Three teams under threat, says Big Jack Elliot (Age)

[one-eyed]

Three teams under threat, says Elliott
Paul Millar | January 12, 2009

THE AFL's expansion plans for west Sydney look doomed to fail, while the long-term future of North Melbourne, the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne is under a cloud, according to former Carlton chairman John Elliott.

He said that subsidies to the three clubs could dry up in tough economic times and they would have to seriously consider their options.

"If we are right in speculating that the next lot of TV rights might go down a bit, then the money floating around for clubs to be subsidised will disappear," he said on 3AW.

Elliott, who was president of the Blues for 20 years, questioned the AFL's expansion policy but said it was clear that there were too many teams in Melbourne, especially in a struggling economy.

"I do think the Gold Coast will work, but I'm terribly worried about west Sydney. Nobody is interested in the game out there, they are just not interested in it," he said.

Elliott said it would cost the AFL millions to promote the game in rugby league's heartland in west Sydney, while the Tasmanian Government was prepared to underwrite moving a side there.

"Tasmania is keen to get a team in the AFL," he said.

He believed the AFL wanted a continued presence in Melbourne's west and that ruled out the Bulldogs moving to Tasmania.

"One of these three clubs will have to go down to Tassie. I do not think it would be the Bulldogs and I think it would be very difficult to rout Melbourne out of Melbourne, so it does appear to me that it will eventually be North Melbourne," he said.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/teams-under-threat-elliott/2009/01/11/1231608525629.html

[wayne]

This coming from a guy who almost bankrupted one of the most powerful clubs in Australia!! 

[mightytiges]

Elliot conveniently leaves out that Carlton was/is also on the AFL drip thanks to brown paper bags under the desk and a $11 million writedown of the white elephant Legends stand at Princes Park . Credibility = zero!

There are too many teams in Melbourne but while the tv rights keeps the pie growing and the AFL props up the poorly supported clubs then nothing will change. Any new stadia deals will all improve the bottom line for all clubs as you are getting ripped off at the moment unless you're Essendon, Collingwood or Geelong.

[WilliamPowell]

There are too many teams in Melbourne but while the tv rights keeps the pie growing and the AFL props up the poorly supported clubs then nothing will change. Any new stadia deals will all improve the bottom line for all clubs as you are getting ripped off at the moment unless you're Essendon, Collingwood or Geelong.

Interesting point you raise MT about the TV rights... I know there is 3 years to go (includes this year) but I wonder what impact the economic downturn will have on the next lot of media rights

[Hellenic Tiger]

He should no longer be called Big Jack. Instead he should be called Feeble Jack.
The mismanagement of the Carlton Footy Club and his Big Mouth is legendary and they both go hand in hand, hence his best is behind him. He is no longer flavour of the month whether politically monetarily or in a sporting sense and how people still listen to his opinions and the certain sections of the media give him the time of day is beyond me.

[mightytiges]

There are too many teams in Melbourne but while the tv rights keeps the pie growing and the AFL props up the poorly supported clubs then nothing will change. Any new stadia deals will all improve the bottom line for all clubs as you are getting ripped off at the moment unless you're Essendon, Collingwood or Geelong.

Interesting point you raise MT about the TV rights... I know there is 3 years to go (includes this year) but I wonder what impact the economic downturn will have on the next lot of media rights

Good point WP. 2011/12 is when the rights come up again from memory. You would hope for the general economy's sake let alone footy that the economy will be heading upwards again by then  . Before the downturn the AFL would've been banking on getting $1 billion from the next tv rights deal especially if (and it's a big if now) the comp. expands to 18 clubs and 9 games per week.