Sorry Jeff, but we do not want more big games in Tassie

[Walshawk]

Jeff's letter to members yesterday said he was unhappy that we were not playing more big Vic clubs in Launceston.
I am unhappy with Jeff's letter. On behalf of the 66,000 Hawthorn members who do not live in Tasmania, surely we want the big games here at the MCG. Richmond and Collingwood play 14 MCG games, Hawthorn nine. If we think we are one of the big clubs (which our membership and crowds suggest), then surely it is time to stand up and demand to be treated as a big club. If we have the ambition to be the first club to 100,000 members, then surely there is more potential growth in a city of 4,000,000 than a regional town of 106,000.
We are losing sight of where our focus should. It should be in our heartland, not our sponsor.

 

[wahawk]

Jeff's letter to members yesterday said he was unhappy that we were not playing more big Vic clubs in Launceston.
I am unhappy with Jeff's letter. On behalf of the 66,000 Hawthorn members who do not live in Tasmania, surely we want the big games here at the MCG. Richmond and Collingwood play 14 MCG games, Hawthorn nine. If we think we are one of the big clubs (which our membership and crowds suggest), then surely it is time to stand up and demand to be treated as a big club. If we have the ambition to be the first club to 100,000 members, then surely there is more potential growth in a city of 4,000,000 than a regional town of 106,000.
We are losing sight of where our focus should. It should be in our heartland, not our sponsor.

Jeff is just keeping the Tas Gov happy with his letter

He knows we don’t want the big clubs down there

He says what the sponsor wants to hear

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Oh look - the man who still has an anti-Power rangers guernsey display picture is angry at the club for something again.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Also - Clarko was one of the driving forces behind coaches having minimum qualifications. We were also leading the charge for future pick trading and live pick trading beyond the trade period up to draft night. All of these things are a reality. We have influence despite your constant talking down of the club.

Something tells me the brains trust at the club are focussing on the real issues - and that the little issues that rankle the never-satisfied members of our supporter base, like how a guernsey we wear three times a year looks, aren't quite as high on their priority list. Which is a good thing - because I truly hope the most focus and energy is going into Dingley.

 

[Hawk Dork]

Jeff is just keeping the Tas Gov happy with his letter

He knows we don’t want the big clubs down there

He says what the sponsor wants to hear

Im sure the Sponsors other than the Tas government would prefer to hear him say we wont be playing bigger games down there to no FTA and smaller crowds.

 

[NiceJacketJeff]

Jeff is a politician at heart. Obviously at 4 Mil per year, plus members, he'd like to see the Tassie deal extended beyond 2021.

If he has to piss in a few pockets to do this, so be it.

 

[Hawk Dork]

Jeff is a politician at heart. Obviously at 4 Mil per year, plus members, he'd like to see the Tassie deal extended beyond 2021.

If he has to piss in a few pockets to do this, so be it.

Theres no advantage to Hawthorn to play big games down there though
That should be his first priority

 

[MacMace]

Jeff's letter to members yesterday said he was unhappy that we were not playing more big Vic clubs in Launceston.
I am unhappy with Jeff's letter. On behalf of the 66,000 Hawthorn members who do not live in Tasmania, surely we want the big games here at the MCG. Richmond and Collingwood play 14 MCG games, Hawthorn nine. If we think we are one of the big clubs (which our membership and crowds suggest), then surely it is time to stand up and demand to be treated as a big club. If we have the ambition to be the first club to 100,000 members, then surely there is more potential growth in a city of 4,000,000 than a regional town of 106,000.
We are losing sight of where our focus should. It should be in our heartland, not our sponsor.

Loving your rounding up of the Melbourne population from 3.848 million and rounding down of little old Launie from 106,153.

But that aside, do you mean the 'heartland' that has to accommodate 9 other Vic teams (10 if you include Geelong). Also, your arguments show a bit of ignorance regarding travel distance and population zones in Tassie, for example, travelling from Hobart (and surrounds), Devonport, Burnie and even Wynyard, would be around 1.5 to 2 hours to get to Launceston, which is similar to the outer suburbs of Melbourne, particularly with traffic congestion.

In addition, I would argue that any new markets in both Vic and Tas have largely dried up, e.g. If you like AFL then you probably already have a team.

Lastly, Vic is well known as the sporting capital of Australia which means multiple sports are competing for market share, in Tassie I believe we have two big national streams the V8's (once a year) and AFL (a handful of games) that we can watch live.

So please stop being selfish, spare a thought for others, and suck it up. Tasmania has the highest rates of people living below the poverty line out of any Australian state and the lowest wages in the country. Please allow your little brothers and sisters from the south that love AFL and the Hawks to taste the scraps from Victoria; after all you all have significantly more opportunities to watch high level sport than we do, and you also get replacement games, you really have nothing to whinge about, other than having to share the city with 3.847 million other people, isn't peak hour a bitch.

 

[Hawk Dork]

In addition, I would argue that any new markets in both Vic and Tas have largely dried up, e.g. If you like AFL then you probably already have a team.

Young kids like seeing success and getting addicted to regularly going to see their team creates members when they grow up and get a job.
There will be plenty to harvest in the next decade

 

[Hodgey 15]

Gees, where's Realist? This tread should be right up his alley.
Go (Tassie) Hawks

 

[MacMace]

Young kids like seeing success and getting addicted to regularly going to see their team creates members when they grow up and get a job.
There will be plenty to harvest in the next decade

Young kids also listen to their parents, and most would indoctrinate their kids at a very young age (if they are real supporters).

But even if your argument had some merit, the Hawks can still attract many young kids from Vic (as can 10 other teams) and have almost market share in Tassie. Why would you go for any club if you never have an opportunity to see them play live? The reality is that there are many families in Tassie that could never afford to travel interstate but can afford to travel to Launie to see the Hawks play.

 

[Hawk Dork]

Young kids also listen to their parents, and most would indoctrinate their kids at a very young age (if they are real supporters).
.

There was lots of kids at Auskick with Buddy jumpers with parents who werent Hawk fans.
Lets hope some of them continued

 

[Randy Campbell]

Our focus should be making the whole of Australia our heartland.
Before we take over the world.

 

[Changa10]

You will also be the first one complaining when we get under 10,000 to Brisbane and/or Gold Coast next year.

We get the same old few teams every year. All the 'non-Hawthorn' supporters are sick and tired of it, and is the main reason the attendance in Launceston continues to drop.

Looking at the draw I'm already debating whether to spend 6 hours in the car to attend either of those games. I will happily attend St Kilda and Port Adelaide as they 'promise' to be a decent game at least. Might go to Brisbane game to yell some abuse at Hodgey. Nah, couldn't do that.

And before you call me a fair weather supporter etc. I pay for reserved seats at the MCG as well as my Launceston Membership for a family of 4, plus I joined my old man up in Launceston last year and he is Cats supporter...

 

[MacMace]

There was lots of kids at Auskick with Buddy jumpers with parents who werent Hawk fans.
Lets hope some of them continued

I'm sure they will, but the point I am making is kids will be influenced by their parents; both of mine are Hawks as opposed to Cheats which are my wife’s side of the family. Also, if you had any knowledge of Tasmania and the influence the Hawks have had down here you would know that the number of kids going for the Hawks over any other team is significant, which is due to being able to watch them live and of course our success.

To be honest, anyone that thinks the miserable few games against interstate teams that we attract down here should be taken away are really just selfish. We get paid good coin from the State Government (to invest in our club and facilities), while doing a community service for Tasmania (strengthening our brand), at the same time we still growing our membership base. There are no losers, unless you are selfish and have a 'want it all' mentality.

Thankfully the people that sit in the 'I want it all' camp seem to be in the minority on these boards.

 

[Hawk Dork]

Our focus should be making the whole of Australia our heartland.
Before we take over the world.

Success does this
We have lots of supporters in Qld(might have nearly as much as Brizzy and GCSs) and WA and Tassie and I would imagine NT too.

With AFL and sponsors its all about TV audience,success,exciting game style and X factor players get people to watch

 

[Hawk Dork]

To be honest, anyone that thinks the miserable few games against interstate teams that we attract down here should be taken away are really just selfish.

I think ultimately the AFL and the Tassie government will decide that.
There is a need for somewhere to play low drawing teams and turn a profit.
Only another boutique stadium can replace Tassie,unless GWS, GCS, Port and WCE, Freo fans start travelling on mass (Brizzy and Swans still have some local support and can still partially fill a stadium)

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Gees, where's Realist? This tread should be right up his alley.
Go (Tassie) Hawks

He's another member of the 'if you don't have anything positive to post, plaster it all over bigfooty' mafia. The levels of misery that some posters on here carry on with you'd think we hadn't won a flag in 30 years.

 

[Hodgey 15]

He's another member of the 'if you don't have anything positive to post, plaster it all over bigfooty' mafia. The levels of misery that some posters on here carry on with you'd think we hadn't won a flag in 30 years.

Agree. There's some very spoiled people on here.

 

[Darth Docomo]

If the Tassie deal ends, we'd end up with something like an 8-3 split between the G and Etihad. If we're lucky.

I can see Jeff's point. He's got the snake-oil salesman vibe going making sure we look after our biggest sponsor. There's only 4 Melbourne based clubs the AFL would consider sending down there. Norf, Saints, Dogs and Melbourne. The "Big 4" will never go there during regular season again and playing Geelong there would be as likely as us playing them down at sleepy hollow these days.

With our draw this year, we don't play Norf or Dogs at home. Melbourne are on a bit of a rise so we got them early in the year at the G.

 

[tige19]

Jeff says what he has to but 9 MCG games is a downright disgrace.. Pisses me right off

 

[Nugett]

Being an ex-Tasmanian myself. I have no issues with what Jeff said about bringing quality to the games in tassie. I think most supporters would recognise that high profile games in the state regarding other teams is just hot air from him.
Being 1 of the 66 000 members not living in tassie, I personally don’t share the OP’s views.
I think it’s great that our club can go out and expand our brand to other areas outside of Melbourne. I personally think that other Melbourne clubs should explore other areas to invest in, and promote themselves and stop being funded by the AFL.
I currently live in Queensland. Would I like to see more hawthorn live games up here. Of course I would, but the realist in me knows that is not going to happen.
Tasmania is serving it’s purpose to the club. The club is serving its purpose in supporting Tasmania. At the end of day what’s 4 games that is going to attract hardly any interest in Melbourne?

 

[Hawk Dork]

I currently live in Queensland. Would I like to see more hawthorn live games up here. Of course I would, but the realist in me knows that is not going to happen.

Suns and Brizzy in Tassie gets you 2 FTAs in Qld
Playing anyone else in Tassie doesnt

 

[Randy Campbell]

Success does this
We have lots of supporters in Qld(might have nearly as much as Brizzy and GCSs) and WA and Tassie and I would imagine NT too.

With AFL and sponsors its all about TV audience,success,exciting game style and X factor players get people to watch

Only a matter of time before non Victorian members out number the Victorian members.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

The Saturday night game in Launceston is a FTA game.