Croke Park

Petermc83

When I was watching the card at the weekend, it really showed how the UFC isn’t suited to a stadium show.
How quiet were the Aus fans?? It was shocking. you could probably put it down to a lot of first time fans going to a live event and not knowing what is going on but it just emphasized to me that the UFC should really think against not doing the Croke Park gig..

Also, as the camera kept panning across the floor sections throughout the night, it showed how much of a bad view the fans sitting in those seats had. They would have paid premium dollars but with no view?! What’s the point? We see more sitting in the comfort of our sofas back home.
I have been to events in the 3arena, Glasgow & MGM and they were all good views with varying prices for tickets. Stadiums with a capacity of 16k or less suit us fans trying to watch the action in the Octagon without having to watch the action on the big screens surround the Octagon.

Ok, financially, it makes sense… I definitely think they can sell out the stadium if Conor headlines. The whole country and its mother will want to go.. You can expect approx. 80- 90k fans there. But what sort of view will we expect from the back of the Cusack Stand or the Hill ?? Will it be worth the ticket prices? I know they will cost an arm and a leg too.. I didn’t see the price ranges for Aus but I can imagine the UFC will want to exploit the loyal Irish fanbase who love to support their own fighters.
Who will get tickets for this event also?? Will we see those people who infiltrated the World Tour Press Conference in the Convention Centre arrive at Croke Park ?? the organization of that event was a shambles and the bad press which the true Irish MMA fans received was uncalled for. I don’t really want to travel to Croke Park and expect to hear all that tripe from “so-called” fans as they watch the fights or boo some fighters because they were grappling on the ground and can’t see a knockout happening..

I was in Vegas for #189 and It was an amazing night for the Irish as Conor beat Mendes. I would love nothing more to see him defend his title in Ireland but he has become too big for the 3Arena and my points above might make me miss the event in Croke Park…if it ever actually happens…

I’d like to hear all your opinions on the matter..

That_Guy

You have to take into account the time they had the event at. Fight Pass prelims started at 11:15pm (GMT) but local time it was 10:15am when it all got going.

People might have been wrecked and felt it too early to have a beer and what not so the atmosphere is obviously going to be affected in that way.

Fans going to a live event for the first time is no bad thing and while there was some booing for certain things, not having a commentator describe what's going on while watching can be hard to fathom as to what's happening.

The problem with the stadium in Melbourne is that it looked absolutely cavernous on TV and rows of fans sitting on deck chairs with bad views can't have been much fun.

Views from the upper echelons of Croker would be absolutely horrendous too. I'm sure I'd buy a ticket if it were to happen but I'd be buying a lower tiered section seat for sure.

Mellor

That_Guy wrote: »

You have to take into account the time they had the event at. Fight Pass prelims started at 11:15pm (GMT) but local time it was 10:15am when it all got going.

There's been 8 events in Australia. And they have all been at that time. The atmosphere at other events was only marginally better. That's normal time UFC time. For a big fight the pubs are packed. I suppose it's the same as sunday football in ireland.

Prices started at $100 (€67).

An AFL pitch is absolutely huge, a lot bigger than Croker. The view from the stands in Croker would be better, but still pretty far away.

The pitch seats were as bad as they looked. Plastic lawn furniture held in rows with cable ties. I'm not sure what else they could have done though. The stadium obviously doesn't own pitch seating. Neither does Croker.
They kept showing a wide angle shot of the stadium, the lens distortion made the open space at the back look bigger than it was. There was a huge screen above the octagon. Did just as good a job as the screens in the MGM.

Petermc83

were u at it Mellor?
Was the atmosphere better than what came across on the tv?

Mellor

Petermc83 wrote: »

were u at it Mellor?
Was the atmosphere better than what came across on the tv?

Yeah I was at it, seated on the pitch, around the middle.
I haven't rewatched it, so not sure how it came across on the TV.
A lot of the undercard was met with silence. The Struve fight was zero atmosphere. But the rest of the main card it picked up. The crowd was pretty excitable for Hunt v Bigfoot and Ronda v Holm.

Nothing could have matched 189 in vegas.

Depp

While I'd agree with you there I'd say thered be a big difference between a morning/early afternoon australian crowd and an evening Irish crowd, i wouldnt imagine quietness would be a probkem atal!

JoeyJJ

Yeah I thought exactly the same, I thought if its a stadium the ticket prices wouldn't be too bad to get reasonably close however I was thinking I wouldn't want to be near the back of the flat section.

I think the Aviva would be a lot better than Croker, the pitch would be smaller, the ring should defo be moved down towards the south stand to build up the atmosphere. They will have to build up a roof over the octagon too which will need to be high for the top tier to be able to see down.

Would be some craic but...

Petermc83

JoeyJJ wrote: »

. They will have to build up a roof over the octagon too which will need to be high for the top tier to be able to see down.
.

Totally forgot about the roof to protect it from the irish weather... If that's built..you wouldn't have a hope of seeing any action from the top of the Cusask or Hogan..
i hate to be pessimistic.....

_Ace_

I'd love this pretty much more than anything else in the world right now heh, but I think it would be a nightmare to organise with the shape of our stadiums due to all the components mentioned in the OP.

We can hope though right?

Mellor

Avive is definitiely the better option, it also makes sense to have the octagon off centre, and only use one end section

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Aussie crowds aren't great in general, from experience going to music gigs anyway they're pretty crap for making noise when compared to Ireland, UK, most of Europe and definitely South America. As mentioned previously time couldn't have helped too.

I think a UFC card in the Aviva would be brilliant.

JoeyJJ

And Conor is all about the numbers the Aviva should deliver slightly higher than the Oz card.

Mellor

JoeyJJ wrote: »

And Conor is all about the numbers the Aviva should deliver slightly higher than the Oz card.

Higher $$$, or higher attendence.

Etihad had a higher capacity than Aviva, but it didn't sell out.

JoeyJJ

Both Mellor, Aviva could deliver both, this is rip off republic after all.

Mellor

JoeyJJ wrote: »

Both Mellor, Aviva could deliver both, this is rip off republic after all.

I don't think the ticket prices would be any more expensive than UFC193 but I can definitely see Aviva breaking the attendence record, so maybe it could take the $$$ if it gets the numbers.

Petermc83

how much were the floor level seats?

JoeyJJ

Tier prices are one thing however where the tier starts and finishes was the issue in recent fight night.

Mellor

Petermc83 wrote: »

how much were the floor level seats?

Started at $190 today's the back, next section was $290, then $470 cageside.
Stands were 100, 125, 150 and 190.

Gamebred

Croke Park is never ever happening,due to logistics and weather,dont even know why its under discussion.