Tasmania Unwanted in the AFL

[Sojourner]

The sooner Andrew Demetriou is replaced the better off the AFL will be, they have a bid from a traditional football state with the financial backing of their State Government, yet they refuse point blank to even consider it, preffering to put a side in Blacktown NSW, where AFL has little or no support and massive competition from the NRL.....

Demetriou knocks back Tasmanian team


AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has ruled out setting up a club in Tasmania.

Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon is reportedly expected to offer the league the financial backing required for an AFL side to be established in Launceston.

But Demetriou has told Fairfax radio a Tasmanian team does not fit into the AFL's expansion plans.

"We're more interested in setting up two new licences as priorities in south-east Queensland and western Sydney," he said.

"We've got a lot of respect for football in Tasmania and we've got a lot respect for what Tasmania has contributed to our great game.

"But [we've got] our priorities and where we're taking football is into the two fastest growing corridors in the country."

Mr Demetriou said he did not think establishing a side in Tasmania was a realistic proposition at this stage.

"We just don't think it's sustainable," he said.

"While it's an admirable desire, we want to continue to play games in Tasmania through the Hawthorn Football Club, build on that base, get our local football going properly there and also making sure we can still find talent out of Tasmania."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008 ... tion=sport

[smac]

The plan they have will grow the game much quicker than a Tasmanian side. Faster growth = higher value on TV rights at next negotiations.

On the stats that matter, he's dominating.

Whether the AFL Commission have it right regarding what stats matter is another issue altogether.

[Dutchy]

well put Smac...they want to grow the game, that wont happen with a team in tassie....

I can understand their thought process, its our national game yet not the No. 1 game in each state

[Dirko]

As per Dutchy & smac I can see where they are coming from, but what baffles me is that apparently, soccer is the biggest junior sport in Tassie. If the A-League had any balls they'd jump on the wagon and set up a team in Tassie. They'd get a foot in the door, and get the round ball game embedded into Tasmanian sporting culture.

IMO, for a truly national game, no matter what sort of coin is involved, one would think you'd have or attempt to have a team based in each football heartland.

[JK]

Agree with all of that ... Also reckon they still eye Tassie as a potential relocation option to reduce the number of clubs in Melbourne one day (although the Hawks success over there and off-field in general rules that out for the foreseeable future)

[Baron Greenback]

Wouldn't surprise if Hawthorn did move to Tassie one day.
Huge Hawks supporter base over there....

[rod_rooster]

Wouldn't surprise if Hawthorn did move to Tassie one day.
Huge Hawks supporter base over there....

They've pumped far to much money into Waverley to do that.

[saintal]

It's all about the $. I guess it has been for some time now.

Why else would you schedule a game for 5pm on sundays?

[evans01]

i guess the AFL are looking at big growth areas, high population etc.....
and have targeted Gold Coast, Western Sydney, dense growing populations that could justify large followings, membership and attendances................most of which I dont think Tassie could sustain...unfortunately....

[Sojourner]

I understand that people might see on paper a business plan would work to expand a business into a growing area in the eastern states seems quite obvious I agree - until you actually get yourself over to Penrith - Blacktown area and see what things are actually like, there is little or no interest in AFL on purpose! The people that live there in general are not keen on AFL and prefer NRL, imagine if you like the NRL comming into SA and forcing it down your throats to convert you to their game, it just will not happen!

Also I think that the AFL has way underestimated how cashed up the NRL clubs are in the area. Penrith currently own 37 venues most with Pokies, their club at Penrith makes the Adelaide Casino look small! Parramatta have a similar set up. These clubs are hardly going to lay down and let another competitor walk into thier heartland and take their cashflow! Sydney just survive on ex-patriate and old school South Melbourne supporters. To suggest that the western suburbs of Sydney could even remotley support an AFL team is a complete nonsense!

Tassie on the other hand clearly could support an AFL team, that is the difference.

[NFC]

Bottom line- Tassie should have a team.

[smac]

imagine if you like the NRL comming into SA and forcing it down your throats to convert you to their game, it just will not happen!

You mean like the Rams? As bad as it turned out, I thought they pulled the pin too early, would have been moderately successful if they had stuck with it.

Moderately successful in terms of the AFL expansion plans = BIG RETURNS!

Also I think that the AFL has way underestimated how cashed up the NRL clubs are in the area. Penrith currently own 37 venues most with Pokies, their club at Penrith makes the Adelaide Casino look small! Parramatta have a similar set up. These clubs are hardly going to lay down and let another competitor walk into thier heartland and take their cashflow! Sydney just survive on ex-patriate and old school South Melbourne supporters. To suggest that the western suburbs of Sydney could even remotley support an AFL team is a complete nonsense!

As dumb as the AFL appear to be at times, their research would have all bases covered. I doubt they are underestimating anything.

Tassie on the other hand clearly could support an AFL team, that is the difference.

But it would need to be the single largest contributor to the Tasmanian economy to outdo the proposed plans.

I personally think that Tasmania deserve a side in the AFL, but given the level of support shown to the VFL side they have, I doubt that an AFL side would be profitable or well supported in the foreseeable future.

[SCD]

I understand that people might see on paper a business plan would work to expand a business into a growing area in the eastern states seems quite obvious I agree - until you actually get yourself over to Penrith - Blacktown area and see what things are actually like, there is little or no interest in AFL on purpose! The people that live there in general are not keen on AFL and prefer NRL, imagine if you like the NRL comming into SA and forcing it down your throats to convert you to their game, it just will not happen!

Also I think that the AFL has way underestimated how cashed up the NRL clubs are in the area. Penrith currently own 37 venues most with Pokies, their club at Penrith makes the Adelaide Casino look small! Parramatta have a similar set up. These clubs are hardly going to lay down and let another competitor walk into thier heartland and take their cashflow! Sydney just survive on ex-patriate and old school South Melbourne supporters. To suggest that the western suburbs of Sydney could even remotley support an AFL team is a complete nonsense!

Tassie on the other hand clearly could support an AFL team, that is the difference.

That is the very best way i've seen the West Sydney experiment explained anywhere.

I can't see how it can work. Sydney people generally speaking are too interested in other things to attend sporting events, let alone a game they don't really enjoy. It costs too much to go by public transport, parking is a nightmare (cost and driving) - so why not sit at home and watch on TV???

Gold Coast on the other hand + Tassie would work, because there is less competition for other sports and money.

[smac]

Fixed the bad quoting in my previous post, hope it's a little clearer now.

[JK]

And a good post it was Smac (as were yours SOJ and Scaff)

[smac]

And a good post it was Smac (as were yours SOJ and Scaff)

Ain't it just grand when opinions differ and no one fires up?

[JK]

And a good post it was Smac (as were yours SOJ and Scaff)

Ain't it just grand when opinions differ and no one fires up?

Both opinions are well made and contain a lot of validity imho ... It will certainly be interesting to see how it all unfolds over time.

I wouldn't have thought the Rams here in SA would have taken off, nor the Storm to the extent they have ... If either/Both of these new teams are successful, people will come*, most people have enough local pride to jump on their sporting teams, even moreso if they show signs of being successful.

[Hondo]

For GC and West Sydney, any argument about 'how could it work / who would support it' would have been the same when the Swans and Bears started up. At least now we have an AFL broadcoast nationally and existing teams and supporter bases, the same can't be said in 1982 or 1987. Its about getting an AFL game played in Sydney every week now that the Swans have a successful base.

The NRL will probably do the same thing in Melbourne before long .... nothing beats a 2 local team rivalry its what competitions are built on.

Personally, I have come on board and am now really looking forward to seeing the new teams in action.

As CP or SMAC said, Ok support for a West Sydney team will still financially beat full-on support from a Tassie team. I also think Tassie deserve a spot but I agree they need to wait until the next expansion settles down.

[Baron Greenback]

But it would need to be the single largest contributor to the Tasmanian economy to outdo the proposed plans.

I personally think that Tasmania deserve a side in the AFL, but given the level of support shown to the VFL side they have, I doubt that an AFL side would be profitable or well supported in the foreseeable future.

Would you support your a South Australian side if it was competing in say the WAFL?
Most Tasmanians just support the teams from their two competitions in the North and the South.
But if they had a side of their own in the AFL, I believe Tasmanians would definitely get behind it and it would thrive.

[smac]

But it would need to be the single largest contributor to the Tasmanian economy to outdo the proposed plans.

I personally think that Tasmania deserve a side in the AFL, but given the level of support shown to the VFL side they have, I doubt that an AFL side would be profitable or well supported in the foreseeable future.

Would you support your a South Australian side if it was competing in say the WAFL?
Most Tasmanians just support the teams from their two competitions in the North and the South.
But if they had a side of their own in the AFL, I believe Tasmanians would definitely get behind it and it would thrive.

Personally, I wouldn't support any composite side. But that's just me. The Crows and West Coast have proven how a footy heartland can support a composite side - West Coast were in the VFL for a few years weren't they?

As I said in the last post, personally I think they deserve a side. The population of Tasmania is approximately 2.5% of the entire population of Australia. I would hazard a guess that in terms of wealth, it is even lower.

They are unashamedly chasing cash. It's the motive of the AFL that needs to be questioned (if anything), not the actions. The actions will give them exactly what they seek.