(An open letter from Collingwood's Joffa Corfe to the AFL’s new boss Gillon McLachlan on ticket prices.)
Dear Gillon,Firstly let me congratulate you on your new role as CEO.
My name is Joffa.
We have never met but I’m the guy who celebrates Collingwood victory in the gold jacket.
Gillon, I’m worried and somewhat heartbroken at where our game is right now. Let me tell you how important football is to me and what football has done to my life.
I was evicted from home at the age of 14. It was long ago and I have moved on and done the best in life I could.
The one thing that got me through those days was my love for football; the friendship, the characters, the affordability.
I was too scared to take the bad road because it would mean I would not be able to go to the footy every week. So I kept myself honest and out of trouble.
Football has been good to me it has given me so much enjoyment. More importantly, in my case, it gave me family and friendship.
Gillon, in recent times the game and going to the game just does not seem the same.
Something hard core has disappeared and we feel we are not a part of it.
With some games last year and this year, walking down to the cheersquad inside the MCG, the horrible thought of ‘what the hell am I doing here’ has entered my mind.
It’s been a fight to stay tuned in and interested.
YOU’VE GOT IT WRONG ON TICKET PRICES.
Gillon, you seem like a reasonable bloke, so I have some questions for you.
How do I answer a family who come over to me and say we can no longer afford to bring dad to the footy?
How do I tell my grandchildren on a bad week financially that I can’t afford the overpriced food at the footy?
Our great game has always been a way of bringing all people together, from the elite to the bloke who can hardly afford the bus ticket to get to the game. It brings us together to celebrate our love for our club and for the game. But these days not all people can afford to go and people are now electing to stay at home. Gillon, your people are out of touch in so many ways.
How can you explain the concession cost of a premium A classification seat at $53?
Has the working class game been ripped away from us?
Football is a great leveller. It can make a tough week a great week. To be there and celebrate victory can make us forget that the rent is due, or that we have another increasing electricity bill.
I beg you mate to listen to us.
Understand our concerns.
We are not at war with you, we want to be with you.
In a sense we want something that is very special and meaningful to us — we want our game back.
A game where all people can afford to go.
Let it be a game for the poor, the working class, those on welfare, the rich and the elite.
Please Gillon, I beg you to listen to the fans.
Joffa Corfe
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