Comments on: The AFL’s expansion nightmare http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/27/the-afls-expansion-nightmare/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:48:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jambo http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/27/the-afls-expansion-nightmare/#comment-14377 Jambo Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-14377 Lets not forget that in 99% of the world "footy" is not even acknowledged. You can attempt to rule this country, but that will be it, and even then you will never get more than 60% of it no matter how many millions and local derbys you can muster. Being from Melbourne, i have watched a lot of it, and these days quite frankly struggle to get through a full game. Sure there are some amazing games, but they are of the minority, with most being of 'throw away' quality. I have watched the Melbourne Storm and the Victory, and at least at half time the opposition ALWAYS has a chance to come back and win, unlike footy. On top of that, I am sure the country footy is still strong, but in the city of Melbourne, the kids in my street are playing soccer - a new phenomena has arrived and by the time the footy yobs have noticed, they will be old, and footy will have died down to a more 'quaint' level and that will be what it is. Lets not forget that in 99% of the world “footy” is not even acknowledged. You can attempt to rule this country, but that will be it, and even then you will never get more than 60% of it no matter how many millions and local derbys you can muster. Being from Melbourne, i have watched a lot of it, and these days quite frankly struggle to get through a full game. Sure there are some amazing games, but they are of the minority, with most being of ‘throw away’ quality. I have watched the Melbourne Storm and the Victory, and at least at half time the opposition ALWAYS has a chance to come back and win, unlike footy. On top of that, I am sure the country footy is still strong, but in the city of Melbourne, the kids in my street are playing soccer - a new phenomena has arrived and by the time the footy yobs have noticed, they will be old, and footy will have died down to a more ‘quaint’ level and that will be what it is.

]]> By: Jambo http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/27/the-afls-expansion-nightmare/#comment-14378 Jambo Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-14378 Ah but really only 875000 people went to the footy 8 times. There are 17+ million people that didn't go.<br /><br />Well's lets see, the 10 year olds will be in their prime in 14 years. By that stage there will have been 4 world cups and if Australia makes it to 3 of them, then I would say in about 2023, soccer will be as popular as footy. Keep in mind also that because of global warming, soccer will also have to be played in winter and once again, the AFL will be obliged to move games from Etihad Stadium to accommodate the A-league. (the AFL won't own the stadium by then as they will have to sell it to Westfield due to poor attendances). Ah but really only 875000 people went to the footy 8 times. There are 17+ million people that didn’t go.

Well’s lets see, the 10 year olds will be in their prime in 14 years. By that stage there will have been 4 world cups and if Australia makes it to 3 of them, then I would say in about 2023, soccer will be as popular as footy. Keep in mind also that because of global warming, soccer will also have to be played in winter and once again, the AFL will be obliged to move games from Etihad Stadium to accommodate the A-league. (the AFL won’t own the stadium by then as they will have to sell it to Westfield due to poor attendances).

]]> By: Kevin Charles Herbert http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/27/the-afls-expansion-nightmare/#comment-14379 Kevin Charles Herbert Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-14379 <br />The hometown derbys between Port Adelaide & Adelaide and Freo & the WC Eagles are as torrid & incident packed as any of the traditional Melbourne based rivalries e.g Carlton v Collingwood, Hawthorn v Geelong. They're also played before capacity crowds.<br /><br />The AFL have shrewdly based part of their new franchise decision on the proven success of these derbys. So get ready for a capacity crowd & fireworks when Brisbane plays the Gold Coast, and Sydney plays the West Sydney Blacks. The Telstra Stadium will attract a crowd in excess of 70,000 New South Welshman for the Sydney derby...that's more than the total attendance for one NRL round.<br /><br />Go the Blacks !!!!!!!!!!! The hometown derbys between Port Adelaide & Adelaide and Freo & the WC Eagles are as torrid & incident packed as any of the traditional Melbourne based rivalries e.g Carlton v Collingwood, Hawthorn v Geelong. They’re also played before capacity crowds.

The AFL have shrewdly based part of their new franchise decision on the proven success of these derbys. So get ready for a capacity crowd & fireworks when Brisbane plays the Gold Coast, and Sydney plays the West Sydney Blacks. The Telstra Stadium will attract a crowd in excess of 70,000 New South Welshman for the Sydney derby…that’s more than the total attendance for one NRL round.

Go the Blacks !!!!!!!!!!!

]]> By: Rev. Shinboner http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/27/the-afls-expansion-nightmare/#comment-14380 Rev. Shinboner Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-14380 Adam, your anti-AFL/Gold Coast/Western Sydney crusade is pretty short-sighted. The AFL has always stated that the GC and W.Sydney expansion teams are 25-year investments. It is hard to grow the game in these areas, the fastest growing populations in Australia, without putting a team there first. The AFL will need to make an assessment on whether they can afford this investment or not, but the current financial crisis will not be present throughout those 25 years, so I don't see why it should be the sole determinant of the expansion plans. But until the game is embraced in non-traditional football areas, the game's future will always be restricted.<br /><br />The independent AFL commission was set up to make it possible for the AFL to make exactly these sorts of bold decisions, which aren't necessarily in the best interests of the existing clubs, but are in the best interests of growing Australia's great game. Without this independent structure, we would still be discussing the merits and pitfalls of the VFL poaching all the good players from the WAFL and the SANFL. Adam, your anti-AFL/Gold Coast/Western Sydney crusade is pretty short-sighted. The AFL has always stated that the GC and W.Sydney expansion teams are 25-year investments. It is hard to grow the game in these areas, the fastest growing populations in Australia, without putting a team there first. The AFL will need to make an assessment on whether they can afford this investment or not, but the current financial crisis will not be present throughout those 25 years, so I don’t see why it should be the sole determinant of the expansion plans. But until the game is embraced in non-traditional football areas, the game’s future will always be restricted.

The independent AFL commission was set up to make it possible for the AFL to make exactly these sorts of bold decisions, which aren’t necessarily in the best interests of the existing clubs, but are in the best interests of growing Australia’s great game. Without this independent structure, we would still be discussing the merits and pitfalls of the VFL poaching all the good players from the WAFL and the SANFL.

]]> By: Keith http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/27/the-afls-expansion-nightmare/#comment-14381 Keith Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-14381 Adam, comparable facts please. You provide a theme of the AFL not being ahead of the game. Your comments "the Brisbane Lions managed to attract only 22,000 members in 2008 (the lowest in the competition)." Can you please check this with the membership numbers of NRL clubs that are lucky to get into the thousands let alone anywhere such figures. Please look at the crowds in the NRL and ARU and then compare against even the weak AFL teams and the crowd No's at the Gabba for the Lions games. Don't worry about the AFL expansion. When it comes to football in this country - be it money, crowds, memberships, tv rights, public interest its AFL No 1 and daylight anything else.<br /> Adam, comparable facts please. You provide a theme of the AFL not being ahead of the game. Your comments “the Brisbane Lions managed to attract only 22,000 members in 2008 (the lowest in the competition).” Can you please check this with the membership numbers of NRL clubs that are lucky to get into the thousands let alone anywhere such figures. Please look at the crowds in the NRL and ARU and then compare against even the weak AFL teams and the crowd No’s at the Gabba for the Lions games. Don’t worry about the AFL expansion. When it comes to football in this country - be it money, crowds, memberships, tv rights, public interest its AFL No 1 and daylight anything else.

]]> By: Kevin Charles Herbert http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/27/the-afls-expansion-nightmare/#comment-14382 Kevin Charles Herbert Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-14382 <br />Hey Jambo: attendances for AFL matches in 2008 passed 7 million for the first time.<br /><br />So why don't you give us a timeline for this takeover by soccer? Hey Jambo: attendances for AFL matches in 2008 passed 7 million for the first time.

So why don’t you give us a timeline for this takeover by soccer?

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