AFL seeks compensation for World Cup disruptionCaroline Wilson | November 20, 2009 BATTLE lines are being drawn between the AFL and its greatest threat - soccer - over Australia's bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.
AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick held crisis talks yesterday with the 16 clubs in which he outlined how a successful bid by Football Federation Australia could hurt the home-and-away season.
The clubs have also been made aware of the detrimental long-term impact upon memberships, corporate support and TV ratings.
Fitzpatrick and AFL executive Gillon McLachlan also revealed to club presidents and chief executives key elements of the league's strategy to seek some compromises from the world game's governing body FIFA and also ensure the competition was given adequate compensation.
The AFL will hold talks not only with Australian soccer chiefs but also the Federal Government, fearful of the impact on the competition should it be forced to move games from every Australian mainland capital city for up to 10 weeks in the middle of the 2018 or 2022 seasons.
The Age understands that all those who attended yesterday's talks were told not to speak publicly about the AFL's plans. Western Bulldogs president David Smorgon, who could not attend, said last night: ''Why would you give a free handpass to your biggest competitor? You would want some adequate compensation.''
The clubs were told that the AFL, having only just received full details of the FIFA demands, have until December 10 to seek a number of compromises and assurances of multimillion-dollar compensation from the Federal Government. Despite grave concerns from clubs and their governing body the view was that the AFL would not attempt to block the bid.
With the World Cup final held every four years around the middle of July, Fitzpatrick told clubs that the season would be severely affected for a total of 10 weeks with five weeks of competition, the four-week build-up preceding that and one subsequent week for the FIFA World Cup caravan to move out of the key venues. The final would be held at the MCG or Homebush.
The AFL has looked at starting the season significantly earlier and ending it in late October with the view that there would be little point in holding blockbuster games anywhere in the country while the World Cup was being contested. In 2000 the season ended three weeks early to fit in with the Sydney Olympics.
Under FIFA's guidelines the only AFL venues available during the five weeks of World Cup competition over June and July would be Launceston's Aurora Stadium, Darwin's Tio Stadium and Skilled Stadium in Geelong. By 2018 the AFL competition will involve nine games each week.
As Fitzpatrick understood it, the MCG and Etihad Stadium would be unavailable during the World Cup and no other Melbourne venue could host AFL games.
Under FIFA regulations no major competitions can take place in any city hosting World Cup matches for the duration of the tournament. Grounds being used for matches have to be clean of all existing advertising and not used for the four weeks leading up to the competition matches.
Although the AFL is pushing for a number of compromises, key soccer sources told The Age that FIFA would not relax any guidelines.
The National Rugby League was also this week planning to fight some of the FIFA rules.
The Federal Government has pledged to build $2 billion worth of infrastructure should Australia win the World Cup bid against daunting opposition.
In Melbourne's case, World Cup games would be held at Etihad Stadium and the MCG. In Sydney, it would be ANZ Stadium and Sydney Football Stadium, with major venues in Brisbane, Adelaide, Newcastle, the Gold Coast, Canberra and Perth also used.
Fitzpatrick told clubs yesterday that the AFL would struggle under current guidelines to host matches in the four weeks leading up to the main competition as other non-matchday venues would be designated as FIFA training grounds and could not be used for Australian football or league matches during that period.
This could include venues such as Victoria Park, Visy Park and the Punt Road Oval.Effectively, soccer's rival codes would have to shut down for up to 10 weeks, or move the bulk of their competitions to regional areas.
Although Australia's bid document has a deadline of May 2010, the Federal Government must sign off on the terms and conditions of the bid by December 10.
By the May deadline the FFA must submit its final document on match venues, stadiums and infrastructure to FIFA.
The FIFA executive will choose which countries will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups at a meeting in Switzerland in December 2010.
FFA chief Ben Buckley, formerly Andrew Demetriou's No. 2 at the AFL, has been optimistic that the two codes can reach agreement and has pointed to significant upgrades to be undertaken at Subiaco, the Adelaide Oval - expected to become an AFL venue - and Carrara on the Gold Coast should Australia win the right to host the World Cup.
Demetriou has been on paternity leave.
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfnews/afl-seeks-compensation/2009/11/19/1258219924147.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
