Geelong are seeking to secure an extra home fixture next season.
Geelong are looking to secure an eighth home match next season, as fixturing looms as the next AFL equalisation battleground.
Club CEO Brian Cook told AFL.com.au that an eighth game at Simmonds Stadium could add $500,000 to the Cats’ bottom line and help create a more sustainable business model for the club.
He said without the eighth game the Cats would struggle to the AFL’s recently revised equalisation policy.
“[A] structure with seven games being played at Simonds [Stadium] makes it really difficult for us to meet the [equalisation] commitment that the AFL is talking about,” Cook said.
Cook’s comments come a week after club president Colin Carter criticised the AFL’s equalisation policy, telling Fairfax media Geelong was being “screwed”.
Under the new policy, Geelong is expected to contribute $300,000, whilst the contribution of ‘bigger’ clubs such as Collingwood and Richmond are capped at $500,000.
Carter said the compromise weakens Geelong’s position in relation to clubs such as Collingwood, rather than bringing it closer.
The Cats have averaged a crowd of 25,368 in its four home games this season so far, down on the 26,792 from last year.
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