AFL to expand to 18 clubs

[Fishfinger]

The AFL will have to use $25-30m out of the tv rights to prop up each new club.

I'd say this is why 2012 is the mark - the current TV rights deal finishes in 2011.
At least it gets rid of a gripe I had, that the current TV rights would be split between more clubs than when the deal was done.

I know market forces are the major determining factor in locating new clubs but I can't help wishing if the AFL are taking the game to the people that they take it to the people who really want it.

[mightytiges]

I know market forces are the major determining factor in locating new clubs but I can't help wishing if the AFL are taking the game to the people that they take it to the people who really want it.

Which is what Tassie folk are saying.

[Ramps]

eventually the will go to 20 clubs with a 3rd club in WA probably Mandurah and maybe a club in Tassie. Tassie will get a shot if the state government ever decides to become an annual "major sponsor" and benefactor and sink in 8 to 10 million on an annual basis. IMHO a 2 conference AFL and NFL with 10 teams in each. a final 5 in each and an eventual superbowl type night grand final is what will happen. The TV companies will go nuts and the AFL will rake in more and more dough.

[mightytiges]

20 pro teams is a lot for a country with the small population of Australia. That would be almost 1 team for every million. The US has 32 teams for 300m people (roughly 1 team for every 10 million).

I think you're right Ramps about a conference system coming in fudged in a way as to keep the current "blockbuster" games like ANZAC Day as is. If it was 20 teams then you'd have to have 4 conferences of 5 where you play the team in your conference twice and everyone else once = 23 rounds. For 18 teams 3 conferences of 6 based on the same idea (22 rounds).

[Hellenic Tiger]

Even so MT , sounds good but even in the NFL you don't play everyone in the same season let alone everyone  in the same conference in the NFL.
Of course the NFL would make plenty of dough but the inequities we face in the draw now will be magnified in an even greater fashion using the conference system.
Collingwood would be in the same Division as Essendon and Carlton to reap the benefits of a mostly full MCG with less travel than they have now.
Still on paper I don't disagree with those ideas its just that if the comp eventually expands to 20 then divisions of 5 will be based on money rather than geographical proximity as is with the NFL.

[Fishfinger]

If a conference system is introduced then fudged sounds very close to what I'd think of it.

[mightytiges]

Even so MT , sounds good but even in the NFL you don't play everyone in the same season let alone everyone  in the same conference in the NFL.
Of course the NFL would make plenty of dough but the inequities we face in the draw now will be magnified in an even greater fashion using the conference system.
Collingwood would be in the same Division as Essendon and Carlton to reap the benefits of a mostly full MCG with less travel than they have now.
Still on paper I don't disagree with those ideas its just that if the comp eventually expands to 20 then divisions of 5 will be based on money rather than geographical proximity as is with the NFL.

True HT74. I think though we would also be chucked into the same division/conference as the Pies, Bombers and Blues. We may be crap in a lot of areas but in crowd numbers we are still top 3 or 4 every year . As for the NFL yes it's true they don't play everyone in the same conference but they do in the same division twice IIRC.

[Hellenic Tiger]

You would hope so MT that we would be in the same division as those clubs, instead of these so called Mickey Mouse clubs like St Kilda or Hawthorn going in at our expense.

[one-eyed]

The Age today has a bit more info on the new Gold Coast club and how they'll recruit players...

Southport supports new Gold Coast club
Andrew Stafford | March 17, 2008

The reason for an immediate entry to the AFLQ is to ensure that, by 2011, the Gold Coast Football Club will not be full of 18 and 19-year-olds readied for slaughter in the big league. Nor will it be a cobbled-together transplant operation, as the Brisbane Bears were in 1987.

Rather, the best talent on the coast — along with whoever else might be lured by dollars and the temptation to be a part of AFL history — will be given time to find their feet in a lower grade.

Full article at:
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/southport-supports-gold-coast-club/2008/03/16/1205602196718.html

[Ramps]

they can have McGuane and Raines for a decent pick down the track lol

[one-eyed]

Gold Coast to play in 2009
Carley Jellett | March 23, 2008

THE foundations for the AFL's new Gold Coast club should be up and running next season, with league chief Andrew Demetriou confirming the AFL's desire for the new franchise to be playing in the AFL Queensland State League in 2009.

Demetriou said the league is hoping to establish a "home-grown" team on the Gold Coast that will have a two-year development period before joining the league in 2011 — possibly alongside an 18th club based in western Sydney.

"By the end of the year this club will have a structure and this club will start identifying players, maybe even out of this year's draft or rookie list," Demetriou told radio SEN yesterday.

"And we want this club to have a team playing in the QAFL (AFL Queensland state league) next year to get this club to be building over 2009 and (20)10. There will be young kids running around so they get experience and get coaches and start to build the culture of the club."

Richard Griffiths, chief executive of AFL Queensland, said the league supported the move, which would expand the competition to 10 clubs. The new club will be built from scratch and will not be aligned with an existing Queensland club.

"It will be a new entity that will be managed by AFL Queensland, Griffiths said. "Obviously Gold Coast-based, it would be the pre-cursor to the AFL team in 2011.

Earlier this month, the 16 AFL presidents gave unanimous support to the AFL to introduce two new teams. One of their primary concerns, however, was where players for the clubs would be sourced.

Griffiths said he and the commission are discussing options but, at this stage, it is not known if existing AFL clubs would be required to give their listed players to the new franchise. Exclusive access to Queensland players and draft concessions are being considered.

"We are currently working through what the player rules might be in terms of who can in fact play in this team. Obviously we don't know exactly at this point in time, but clearly there will be some sort of priority access to Queensland kids or Gold Coast kids in particular.

"But I mean how many and what-have-you, we just haven't quite resolved. Surely we will need to top up the state league team with players from elsewhere.

"There's quite a variety of scenarios being considered to piece together a list. And it may well be that through the draft Queensland kids are given the opportunity of being pre-listed by this Gold Coast entity and therefore avoid the draft."

Demetriou said the league has received widespread support and has been "inundated" with requests from people wanting to join the new Gold Coast side.

"We will not have any issue whatsoever procuring a top-notch CEO for that club," he said. "I say that because I can't believe how inundated we've been by people, whether they're coaches, football managers, CEOs, all interested in going up to the Gold Coast."

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/gold-coast-to-play-in-2009/2008/03/22/1205602735993.html

[one-eyed]

Contract clause bans team playing at Carrara until 2016
Damian Barrett | March 27, 2008
 
THE AFL's ambitious plans to have a team based on the Gold Coast by 2011 have hit a major problem, with the team banned from playing there until 2016.

In a serious setback to the AFL's recently adopted full-speed approach to issuing a 17th licence to a consortium based in the region, a contract with the Queensland Government stipulates the Gabba, 80km away in Brisbane, must be used for all season matches until the end of 2015.

The Herald Sun has learned the contract was struck before the Government agreed to the $40 million final stage of the Gabba redevelopment.

The arrangement, struck via Queensland government body Major Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA), says a second AFL team being based in south-east Queensland must "play one half of its AFL premiership season matches at the Gabba".

That clause expires in September 2015.

In the AFL-MSFA deal, it is clear the AFL is under no obligation to introduce a second team to south-east Queensland, but should it decide to do so before 2016 it must schedule it to play at least 11 games at the Gabba if the home-and-away season remains at 22 rounds.

AFL chief broadcasting and commercial officer Gillon McLachlan confirmed the new team on the Gold Coast would not be able to play matches in the region until 2016.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23437603-19742,00.html

[tigersalive]

I lol'd. 

What a joke that they talked all that up but knew they couldnt play games at the GC anyway for another 8 years. 

[Darth Tiger]

Who can blame North Melb for asking to see the detail on the stadium deal and therein another an extra 12 months before committing to any relocation to the GC.

What a balls up from the AFL and particularly the commercial manager - Skully (yes, a new nickname - Gillion Anderson)

[one-eyed]

AFL prepared to help Victorian clubs relocate north
March 27, 2008

THE AFL is still prepared to offer a lucrative package to Victorian clubs if they relocate to western Sydney or the Gold Coast.

AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou said yesterday that the commission had agreed to once more offer the package or packages, and they would also be available if any clubs agreed to merge as the league seeks to foil the expansion ambitions of rugby league and soccer.

"There are one or two clubs in Victoria that are struggling and we are concerned about them. At the recent meeting between the commission and the presidents we were asked if we would place the package back on the table. And we did," Demetriou said.

"It is there for any club or clubs that come to us and say they can't make their finances work in Melbourne. The package would be tailored to their financial position."

Demetriou said the AFL was unaware of any club planning to relocate at the moment but several are desperately trying to secure their futures.

It is believed the club push to have the commission reintroduce the relocation packages has the strong support of the wealthier clubs who are wary of the inclusion of 17th and 18th teams. They fear they will lose players to any new franchises and priority picks will once more corrupt the draft.

Read the full story by Patrick Smith here.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23436745-2722,00.html