An AFL game in London during the 2028 Ashes series

[Canberra Pear]

Here we are talking about giving a game overseas and all I want is 11 home games at Carrara

Feel the same about wanting 11 games at Manuka.

 

[Aussie in exile]

Feel the same about wanting 11 games at Manuka.

And GWS playing 11 games in Sydney

 

[Proper Gander]

I’d travel for it. Nice holiday in UK and some beers at the match with lunatic expats. Good times. I mean it would have no profit margin whatsoever and wouldn’t grow the game, but count me in!

 

[Aussie in exile]

Realistically is not going to happen with the costs involved
Cost of the Flights.
Cost of the hotels.
Cost of the hire of a ground even if one could be found

 

[Canberra Pear]

Realistically is not going to happen with the costs involved
Cost of the Flights.
Cost of the hotels.
Cost of the hire of a ground even if one could be found

I don't think those are that much of an issue.

They've found the money plenty of times before to play games overseas. They used to play at the Oval near annually in the late 90s/2000s. Played as recently as 2012.

I think clashing with cricket season is the biggest issue. It's not like a rectangular stadium where you can just redraw the lines. The pitch takes time and resources to take out/put in.

 

[Aussie in exile]

I don't think those are that much of an issue.

They've found the money plenty of times before to play games overseas. They used to play at the Oval near annually in the late 90s/2000s. Played as recently as 2012.

I think clashing with cricket season is the biggest issue. It's not like a rectangular stadium where you can just redraw the lines. The pitch takes time and resources to take out/put in.

I don't know the cost to hire a ground, as we don't know what grounds would be available and the players and staff would want first class flight accomodation and stay in a 5 star hotel in London for a week. We would probably looking at $250,000 for them two alone.

 

[Canberra Pear]

I don't know the cost to hire a ground, as we don't know what grounds would be available and the players and staff would want first class flight accomodation and stay in a 5 star hotel in London for a week. We would probably looking at $250,000 for them two alone.

I don't know the specifics on numbers, just going from the dozen-plus times they've already played at the Oval.

And they justified those just for preseason matches. Would assume a better ROI (crowd, broadcast audience etc) on an actual game for points.

 

[Aussie in exile]

I don't know the specifics on numbers, just going from the dozen-plus times they've already played at the Oval.

And they justified those just for preseason matches. Would assume a better ROI (crowd, broadcast audience etc) on an actual game for points.

I know they had played games at the Oval, but i didn't know a dozen plus times.
To be honest I can't see any game taking place on test ground and the English Cricket season goes on until mid September i seem to think, but they could play a game at a test ground after the Cricket season has finished there.

 

[Canberra Pear]

I know they had played games at the Oval, but i didn't know a dozen plus times.
To be honest I can't see any game taking place on test ground and the English Cricket season goes on until mid September i seem to think, but they could play a game at a test ground after the Cricket season has finished there.

Yeah, sharing with cricket is the issue.

Pretty much all those exhibition matches have been played in October.

If you wanted a game in-season, I think the best option would actually at the start of the season. You could have it as part of Opening Round before the cricket season starts, then two teams get a week off.

You could even have a double header, and then those teams play each other back in Australia so they're coming off the same travel.

 

[blueboy25]

Which club would be willing to sell a home game to the UK?

Richmond seem open to selling home games

 

[Black Panther]

Also L.A. is the obvious one

LA is building a cricket ground for the 2028 Olympics

 

[Bjo187]

LA is building a cricket ground for the 2028 Olympics

Looks like another temporary venue though 50km outside of L.A. city. Looks good in the mock up, might be a bit ambitious though. The US makes better temporary venues than other places i must say.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Play it at Welland road or craven cottage

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Emirates

 

[jwikked]

Why the weird obsession with playing this sport in other countries?

It’s an Australian sport, and that’s okay. We don’t need the US or the UK to validate the sport

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Why the weird obsession with playing this sport in other countries?

It’s an Australian sport, and that’s okay. We don’t need the US or the UK to validate the sport

Americans will be better at it than us in 10 years.

 

[blueboy25]

So are we playing a Auskick exhibition game?
Craven cottage is 100m long and 65 wide
The Emirates is 105m long and 66 wide

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

So are we playing a Auskick exhibition game?
Craven cottage is 100m long and 65 wide
The Emirates is 105m long and 66 wide

Yep. Doc Whieldon is the coach too. And the commentator. Richard Osborne the half time guest of honour. Jason Rambotis the water boy.

Ahhhhh.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Play the game at old Trafford in all seriousness. Don't worry about dimensions. The players will acclimatise to that.

They're full time professionals.

 

[RedV3x]

Think the NRL made a massive massive profit from their trip..?

You thought wrong. Very successful but not profitable.

 

[RedV3x]

Probably only The Oval, traditionally the last in an Ashes series, would have the playing dimensions large enough for Australian Football,

Kia Oval, formerly Kennington Oval once named Fosters Oval for Australian Football.

 

[RedV3x]

The AFL would know that Australia is too much of a small and irrelevant market internationally to get enough attention overseas to ever make a blip on the radar.

Not quite true. There was a window of opportunity when PayTV first started, but the AFL didn't take real advantage.
Australian Football was kick started in the U.S.A. because initially it featured on American main PayTV.
The Foster's Cup produced some good results culminating with 32,789 attendance in Vancouver.

Since then and especially since Covid, AFL has withdrawn into it's domestic shell. Though more and more people are playing Australian Football around the world probably less people new people know about it.
The AFL is more concerned with selling AFL to the converted rather than giving it away for promotion.

I'm not up to date with streaming services but the AFL need to be on the biggest and most widespread international service. Then take a leaf out of the NFL and play away games at big venues.
Linking the Ashes to AFL is a good idea but it does need the appropriate actions to make it a success.

 

[Billy ray]

Could play three on days 3,4&5