Tasmania Congratulations on Tassie License. Mens team to enter 2028. Womens team TBA. Other details TBA 3/5

[Chief]

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GO TO PART 2 of this thread:

Tasmania - Tasmania Devils, welcome to the AFL. Mens team to enter 2028. Womens team TBA. Other details TBA 3/5 (Part 2)

Continued from Part 1: https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/congratulations-on-tassie-license-mens-team-to-enter-2028-womens-team-tba-other-details-tba-3-5.1226653/ Was going to draft up a Summary but this is pretty good...

www.bigfooty.com

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[Teen Wolf]

It isn't a men v women fight.

I know, so why bring up AFLW at all. May as well complain about the $60m the league spent on hubs last year. Not hard to figure out that it'll be more costly if those investments aren't made.

If the AFL don't feel the same way about Tasmania, is that hypocrisy or just confidence they can keep stalling on a decision without feeling any irrevocable consequences?

 

[Canberra Pear]

The Premier called the AFL out on being 'frozen' over Covid & being unlike any other organisation which would be planning for the future.

The AFL are simply bare faced liars. Happy to expand the number of AFLW teams during this time because the clubs moaned, 'what about me'. They already have an operative league, why the haste in such 'difficult Covid times'. Bloody pathetic.

So they can invest in that & still obfuscate on the clear message from their own freeeeeking report by Colin Carter, an AFL insider.

Carter says we should be popping champagne corks. What a Wonker!!! Why would anyone here crack anything more than a can of Diet Coke????? At least their'd be more of a fizz in that than we got from Gil & Goyder, Tweedle dumb & Tweedle De.

They are looking more like the incompetent boys club people see them as.

No wonder the non-sycophantic media shred them so often.

I don't really see the expansion of AFLW and the Tassie expansion as comparable.

$13.7m was spent on women's footy in 2020, meaning each team will cost about $1m. So $4m extra per year to expand, for clubs that already have the facilities, infrastructure, and a brand.

A new AFL team in Tassie would cost $30m-$40m annually, plus a pretty big outlay at the start.

I'm pro the expansion of both, but the investment needed to complete the AFLW is tiny compared to a new Tassie team, and an easy win for the AFL. They're not even in the same league (pun intended).

 

[madmug]

I don't really see the expansion of AFLW and the Tassie expansion as comparable.

$13.7m was spent on women's footy in 2020, meaning each team will cost about $1m. So $4m extra per year to expand, for clubs that already have the facilities, infrastructure, and a brand.

A new AFL team in Tassie would cost $30m-$40m annually, plus a pretty big outlay at the start.

I'm pro the expansion of both, but the investment needed to complete the AFLW is tiny compared to a new Tassie team, and an easy win for the AFL. They're not even in the same league (pun intended).

They aren't per se. But the point being they could plan & spend for one, but go blank on the other. Nothing to say but waffle. Pathetic.

Most of the investment in a TasTeam will be by Tasmania. What would be the cost of a timeline?

Gil & Goyder looked like deer caught in the headlights. All Snowflake Gil had to say was 'this is a positive report, it has some interesting options, however we will be speaking with the Premier over the next few days'. Instead all we got was blah blah road, can, kick.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

They aren't per se. But the point being they could plan & spend for one, but go blank on the other. Nothing to say but waffle. Pathetic.

Most of the investment in a TasTeam will be by Tasmania. What would be the cost of a timeline?

Gil & Goyder looked like deer caught in the headlights. All Snowflake Gil had to say was 'this is a positive report, it has some interesting options, however we will be speaking with the Premier over the next few days'. Instead all we got was blah blah road, can, kick.

This is why gutwein needs to follow through on his threat and cancel the fifo deals

 

[The_Wookie]

They aren't per se. But the point being they could plan & spend for one, but go blank on the other. Nothing to say but waffle. Pathetic.

Most of the investment in a TasTeam will be by Tasmania. What would be the cost of a timeline?

Gil & Goyder looked like deer caught in the headlights. All Snowflake Gil had to say was 'this is a positive report, it has some interesting options, however we will be speaking with the Premier over the next few days'. Instead all we got was blah blah road, can, kick.

The AFL statement literally says most of those things.

NEXT STEPS:

The AFL Commission welcomes the Carter Review and supports Colin’s findings that Tasmania has a strong football history and a clear passion for our game.

Given the current "financial situation" the Commission acknowledges the Carter Review finding that the AFL Clubs should not be asked for a final decision at a time when AFL industry finances remain under serious stress from the Covid pandemic.

The recommendation that all models should be investigated before clubs are asked to decide on a team for Tasmania and that a relocation or joint venture capturing the Melbourne and Tasmanian supporters would provide a more successful and sustainable model should also be considered. This review makes clear that the best chance of success is a team that captures both the Tasmanian and Melbourne markets.

While the AFL Commission acknowledges that any decision to relocate or joint venture rests with the directors and members of individual clubs it accepts the Review’s finding that “a combined Tasmanian and Victorian support base would position the new club in the middle wealth ranks of AFL clubs, a formidable competitor on and off the field."

We are thankful to the Tasmanian Government’s support for its proposed investment for a team to represent Tasmania and investment in stadia to ensure the team was successful and sustainable and agrees with the Review that these issues should be pursued ahead of any decision by clubs.

We will work with the Tasmanian Government to see what a potential model might look like.

We also accept that this is not a decision for clubs right now as we continue to navigate a Covid pandemic. This pandemic has contributed to a collective loss of revenue of more than $700m and is currently costing up to $6m a week to continue to keep the competition going.

We will work with the Tasmanian Government and work through a number of the steps outlined by Colin that are important to lock in ahead of any decision by clubs.

We support the view that a team representing Tasmania is the right thing to do and ensuring it has the best possible chance of long-term success is also the right thing to do.

We will also have time to discuss that in more depth at our next meeting but – again – we are not asking clubs to decide at that meeting on any direction.

AFL statement on findings of the Colin Carter report

Gillon McLachlan has written to AFL Club Presidents summarising the Colin Carter Review of the Tasmanian Taskforce submission for a team for Tasmania

www.afl.com.au

 

[HPKS]

This is why gutwein needs to follow through on his threat and cancel the fifo deals

Why? A decision hasn’t even been made yet. The AFLW is a totally seperate issue. Any business, sporting organisation or government agency does not make a decision from an independent report pretty much the same or next day. If it was an in-house report from the AFL I’d understand your impatience but these things do take time. It will take time, be patient is my advice. There’s a lot more to play out yet.

 

[madmug]

Why? A decision hasn’t even been made yet. The AFLW is a totally seperate issue. Any business, sporting organisation or government agency does not make a decision from an independent report pretty much the same or next day. If it was an in-house report from the AFL I’d understand your impatience but these things do take time. It will take time, be patient is my advice. There’s a lot more to play out yet.

Gutwein detected the usual nothing waffle from McLaughlin, so he voiced his disappointment & reinforced that he wouldn't roll the NM & Hawks contracts over on the face of what he heard, or didn't hear.

Given the Positive nature of the report, the CEO & Chairman could have spoken more positively about an appropriate timeline & they'd be discussing that within a few days.

Getting a lecture on Covid blah blah blah was simply disingenuous waffle. We're looking 4-5yrs hence FFS, not tomorrow.

He also dumped the silly joint venture crap.

Nothing wrong with a line in the sand speech for a change. Better media copy than a lot of crap that comes out of the footy industry!!! It certainly got the attention!!

Being obsequious clearly gets one nowhere with the AFL anyway.

 

[HPKS]

Gutwein detected the usual nothing waffle from McLaughlin, so he voiced his disappointment & reinforced that he wouldn't roll the NM & Hawks contracts over on the face of what he heard, or didn't hear.

Given the Positive nature of the report, the CEO & Chairman could have spoken more positively about an appropriate timeline & they'd be discussing that within a few days.

Getting a lecture on Covid blah blah blah was simply disingenuous waffle. We're looking 4-5yrs hence FFS, not tomorrow.

He also dumped the silly joint venture crap.

Nothing wrong with a line in the sand speech for a change. Better media copy than a lot of crap that comes out of the footy industry!!! It certainly got the attention!!

Being obsequious clearly gets one nowhere with the AFL anyway.

He did what politicians do & that’s play up to the I’ll stand up to em card for ya. It’s 101 politicians playbook.

While I agree the JV thing is crap but i can fully see why Carter put it in the review. He had to provide all options.

And he goes back to chatting with the AFL as expected.




The line in the sand speech is predominantly for popularity and it says exactly what the voting public wants to hear, if he’d come out initially with what has been reported by Costelloe today you’d all be moaning that he’s caved or going to cave.

Imo it’s pretty much going as expected. If people expected that the Carter report would land on Gills desk at 2pm & by 2:30pm he’d have a press conference you’d be delusional. Gutwien is a great politician & from what I can see & have been told by family & friends down there is an even better premier. He’ll get a time line imo & everyone in tassie will pat him on the back how he played hardball and won it for everyone down there. And get re-elected in a few years.

I desperately want a tassie side to & think it will definitely be successful but imo we have to be patient.

 

[Walshawk]

Does that mean NT and ACT have to be included before it's considered national?

Asking for a friend.

They are not states. Don’t need a team in Antartica either.

 

[Walshawk]

He did what politicians do & that’s play up to the I’ll stand up to em card for ya. It’s 101 politicians playbook.

While I agree the JV thing is crap but i can fully see why Carter put it in the review. He had to provide all options.

And he goes back to chatting with the AFL as expected.

View attachment 1209947


The line in the sand speech is predominantly for popularity and it says exactly what the voting public wants to hear, if he’d come out initially with what has been reported by Costelloe today you’d all be moaning that he’s caved or going to cave.

Imo it’s pretty much going as expected. If people expected that the Carter report would land on Gills desk at 2pm & by 2:30pm he’d have a press conference you’d be delusional. Gutwien is a great politician & from what I can see & have been told by family & friends down there is an even better premier. He’ll get a time line imo & everyone in tassie will pat him on the back how he played hardball and won it for everyone down there. And get re-elected in a few years.

I desperately want a tassie side to & think it will definitely be successful but imo we have to be patient.

Eddie had more detail on Footy Classified. Gutwein said if no decision this year, then funds would be diverted to NBL, A League, and North/Hawks deals gone. He expects the AFL to put it to the clubs in December. He is happy with a 2026 - 30 time frame, and will accept a ‘No’, just wants an answer this year.
Gil later told Eddie that they would work it out during these meetings.
FC spent 15 mins of Tas. I reckon it will be a yes from the AFL by Xmas. Not sure if the clubs will agree to what is proposed, but reckon we will see a 19th team by 2030.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

lol, what Victorian team can draw 65k to a game against interstate opposition? I'd be surprised if that's happened more than half a dozen times in history. Given it would be an away game and all local fans would need to buy a ticket, you'd be lucky to get 25k. Less if it was a pretty ordinary matchup.

Maybe 65k is a bit ambitious, but the point being that it's a home game involving a bigger crowd than the capacity of Tasmanian venues, and therefore more revenue - and the ability to get the Tasmanian-born population that have moved to Melbourne to get the six-figure salaried jobs that aren't available in Tassie spend thousands on a corporate event - that the point I'm making.

There's ABS data on this. Thousands of Tasmanians left for Melbourne in the late 90's and early 00's to get these kinds of jobs (and the net interstate migration declining was a big concern for the Tassie goverment in that period of time), and now 20 years on those people would be high income earning leaders of the business community that could tip in the money. There's also been research about this diaspora community and how they still consider themselves Tasmanian even after living away from the state, moreso than, say, a Perth person would consider themselves as West Australian and support West Coast as a sort of birthright state pride that you'd find with a Tassie supporter. Anecdotally, the Tasmanian-born people I know in Melbourne - even with strong clubs they support and get to watch up to 15 times a year at home - would still support a Tasmanian team.

In any case, it's not about the crowds so much, it's about finding the millions of dollars needed get that team into the league. The strong business community doesn't exist in Hobart, and in any case, their two grounds simply don't have the facilities that you can justify getting people to pay several hundred of thousands for an event or function. But those Tasmanian-born people do exist in Melbourne, its's just about targeting them directly (with the away fans providing extra money to the club).

I get that home teams have memberships, but big crowds of 50+k do happen against interstate teams. Sydney have done it 8 times since 2013 as the away team. West Coast have done it against Richmond and Collingwood. Get creative with marketing. Come up with ways to sell tickets through the opposition's membership packages (guarantee your seat to this marketable event for only a $50 add-on!!) etc. Fans in Perth all bought a ticket for the Dreamtime game because it was marketed to them, so make the annual Tassie home game in Melbourne a similar unique and marketable event. Play it on a Friday night blockbuster or something. Maybe write it into the contract that Tassie alternates a home game at the MCG every year against Richmond or Collingwood, I don't know. I don't think it's preposterous to suggest a Tasmania home game against Richmond or Collingwood would get 50k at the MCG and the ability to sell more hundred and thousand dollar ticket packages to that Tassie-born business community - who may very well want to financially support the team, but won't get any benefit out of doing so if gaining that benefit requires a flight down to Tassie. Such a game might would be worth more to the coffers than multiple home games in Launceston or Hobart, who might have a 25kish crowd cap and people paying general admission seating prices around the ground.

I'm making this point not that it's really anything that's something that's desirable, but more that the financial realities of a Tassie team requires some outside the box thinking.

More importantly, why would you give up home ground advantage? Nothing is more profitable than winning. It is not coincidence that the the five clubs with the most premierships are the five clubs with the most members (WC excluded). Winning games and premierships trump any other off field initiative to build support.

Tassie wouldn't be the only team that does that though, that's the point. Melbourne didn't stop playing games in Alice Springs even thought the percentage difference through home ground advantage literally cost them finals one year. It doesn't mean that any team wants to do this, it's just the financial realities of being a poor team in this league. That's true for Tassie as it is the other poor teams, and if anything the stakes are higher for Tassie as it's just not a bit more cash to be competitive, it's literally being created into existence that's the difference.

 

[Canberra Pear]

They are not states. Don’t need a team in Antartica either.

That's a bit arbitrary.

Greater Canberra has a similar population to Tasmania and the ACT will surpass Tasmania's population within the next 10-20 years. It's a subjective decision that a Tassie team completes a national competition, but an ACT team doesn't.

Haven't we suffered enough with only two senators?!

 

[HPKS]

Eddie had more detail on Footy Classified. Gutwein said if no decision this year, then funds would be diverted to NBL, A League, and North/Hawks deals gone. He expects the AFL to put it to the clubs in December. He is happy with a 2026 - 30 time frame, and will accept a ‘No’, just wants an answer this year.
Gil later told Eddie that they would work it out during these meetings.
FC spent 15 mins of Tas. I reckon it will be a yes from the AFL by Xmas. Not sure if the clubs will agree to what is proposed, but reckon we will see a 19th team by 2030.

This is exactly what I’ve been saying for a while on here. It’ll be negotiations on a time frame. That will take time. I’ve always believed it’ll be a yes. I’ve just been so surprised we had people on here who thought as soon as Carter’s review was handed in we’d have an answer in 30 minutes. It’ll take time, which is perfectly understandable of such a big decision.

 

[madmug]

That's a bit arbitrary.

Greater Canberra has a similar population to Tasmania and the ACT will surpass Tasmania's population within the next 10-20 years. It's a subjective decision that a Tassie team completes a national competition, but an ACT team doesn't.

Haven't we suffered enough with only two senators?!

Lets face it, if we didn't have such a lop sided spread of teams we wouldn't have such a problem.

Yes some can say 'but but but' its OUR competition.

The question is, how would a proper national competition look.

The 3 most obvious to me are that our 2nd biggest footy city only has 2 teams. So right now IMO, we should have WA3, ACT1 & Tas1.

At least 2 or 3 old VFL clubs should be back playing local football.

 

[HPKS]

Lets face it, if we didn't have such a lop sided spread of teams we wouldn't have such a problem.

Yes some can say 'but but but' its OUR competition.

The question is, how would a proper national competition look.

The 3 most obvious to me are that our 2nd biggest footy city only has 2 teams. So right now IMO, we should have WA3, ACT1 & Tas1.

At least 2 or 3 old VFL clubs should be back playing local football.

The National comp was setup for one reason only and that’s to assist the survival of the VFL clubs. It was the only reason. If you could think of any other way to stuff up the setup of a national competition long term I couldn’t think of any worse way to do it than the way it was done.

 

[HPKS]

Just watched the clip from FC on the other thread, I’m banned from it, the private ownership one was a huge surprise. Anyone think McGuire might have his fingers in this? He has been vocal a bit over the last six months on the tassie bid.

 

[Mr Taswegian]

Just watched the clip from FC on the other thread, I’m banned from it, the private ownership one was a huge surprise. Anyone think McGuire might have his fingers in this? He has been vocal a bit over the last six months on the tassie bid.

The AFL has no interest in this model because it was tried in the past and didn't work out.

 

[Mr Taswegian]

I think we are are looking at a record low afl crowd in Hobart on Sunday with few tickets sold on Ticketec to this game,I'm thinking it could be as low as a couple of thousand.

 

[Verdun]

I'm going, tbh will be ok with a bit of room to move.

Think the crowd size has zilch to do with Tasmania applying for a AFL licence.

 

[Mr Taswegian]

I'm going, tbh will be ok with a bit of room to move.

Think the crowd size has zilch to do with Tasmania applying for a AFL licence.

I'm surprised a St Kilda hasn't generated a bit more interest though, it's looking possibly a couple of thousand at the moment and that's with hardly any local footy on being a Sunday.

 

[HPKS]

The AFL has no interest in this model because it was tried in the past and didn't work out.

Their is several different models of private ownership not just the old school shonky rich bloke. Government ownership, AFL ownership, shareholder ownership, TFC -Tasmanian football commission ownership, as well as above board businessmen owning or part owning. The failing of private ownership in AFL is more on the then VFL than it being a system that doesn’t work. It’s works very very well in a lot of other sports.

 

[HPKS]

Love the Hawthorn people “we’ll make more money by not playing in tassie”. ahh so the hawks just play down there out of the goodness of their heart. Delusional at best & more likely ignorant.

 

[juss]

Lets face it, if we didn't have such a lop sided spread of teams we wouldn't have such a problem.

Yes some can say 'but but but' its OUR competition.

The question is, how would a proper national competition look.

The 3 most obvious to me are that our 2nd biggest footy city only has 2 teams. So right now IMO, we should have WA3, ACT1 & Tas1.

At least 2 or 3 old VFL clubs should be back playing local football.

It doesn't need a team everywhere to be a national competition. The NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL are hugely popular sports and they all have 32 teams each, with 50+ states in the USA, yet no one would argue it's not a national competition.

Ditto Australian sports with the NBL, A-League, BBL, AFL and NRL (NRL is arguably the least "national" given it's entirely on the Eastern seaboard + NZ).

I think a licence in Tassie is warranted, but I don't think we need every state/territory represented to be considered a national competition.
It's a national competition today, like it or not. Regardless if every state or territory is represented.

 

[The_Wookie]

Their is several different models of private ownership not just the old school shonky rich bloke. Government ownership, AFL ownership, shareholder ownership, TFC -Tasmanian football commission ownership, as well as above board businessmen owning or part owning. The failing of private ownership in AFL is more on the then VFL than it being a system that doesn’t work. It’s works very very well in a lot of other sports.

Any new club will almost certainly be a license controlled by the AFL in the short to medium term - see the Suns and Giants. The only other option that might pass muster will be a WAFC type ownership - but the AFL has actively sought to remove the AFL licenses from there before too, but with Tassie putting in more than 11m a year it might have to be the way to go. Businessmen and shareholders is a non starter for the league.

 

[HPKS]

Any new club will almost certainly be a license controlled by the AFL in the short to medium term - see the Suns and Giants. The only other option that might pass muster will be a WAFC type ownership - but the AFL has actively sought to remove the AFL licenses from there before too, but with Tassie putting in more than 11m a year it might have to be the way to go. Businessmen and shareholders is a non starter for the league.

I just put other options out there as possible private ownership. I honestly don’t think it’ll happen. An AFL/Stare government ownership wouldn’t surprise me due to the amount of dollars the Government are putting in but I’ve said on here a number of times the AFL will prefer to go down the GWS/GC model. And imo we’ll never see a WAFC setup ever again with the AFL not really having any control of things.