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http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22877648-11088,00.htmlCOLLINGWOOD president Eddie McGuire has unveiled the radical details of a plan for a 24-round home-and-away season to bankroll the AFL's Gold Coast push.
McGuire says the Pies would happily play six "away" games at Carrara Stadium, and that the extra $10 million a year raised by the broadcast rights would fund a 25,000-seat stadium upgrade.
He says the plan would lay the foundation for an AFL team's eventual relocation to the area, and give the Kangaroos time to decide if they could survive in Melbourne.
It shapes as an escape clause for the Kangaroos, who will today learn whether the AFL will give them a 12-month extension on their deadline to move to the Gold Coast.
Collingwood's proposal to the AFL emerged late last month as the league scrutinised all the options for its Gold Coast expansion.
But the expanded 24-round home-and-away season is the most progressive and eye-catching in a detailed proposal McGuire revealed yesterday.
"If the push into Queensland was to fall over because the Kangaroos decide they want to stay in Melbourne, this is an opportunity for Collingwood to go up as the biggest brand in football," McGuire said.
"Everyone gets something extra.
"The money you receive for the two extra weeks in the season more than pays for the expansion, or to promote the game in Queensland, or to build a new stadium.
"You save the $50 million that would have gone to the Kangaroos, you have no impact on the salary cap or draft, and it would be a massive win-win situation."
Under McGuire's plan, which he says could be used as early as next year:
ALL six non-Victorian clubs would play Collingwood in a "neutral" game that could be packaged as "TV bonanzas" for broadcasters.
A 24-ROUND season would raise an extra $10 million a year to help the AFL and Queensland Government fund a Carrara stadium upgrade.
COLLINGWOOD would still play 18 games in Melbourne and rival Victorian teams could play the Pies in lucrative home fixtures.
THE Kangaroos would get the time to determine their future, while rival clubs get an uncompromised draft and salary cap with no 17th side.
"On my reckoning, the TV rights would be worth an extra $10 million a year, and next time up you could sell these games as an individual package so it would be $10 million-plus," McGuire said.
"We are quite happy to be the teaser pony and allow North time to get themselves right one way or the other, and if that means they go up there after us, so be it."
McGuire's plan would require a redrawn AFL fixture if it was implemented for next season.
But it could just as easily work from 2009 onwards.
McGuire is determined nothing gets in the way of an uncompromised draft and salary cap, which helped Brisbane win three consecutive premierships.
"We cannot let anything obstruct the purity of the draft. This takes the pressure off the Kangaroos, it takes the foot off the throat off the club."
Awesome work Ed - playing all the interstate teams on a favored neutral ground all in the name of North Melbourne and the Gold Coast.
FFS, every club including the Kangas would kill for that deal.
I know you are pretty good Ed - but sometimes you actually have to give something in return when you are negotiating - just in case the toothless bogan army are all at the clinic for the day and can't back you up.
It's just good sport if nothing else.
McGuire says the Pies would happily play six "away" games at Carrara Stadium, and that the extra $10 million a year raised by the broadcast rights would fund a 25,000-seat stadium upgrade.
He says the plan would lay the foundation for an AFL team's eventual relocation to the area, and give the Kangaroos time to decide if they could survive in Melbourne.
It shapes as an escape clause for the Kangaroos, who will today learn whether the AFL will give them a 12-month extension on their deadline to move to the Gold Coast.
Collingwood's proposal to the AFL emerged late last month as the league scrutinised all the options for its Gold Coast expansion.
But the expanded 24-round home-and-away season is the most progressive and eye-catching in a detailed proposal McGuire revealed yesterday.
"If the push into Queensland was to fall over because the Kangaroos decide they want to stay in Melbourne, this is an opportunity for Collingwood to go up as the biggest brand in football," McGuire said.
"Everyone gets something extra.
"The money you receive for the two extra weeks in the season more than pays for the expansion, or to promote the game in Queensland, or to build a new stadium.
"You save the $50 million that would have gone to the Kangaroos, you have no impact on the salary cap or draft, and it would be a massive win-win situation."
Under McGuire's plan, which he says could be used as early as next year:
ALL six non-Victorian clubs would play Collingwood in a "neutral" game that could be packaged as "TV bonanzas" for broadcasters.
A 24-ROUND season would raise an extra $10 million a year to help the AFL and Queensland Government fund a Carrara stadium upgrade.
COLLINGWOOD would still play 18 games in Melbourne and rival Victorian teams could play the Pies in lucrative home fixtures.
THE Kangaroos would get the time to determine their future, while rival clubs get an uncompromised draft and salary cap with no 17th side.
"On my reckoning, the TV rights would be worth an extra $10 million a year, and next time up you could sell these games as an individual package so it would be $10 million-plus," McGuire said.
"We are quite happy to be the teaser pony and allow North time to get themselves right one way or the other, and if that means they go up there after us, so be it."
McGuire's plan would require a redrawn AFL fixture if it was implemented for next season.
But it could just as easily work from 2009 onwards.
McGuire is determined nothing gets in the way of an uncompromised draft and salary cap, which helped Brisbane win three consecutive premierships.
"We cannot let anything obstruct the purity of the draft. This takes the pressure off the Kangaroos, it takes the foot off the throat off the club."
Awesome work Ed - playing all the interstate teams on a favored neutral ground all in the name of North Melbourne and the Gold Coast.
FFS, every club including the Kangas would kill for that deal.
I know you are pretty good Ed - but sometimes you actually have to give something in return when you are negotiating - just in case the toothless bogan army are all at the clinic for the day and can't back you up.
It's just good sport if nothing else.
