AFL to expand to 18 clubs

[mightytiges]

THE AFL has intensified its raid into the rugby league heartland of western Sydney with plans to redevelop the Sydney Showground at Olympic Park into a $100 million "boutique stadium" for its proposed second Sydney team.

This wont be just any white elephant, this will be a "boutique" white elephant.

How special.

They should design it like Subi so it'll be a guaranteed win for us 

[Chuck17]

They should design it like Subi so it'll be a guaranteed win for us 

Yeh right we will probably get SCG version 2

[one-eyed]

AFL's bid for western Sydney team hits a snag — little interest
Caroline Wilson | December 3, 2008

THE AFL has placed on hold the formation date for its projected 18th team, conceding more work must be done to develop and market the game in western Sydney.

Although 2012 remains the AFL Commission's preferred launch date for a second team in Sydney, the prevailing view is that a fledgling team will not be formed before 2011.

The Age understands the commission's talks in Sydney last month considered a range of scenarios for the problematic frontier, including putting off the starting date beyond 2012 — the timing placed on the public agenda by chairman Mike Fitzpatrick in February.

However, the AFL's NSW boss, Dale Holmes, said 2012 remained the commission's preferred deadline, mindful of the preference for an even-numbered competition with no byes.

The commission meeting in Sydney, which included a tour of the western region, was the first indication that the AFL had become increasingly mindful of the world economic crisis and its impact on the AFL's Victorian clubs, and the potential spin-off problems created by an expensive expansion program.

Instead of pushing to create an under-18 team by 2010 and follow the Gold Coast model, the AFL looks certain to spend the next two years investing in extra development and marketing in the non-traditional football region, which Fitzpatrick noted at last week's AFL Future Directions conference had provided a disappointing return on its investment.

The commission has put off a final decision on the western Sydney team until the end of next year.

Not only did the 2008 AFL draft fail to provide one registered NSW footballer, but the Sydney Swans' television ratings, attendances and memberships dropped dramatically.

The AFL has accepted much of the blame for the dismal crowd of less than 20,000 which attended the Sydney-North Melbourne second elimination final at ANZ Stadium in September, and has taken on board advice from Swans executives to lift its game in terms of promoting the club and the AFL in Sydney.

Next season the AFL will design an advertising campaign specifically aimed at luring Sydneysiders to Swans games, and has for the first time appointed a Sydney-based advertising firm — the local arm of its contracted advertising company George Patterson — to promote the Sydney Swans.

The AFL also looks certain to schedule the second Sydney team a significant number of home-and-away fixtures at Manuka Oval in Canberra once it is launched, with the Sydney Showgrounds venue the preferred site for the bulk of the yet-to-be-formed side's home games.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou and Holmes reiterated that the AFL had never specified that it would create an 18th team in the image of the 17th.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/bid-for-18th-team-hits-snag/2008/12/02/1227980017883.html

[Chuck17]

Well Hurray they have woken up and smelt the roses.

Local footy out in the West is struggling, inner city and immediate surroundings are strong but in the Greater West teams are doing it tough.  Sponsorship (if achieved) is the local pub/club for a few thousand per year and playing numbers have been decreasing over the last five years.

The AFL (NSW/ACT) has recently changed the AFL structure for the Sydney comp in that it has moved to a divisionalised system instead of the traditional firsts and reserves set up.  This should make the playing field more even and competitive but there is still a huge problem of support in the West for AFL, ie at the moment it is near non existant.

I am not saying that another team couldn't be successful but IMO there needs to be a lot of ground work done first to avoid a money draining white elephant.

[mightytiges]

Hello Tassie FC

[WilliamPowell]

AFL's bid for western Sydney team hits a snag — little interest

Really 

I find that staggering...really I do....

This is the most amazing, earth shattering, shock horror piece of news since.... well I think last week when it was reported that the MCG makes most of its money from Football as opposed to cricket

[one-eyed]

West Sydney still in AFL's sights
AAP | March 17, 2009 07:02pm

THE AFL will forge ahead with planning for its western Sydney expansion team, despite the failing economy.

League chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan acknowledges the enormity of the project, but the AFL insist it is a battle it must win.

Full article at:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25201689-19742,00.html

[one-eyed]

West Sydney is AFL's Vietnam
James Phelps | April 29, 2009

RUGBY league boss Geoff Carr has warned the AFL its push into western Sydney could be its Vietnam War.

The warning came as the AFL's plan for a second Sydney team hit a major hurdle with the New South Wales Government withdrawing financial backing for the expansion.

The Government has told the AFL it will not help fund the $100 million redevelopment of the Sydney Showground at Homebush, where a second AFL side was set to be based from 2012.

NSW Premier Nathan Rees met AFL boss Andrew Demetriou three weeks ago to tell him of the decision.

With NSW in a parlous financial state, it is understood the Government decided pumping big money into AFL's expansion - in the heartland of rugby league - would risk a voter backlash.

Related LinksVideo: Ralph, Edmund discuss breaking news
Australian Rugby League chief executive Carr told the Herald Sun the AFL was wasting its money trying to win the hearts and minds of Sydney's "westies".

"It is a huge risk for them and a lot of people say it will be their Vietnam," Carr said. "If they want to fight out there, that is their call."

As rugby league bosses met yesterday in Penrith in Sydney's west and discussed strategies to combat AFL's push, an investigation has found:

RUGBY league is outspending the AFL by $6.5 million in Sydney's west.

RUGBY league boasts 20,204 registered club players in the area compared to AFL's 2929.

AFL club registrations in NSW dropped between 2005 and 2008, but school figures have risen by 30,000 in three years because of AusKick.

The AFL's ambition to spread the game into Sydney's west, largely at a junior level, has stirred plenty of debate.

 Carr's strong comments came after he criticised the AFL for inflating the numbers of people playing the game in NSW to secure funding from the government and local councils.

Carr accused the AFL of counting all youngsters who come into contact with the game through the AusKick program at schools as "registered" players.

Forced to abandon its ambitious Homebush project, the AFL will now have to spend at least $33 million to set up the Showground as a no-frills home ground, something officials and key stakeholders are not prepared to do.

The addition of a Gold Coast side in 2011 was approved by the AFL only when it was given a $60 million grant by the Queensland Government.

The AFL's NSW/ACT general manager Dale Holmes said last night there was no other proposals before the NSW Government about venues for a western Sydney side.

Holmes said playing at ANZ Stadium was an option.

A spokesman for AFL boss Andrew Demetriou was last night adamant the league was on track for the proposed launch in 2012.

"The AFL Commission reiterated again yesterday its support for a team in western Sydney starting in the AFL in season 2012," he said.

While the Showground plans have been canned, the $30 million redevelopment of Blacktown's Olympic Park into a 10,000-capacity venue and training base was on schedule to be completed by June.

But the ground will be unsuitable for AFL matches unless there is a further multi-million dollar investment, something the NSW Government is reluctant to fund based on the AFL's current expansion case.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25402601-19742,00.html

[one-eyed]

Warning on west Sydney
Michael Cowley and Richard Hinds, Sydney | April 30, 2009

SWANS chairman Richard Colless says he does not believe a team will be entrenched in western Sydney "in my lifetime", even as the AFL moved to reassure local clubs that plans to implant a team in the region as early as 2012 remained on track.

"I'm not saying it's the wrong thing to do, but I think it would be unwise for clubs to assume this is sort of a licence to print money," said Colless, who is the longest-serving chairman of an AFL club.

"It's going to be a long, hard battle and I don't think the winning of the west is going to occur in my lifetime."

The NSW Government and AFL yesterday denied reports that promised funding for a $100 million redevelopment of the Homebush Bay showgrounds had been withdrawn and the establishment of the new franchise imperiled.

Full article at:
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfnews/warning-on-west-sydney/2009/04/29/1240982277568.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

[mightytiges]

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfnews/missing-fans-mar-swans-big-night/2009/06/21/1245522734330.html?page=fullpage

The Swans might get more people to their games up there if they didn't play such shocking dull grinding footy but with the AFL expanding to two teams in Sydney it looks like the AFL will now have to prop up both teams rather than just the new West Sydney club. The Swans list is aging from continually topping up their premiership side and they don't appear to have many outstanding kids coming through. They only have themselves to blame and now that their premiership players are starting to retire it's looking like a long period of pain is going to hit them hard.

[Chuck17]

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfnews/missing-fans-mar-swans-big-night/2009/06/21/1245522734330.html?page=fullpage

The Swans might get more people to their games up there if they didn't play such shocking dull grinding footy but with the AFL expanding to two teams in Sydney it looks like the AFL will now have to prop up both teams rather than just the new West Sydney club. The Swans list is aging from continually topping up their premiership side and they don't appear to have many outstanding kids coming through. They only have themselves to blame and now that their premiership players are starting to retire it's looking like a long period of pain is going to hit them hard.

Actually MT they have a new way to draw in the crowds.

I got an Email from the NSW/ACT AFL earlier this week advertising a buy one ticket get one free for the Swans vs North Melbourne match.

[mightytiges]

Actually MT they have a new way to draw in the crowds.

I got an Email from the NSW/ACT AFL earlier this week advertising a buy one ticket get one free for the Swans vs North Melbourne match.

Well there's a crowd puller 

[one-eyed]

Western Sydney 'insurmountable' for AFL
Paul Carter
June 25, 2009 - 7:14PM

The AFL faces insurmountable barriers to establishing a second Sydney team, says a Senate committee formed to examine Tasmania's bid for a league licence.

The committee, which supports Tasmania's bid for an AFL team, says the weakness of the sport's market in Sydney only underlines the risks in the decision to prioritise that city over Tasmania.

The AFL will have a second Sydney team in 2012, after expanding to the Gold Coast in 2011.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has said Tasmania was next in line if the competition ever expanded beyond the planned 18-team format or a Victorian club relocated.

A Senate committee was formed earlier this year to examine matters relating to the establishment of an AFL team in Tasmania as the league declined the island's state bid for inclusion.

Its report, recognising Tasmania's strong support for Australian Rules football for more than 100 years, was tabled in federal parliament on Thursday.

"There appears to be a growing consensus that Tasmania would have the necessary supporter base to sustain a financially viable AFL club," the report said.

The committee has asked the AFL to outline the circumstances under which Tasmania could get a team if the sport withdrew financial support from an existing club in dire financial straits.

"The committee would encourage the AFL to be upfront about the trigger for a Tasmanian licence to come about under these circumstances," the report said.

The committee was also of the view that the AFL's plans for a western Sydney team were "very ambitious".

"There are cultural barriers facing a western Sydney-based AFL team that appear to be insurmountable," the report said.

Children participating in modified Australia Rules games via school programs will not necessarily translate into meaningful support for the code, it said.

Australian Rules football was barely played at club level in the area, it added.

The weakness of the Sydney competition was most forcefully demonstrated by the fact that the Sydney Swans could not find a suitable competition for its reserves team to play in greater Sydney.

They chose to send the team to play in the Canberra competition.

"The committee believes this fact highlights the weakness of the market for AFL in the Sydney basin, and underlines the risks being taken by the AFL in its decision to prioritise this market over Tasmania."

http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-sport/western-sydney-insurmountable-for-afl-20090625-cy2l.html

[one-eyed]

Tassie call won't alter League's expansion plans
afl.com.au
By David Reed 7:45 PM Thu 25 June, 2009

THE AFL will disregard a senate committee finding that the League’s 18th team should be based in Tasmania.

The senate committee, formed to examine Tassie's bid for a league licence, tabled its report in parliament on Thursday. It found that the AFL faced insurmountable barriers to establishing a second Sydney team.

The committee supported Tasmania's bid for an AFL team and said the weakness of the sport's market in Sydney underlined the risks in the decision to prioritise that city over Tasmania.

But AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou says the League had no intention of altering its plans.

“The decision of the senate has no influence on our decision. The AFL Commission has prioritised the Gold Coast for its 17th licence and western Sydney for its 18th licence,” Demetriou said.

“The decision handed down by the senate in no way will influence the AFL’s commitment to western Sydney.

“We are working with the Tasmanian Government – to their eternal credit they didn’t even provide a submission to the Senate Committee.

“We know where we are at with the Tasmanian Government, we have got a good relationship with them and are working closely on what we can do further in Tasmania.”

Demetriou said the League would support Hawthorn’s plan to play more games in Launceston once the new teams were introduced.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/79423/default.aspx