle United fan. Every game he goes to he gets his members' ticket barcode swiped. At the end of the season, if his club's in the FA Cup Final, tickets are allocated to fans according to who's been to the most games over the season. So if his barcode's been swiped every week, he gets a ticket. And a majority of the seats are for the fans of the competing clubs. How it should be.

[Armoooo]

My best mate's a Newcastle United fan. Every game he goes to he gets his members' ticket barcode swiped. At the end of the season, if his club's in the FA Cup Final, tickets are allocated to fans according to who's been to the most games over the season. So if his barcode's been swiped every week, he gets a ticket. And a majority of the seats are for the fans of the competing clubs. How it should be.

I have never heard of a system like that, it sounds absolutely fantastic, I would sign up for that in a heart beat

[3rd generation saint]

I had an interesting thought re the Centre Square rip off.

What happens if Richmond make the grand final, they wont be able to use Punt Rd Oval.

[Snakeman66]

I had an interesting thought re the Centre Square rip off.

What happens if Richmond make the grand final, they wont be able to use Punt Rd Oval.

Won't happen.

[jonesy]

haha!!

It's genius.... yet so accurate

[TassieJones]

Sam Kekovich is spot on. Everyday people made footy everything it is now, and yet the AFL makes 99% of it's decisions based on money not on what is in the greatest interest of the general footy following public. The AFL run a business, but they also govern a sport and yet everything they do is determined by the former. It's the reason corporate suits with no interest in the game steal thousands of seats from die hard fans, it is the reason Tasmania is denied an AFL team in fact it is the reason for everything the AFL does these days. Everything that made football what it is is being shunned for a few extra dollars.

[True Blue Sainter]

Plugger66...

I know that the corporate sector has poured millions into the game. But still don't understand why that gives reason for the AFL to give roughly half the GF tickets away to sponsors and their guests? The grassroots supporter still plays an important role in the survival of clubs (through memberships, gate receipts, merchandise etc) and deserve to be rewarded for their loyalty as well. I didn't say to totally ignore the corporate sector - instead, reduce their ticket allocation...

[saint66au]

Plugger66...

I know that the corporate sector has poured millions into the game. But still don't understand why that gives reason for the AFL to give roughly half the GF tickets away to sponsors and their guests? The grassroots supporter still plays an important role in the survival of clubs (through memberships, gate receipts, merchandise etc) and deserve to be rewarded for their loyalty as well. I didn't say to totally ignore the corporate sector - instead, reduce their ticket allocation...

Well said...do you reckon the sponsors demand them or the AFL just dish them out willy-nilly anyway? ..and now have set a unfortunate precedent that would be very hard to reverse.

[True Blue Sainter]

Plugger66...

I know that the corporate sector has poured millions into the game. But still don't understand why that gives reason for the AFL to give roughly half the GF tickets away to sponsors and their guests? The grassroots supporter still plays an important role in the survival of clubs (through memberships, gate receipts, merchandise etc) and deserve to be rewarded for their loyalty as well. I didn't say to totally ignore the corporate sector - instead, reduce their ticket allocation...

Well said...do you reckon the sponsors demand them or the AFL just dish them out willy-nilly anyway? ..and now have set a unfortunate precedent that would be very hard to reverse.

Not so sure mate, but you're right that it would be a very difficult precedent to turn around... You'd like to think that if the AFL were serious about improving the attendances during the Finals series (this year's attendances were quite poor), then slowly cutting down on the corporate allocation of tickets, and a 20% reduction in ticket prices would go a fair way to doing that....

I read something a few years ago about 1997 being the last of the "non-corporate" grand finals? Can anybody shed any light on this? I remember reading statistics about how from 1998 onwards, the Grand Final corporate allocation has skyrocketed. It is unfair on the supporters who attend upwards of 20 games a year, to be robbed of the chance to see their team play off for the ultimate prize.

[Sainternist]

Just love Slamming Sam. We don't get enough of his antics. Such a straight shooter.

Thanks for the post.

[st.byron]

My best mate's a Newcastle United fan. Every game he goes to he gets his members' ticket barcode swiped. At the end of the season, if his club's in the FA Cup Final, tickets are allocated to fans according to who's been to the most games over the season. So if his barcode's been swiped every week, he gets a ticket. And a majority of the seats are for the fans of the competing clubs. How it should be.

I have never heard of a system like that, it sounds absolutely fantastic, I would sign up for that in a heart beat

It makes bloody good sense doesn't it. The real fans who genuinely support their club by going rain, hail or shine get the rewards. Andrew lives in London but travels all over England to watch NUFC. A true supporter and lover of the game. And he gets a ticket to watch his team in the FA Cup, UEFA cup, League Cup or any other big game based on that support. Doesn't have to sit at home and watch it on the box whilst people who haven't been to a game all year go for a bit of entertainment and don't care who wins.

[True Blue Sainter]

Byron.

That's a fantastic system mate. Surely that could be introduced here. I'm sure 99% of people would agree it's a much fairer system of allocating grand final tickets. The key point obviously being that it favours the die-hard fan. Look and learn, Demetriou, look and learn...

[st.byron]

Byron.

That's a fantastic system mate. Surely that could be introduced here. I'm sure 99% of people would agree it's a much fairer system of allocating grand final tickets. The key point obviously being that it favours the die-hard fan. Look and learn, Demetriou, look and learn...

For sure 99% of genuine supporters would agree. The knobs who fork out thousands to get a seat at their one game of the year wouldn't think so though and that's where the power is.
In England, I'm sure there are still tickets held back by the FA for shoulder rubbers and corporate sponsors, but Andy reckons the fans are generally happy with the system. Those that genuinely love and support their club aren't excluded for the benefit of people who see it as an afternoon's entertainment or a chance to score some free booze and not much else.
Absolutely stinks the way 65-70% plus of the tickets to the GF are completely inaccessible to genuine fans. It's not about to change though.

[RedWhiteBlack]

For sure 99% of genuine supporters would agree. The knobs who fork out thousands to get a seat at their one game of the year wouldn't think so though and that's where the power is.
In England, I'm sure there are still tickets held back by the FA for shoulder rubbers and corporate sponsors, but Andy reckons the fans are generally happy with the system. Those that genuinely love and support their club aren't excluded for the benefit of people who see it as an afternoon's entertainment or a chance to score some free booze and not much else.
Absolutely stinks the way 65-70% plus of the tickets to the GF are completely inaccessible to genuine fans. It's not about to change though.

You also need to consider that St James Park is a 52,000 seat stadium compared to the 100,000 able to pack into the MCG. Therefore, the corporate glut is even bigger in Australia, which emphasises your point further!

[SirDog]

Did he actually deliver that speech or is it just a print article?
Absolutely brilliant. And accurate. Gold.

No he didn't.

In fact this wonderful little diatribe comes from a poster at the popular AFL forum, BigFooty, who goes by the name Football Invective. You can see Football Invective's original post HERE

[st.byron]

Did he actually deliver that speech or is it just a print article?
Absolutely brilliant. And accurate. Gold.

No he didn't.

In fact this wonderful little diatribe comes from a poster at the popular AFL forum, BigFooty, who goes by the name Football Invective. You can see Football Invective's original post HERE

So Sam didn't even write it? Thanks ffor that Dog.
Well who ever the character is that did, I take my hat off to them.

[ozrulestrace]

Maybe there will be an upside to all the financial doom and gloom, the corporate dollar is slowly going the drain and as in today's Hun the AFL is having second thoughts about GC17.
And who will the AFL look to to try and fill the MCG on those really important match days, (well to them and their corporate status and free-loader mates) the good old mug punter, the average AFL supporter, to come up with the bikkies. Because somehow the average supporter will try and scrape together the membership money, and the finals tickets money because they are genuine in seeing their team.