Expansion Canberra

[thejester]

See Canberra Pear - no one wants to support Canberra.

Suspect it'd be a pretty similar dynamic to what you see at games at Manuka currently - the parent with a West Coast hat on and the kids in GWS gear.

 

[Coolangatta]

See Canberra Pear - no one wants to support Canberra.

They'd get more supporters than South Adelaide.

 

[Walshawk]

Suspect it'd be a pretty similar dynamic to what you see at games at Manuka currently - the parent with a West Coast hat on and the kids in GWS gear.

This is how it is for GC and GWS, and how it was for the Swans and Bears in the early days. How is it a problems if the crowds and members barracks for another team?

 

[Canberra Pear]

They'd get more supporters than South Adelaide.

You beat me to it. I know Tigerlaird is just stirring, but Canberra would get more folks on board than SA3.

Canberra, like Tasmania and Gold Coast, will have lots of dual supporters to start with, and it'll grow as people grow an emotional connection with them. And eventually kids will grow up with them as the default team to support.

Canberra has a good demographic for a new team. A lot of AFL fans, so it will have a stable start with decent crowds like we're expecting for Tasmania. But a lot of people without a strong connection to AFL teams, so Canberra will immediately be the first AFL team for many.

 

[Cubs2Lions]

You beat me to it. I know Tigerlaird is just stirring, but Canberra would get more folks on board than SA3.

Canberra, like Tasmania and Gold Coast, will have lots of dual supporters to start with, and it'll grow as people grow an emotional connection with them. And eventually kids will grow up with them as the default team to support.

Canberra has a good demographic for a new team. A lot of AFL fans, so it will have a stable start with decent crowds like we're expecting for Tasmania. But a lot of people without a strong connection to AFL teams, so Canberra will immediately be the first AFL team for many.

Agree, it would be like asking the question in 1982 of who would support Canberra Raiders in the NRL back in the day.

Initially, the Canberra AFL team will probably mostly consist of fans that support other clubs more religiously (like couple of us on here) given the amount of interstaters across Australia coming to work here in the ADF & Public Service but still want to keep watching as much live footy as possible.

Over time though and with hopefully some success by the club similar to GWS, the club could possibly have a support base of ACT locals being equal or possibly greater than the Raiders 25-30 years from now but the AFL really needs to help develop the resources and pathways here to work.

 

[Aussie in exile]

That was my thought too.

He's a big Hawthorn fan and has been pretty generous to the Giants.

An upgrade would obviously benefit AFL, but he avoided mentioning it in the article.

But Barr being generous to GWS has stopped Canberra having its own team and a Canberra team still about 9 or 10 years away, due to him giving GWS another 10 years, and will Barr even be around in 10 years and the demographics could alter.

 

[Cunnington Cartel]

But Barr being generous to GWS has stopped Canberra having its own team and a Canberra team still about 9 or 10 years away, due to him giving GWS another 10 years, and will Barr even be around in 10 years and the demographics could alter.

That’s what we might assume. Although we don’t know what kind of discussions might have taken place between him and the AFL. Gill might’ve said that there’s no chance of #20 being awarded until the 2030’s.

 

[Canberra Pear]

Agree, it would be like asking the question in 1982 of who would support Canberra Raiders in the NRL back in the day.

Initially, the Canberra AFL team will probably mostly consist of fans that support other clubs more religiously (like couple of us on here) given the amount of interstaters across Australia coming to work here in the ADF & Public Service but still want to keep watching as much live footy as possible.

Over time though and with hopefully some success by the club similar to GWS, the club could possibly have a support base of ACT locals being equal or possibly greater than the Raiders 25-30 years from now but the AFL really needs to help develop the resources and pathways here to work.

One of the things I'm most looking forward to is having a common team with mates.

When I lived in Adelaide, I had a solid group of Port friends I'd regularly go to games with and discuss all things Port.

My mates in Canberra are all keen to discuss AFL, but there's no team that binds us.

 

[Bjo187]

One of the things I'm most looking forward to is having a common team with mates.

When I lived in Adelaide, I had a solid group of Port friends I'd regularly go to games with and discuss all things Port.

My mates in Canberra are all keen to discuss AFL, but there's no team that binds us.

Are your mates southerners that have moved there or born and bred Canberran's?

Also on the gws deal to 2032, it just seems so stupid that it must have been intentional to ensure continued buy in from Canberra giants fans.

If they thought their own team was on the horizon giants support would drop off the cliff. I'm hopeful they are doing some real work behind the scenes, in fact, I'd be disappointed if they weren't with the afl.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Who here would switch their support to Canberra if they joined the league?

Would support a Canberra soccer team, as I don’t support a men’s Aleague team but for AFL no. Would buy a membership of the Canberra AFL team maybe, but Giants would be my team after 21 years in our community. Just like my kids are now ardent Giants supporters, over time any Canberra AFL team would win over the youngsters, and be at least the second team for those who support another AFL team already?

 

[Canberra Pear]

Are your mates southerners that have moved there or born and bred Canberran's?

A combination of the two. Born and bred Canberrans, at least the ones I know, tend to follow Victorian teams.

My small sample of Canberra-born AFL supporters follow Richmond, Hawthorn, Essendon, Carlton, Collingwood, Geelong, North and the Bulldogs.

 

[Bjo187]

I've seen a few articles pop up today that the brumbles have gone pretty much broke.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

I've seen a few articles pop up today that the brumbles have gone pretty much broke.

More of a rugby issue than a Canberra issue.

Union as a sport has little value to the Aussie market these days. It's slightly above soccer for value

 

[Aussie in exile]

I've seen a few articles pop up today that the brumbles have gone pretty much broke.

Can you post some links as i can't see any to back up your claims

 

[Canberra Pear]

Can you post some links as i can't see any to back up your claims

I can't read it as it's behind a paywall, but there are two articles on The Australian

Brumbies locked in battle for survival

Brumbies’ financial woes should ring alarm bells at RA

I personally don't want the Brumbies to go anywhere. There's enough room in Canberra for three contact sports and they fill a good gap at the start of the year.

But if the Brumbies do fold, the AFL absolutely needs to act. Any void will have fans looking for a new team. We need to act quickly to make sure there's an AFL option for them.

 

[Bjo187]

Can you post some links as i can't see any to back up your claims

I think the two I saw were in the Australian. I didn't have full access just saw the headings. The word insolvency was in there.

 

[Aussie in exile]

I think the two I saw were in the Australian. I didn't have full access just saw the headings. The word insolvency was in there.

I can't read it as it's behind a paywall, but there are two articles on The Australian

Brumbies locked in battle for survival

Brumbies’ financial woes should ring alarm bells at RA

I personally don't want the Brumbies to go anywhere. There's enough room in Canberra for three contact sports and they fill a good gap at the start of the year.

But if the Brumbies do fold, the AFL absolutely needs to act. Any void will have fans looking for a new team. We need to act quickly to make sure there's an AFL option for them.

I still maintain that Barr's love of GWS is holding back Canberra having their own team any time soon.
Why oh why did he get them another 10 year deal when he knows Canberra people want this own team, and not a Sydney team playing games 3 games a season in Canberra.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

P

I still maintain that Barr's love of GWS is holding back Canberra having their own team any time soon.
Why oh why did he get them another 10 year deal when he knows Canberra people want this own team, and not a Sydney team playing games 3 games a season in Canberra.

Probably because unlike the views of you and a couple of vocal posters in this thread, the Giants are also Canberra’s AFL (and AFLW) team. By the team this current deal expires in 2032, the Giants would have spent 21 years in Canberra. The Giants, the ACT government and the AFL commission are all happy with this long term deal.

 

[Aussie in exile]

P

Probably because unlike the views of you and a couple of vocal posters in this thread, the Giants are also Canberra’s AFL (and AFLW) team. By the team this current deal expires in 2032, the Giants would have spent 21 years in Canberra. The Giants, the ACT government and the AFL commission are all happy with this long term deal.

So if GWS are Canberra's AFL team that would mean Canberra will never get their own stand alone team

 

[Canberra Pear]

I still maintain that Barr's love of GWS is holding back Canberra having their own team any time soon.
Why oh why did he get them another 10 year deal when he knows Canberra people want this own team, and not a Sydney team playing games 3 games a season in Canberra.

I was disappointed when they signed the 10-year extension. Five would've been perfect.

But the Giants are owned by the AFL. If the Brumbies do fold and the AFL recognises the need to pounce, the AFL could probably press the Giants to pivot from Canberra earlier.

 

[Canberra Pear]

So if GWS are Canberra's AFL team that would mean Canberra will never get their own stand alone team

The Giants are no more Canberra's AFL team than Hawthorn is Launceston's or North is Hobart's.

The Giants have been good as a secondary team for many to get their AFL fix, but will never get the buy in a real hometown team will.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

I was disappointed when they signed the 10-year extension. Five would've been perfect.

But the Giants are owned by the AFL. If the Brumbies do fold and the AFL recognises the need to pounce, the AFL could probably press the Giants to pivot from Canberra earlier.

I however was happy with the long term 10 year deal, and the commitment the Giants have shown to Canberra. Whilst it’s certainly open to the AFL to pivot from Canberra earlier, it would be dependent on whether WA3 is the preferred option as the 20th AFL team

 

[Aussie in exile]

The Giants are no more Canberra's AFL team than Hawthorn is Launceston's or North is Hobart's.

The Giants have been good as a secondary team for many to get their AFL fix, but will never get the buy in a real hometown team will.

According to Melbourne-GWS they are, but i cant see how they are as they are a Sydney team

 

[Aussie in exile]

I was disappointed when they signed the 10-year extension. Five would've been perfect.

But the Giants are owned by the AFL. If the Brumbies do fold and the AFL recognises the need to pounce, the AFL could probably press the Giants to pivot from Canberra earlier.

Again blame Barr for the 10 year deal

 

[MelbourneGWS]

The Giants are no more Canberra's AFL team than Hawthorn is Launceston's or North is Hobart's.

The Giants have been good as a secondary team for many to get their AFL fix, but will never get the buy in a real hometown team will.

Again your personal views that the Giants are not Canberra’s team. The Giants have always maintained that they are also Canberra’s AFL team, and Barr is happy with the co-location model. There is buy-in from Canberra due to the 21 year long term relationship, especially with the kids.