AFL Expansion Worldwide

[Hoop1888]

Sorry if done before, can't find a thread on it, but generally curious to read fans opinions on why or why not the game won't appeal to a global audience?

Have been listening to Eddie McGuire recently who regularly throws in a mention of playing an International Rules game in the States - which might appeal to some curious American sports fans, but it's a completely different game to footy & false advertising, but I get it's all about exposure. And this debate might be more pertinent to Aussies living abroad.

The Globalisation of Australian Football: Reality and Development Prospects

The Growing Popularity of Australian Football: Real Facts Confirming the Internationalization of National Australian Kind of Sports.

breakingthelines.com

Some bullet points from this article:

Despite its Australian roots, footy is gradually gaining popularity on the international stage. Here are five key factors supporting this trend:

• The growing number of overseas teams. Countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand are establishing Australian soccer teams and leagues. In the United States, for example, the United States Australian Football League (USAFL) has more than 40 clubs.
• International tournaments. Regularly organised competitions, such as the AFL International Cup, involving teams from various countries other than Australia. This helps to raise interest and the level of play on the international stage.
• Broadcasting of games overseas. Australian Football League (AFL) games are broadcast around the world, allowing overseas audiences to experience the game and support their favourite teams.
• Attracting overseas players. AFL clubs are beginning to sign talented overseas players, increasing interest in Australian football in their home countries.
• Establishing training programs and academies. A number of countries are opening academies and coaching workshops to teach the fundamentals of Aussie football, helping to grow the sport locally.

These factors indicate that footy is beginning to expand beyond Australia, attracting the attention and interest of sports fans worldwide.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

It is very hard to imagine a professional, or even semi-pro, presence outside Australia for at least many decades. At one point maybe PNG could have developed a strong league had they not been so broken as a nation. The game was strong, although as television took over it fell off in Port Moresby with Packer showing Rugby League. Even in the 1980s, from what I was told by a few locals, Australian Football was bigger in many areas outside Moresby. Not so any more.
Now, Australian Football is so far behind League there that there is no catching up. And with an NRL team soon, that essentially kills off every other sport.

Even cricket nations with ovals would struggle for the most part. Australian cricket venues have large playing surfaces because they are used for the AFL. Few ovals around the word have the dimensions required for professional level footy. There are a few, but developing teams and leagues in those areas to that standard is not within any foreseeable timeframe even if every resource the sport has focussed on one large city.

AFL expansion internationally, not going to happen beyond the odd game relying on ex-pats and fans flying over.
Australian Football expansion is happening, very slowly in most cases, and maybe some will reach a decent bush league level.

 

[Chief]

Countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand are establishing Australian soccer teams and leagues.

Ok

 

[Hoop1888]

Now, Australian Football is so far behind League there that there is no catching up. And with an NRL team soon, that essentially kills off every other sport.

Didn't realise that - always thought NRL was huge in Queensland, Sydney and Brisbane, but footy was still the #1 sport in Australia. McGuire was talking about the game at schoolboy level and that a team from Queensland mullered a team from a strong footy State (can't remember which one) and that it is indicative that the sport in Queensland is showing promise - he or you guys would probably know more in depth about the game there in general and statistics about youngsters playing there.

I tend to agree it won't pick up anywhere near a level to the AFL standard outside of Australia, and that's simply down to every country having it's national sport or an imported sport (soccer) well established there for decades. I admire the AFL for at least giving it a go.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Didn't realise that - always thought NRL was huge in Queensland, Sydney and Brisbane, but footy was still the #1 sport in Australia. McGuire was talking about the game at schoolboy level and that a team from Queensland mullered a team from a strong footy State (can't remember which one) and that it is indicative that the sport in Queensland is showing promise - he or you guys would probably know more in depth about the game there in general and statistics about youngsters playing there.

I tend to agree it won't pick up anywhere near a level to the AFL standard outside of Australia, and that's simply down to every country having it's national sport or an imported sport (soccer) well established there for decades. I admire the AFL for at least giving it a go.

I was referring to PNG there, with the new NRL team killing off the chances of other sports. That was in relation to the one nation of any size that the game could once have had a hope of developing a strong league in.

Australian Football is probably still #1 in Australia - it does depend on what you measure though.

 

[1990crow]

If AFL can't become the dominant force in Sydney or Brisbane I can't see it happening anywhere else.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Don't even know how it would begin. Culture with certain sports are so engrained in countries already. Say AFL goes to USA to play a game or games, how would they get the Americans to watch it as much as they watch NFL? Impossible as NFL is engrained in high school and then college and then NFL, much the same as all their other sports. Unless Aussie rules gets put into primary school and high school why would people have a serious interest in it?

 

[Hoop1888]

I was referring to PNG there, with the new NRL team killing off the chances of other sports

Ah, apologies. I remember Packer for trying to make a break away Rugby Union competition, IIRC. Not really sure about the demographics of PNG, but I reckon that's about as good as it would get outside of Australia for player numbers/league, at least short term(ish)

Don't even know how it would begin. Culture with certain sports are so engrained in countries already. Say AFL goes to USA to play a game or games, how would they get the Americans to watch it as much as they watch NFL? Impossible as NFL is engrained in high school and then college and then NFL, much the same as all their other sports. Unless Aussie rules gets put into primary school and high school why would people have a serious interest in it?

Yeah, listening to McGuire talking about holding one test game (of Internstional Rules) in the States is not really going to break into the market there, as well as it being a hybrid game that not many Australian or Irish fans are that bothered about.

I wonder if the AFL are better off promoting the game within Australia or they already have that taken care of?

 

[kaiserchief13]

Ah, apologies. I remember Packer for trying to make a break away Rugby Union competition, IIRC. Not really sure about the demographics of PNG, but I reckon that's about as good as it would get outside of Australia for player numbers/league, at least short term(ish)


Yeah, listening to McGuire talking about holding one test game (of Internstional Rules) in the States is not really going to break into the market there, as well as it being a hybrid game that not many Australian or Irish fans are that bothered about.

I wonder if the AFL are better off promoting the game within Australia or they already have that taken care of?

I think it'll cost too much money and AFL can't afford it. AFL is a poor sport compared to many worldwide. AFL could go to countries like South Africa and maybe Argentina and have the sport played in primary school. Not sure how they could enforce that though unless they paid the governments of those countries to make sure it happens, but the governments would probably pocket the money anyway. I don't think Asia would work as the demographic of people are too skinny and small. Ideally Indonesia/Malaysia/Thailand would work but it would be unlikely. Timezone for those countries is best as they can watch the AFL games.

 

[Forever North]

Overseas games have always been junkets for the AFL boys network. A chance to drink, eat and party on the company credit card whilst pretending that the game has global appeal.

 

[ibd77]

Outside of Australia, footy is seen as a novelty sport by most who venture to have a look online. It can never gain traction in other regions where another football code is dominant.

Also the field size is an big issue as even an amateur league equivalent to Australian standards could never be established without significant land being available for 6 months a year.

If you look at the USAFL, they play most of their games in parklands and not a dedicated ovals.

Cricket is pretty keen to expand into the US but the AFL isn't proactive enough to partner up with Cricket US to develop multi purpose playing fields.

The only other option is converting old athletics stadiums that would have the field dimensions to support the game.

 

[Philhawk]

AFL is limited by ground constraints, it’s pretty simple.

The only hope is to expand into countries that have cricket ovals which can be repurposed for AFL.

England / Subcontinent / NZ / SA

Anywhere else is a pretty futile effort.

 

[Atomboy]

Meantime, teams from across India participated in the 10th Indian Championship earlier this year.

All local players and funding, not a white expat in sight:

Unstoppable Jharkhand win both national trophies - AFL India (ARFAI)

Winners of the 10th National Championship – The Jharkhand Crows Jharkhnad Crows continued their dominance and won both the senior and junior division titles …

aflindia.in

 

[JPetro83]

should never have expanded into the Gold Coast or West Sydney. 16 teams was more than enough

 

[glengowan]

Just call them the "North Kangaroos" and play some home games in the northern hemisphere

 

[Consolaçao]

Sorry if done before, can't find a thread on it, but generally curious to read fans opinions on why or why not the game won't appeal to a global audience?

Have been listening to Eddie McGuire recently who regularly throws in a mention of playing an International Rules game in the States - which might appeal to some curious American sports fans, but it's a completely different game to footy & false advertising, but I get it's all about exposure. And this debate might be more pertinent to Aussies living abroad.

The Globalisation of Australian Football: Reality and Development Prospects

The Growing Popularity of Australian Football: Real Facts Confirming the Internationalization of National Australian Kind of Sports.

breakingthelines.com

Some bullet points from this article:

Despite its Australian roots, footy is gradually gaining popularity on the international stage. Here are five key factors supporting this trend:

• The growing number of overseas teams. Countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand are establishing Australian soccer teams and leagues. In the United States, for example, the United States Australian Football League (USAFL) has more than 40 clubs.
• International tournaments. Regularly organised competitions, such as the AFL International Cup, involving teams from various countries other than Australia. This helps to raise interest and the level of play on the international stage.
• Broadcasting of games overseas. Australian Football League (AFL) games are broadcast around the world, allowing overseas audiences to experience the game and support their favourite teams.
• Attracting overseas players. AFL clubs are beginning to sign talented overseas players, increasing interest in Australian football in their home countries.
• Establishing training programs and academies. A number of countries are opening academies and coaching workshops to teach the fundamentals of Aussie football, helping to grow the sport locally.

These factors indicate that footy is beginning to expand beyond Australia, attracting the attention and interest of sports fans worldwide.

It’s the number one sport in Nauru.

So two down, about 200 to go.

 

[Consolaçao]

should never have expanded into the Gold Coast or West Sydney. 16 teams was more than enough

Have you thought about this?
Look at how many draft picks have come out of the Gold Coast in the past few years. Unprecedented numbers, and not sure that would’ve happened in the absence of the Suns.
They also get 15k+ to games and they’ve never made a final.
GWS, less successful but they’ll be fine in 10-15 years.

 

[Cmarsh]

Outside of Australia, footy is seen as a novelty sport by most who venture to have a look online. It can never gain traction in other regions where another football code is dominant.

Also the field size is an big issue as even an amateur league equivalent to Australian standards could never be established without significant land being available for 6 months a year.

If you look at the USAFL, they play most of their games in parklands and not a dedicated ovals.

Cricket is pretty keen to expand into the US but the AFL isn't proactive enough to partner up with Cricket US to develop multi purpose playing fields.

The only other option is converting old athletics stadiums that would have the field dimensions to support the game.

As cricket is a olympic sport from next olympics, I can see ovals being constructed in olympic host cities. And the IOC will very much want future host cities to continue having cricket as an olympic sport as they will want the large south Asian markets to remain interested in the olympics. That means feasible playing surfaces overseas for footy opening up going forward.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

As cricket is a olympic sport from next olympics, I can see ovals being constructed in olympic host cities. And the IOC will very much want future host cities to continue having cricket as an olympic sport as they will want the large south Asian markets to remain interested in the olympics. That means feasible playing surfaces overseas for footy opening up going forward.

The ovals will very likely be too small for (high level) Australian Football, or temporary venues as were some used for the T20 World Cup in USA and as will be the case for 2028 Olympics.

Or if cricket stays in the Games venues could potentially be repurposed for athletics, or into rectangles after the event. Chances of them remaining and being suitable for our game are not high.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I think if the AFL actually want overseas expansion, they need to stop bothering with the places that already have a popular rugby or gridiron code, because our game will never supplant theirs. Instead, it's emerging economies without a strong contact sporting tradition they should concentrate on.

India is a possibility due to the oval grounds. But I actually think the most ripe place for grassroots expansion would be in East Africa. Yes, I'm serious. There's no big competition from other sports and we have an increasing number of players with East African backgrounds that would be icons there. Sudan and South Sudan are both struggling with conflict at the moment, but Ethiopia is growing at a pretty fast clip economically, and has 130 million people. Kenya is also pretty stable and growing. Some outreach programs there could go a long way.

 

[Hoop1888]

But I actually think the most ripe place for grassroots expansion would be in East Africa. Yes, I'm serious. There's no big competition from other sports and we have an increasing number of players with East African backgrounds that would be icons there. Sudan and South Sudan are both struggling with conflict at the moment, but Ethiopia is growing at a pretty fast clip economically, and has 130 million people. Kenya is also pretty stable and growing. Some outreach programs there could go a long way.

That's not a bad shout given the lads from South Sudan who play footy and would love to go back home for a holiday (with a football in hand to show kids) after the war ends.

 

[Some_guy]

I think if AFL were serious about growing the game, they should have pushed AFLX way harder. Soccer/rugby fields are much more commonplace. And its way easier to fill a team, which is a big problem overseas where basically no one has heard of AFL besides expats

 

[LuckyBounce!]

Complete waste of time trying to expand overseas

 

[Hoop1888]

I think if AFL were serious about growing the game, they should have pushed AFLX way harder. Soccer/rugby fields are much more commonplace. And its way easier to fill a team, which is a big problem overseas where basically no one has heard of AFL besides expats

What's this, like tag rugby?

Complete waste of time trying to expand overseas

Yeah, I think it's just not doable. Best it can hope for is maybe getting international recruits/rookies from Ireland for now.

 

[Some_guy]

What's this, like tag rugby?


Yeah, I think it's just not doable. Best it can hope for is maybe getting international recruits/rookies from Ireland for now.

Its a modified version of AFL for a smaller rectangle field. Basically 9s with some new rules. They did played it for like 2 years during the preseason

AFLX - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org