A Tasmanian perspective on the poor old Roos.

[BigBadCam]

I grew up in Tasmania. As a kid, I remember being told constantly that there was no way Tasmania was ever going to get an AFL team no matter how much we deserved a team purely for financial reasons. My friends that still live in Tasmania consider the push by the AFL into West Sydney and the Gold Coast with contempt. The AFL has made it very clear though that there is an untapped market there that they wish to convert to AFL and make money off. Tasmanians are already bought and sold on AFL so there will not be any extra effort to get a team there any time soon.

On the other side of the coin though, my friends in Tasmania do not feel overly sorry for the Kangaroos team. They had their chance to support and watch a team every weekend, and did not. Only now that the AFL has brought out the chopping block are the Kangaroos fans making any noise. Perhaps they could have signed up for memberships or gone to games in the last few years. How fair is it that Tasmania is continually told, 'no you can't have a team because there is not enough financial backing - a team in Tasmania would need to much AFL backing,' whilst the AFL spends millions every year pumping up the tyres of almost bankrupt Melbourne clubs in what is supposed to be the AUSTRALIAN Football League... not the Victorian Football League.

Tasmania's football history is longer than the North Melbourne FC. There are more Tasmanians than Kangaroos supporters.... But Tasmania never even had a chance to support a team...

Lets not go into the fact that the Kangaroos played a major role in destroying the Devils concept...

[FOOOOTY]

From a Tasmanian perspective BBC, do you beleive the AFL can truely call itself a 'national competion' without a Tasmanian based side?, considering your an entire state of Australia, your deemed worthy enough to have a cricket side in the Pura Cup (Surely a true national competition if i ever saw one), and you have a long & proud footballing history?

I wouldve thought it would be an insult, surely a national competion should be representitive of the nation. Or isn't Tasmania part of Australia anymore?

[DarwinRoo]

I grew up in Tasmania. As a kid, I remember being told constantly that there was no way Tasmania was ever going to get an AFL team no matter how much we deserved a team purely for financial reasons. My friends that still live in Tasmania consider the push by the AFL into West Sydney and the Gold Coast with contempt. The AFL has made it very clear though that there is an untapped market there that they wish to convert to AFL and make money off. Tasmanians are already bought and sold on AFL so there will not be any extra effort to get a team there any time soon.

On the other side of the coin though, my friends in Tasmania do not feel overly sorry for the Kangaroos team. They had their chance to support and watch a team every weekend, and did not. Only now that the AFL has brought out the chopping block are the Kangaroos fans making any noise. Perhaps they could have signed up for memberships or gone to games in the last few years. How fair is it that Tasmania is continually told, 'no you can't have a team because there is not enough financial backing - a team in Tasmania would need to much AFL backing,' whilst the AFL spends millions every year pumping up the tyres of almost bankrupt Melbourne clubs in what is supposed to be the AUSTRALIAN Football League... not the Victorian Football League.

Tasmania's football history is longer than the North Melbourne FC. There are more Tasmanians than Kangaroos supporters.... But Tasmania never even had a chance to support a team...

Lets not go into the fact that the Kangaroos played a major role in destroying the Devils concept...

Ask anyone that knows about Tasmanian Football and they will all tell you that North had very little to do with it.

[King Corey]

How about explaining how the amount of infighting within Tasmania and the north/south comedy mean you can't even get a cohesive approach together?

Fwiw I think Tassie on football merits deserve a team and won't let your little anti-NMFC spiel influence that.

[c0ze]

How about explaining how the amount of infighting within Tasmania and the north/south comedy mean you can't even get a cohesive approach together?

Fwiw I think Tassie on football merits deserve a team and won't let your little anti-NMFC spiel influence that.

I can see the attack on the NMFC, but I believe it was more of an attack on the AFL itself.

Tassie deserves an AFL side more than anyone.

[footyfreak]

I'd love tasi to have a team. They are such a proud footy state. Need to work out the rivalry problems between the different regions before it even begins to gain momentum though.

Half a million people. SA has 1.5 mill and 2 teams......with government and AFL assistance and a major sponsor it would be nice to think they could get a team some time, the sooner the better but i wont hold my breath:(

[Father Jack]

Well, if we could have kept the TFL going I think we might have had a chance. If there was a Tasmanian team we would have to keep Tasmanian football administrators as far away as possible from it for it to have any hope of succeeding.

I miss the TFL.

[nigelbs]

As a Melbourne based Hawthorn supporter, who has always had a soft spot for Tassie, I support Hawthorn playing a number of games there each year, even though it limits the games I can get to see live.

I hope the Hawthorn-Tassie deal is a win-win-win i.e. for Hawthorn, Tassie Govt through increased tourism and Tassie football fans.

Understanding that Tassie AFL supporters already follow their own team I hope they adopt Hawthorn as their second team, go to the games in Launceston, and enjoy seeing AFL live.

P.S. FWIW I think unfair that it took so long for Tassie to get a team into the Sheffield Shield (showing my age there). How ironic though that the Australian Captain is a Tasmanian!

[fishmonger]

I can see the attack on the NMFC, but I believe it was more of an attack on the AFL itself.

Tassie deserves an AFL side more than anyone.

Absolutely, and surely a Tassie team would be more viable than the North Melbourne Kangawhores.

I mean, can you really imagine a Tasmanian team having to selll half its games to other states just to balance the ledger ?

A Tassie team would just as easily gain sponsors like Vodafone. They'd have more corporate boxes than North Melbourne and they'd drum up at least the membershp that North Melbourne have in a couple of years.

Much more than I can say for the Gold Coast and the quest for TV rights.

Who cares about TV rights. When the Swans and Lions have a few bad years, they'll be worth peanuts anyway.

[MarkT]

I wouldve thought it would be an insult, surely a national competion should be representitive of the nation. Or isn't Tasmania part of Australia anymore?You just can’t base that type of decision on geography alone. Otherwise US national comps would be incredibly unwieldy and an Australian Football League would have to have a team from ACT and NT and then you’d have to consider North Qld as a distinct geographical area. The reason the GC is a desirable location is due to population, affluence and growth. Tasmania is short on all these aspects. Of course if is a great footy state but the AFL is huge business and the “investment” potential and competition from other codes that GC represents makes Tasmania a very poor comparison.

That’s not to say I wouldn’t like to see a team from Tassie but if there is concern about subsidising Melbourne clubs now how can you justify adding another club to that mix and then what do you do about NT and ACT?

As for Western Sydney, I just can’t fathom why anyone is even giving the concept a first let alone second thought.

[MarkT]

A Tassie team would just as easily gain sponsors like Vodafone. They'd have more corporate boxes than North Melbourne and they'd drum up at least the membershp that North Melbourne have in a couple of years.

Much more than I can say for the Gold Coast and the quest for TV rights.Maybe, maybe not. That is not the issue though. I am far from convinced about the GC but the potential upside is large whereas it isn’t with Tassie. Say you are right and they could compete with a North Melbourne and even slightly outdo them. We have already established that as the standard for execution targeting. Now if North can lift themselves onto the next level the target becomes Dogs or Melbourne. Tassie places firmly in the pressure zone without big upside potential.

[BigBadCam]

From a Tasmanian perspective BBC, do you beleive the AFL can truely call itself a 'national competion' without a Tasmanian based side?, considering your an entire state of Australia, your deemed worthy enough to have a cricket side in the Pura Cup (Surely a true national competition if i ever saw one), and you have a long & proud footballing history?

I wouldve thought it would be an insult, surely a national competion should be representitive of the nation. Or isn't Tasmania part of Australia anymore?

The AFL have been taking Tassie for granted for a long time - some of the best players to pull on the boots have been Tasmanian. Perhaps they will change their tune when and if the A League create a soccer team down there. Tasmania's cricket team has shown that it can be more than competitive on a national level, although the AFL is different, and we will also be able to draft from outside Tasmania.

The AFL continues to fill the empty coffers of failing Melbourne clubs, and wants to create a Gold Coast and West Sydney team which it will have to throw money at to keep alive for a long time to come. Both of these locations are lacking in an AFL standard stadium. At the same time, it tells Tasmania that there is not enough corporate support in the state and that a Tasmanian club could not exist at a loss.

How much of the AFL's current sponsors are soley located in the locations of the clubs in which they sponsor? CUB, Ford, Lexus, Vodafone... etc... The only major sponsor I know of that could ever be seen to be located soley in the locality of a team would be the Tasmanian government which is throwing money at Hawthorn. Who's to say that if a Tasmanian team was created it couldn't draw on support of BHP or some other large Australian company?

I realise that there is a North/South divide in the state, but I do not see this as a major detriment to the creation of a long deserved Tasmanian AFL side. I believe the state government should stop pandering to the AFL, bite the bullet, grow some balls and not just ask the AFL if it would kindly do a cost effectiveness, but demand an AFL team.

[BigBadCam]

Ask anyone that knows about Tasmanian Football and they will all tell you that North had very little to do with it.

North actually had a fair bit to do with it. Every week they sent a bunch of guys down who really did not want to be playing for Tasmania. They seemed disinterested, and by all accounts treated the experience as a weekend holiday in Tasmania. They certainly did not respect what it meant to wear the map on their jumper. It's not all your fault though, and I point the finger more at AFL Tas.

[BigBadCam]

You just can’t base that type of decision on geography alone. Otherwise US national comps would be incredibly unwieldy and an Australian Football League would have to have a team from ACT and NT and then you’d have to consider North Qld as a distinct geographical area. The reason the GC is a desirable location is due to population, affluence and growth. Tasmania is short on all these aspects. Of course if is a great footy state but the AFL is huge business and the “investment” potential and competition from other codes that GC represents makes Tasmania a very poor comparison.

That’s not to say I wouldn’t like to see a team from Tassie but if there is concern about subsidising Melbourne clubs now how can you justify adding another club to that mix and then what do you do about NT and ACT?

As for Western Sydney, I just can’t fathom why anyone is even giving the concept a first let alone second thought.

I realise that Tasmania is not in the AFL's vision in the near future, but how fair do you think it is that the AFL continues to throw money at the failing Melbourne clubs and is prepared to sell their mother for the creation of a new Gold Coast team, whilst telling Tasmania that they cannot have an AFL team because a Tasmanian AFL team would not be economically feasible. The Kangaroos seem to think they are owed an existance, but ask yourself this. Is there anywhere in Australia that deserves a team as much as Tasmania?

[shintemaster]

I realise that there is a North/South divide in the state, but I do not see this as a major detriment to the creation of a long deserved Tasmanian AFL side. I believe the state government should stop pandering to the AFL, bite the bullet, grow some balls and not just ask the AFL if it would kindly do a cost effectiveness, but demand an AFL team.

They're more than welcome to do this. Considering the fact that the AFL obviously doesn't give two sh*ts about a Tasmanian team, I would think that it would be a matter of the TASMANIAN government and supporters getting money/team organised. The AFL wouldn't say no if a viable team was put forward by Tasmanians. Their non-interest in starting a team doesn't mean that Tasmania can't put something together for themselves & by themselves.

[BigBadCam]

I'd love tasi to have a team. They are such a proud footy state. Need to work out the rivalry problems between the different regions before it even begins to gain momentum though.

Half a million people. SA has 1.5 mill and 2 teams......with government and AFL assistance and a major sponsor it would be nice to think they could get a team some time, the sooner the better but i wont hold my breath:(

The rivalry is not so much something that would need to be sorted out before the creation of an AFL team. The rivalry would be overcome with the creation of an AFL team.

[Rob]

They're more than welcome to do this. Considering the fact that the AFL obviously doesn't give two sh*ts about a Tasmanian team, I would think that it would be a matter of the TASMANIAN government and supporters getting money/team organised. The AFL wouldn't say no if a viable team was put forward by Tasmanians. Their non-interest in starting a team doesn't mean that Tasmania can't put something together for themselves & by themselves.

Agreed. If the Devils were getting 10k a game in the VFL and a proposal was put up where they would be underwritten for x number of years by whoever, then it's hard to see the AFL turning them down completely.

If a 17th team gets admitted, then it does open the door a tiny bit.

[BigBadCam]

Agreed. If the Devils were getting 10k a game in the VFL and a proposal was put up where they would be underwritten for x number of years by whoever, then it's hard to see the AFL turning them down completely.

If a 17th team gets admitted, then it does open the door a tiny bit.

The Devils used to get big numbers to games back when the Devils was a pathway for young Tasmanians to a higher grade of football. When the Kangaroos were brought on board, however, things changed when Roos players took the spot of Tasmanians. People weren't going to go and watch a group of disinterested fly ins who were more interested in going to Syrup on the Saturday night than actually playing.

If they had not already lost their spot to Kangaroos players, time restraints were an issue too. For many, work came first, meaning that they could not train at three different locations in Tasmanian and fly to Victoria every weekend for poor financial return.

[McCrann]

To my mind - if the Kangaroos want to look at a place to relocate and become a powerhouse in a year's time - which Brayshaw, Archer and co. were saying was a possibility before the AFL rejected their 1 year extension request - it is Tasmania.

Think about it, if the Kangaroos could negotiate some sort of killer deal with the AFL involving 12 games in Tasmania (including 1 away game each year v Hawthorn, plus 7 or 8 games in Melbourne - at least for the first 10 years) and only 2 interstate trips - they would pick up 15,000 members like that.

And, because Tasmania is a traditional football state, and Victoria's "little brother" only a short plane flight away, it is a far different proposition to uprooting to the other side of the country, ie the Gold Coast.

I would like to ask Kangaroos supporters, and I might start a thread about it - would you be happier to see your club playing from 2009 perhaps, 8 games in Tasmania - the same deal you were prepared to offer the AFL for the Gold Coast?

As an extension of that - if you had to choose between relocation to the Gold Coast or Tasmania - which would you choose?

[PHX]

How about explaining how the amount of infighting within Tasmania and the north/south comedy mean you can't even get a cohesive approach together?


Scott Wade.

[/end]

[McCrann]

The Devils used to get big numbers to games back when the Devils was a pathway for young Tasmanians to a higher grade of football. When the Kangaroos were brought on board, however, things changed when Roos players took the spot of Tasmanians. People weren't going to go and watch a group of disinterested fly ins who were more interested in going to Syrup on the Saturday night than actually playing.

If they had not already lost their spot to Kangaroos players, time restraints were an issue too. For many, work came first, meaning that they could not train at three different locations in Tasmanian and fly to Victoria every weekend for poor financial return.

But surely the Kangaroos only came on board for the Devils because of an invitation from the Devils? The Kangaroos couldn't just force themselves on the Devils.

[jacko57]

Absolutely, and surely a Tassie team would be more viable than the North Melbourne Kangawhores.

I mean, can you really imagine a Tasmanian team having to selll half its games to other states just to balance the ledger ?

A Tassie team would just as easily gain sponsors like Vodafone. They'd have more corporate boxes than North Melbourne and they'd drum up at least the membershp that North Melbourne have in a couple of years.

Much more than I can say for the Gold Coast and the quest for TV rights.

Who cares about TV rights. When the Swans and Lions have a few bad years, they'll be worth peanuts anyway.
What an expert analysis!

Go back to counting your club's premierships................or maybe a repeat of 'The Winning Streak'. :D

[Rob]

The Devils used to get big numbers to games back when the Devils was a pathway for young Tasmanians to a higher grade of football. When the Kangaroos were brought on board, however, things changed when Roos players took the spot of Tasmanians. People weren't going to go and watch a group of disinterested fly ins who were more interested in going to Syrup on the Saturday night than actually playing.

If they had not already lost their spot to Kangaroos players, time restraints were an issue too. For many, work came first, meaning that they could not train at three different locations in Tasmanian and fly to Victoria every weekend for poor financial return.

Look, i'm not saying it was the fault of the average Tasmanian as to why the Devils aren't getting big crowds. I broadly know the goings on down there in the past 12 months. But if you want to show the AFL that the support is there, the Devils need to start pulling big crowds to watch them. Because any AFL licence bid has to come off their back.

[Father Jack]

You just can’t base that type of decision on geography alone. Otherwise US national comps would be incredibly unwieldy and an Australian Football League would have to have a team from ACT and NT and then you’d have to consider North Qld as a distinct geographical area. The reason the GC is a desirable location is due to population, affluence and growth. Tasmania is short on all these aspects. Of course if is a great footy state but the AFL is huge business and the “investment” potential and competition from other codes that GC represents makes Tasmania a very poor comparison.

That’s not to say I wouldn’t like to see a team from Tassie but if there is concern about subsidising Melbourne clubs now how can you justify adding another club to that mix and then what do you do about NT and ACT?

As for Western Sydney, I just can’t fathom why anyone is even giving the concept a first let alone second thought.

Perhaps those two concepts in bold are linked?

[BigBadCam]

Look, i'm not saying it was the fault of the average Tasmanian as to why the Devils aren't getting big crowds. I broadly know the goings on down there in the past 12 months. But if you want to show the AFL that the support is there, the Devils need to start pulling big crowds to watch them. Because any AFL licence bid has to come off their back.

I think at this stage, Tasmanians are sick of having to prove themselves to the AFL. Every time we draw a big crowd to a game of football, the catch cry is, 'the AFL will be paying attention to this'. Tasmanians aren't going to jump out of their seats to go and watch a second rate team, half of which are Kangaroos rookies playing in a second rate competition.

I'm not sure on the ins and outs of the agreement, but I have heard from a few sources that the Kangaroos approached AFL Tasmania about the agreement. Like with the Gold Coast deal, they thought they could walk in, get a few members out of the arrangement, then walk out.

[Salad dodger]

If Tassie was to actively invite an A league expansion the AFL would get their bums into gear quick smart, unfortunatly the AFL knows that the area is Footy heartland and as such take it for granted, shake them up with an A league team it is affordable and sends a clear message to Vlad.

If this was to happen I wonder what pressure Vlad and the evil empire would put on the Hawks to relocate?

[A Living God]

There are 2 reasons why a Tasmanian AFL team is impractical.
1. Lack of corporate support.
2. Not only does Tasmania have a small population it also decentralized.
80% of Victorians live in the Melbourne, 80% of West Australians live in Perth, and 75% of South Australians live in Adelaide. Only 40% of Tasmanians lives in Hobart, 20% in Launceston.

[BigBadCam]

There are 2 reasons why a Tasmanian AFL team is impractical.
1. Lack of corporate support.
2. Not only does Tasmania have a small population it also decentralized.
80% of Victorians live in the Melbourne, 80% of West Australians live in Perth, and 75% of South Australians live in Adelaide. Only 40% of Tasmanians lives in Hobart, 20% in Launceston.

1. The argument has always been that there is not enough business based in Tasmania to generate the necessary corporate support. Why must the business be a Tasmanian business? Let's have a look at a few of the West Coast Eagles' major sponsors...

SGIO
Hungry Jacks
Channel 7
CocaCola
Fosters Australia
Qantas
Vodafone

OMG. The West Coast Eagles are so lucky that all those companies are Perth companies...

2. Tasmania's AFL standard venue is York Park which is located in Launceston, which is a central location. It takes just over 2 hours to drive to Launceston from Hobart. It takes just over an hour to drive from Burnie and Devenport. It would take longer than that to drive from the outer suburbs of Melbourne to the Docklands.

[Papa G]

1. The argument has always been that there is not enough business based in Tasmania to generate the necessary corporate support. Why must the business be a Tasmanian business? Let's have a look at a few of the West Coast Eagles' major sponsors...

SGIO
Hungry Jacks
Channel 7
CocaCola
Fosters Australia
Qantas
Vodafone

OMG. The West Coast Eagles are so lucky that all those companies are Perth companies...



Yeah the corporate thing I thought has always been a bit stupid. Sponsorship is primarily about getting your name on the TV with a national audience watching. It doesn't matter if that message is coming from Launceston, Brisbane or Timbuktu. It isn't even about your own supporters supporting the brand. I for one do not have a Vodafone or have ever used Scott's Transport. Crows supporters don't go out and buy Camry's ..... oh hang on Camry's suit the over 50 demographic, bad example but you get the picture. Half the brands sponsoring AFL are international brands that are not even based in Australia, so yes the fact Tasmania has no big companies as a reason for not being in the AFL has always perplexed me.

[ben_cats_fan]

If Tassie was to actively invite an A league expansion the AFL would get their bums into gear quick smart, unfortunatly the AFL knows that the area is Footy heartland and as such take it for granted, shake them up with an A league team it is affordable and sends a clear message to Vlad.

I think you'll find the process is already underway, some way off, but the progress is still being made...

[A Living God]

Yeah the corporate thing I thought has always been a bit stupid. Sponsorship is primarily about getting your name on the TV with a national audience watching. It doesn't matter if that message is coming from Launceston, Brisbane or Timbuktu. It isn't even about your own supporters supporting the brand. I for one do not have a Vodafone or have ever used Scott's Transport. Crows supporters don't go out and buy Camry's ..... oh hang on Camry's suit the over 50 demographic, bad example but you get the picture. Half the brands sponsoring AFL are international brands that are not even based in Australia, so yes the fact Tasmania has no big companies as a reason for not being in the AFL has always perplexed me.
While that is true of the top tier sponsors the same doesn't apply for the mid and bottom tier sponsors.

It is also more than just sponsorship. Who will buy their corporate boxes and thier corporate packages?

[BigBadCam]

I think you'll find the process is already underway, some way off, but the progress is still being made...

Tasmania Wants A-League Bid

http://backoffice.ajb.com.au/utils/imgresizer.aspx?w=280&n=http://backoffice.ajb.com.au/images/news/0000000aleague.jpg
RELATED COVERAGE




Tim Baker
Nov 27 2007 13:47
Get more on: aleague (http://au.fourfourtwo.com/search.aspx?search_str=aleague&mode=news)
EXCLUSIVE: Football Federation Tasmania (FFT) CEO Martin Shaw believes Tasmania is a viable option for a Hyundai A-League license but any bid would require State government support.

So far the biggest noises from potential consortia looking for a way into the A-League have come from Townsville and the Gold Coast.

But with an 8000 strong crowd for the Pre-Season cup match in Launceston between Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United, the largest of any regional centre including those in Queensland, the FFT supremo feels the island state has the credentials.

“There’s no doubt that we’ve got the fan support there,” said FFT CEO Martin Shaw. “If we have a team up and running next year I’d say we’d quite easily be able to attract a 10,000 average support base per game.

“Tasmanians love their sport but they love supporting Tasmanian teams, so they’d get behind a state team playing in a national league.

“There’s not a lot of other national sport that happens down here especially over summer.”

York Park (Aurora Stadium) in Launceston has already hosted Pre-Season Cup matches in 2006 and 2007 but a potential stumbling block is finding a facility to play a large percentage of home games in Hobart.

The State’s premier venue, Bellerive Oval, does not contain drop-in pitch technology rendering it unsuitable for anything other than cricket.

According to Mr Shaw this is where the Government could step in to provide support in redeveloping an AFL venue in North Hobart.

“I think if a consortium comes along and says they want to finance an A-League team then they’d have a pretty good case to go to State Government and Hobart City Council to start talking about a redevelopment,” he said.

“To be able to have a Tasmanian team in that league, we need some support from the government in terms of a facility.”

FFT has also recently overhauled their player development programs and have begun initiatives through the Tasmanian Institute of Sport.

Through these programs, officials feel that players capable of playing at a higher level will increase and potentially form the back bone of a Tasmanian team.

“The league down here, generally what’s happened the last ten years or so, is players come through and play in our premier league,” said Shaw.

“Then if they’ve got the potential they’ll generally move on to say, the Victorian Premier League and go play over there because that’s the next step up for them.

“In the early days maybe there wouldn’t a large number of Tasmanian players forcing a way into the side, but we would think as some of the young players coming through the programs now get to their late teens, early twenties that we’ll be able to have players coming through into a Tasmanian A-League team.”

Traditionally teams across the Bass Strait have struggled to maintain momentum in national competitions with only cricket’s Tasmanian Tigers remaining constant.

But Shaw does not see this as a hazard to any potential investors looking to form an A-League club.

“I think with the A-League and the nature of it, we’re not looking at regional companies coming on as main sponsors,” he added.

“It’s not a case of this being Tasmanian financed. You’re able to look outside into large companies, national, multi-national companies to help try and finance the team.”

The FFT boss also believes any team would be one of the smaller clubs in the competition and could look to the example of Central Coast Mariners.

“You’ve got to make sure the team is well managed and go out and target players fairly wisely," he said. "They’re not going to be able to throw around large amounts of money.”

Federation officials also feel an A-League team is something that is needed for the future of the game locally but there are no plans just yet to launch an immediate license bid of their own.

“Right now we’re waiting to see what comes back from the investigations FFA are doing in terms of looking at the potential cities for expansion and Tasmania is being included in that,” said Shaw.

“Once we get some information back from them in what the likelihoods are in being able to support a team, then we’ll be in a stronger position to try and move forward a little bit.”

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/65860,tasmania-wants-aleague-bid.aspx (http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/65860,tasmania-wants-aleague-bid.aspx)

[BigBadCam]

While that is true of the top tier sponsors the same doesn't apply for the mid and bottom tier sponsors.

It is also more than just sponsorship. Who will buy their corporate boxes and thier corporate packages?

Do you think that all Tasmanian live in tin sheds and work on farms? There are plenty of businesses who would get behind a Tasmanian AFL push.

[ben_cats_fan]

Tasmania Wants A-League Bid

http://backoffice.ajb.com.au/utils/imgresizer.aspx?w=280&n=http://backoffice.ajb.com.au/images/news/0000000aleague.jpg
RELATED COVERAGE




Tim Baker
Nov 27 2007 13:47
Get more on: aleague (http://au.fourfourtwo.com/search.aspx?search_str=aleague&mode=news)
EXCLUSIVE: Football Federation Tasmania (FFT) CEO Martin Shaw believes Tasmania is a viable option for a Hyundai A-League license but any bid would require State government support.

So far the biggest noises from potential consortia looking for a way into the A-League have come from Townsville and the Gold Coast.

But with an 8000 strong crowd for the Pre-Season cup match in Launceston between Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United, the largest of any regional centre including those in Queensland, the FFT supremo feels the island state has the credentials.

“There’s no doubt that we’ve got the fan support there,” said FFT CEO Martin Shaw. “If we have a team up and running next year I’d say we’d quite easily be able to attract a 10,000 average support base per game.

“Tasmanians love their sport but they love supporting Tasmanian teams, so they’d get behind a state team playing in a national league.

“There’s not a lot of other national sport that happens down here especially over summer.”

York Park (Aurora Stadium) in Launceston has already hosted Pre-Season Cup matches in 2006 and 2007 but a potential stumbling block is finding a facility to play a large percentage of home games in Hobart.

The State’s premier venue, Bellerive Oval, does not contain drop-in pitch technology rendering it unsuitable for anything other than cricket.

According to Mr Shaw this is where the Government could step in to provide support in redeveloping an AFL venue in North Hobart.

“I think if a consortium comes along and says they want to finance an A-League team then they’d have a pretty good case to go to State Government and Hobart City Council to start talking about a redevelopment,” he said.

“To be able to have a Tasmanian team in that league, we need some support from the government in terms of a facility.”

FFT has also recently overhauled their player development programs and have begun initiatives through the Tasmanian Institute of Sport.

Through these programs, officials feel that players capable of playing at a higher level will increase and potentially form the back bone of a Tasmanian team.

“The league down here, generally what’s happened the last ten years or so, is players come through and play in our premier league,” said Shaw.

“Then if they’ve got the potential they’ll generally move on to say, the Victorian Premier League and go play over there because that’s the next step up for them.

“In the early days maybe there wouldn’t a large number of Tasmanian players forcing a way into the side, but we would think as some of the young players coming through the programs now get to their late teens, early twenties that we’ll be able to have players coming through into a Tasmanian A-League team.”

Traditionally teams across the Bass Strait have struggled to maintain momentum in national competitions with only cricket’s Tasmanian Tigers remaining constant.

But Shaw does not see this as a hazard to any potential investors looking to form an A-League club.

“I think with the A-League and the nature of it, we’re not looking at regional companies coming on as main sponsors,” he added.

“It’s not a case of this being Tasmanian financed. You’re able to look outside into large companies, national, multi-national companies to help try and finance the team.”

The FFT boss also believes any team would be one of the smaller clubs in the competition and could look to the example of Central Coast Mariners.

“You’ve got to make sure the team is well managed and go out and target players fairly wisely," he said. "They’re not going to be able to throw around large amounts of money.”

Federation officials also feel an A-League team is something that is needed for the future of the game locally but there are no plans just yet to launch an immediate license bid of their own.

“Right now we’re waiting to see what comes back from the investigations FFA are doing in terms of looking at the potential cities for expansion and Tasmania is being included in that,” said Shaw.

“Once we get some information back from them in what the likelihoods are in being able to support a team, then we’ll be in a stronger position to try and move forward a little bit.”

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/65860,tasmania-wants-aleague-bid.aspx (http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/65860,tasmania-wants-aleague-bid.aspx)

Exactly right. I've personally spoken with Martin Shaw about this, and that what ever sport decides to invest in Tasmania first will hook a whole new group of supporters. FFT are pushing hard for A-League, and if worst case scenario happens, it will probably end up being V-League in Victoria. But the wheels are in motions, and frankly, from my perspective, FFT are being more pro-active than AFLT, and that's a shame. Tasmanians are crying out for elite sport, any elite sport, and it's basically whoever gets there first will win. That's just a hard fact of life unfortunately.

[McCrann]

Exactly right. I've personally spoken with Martin Shaw about this, and that what ever sport decides to invest in Tasmania first will hook a whole new group of supporters. FFT are pushing hard for A-League, and if worst case scenario happens, it will probably end up being V-League in Victoria. But the wheels are in motions, and frankly, from my perspective, FFT are being more pro-active than AFLT, and that's a shame. Tasmanians are crying out for elite sport, any elite sport, and it's basically whoever gets there first will win. That's just a hard fact of life unfortunately.

Well, in terms of having a team in the Vic Soccer League, that wouldn't be anything new - you already have a team in the VFL as you would well know.

[Howard Littlejohn]

Lets not go into the fact that the Kangaroos played a major role in destroying the Devils concept...

Let's not go into the fact that the Devils concept had a major role in destroying Tasmanian footy - or at least completing the destruction. It was only brought about because Tasmanian footy had been systematically ripped apart since the mid-90s, after struggling since the early 80s (and being revived somewhat in the opening years of the statewide league).

The alignement was incredibly wrong from both ends. It was destructive to North and to Tassie - the worst of both worlds from my point of view.

[Rob]

While that is true of the top tier sponsors the same doesn't apply for the mid and bottom tier sponsors.

It is also more than just sponsorship. Who will buy their corporate boxes and thier corporate packages?

Exactly. It's not at the top level of sponsors that Tassie would really struggle. It's the 100-200 companies that pay $50k-$100k for a corporate box and to be part of huge coterie groups where they would be expected to have a huge shortfall. That's where the small Melbourne clubs do badly as well.

[ben_cats_fan]

Well, in terms of having a team in the Vic Soccer League, that wouldn't be anything new - you already have a team in the VFL as you would well know.

It's a worse case scenario. And I think you'll find FFT are closer to getting a team in the A-League than AFLT is to getting a team in the AFL. If FFT are successful, expect soccer to soon become the number one sport in Tasmania, it's as simple as that.

[BigBadCam]

Exactly. It's not at the top level of sponsors that Tassie would really struggle. It's the 100-200 companies that pay $50k-$100k for a corporate box and to be part of huge coterie groups where they would be expected to have a huge shortfall. That's where the small Melbourne clubs do badly as well.

Why should a Tasmanian club have to imitate the Melbourne clubs' business plans. Only having to fill a stadium with approximately 20k at home games we could come up with enough companies to pay for corporate boxes. It's not like they'd be having to fill the MCG each week. It's also not like they'd have to accomodate the exhorbitant fees associated with use of the phone dome.

The only issue would be air travel, but given the emergence of budget airlines and cheap airfares, surely Tasmania would now be able to have its own team. Perhaps Tassie's first major sponsor could be Tiger Airlines? When the sponsorship of the Hawthorn FC runs out, perhaps the state government will invest Tasmanians' tax dollars more appropriately.

[Father Jack]

It's a worse case scenario. And I think you'll find FFT are closer to getting a team in the A-League than AFLT is to getting a team in the AFL. If FFT are successful, expect soccer to soon become the number one sport in Tasmania, it's as simple as that.

I seriously can't see that happening. Footy is far too entrenched for it to be taken over by anything anytime in forseeable future. They used to say the same thing about basketball in the eighties.

[McCrann]

I seriously can't see that happening. Footy is far too entrenched for it to be taken over by anything anytime in forseeable future. They used to say the same thing about basketball in the eighties.

How did we go at the last Basketball "World Cup?"

[Tas]

What has Tasmania's lack of success in getting into the AFL have to do with my club?

6 Melbourne clubs could die and you still wouldn't have your own side. Hawthorn have evaluated what is feasible in Tasmania and what you get now is as good as it is going to get unless you can get a club that is going to pull in $30m+ per annum.