Hawthorn to play 2 games in Tasmania

[GOALden Hawk]

I've already posted my thoughts on this at Hawksheaven- basically I'm a bit disappointed in the decision, means Victorian members get one less game to see and may hurt us long-term, even if we do gain Tasmanian members.

But maybe I'm complaining about nothing.

Your thoughts?

 

[vanders]

When was this announced?

 

[Bloodstained Angel]

Won't you guys get free admission to one non-Victorian fixture as a form compensation for this ?

C'mon guys - a plane ticket to Lonnie is only a 100 bucks and its a great day out..

Its good for Tasmania, good for Tasmanian football, good for Launceston and good for the Hawks.

cheers

 

[Sly77]

And I'll post a copy of my response on Hawksheaven, cause I'm too lazy to type it again


For the Hawks to have any chance of gaining respect from the AFL and the so called top 4 clubs, we need a solid membership base, and a strong financial posisiton.

The experiment with Tassie proved a success, we gained members and dollars. Unlike the Roos, we entered a market where we already had a strong backing of supporters and little competition. Sure, we are a Melbourne club - but the reality is that with player payments and club expenses escalating far quicker than increases in game receipts etc, maintaining 10 Victorian clubs in the long term is not realistic.

Football is going to change dramatically in the next 20 years as the competition becomes a truely national one. It is up to the Hawks to jump in now to ensure their success in that playing field. In 10 years time we don't want to be regreting having missed the boat on opportunities such as this, and end up struggling to catch up to the what other clubs had done.

You forget that a lot of interstate supporters are not signing up as members, as they don't see any value in it when they either don't get the opportunity to go to any games or alternatively may only see one game. This is a much larger untapped market than there is within Melbourne. Work out the figures, a country/interstate membership is about $78, if you only get the opportunity to go to one match, then its a rather expensive game and the club is making a handy little profit. And no - it was not only the MELBOURNE based supporters that saved the club from merger. The club has received a lot of support from people outside of Melbourne over the years - which has been well recognised.

In all reality it is only a couple of games. It won't kill you to miss them, or watch them on TV. Alternatively save your money and go to an interstate match occassionally - if you plan ahead you can get some rather reasonably priced fares.

Basically it all comes down to what your main concern is - yourself or the club.

 

[Pessimistic]

Again Hawthorn doing the hard yards and working on a 'new' area - unlike the 'lazy' efforts of North, Melbourne and Bulldogs who are giving sysney and Brisbane free 'wins' which puts them higher than they should be on the ladder.

Hawthorn fans don't want to see interstate teams so why not go the whole hog and make the membership ticket valid for just games against melbourne teams - let them chose tickets which allow 6, 12 and 18 games.

Ironically now waverley is gone all teams lose money on these games. so instead of playing games at the 'expensive' colonial we are now playing games at 'country' ovals in tassie and ACT.
So called 'development' areas.

I'm looking forward to the day when SE Melbourne is declared a 'development' area and we can play freo, wce etc at a 15,000 capacity oval (upgrade box hill oval or something)

 

[GOALden Hawk]

Originally posted by Bloodstained Angel
Won't you guys get free admission to one non-Victorian fixture as a form compensation for this ?

C'mon guys - a plane ticket to Lonnie is only a 100 bucks and its a great day out..

Its good for Tasmania, good for Tasmanian football, good for Launceston and good for the Hawks.

cheers

Vanders - it's in the Age this morning, will be announced officially in a couple of weeks.

Actually BSA, my big plan was to travel to Lanceston for the Crows game this year, but it was a bit more expensive than I planned - it was going to cost me nearly $400 for the weekend, hopefully it will be a bit cheaper next year.

I'm not against us playing games in Tassie, I think as far as interstate games, it's clearly the best because we have a large support base with no competitors - as opposed to playing a 'home' game in Brisbane or something.

We do get free admission to an away game as compensation - but the membership I buy is an 18 game membership - which admits me free to ALL games in Victoria. Chances are next year we will have 6 or 7 games interstate, so the value of that membership is eroded.

Like I said on Hawksheaven - I'd be a lot happier if Hawthorn came out and announced that although we are expanding into Tasmania, we are a Melbourne based club and will never play more than 2 home games out of Melbourne.

 

[dpinky]

I'm a bit dissapointed in this development. I thought One game was locked in for three years, with one game already completed.

I was able to fly down to York Park for the match earlier this year, and because of that, I have (or will have) seen a great 18 games or so 'live' thanks to the draw.

Sure, I can probably afford to go down there once, but twice? I dunno.

I can see why the Hawks are doing it. There is a whole state down there that will, if we keep going, become Hawks Supporters, then hopefully Members. Marketing wise, it's a major positive step for our Membership base. I can see us Melbourne members getting compensating an away game (1), but perhaps not two.

BTW, York Park is the perfect place to watch footy. Great ground

 

[solitary_tear]

Good News

Very happy to hear the Hawks will be playing 2 games in Launceston, it's great for Tassie, and the Hawks, and their avid, proud, passionate and paid up supporters!!!!

 

[solitary_tear]

BTW dpinky

You complain about not being compensated for 1 game in the season, how about us supporters who pay their full membership, but can't afford to go to Melbourne for the 5 games we get as part of the membership??? We miss out on all 5 if Hawks don't play in tassie!!!! I wouldn't be complaining about missing 1 game, try being in our shoes!!! Be charitable mate, let us have our 2 games!!

Karen