Expansion How long should the Suns (AFL) have to get it together?

TigerKnights

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Jul 20, 2007
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With the ever developing Tassie bid becoming a parachute for the AFL to protect their hordes of TV gold, as far as 9 games on TV goes. How long should the belligerence of the Demetriou/McLachlan/FitzPatrick cartel be allowed to throw money and effort at a known Australian sports vortex? GWS, at least have the population they keep telling us, and the NRL seemingly reject their core people for Bondi and and inner West (the AFL don't need a 2nd invite to invade after stuffing up Canberra) Rev Sheedy is there, and the Swans poor start tells us if you get it right, NSWmen will buy in. But we all know the GC sports history, does throwing money and rigging the league fix this and make it viable in 20-30 years? Will the GC residents personality change that much? Should they hand the license to the Southport Sharks? A club with roots and hub that locals can then attach themselves to. Are the excesses of AFL handouts one of the reason locals reject them? Despite everyone loving a winner, would the area respect the club more for having to just plain tough it out?
I feel the footy media can act like the rabid dogs of their political brethren when a coach is on the rack. And they love to tell us how their questions and subsequent writings represent the footy fan. But if they were true to that ideal, they would be door stopping the CEO and Chairman at every turn on what I can only assume to this point as been the AFLs biggest financial mistake in its history since............. Last time it was there.
 

jatz14

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Dec 13, 2011
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With the ever developing Tassie bid becoming a parachute for the AFL to protect their hordes of TV gold, as far as 9 games on TV goes. How long should the belligerence of the Demetriou/McLachlan/FitzPatrick cartel be allowed to throw money and effort at a known Australian sports vortex? GWS, at least have the population they keep telling us, and the NRL seemingly reject their core people for Bondi and and inner West (the AFL don't need a 2nd invite to invade after stuffing up Canberra) Rev Sheedy is there, and the Swans poor start tells us if you get it right, NSWmen will buy in. But we all know the GC sports history, does throwing money and rigging the league fix this and make it viable in 20-30 years? Will the GC residents personality change that much? Should they hand the license to the Southport Sharks? A club with roots and hub that locals can then attach themselves to. Are the excesses of AFL handouts one of the reason locals reject them? Despite everyone loving a winner, would the area respect the club more for having to just plain tough it out?
I feel the footy media can act like the rabid dogs of their political brethren when a coach is on the rack. And they love to tell us how their questions and subsequent writings represent the footy fan. But if they were true to that ideal, they would be door stopping the CEO and Chairman at every turn on what I can only assume to this point as been the AFLs biggest financial mistake in its history since............. Last time it was there.
Well, Hawthorn entered in 1925, and played their first finals game in 1957. So, 32 years? Or do you think letting Hawthorn stay was a mistake?
 
Get *what* together, specifically? The Suns' attendance numbers for a new, really poor onfield team in a supposed "Australian sports vortex" are good. Where is the evidence supporting the claim that "locals reject them"? Their best performing season to date, in which they managed a modest 10-12 win-loss record, drew a 16k average to home games.

Maybe the reason the Gold Coast hasn't worked out too well for pro sport teams in the past is because no league/owner has had the resources or patience to dig in and build something over generations.
 

NoobPie

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Sep 21, 2016
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Yeah but did the league pay for them every step of the way? Very doubt full.

There wasn't $750m in centralised revenues back then....nor equalisation policies

As others have pointed out some of the weaker Melbourne clubs get several million in extra distributions now
 

jatz14

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Yeah but did the league pay for them every step of the way? Very doubt full.
No, but the league didn't have minimum salary caps and other arrangements forcing clubs to spend a minimum amount of money that is actually very large.

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Aug 14, 2011
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How much money were they given by the league and what priorities, just so I can compare.

So !925 in one of the myriad of State based leagues from footy heartland & you need to know what?

Stick with the AFL & decimal currency & you'll hit less hurdles.
Take that wonder of the past 3 years Richmond FC - 28 years in the AFL without ever running out on GF day. Say no more, a club in rugby (both Union & League) heartland has been at it for how long ?

Didnt that Richmond mob happily take money out of Qld to pay its way during the past 30 years, took the money & ran back home ? Good on them too, the Melbourne market wasnt getting them anywhere at that time.
 

TigerKnights

Team Captain
Jul 20, 2007
310
285
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Get *what* together, specifically? The Suns' attendance numbers for a new, really poor onfield team in a supposed "Australian sports vortex" are good. Where is the evidence supporting the claim that "locals reject them"? Their best performing season to date, in which they managed a modest 10-12 win-loss record, drew a 16k average to home games.

Maybe the reason the Gold Coast hasn't worked out too well for pro sport teams in the past is because no league/owner has had the resources or patience to dig in and build something over generations.

I think the *what* is the ability to take advantage of the single biggest investment of a clubs entry into the league in history at not spend a decade pi55ing in the wind. On all the occasions I visit the GC, you are hard pressed to find anyone or thing spruiking their claims. Your other point I agree with bones with more or less.
 

Rabman

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Nov 22, 2016
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We’ve given st.kilda and north over 100 years, suns deserve a bit longer don’t you think. You’ve only got to look back to 2014 when they were getting up to 20k to games, if they get it right it will work.
 

Roaming Lou

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Oct 9, 2019
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This bull with making wtf teams by the corporate and likely corrupt AFL/late VFL has been going on since the early 80s
And it has got to stop
 

Roaming Lou

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Be anti franchises too?
No, the fact that a crappy gimmicky Gold Coast team and a second team in Sydney are allowed to come before a Tasmanian team (which is an AFL stronghold) is beyond me. You seem to be from WA, also AFL, so whats wrong with tassie?.
 
Aug 14, 2011
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No, the fact that a crappy gimmicky Gold Coast team and a second team in Sydney are allowed to come before a Tasmanian team (which is an AFL stronghold) is beyond me. You seem to be from WA, also AFL, so whats wrong with tassie?.

Strong supporter of Tas, Vic footy long dudded them ... anti more teams, reckon the player pool is too weak, the bottom 100 players arent up to it year on year.

Only weak AFL management stopped the GC getting Norths licence.
 

Roaming Lou

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Strong supporter of Tas, Vic footy long dudded them ... anti more teams, reckon the player pool is too weak, the bottom 100 players arent up to it year on year.

Only weak AFL management stopped the GC getting Norths licence.
Yea I find it annoying as a Victorian that we stopped expansion for many years but we are talking about today.
I am for expansion but under real priorities the AFL should fill their own states first and not the NRL's. I'm also of the opinion that no team should ever be sacrificed for expansion
 
GWS & GC were always long term plans to grow the game.

While i don't think the top league is the place to throw teams that are largely PR moves, now that they're there, the AFL is pretty much committed and killing them off would undo any benefit they've brought (and more..)

I also believe that adversity is what builds a clubs character, and creates the rusted on fans who really make a club a club (rather than a franchise) so that looking long term, in some ways GC is doing better than GWS (I'm not suggesting they wouldn't gladly swap positions, just that it's not all negative).

That said, there needs to be a time when they say enough, and given the long term nature of the investment, I'd say 30-50 years from when they first played is when you look at them again...ie. A LONG time from now.
 
Jul 30, 2012
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The demographics of SE Queensland are changing. It is one of the fastest growing areas of the country. Best to be there early than come later. Metricon is a great venue, short bus ride (free) from Broadbeach light rail stop.
They are a 20+ year project and that will not change.
 
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