Went to a breakfast this morning where Nigel Smart provided an inside look at the development of the women's team
Key points:
- Noble Fagan and Smart all saw participation as essential to growing the club, fan engagement and revenue
- initially the AFL didn't think we would be able to have a team. Estimated that SA had 6 elite players compared to 65 in WA and similar numbers elsewhere
- partnering with NT essential to overcoming that
- initially no one knew what to expect so very difficult to get everything organized.
- uncertainty meant that the offering to sponsors and partners was very hard to frame. Budgeted to get $350-400k from sponsors, have received almost $1m
- four yeas ago we were very arrogant (guess who?) but now much more engaged with AFL, community, fans etc
- still working out how many of those who went to AFLW games are true "fans" of the women's league as distinct from Crows fans who are just interested
- this is becoming clear as identities emerge like Erin Phillips, Chelsea Randall etc to drive real interest
- demand for girls and women's participation has exploded enormously. SAWFL has gone from 11 teams to 44. Everyone scrambling to meet demand and cope with the growing pains
- uncertain whether women's league will consolidate next year with same no of teams or expand. Some teams aggressively demanding the AFL let them into the comp as they realise what the potential means to them
- all of the AFC women's league work was done by existing staff taking on extra duties with just one extra staff member. Needing to adjust this for next year to cope with strains this produced
Very insightful look and he spoke very well
Key points:
- Noble Fagan and Smart all saw participation as essential to growing the club, fan engagement and revenue
- initially the AFL didn't think we would be able to have a team. Estimated that SA had 6 elite players compared to 65 in WA and similar numbers elsewhere
- partnering with NT essential to overcoming that
- initially no one knew what to expect so very difficult to get everything organized.
- uncertainty meant that the offering to sponsors and partners was very hard to frame. Budgeted to get $350-400k from sponsors, have received almost $1m
- four yeas ago we were very arrogant (guess who?) but now much more engaged with AFL, community, fans etc
- still working out how many of those who went to AFLW games are true "fans" of the women's league as distinct from Crows fans who are just interested
- this is becoming clear as identities emerge like Erin Phillips, Chelsea Randall etc to drive real interest
- demand for girls and women's participation has exploded enormously. SAWFL has gone from 11 teams to 44. Everyone scrambling to meet demand and cope with the growing pains
- uncertain whether women's league will consolidate next year with same no of teams or expand. Some teams aggressively demanding the AFL let them into the comp as they realise what the potential means to them
- all of the AFC women's league work was done by existing staff taking on extra duties with just one extra staff member. Needing to adjust this for next year to cope with strains this produced
Very insightful look and he spoke very well