The expansion is all about money. More teams=more games = bigger TV rights and to a lesser degree more gate takings. In West Sydney they believe they have a capability to attract more people to the game in the longer term. This isn't based on some noble ideal of bringing enjoyment into more peoples lives, but rather taking money out their pockets.
I really cant see any new teams after this though. The only real market left is tassie and they must not think there is a large enough population to support a team. I'm sure though that if a team wanted to relocate there they would get assistance. I couldn't see any side doing that except as a last ditch effort to avoid folding though.
As for two divisions again I doubt it. Maybe some of the die hard supporters of the vic teams would still support their team in a second division, but a team from the traditional non football states would struggle in a 2nd tier league, in our lifetime anyway.
It would be very interesting to know what the commission regard as the ideal number of teams in the comp.
al, I think you will find that Tassie has their own team before 2020. The push for the team in the Apple Isle stunned the AFL and made them sit up and take notice particularly when they were able to secure a major sponsor, the required members and very passionate community support.
I believe in the past a team in Tasmania would have been unachievable but, as you have already pointed out, expansion today is less about gate sales and more about ratings. AFL games draw excellent rating regardless - even the NAB Cup rates well - so having another game would be seen as another huge bonus to the competition. Foxtel would have more games to show also.
I was traveling around Tassie when the whole push for an AFL team was unfolding and I was amazed in the overall passion and support. AFL games played in Tassie are well attended and have increased with the sense they have their own quasi-team in Hawthorn. If new team created a boutique stadium in Launceston or Hobart or adapted what they have already (even cheaper) then a club could easily be profitable.
Couple all that with the AFLs assurance that Tasmania will be the next location to have its own team and I see it only as a matter of time rather than possibility. The more interesting question for the competition though is who will be the 20th team that the AFL would have to create to even up the draw? They mentioned far North Queensland but I wonder if location outside of Australia would be considered by that stage....
All just guess work at this stage though for all of us
Stripes
