Annual rant - ANZAC jumpers and merch

[caspian]

I know the link I'm about to post is Vice but I highly, highly recommend giving it a read

https://sports.vice.com/en_au/article/537mjz/football-and-war-a-not-so-dinky-di-history

A few choice quotes:

Indeed these working class districts—notably Collingwood, Richmond, Port Adelaide, Fitzroy and Carlton—would prove most resistant to jingoism and conscription during WWI, sometimes violently so.

It's no surprise to find that in the seat of Yarra—the most staunchly opposed to conscription at over 70% against—also was home to the four active VFL clubs of 1916. The presence of recruiting sergeants at games—a move instituted by league administration to placate military authorities—proved to be increasingly unpopular with crowds. As Blair notes:

"At Fitzroy, Lieutenant R.H. Maskell reported that he and his staff were forced to leave the ground after being 'attacked by many men and women.' At Collingwood's Victoria Park, Sergeant W.H. Durrand also abandoned his attempt to speak to his hostile audience. Sergeant Kilpatrick claimed he was forced to leave the South Melbourne ground under threat, with the crowd urging he had no right to be spoiling their sport."

Having failed in his first conscription bid, Prime Minister Billy Hughes turned up at the MCG in support of the second one. According to historian Stuart Macintyre "the Prime Minister had received a warm reception from the members, while in the outer the air was thick with bottles and stones."

So yeah, I'm not going to say "* Anzac day" but man, has it's original purpose of sombre mourning been commercialized and jingoized and a plague on AFL house for continuing the trend.

Really, commemorating WW1 should be about going on strike and smashing up parliament, not going on about mateship and referring to footy as war and all that bullshit.

 

[hoianbulldog]

They’ve been launched for 2019.

******* shocking these things, crass commercialism profiting from the senseless butchering of naive young boys.

It’s terrible from the AFL, my club, Collingwood and any other that does it.

(And yes I’m aware there’s some token donation to the RSL. It’s usually $5 or $10 per jumper. Given they’d cost about $10 to make, somebody is making good money).

Dont buy them. Teach your children that sometimes they cant have what they want. Teach your children that a footy jumper isnt what happiness is about.

Lead the next generation, dont follow it.

 

[Topkent]

Yeah it’s shocking. The supermarkets are big on it too.

It’s particularly galling from football clubs though, as they’re still supposedly “not for profit community organisations”.

No wonder the day has turned into a “celebration” rather than a day of appropriate mourning and reflection.

Ignoring the commercial aspect, because I agree the vast majority of profits should go to the Anzacs

How long should we mourn the day and not celebrate them?

 

[hoianbulldog]

If proceeds from Guernseys (and now scarves) didn't go towards the RSL Anzac Appeal I'd agree. But proceeds do, so.....

Can you give us breakdown of cost, profit and proceeds per scarff.

 

[hoianbulldog]

Oh gosh, that's quite shocking. Did not know that.

Perhaps given the AFL is not being paid by the RSL, Australian Military, Government, whatever, they need to take a significantly higher portion of the revenue in order to cover the costs.

Snap..... that's how they want you to think.

Ffs they are all about making money.

 

[hoianbulldog]

I disagree 100%. If it wasn't for this yearly game my knowledge and remembrance of everything to do with the Anzac's would be limited to what I learnt in primary school and that's about it. I'm sure it's the same for plenty of other people as well. The football is probably the most consumed event on the day and and the stories and themes around it would be lost to a huge portion of the population without it.

That's bullshit. This game didn't bring to life the anzac story for younger generations. It was already happening.

Ess and coll followed on the back of that. And good on them for taking the moment.

 

[caspian]

I'm making an assumption but I'm fairly confident that ANZAC/all footy merch is made by a bunch of poor Asians on very little coin. The wholesale value on it is likely incredibly low.

And yknow, the AFL wouldn't go bankrupt if it ran at a loss on ANZAC merch. They could probably give literally full proceeds from this stuff to veteran foundations and the like and they'd still be fine, just that their shareholders would get a slightly smaller dividend at the end of the year.

That's bullshit. This game didn't bring to life the anzac story for younger generations. It was already happening.

It brings to life a sanitized, half bullshit story that teaches little beyond vague platitudes and patriotic duty and all that. The entire story needs a rewrite

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Ignoring the commercial aspect, because I agree the vast majority of profits should go to the Anzacs

How long should we mourn the day and not celebrate them?

If it’s truly about those who’ve fallen, forever.

It should be about the horrors of war, what many boys (and many were boys) were forced to endure, with solemn respect paid to courage shown in the face of it.

I just don’t know about celebration. We’re talking about young boys being denied their lives, undergoing unimaginable fear before being blown into multiple pieces.

 

[Topkent]

If it’s truly about those who’ve fallen, forever.

It should be about the horrors of war, what many boys (and many were boys) were forced to endure, with solemn respect paid to courage shown in the face of it.

I just don’t know about celebration. We’re talking about young boys being denied their lives, undergoing unimaginable fear before being blown into multiple pieces.

It's an interesting topic.
I think the day should be a combination of both. I think up until midday I agree the mood should be somber and you should remember the sacrifice these young men made.

However after lunch I'm all for it becoming a celebration, if it's done in the right spirit celebration can also be a form of remembrance.

 

[PowerForGood]

first VFL ANZAC Day Games started in 1960...
in the 70's i think the rule was no reserves game just the seniors...
shared around by all teams as i think it should be...
for some reason it brings back memories of The Junction Oval v Fitzroy as a kid, must have been a fixture sometime in the early 70's

And for reference, it was the same everywhere.
Anzac Day football was being played in Qld in the 60's for example.
I think the largest H&A crowd for a SANFL game for quite a while was an Anzac Day game Port v Norwood in the 50's.
Re sharing the game, Not sure how long but the SANFL has scheduled previous years Grand Finalists for Anzac Day each year for quite a long time as well. No reason that wouldn't work in the AFL if it wasn't about money and Colingwood and Essendon. Wouldn't take long to set up the new tradition, I think the AFL referred to the opening round Carlton v Richmond match as a tradition in its third year.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Cough... don't buy, the prices go down...

 

[Kappa]

Remembering of course that people are not "not for profit" enterprises like football clubs are.

Who cares? Theyre giving to charity, thats better than 99% of the faux outragers.

 

[Blackhawk42]

That's bullshit. This game didn't bring to life the anzac story for younger generations. It was already happening.

Ess and coll followed on the back of that. And good on them for taking the moment.

I didn't say that. We learnt heaps in primary school. What i'm saying is that without this annual game myself and many others would most likely have our awareness and understanding of the day stuck in childhood memories.

 

[Wacko23Jacko]

It’s a shame but reality is that’s how our vile society operates.

It’s not just ANZAC Day, every holiday and event possible is commercialised and a money grab... I’m not religious, but Christmas, Easter, etc could be a great time for reflection and connection with community and family, yet we have turned them into an opportunity for big corporations to bleed families and communities dry and pressure them with undue stress and mental duress!

It would be great if we could stop it, but it’s going to require some huge fundamental paradigm shifting and repairs to the framework of society.

 

[Jesse Custer]

Cough... don't buy, the prices go down...

Simple philosophy, too simple for some.

 

[PowerForGood]

Who cares? Theyre giving to charity, thats better than 99% of the faux outragers.

Don't disagree with your comparison, but that's not the point.
Its the amount the clubs pass on that many have a problem with.

The belief is (example numbers only have no idea the actuals) if the clubs generate $500k net profit from the Anzac "brand" and pass on only $200k to charity, is that fair? Or exploitative?

I'm suspecting this isn't the case and the games are cost neutral, but don't know why they would keep it a secret.
Because you aren't allowed to just go around making a profit from the Anzac "brand". Might even be law (have to check).

 

[caspian]

Yeah, making a huge profit and giving some of the *profit* away is hardly a huge act of charity.

 

[Ari]

I disagree 100%. If it wasn't for this yearly game my knowledge and remembrance of everything to do with the Anzac's would be limited to what I learnt in primary school and that's about it. I'm sure it's the same for plenty of other people as well. The football is probably the most consumed event on the day and and the stories and themes around it would be lost to a huge portion of the population without it.

THIS!

This is exactly why I don't mind the idea of the Anzac Day game. How many kids would go to that game, or watch on telly, and get chills as the Last Post plays? How many kids have taken an interest and greater understanding of the Anzac's from this game? I'd say a few.

if this is a catalyst for people to learn, I am more than okay with it.

 

[Ari]

No, that's bullshit. Maybe you were too young to remember or it was before your time.

The AFL/VFL always had a game played on Anzac Day with the minute's silence and The Last Post.

I went to quite a few Anzac Day matches. It was shared around among all clubs and it was a big occasion no matter who was playing. Maybe not 95k at the MCG, but plenty of games with 55,000-72,000 at VFL Park, Waverley (with zero hype or marketing, mind you. Just thousands of people turning out in droves for a special public holiday game)

I agree that teachers at primary schools definitely engage their students in occasions such as Anzac Day - it's part of our education process - but VFL footy also played it's part. Fans of all clubs occasionally got to see their team play on the day and be involved in the solemn pre-game rituals. But not so much since it's become Essendon-Collingwood Day.

Same thing every year. Until 'other' marque games can sell out a month in advance, why would the AFL possibly consider breaking something that seems to be working?
Does the Queen birthday game sell out? Or other games? From a commercial AFL perspective, this game is a sellout (in more ways than one) and you don't touch something that ain't broken.

 

[Ari]

It's an interesting topic.
I think the day should be a combination of both. I think up until midday I agree the mood should be somber and you should remember the sacrifice these young men made.

However after lunch I'm all for it becoming a celebration, if it's done in the right spirit celebration can also be a form of remembrance.

That is how I've always seen Anzac Day, and I think how most see it. Before midday it's sombre and we remember, respect and honour those who fell. Not a drop of beer is poured. After midday, we celebrate what we have and appreciate what so many gave up for us.

 

[Ari]

It’s a shame but reality is that’s how our vile society operates.

It’s not just ANZAC Day, every holiday and event possible is commercialised and a money grab... I’m not religious, but Christmas, Easter, etc could be a great time for reflection and connection with community and family, yet we have turned them into an opportunity for big corporations to bleed families and communities dry and pressure them with undue stress and mental duress!

It would be great if we could stop it, but it’s going to require some huge fundamental paradigm shifting and repairs to the framework of society.

Someone get this man a milkshake!

 

[joy division]

ANZAC Day product planning usually begins in August the year prior for most retail chains. Hot sellers, what will flop next year, better branding etc. It's just another day to cash in.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Yeah, making a huge profit and giving some of the *profit* away is hardly a huge act of charity.

I last asked Essendon two years ago and they said it was $10 per guernsey.

 

[SSSSSS]

Ignoring the commercial aspect, because I agree the vast majority of profits should go to the Anzacs

How long should we mourn the day and not celebrate them?

What is there to celebrate?

Bunch of boys being tricked into service to fight another mans battles. Senselessly slaughtered by another bunch of boys being tricked into service on the other side of the fence.

There is nothing gallant or glorious about it.

 

[Tiger Snake]

Thursday 25 April 1974. Fitzroy v Collingwood at Junction Oval.
24,000 turned up.
We lost by 9 points.

that's it!!!
i remember being stunned that Fitzroy beat us... we'd never lost to them in my younger days because they were pretty bad...
long ride home on The Punt Rd bus that afternoon...