How would a Northern Territory team go in the AFL?

[Power Raid]

There are many who say that about South Australia. A few months ago, the LNP opposition up here in Qld launched a blistering attack on the Labor govt because Qld's economy had slipped behind Tasmania to 5th. SA was 6th. Made me laugh.

Footy is a game. Your direct quote is "I don't get the love affair with Tasmania getting a footy side". Surely, of all people, a Port supporter would understand the passion that can come from involvement in this sport, and the pride in your own mob's achievements. That right there is the reason for the "love affair"...

Or you can wear a suit and count beans. GWS will always outperform every other market in every statistical and demographic area known to accountancy, but noone will ever admit to a love affair with the place in terms of Australian footy. And in any case, for Tassie, the AFL's position is no longer one of "they can't afford it" - it's "next cab off the rank", which was a direct response to the immensely professional proposal the govt lodged with the AFL in response to the AFL's badmouthing of the place. Noone said anything about financial goldmines, but according to internationally respected economists, Tasmania can handle the job. Even Bangladesh has a number of international sporting leagues - it's not that hard to find bucks for professional sport...

So wear the suit and conduct your dodgy Current Affair style, "one example will conclusively prove my all-encompassing stance" research (while you're at it, compile a list of rich hairdressers...shouldn't take long), and be happy with the perfect economic balance the AFL strives for...we are a capitalist country, after all.

GSP per capita has Tasmania dead last at circa half of that of WA, 20% less than SA and 60% below the national average. The unemployment rate is probably 5th but the AFL would be looking at the size of the economy which is number of people x the income.

I agree footy is about passion and pride but we are not talking about bringing footy to Tassie..........its already got footy. We are talking about bringing AFL to Tassie which means suits and beans.

You'd think 500,000 is the population base required to warrant a new side. This isn't just about a % of those becoming members or attending games but the advertising market and foxtel potential.

Based on simple bean counting and a glance around the nation perhaps Tassie may well be next cab off the rank and could aim for a similar model as Geelong. The population is there but the economics may require patience. It will also require two new teams to avoid the bye or a relocation of a Vic side which seems unlikely. I'd suggest the ACT will be the other side.



http://www.newsmediaworks.com.au/fever-pitch/

AFL has biggest fan base. Some 6.3 million Australians aged 14+ support an AFL club, or 35 percent of the population. Women make up 41 percent of these supporters.

The Sydney Swans – still South Melbourne for Victorian diehards with long memories – has the biggest fan base with 1.1m supporters, of whom a third live outside NSW.

Hawthorn has a greater percentage of out-of-state fans, its 48 percent figure boosted by marketing activities in Tasmania.

The highest percentage of out-of-state fans (48%) belongs to silvertails, Carlton.

Victoria, the home of AFL, is the epicentre of the sport with 2.5m (37%) followers.

Working-class Collingwood – the mighty Magpies – has the most supporters (740,000) of all Victoria-based clubs, followed by Geelong (693,000). The average supporter base is 420,000 fans.

 

[JPetro83]

The lifestyle up there doesn't suit young blokes if they are from southern states. im up there for work a few times a year and theres not much to do, climate sucks, night life sucks.. it wouldn't work.

 

[JPetro83]

the suns and GC should never have came in.. 16 teams was enough. should have stayed at 16 teams and 1 or two teams from VIC should have relocated.

 

[underthestars]

Yet on growth trajectories Darwin will be able to do so before Hobart. It won't be for a very, very long time though. Maybe 50 years at a minimum.

NT is currently the slowest growing state or territory in Australia. By some way. The muppets running the place right now will see that decline continue, just as the last muppets couldn't stop it.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

NT is currently the slowest growing state or territory in Australia. By some way. The muppets running the place right now will see that decline continue, just as the last muppets couldn't stop it.

Interesting, though that is a temporary blip when looked at over the last decade or more.

 

[AliceCat]

NT is currently the slowest growing state or territory in Australia. By some way. The muppets running the place right now will see that decline continue, just as the last muppets couldn't stop it.

The low growth rate for this year is largely the result of the Impex plant finishing up its construction phase with thousands of workers returning south.

Over the long term the Territory is growing at a rate well the national average - this is forecast to continue.

Another interesting thing to note is that the NT's total GDP will likely pass Tasmania's this year. As much as i would love to see a Tassie team in the AFL it does put things into perspective.

 

[AliceCat]

There's only 300,000 people in the entire bloody territory, and most of them are rugby folks. Tassie would be a better option.
Plus there's the weather thing people have already mentioned, and of course you'd have to keep the players well away from Mitchell St, or half of them would end up on the injury list or in the lockup.

Expected headlines:
"Darwin AFL player in hospital after being stung by Jellyfish: not expected to play for weeks"
"Club imposes sanctions on Darwin AFL player - missed training to go fishing"
"Five players from Darwin AFL club request trades back to Melbourne: "too hot, too wet, and too many things that might kill you. Including the locals" they say.


Some damn good local players though.
Might be a bit hit and miss trying to fit them into an AFL system.

Darwin is AFL mad. Are you really in Darwin? Or living in a FIFO camp?

Also our population isn't 300k quite yet..its around 250k.

 

[royboys4eva]

This.
There isn't enough money in the world that would convince anyone to move up to that shithole. Would be a disaster right of the bat.

I beg your pardon. Darwin is far from a shit hole. In fact from the months of May to September their is no better climate in Australia. In these months the population doubles. AFL football is huge in the NT. I agree you would have trouble recruiting players and it's impossible to see it happening but how about keeping your ill informed comments to yourself.

 

[Power Raid]

The lifestyle up there doesn't suit young blokes if they are from southern states. im up there for work a few times a year and theres not much to do, climate sucks, night life sucks.. it wouldn't work.

reverse engineer then

Training facilities in Melbourne and only fly up every second week for the game.

 

[Gibbke]

Ahemmm!
I've considered this proposition carefully, and given you every possible benefit of the doubt. I have to conclude you're badly mistaken though.

Doesn't mean other other places don't deserve a team, but a little respect for our supporters would be good.

It's an emotive issue. And would you believe GWS is my second team...?

 

[seanoff]

There's only 300,000 people in the entire bloody territory, and most of them are rugby folks. Tassie would be a better option.
Plus there's the weather thing people have already mentioned, and of course you'd have to keep the players well away from Mitchell St, or half of them would end up on the injury list or in the lockup.

Expected headlines:
"Darwin AFL player in hospital after being stung by Jellyfish: not expected to play for weeks"
"Club imposes sanctions on Darwin AFL player - missed training to go fishing"
"Five players from Darwin AFL club request trades back to Melbourne: "too hot, too wet, and too many things that might kill you. Including the locals" they say.

Some damn good local players though.
Might be a bit hit and miss trying to fit them into an AFL system.

The entire first sentence is totally incorrect. Amazing. The AFLNT is so much bigger than everything other than fishing its not even a contest.

If anyone is stupid enough to go into the ocean during jellyfish season, they probably aren't capable of walking and breathing simultaneously. You cant go fishing in Perth/Melbourne/Adelaide/Sydney/Brisbane?


Darwin is too small. Nothing else really matters. There wont be an AFL team here in my lifetime and its unlikely there will be an AFL team here in my 14 yo daughters lifetime. But some of this other stuff is flat out lies.

 

[Proud SJW]

They're also really sensitive up there. Must be the humidity.

I was going to mention the incredibly high cost of living, and that there are only three stories in the local newspapers - crocodile something something, local politician is corrupt, or local guy does something stupid while drunk.

But I think maybe I better not.
I'd be found guilty of disloyalty by a jury of sweaty drunks and sentenced to ten weekends at Throb in leather pants.

 

[Bokonon_]

It's an emotive issue. And would you believe GWS is my second team...?

I accept your argument aboit Tasmania, and with reservations aboit the climate, the NT at some point as well.
I think the point people miss is the AFL isn't a business, it's a sport. It has to conduct itself somewhat in a businesslike manner to ensure viability, but that's not the same thing.
Not enfranchising Tasmania is a disgrace in my view. Yes there is a relatively small population base, but a team would be viable with the AFL distribution and if some subsidising is necessary so be it. As long as it can be sustainably financed, and clearly it could.

It isn't right to say no one cares about GWS we care very deeply. Yes the support numbers are low but we're new and developing. Saturdays crowd of 8.5k is a gòod measure of our core support with GC having little interstate support right now, as we so. That's not acceptable long term but for now criticising is a bit like having a go at a child for not being fully grown. It will take time.

 

[raskolnikov]

The NT with its current population will never have a team in the top tier of any major Australian sport.

They might go alright in the NRL. Darwin has a bigger population than Townsville which has a very successful NRL team.

 

[raskolnikov]

what is this stuff i'm hearing in here about rugby league in the NT being a thing? if it so, it's all news to me, tbh

i always thought NT was Aussie Rules country that has been embraced by the indigenous community with the low population being the one thing that holds it back from being a "heartland" Aussie Rules territory

I lived in Katherine for two years. The indigenous people follow AFL. For other people support for the two codes is pretty much split depending on where you are from as most people who live there are transients.

 

[Professor Knowall]

They might go alright in the NRL. Darwin has a bigger population than Townsville which has a very successful NRL team.

Incorrect. Townsville has a population of over 185,000 compared to Darwin's 143,000 and has a much larger population still in surrounding areas. Also, Townsville is an NRL stronghold whereas AF is #1 in Darwin/NT.

 

[raskolnikov]

Incorrect. Townsville has a population of over 185,000 compared to Darwin's 143,000 and has a much larger population still in surrounding areas. Also, Townsville is an NRL stronghold whereas AF is #1 in Darwin/NT.

Well there you go. I always thought Darwin was bigger. Certainly seems bigger.

Anyway if a professional team was put in Darwin I reckon a lot of people would go regardless of the code.

 

[Established1870]

You cant go fishing in Perth/Melbourne/Adelaide/Sydney/Brisbane?

I personally wouldn't eat what comes out of our water.

 

[Hobbes]

I'd love to watch an NT team play. I expect they would be ridiculously quick and skilled but lag a bit behind on height. It's a shame it's almost certainly not economically viable.

 

[Paratus78]

I beg your pardon. Darwin is far from a shit hole. In fact from the months of May to September their is no better climate in Australia. In these months the population doubles. AFL football is huge in the NT. I agree you would have trouble recruiting players and it's impossible to see it happening but how about keeping your ill informed comments to yourself.

Darwin may not be the ass end of the world but you can certainly see it from there...

 

[Gibbke]

I accept your argument aboit Tasmania, and with reservations aboit the climate, the NT at some point as well.
I think the point people miss is the AFL isn't a business, it's a sport. It has to conduct itself somewhat in a businesslike manner to ensure viability, but that's not the same thing.
Not enfranchising Tasmania is a disgrace in my view. Yes there is a relatively small population base, but a team would be viable with the AFL distribution and if some subsidising is necessary so be it. As long as it can be sustainably financed, and clearly it could.

It isn't right to say no one cares about GWS we care very deeply. Yes the support numbers are low but we're new and developing. Saturdays crowd of 8.5k is a gòod measure of our core support with GC having little interstate support right now, as we so. That's not acceptable long term but for now criticising is a bit like having a go at a child for not being fully grown. It will take time.

The way GWS has gone about building their team and club is the reason I like them. They are footy's equivalent of setting up a base on Mars. Concessions yes, but equity and equality aren't the same thing, and in any case it's because of GWS that the tv rights are worth $2.1b, so they aren't exactly freeloading. I'm being flippant when I say "noone cares", so I'll backpedal on that one! Sheer weight of numbers says that someone will turn up to a Giants game in Sydney, and the example was used by way of comparison with Tassie - 13 times the population, and only half the crowd that would have turned up to a Tasmania v Gold Coast match last weekend. So that 8000 is the hardcore fan base, and they aren't going away any time soon. Long term Hawk supporters like myself are well aware of the phenomenon of the bandwagon supporter, so if the Giants can snatch a flag or two, they might experience the type of boom the Lions enjoyed about 15 years ago...

The galling thing is that it could be us. While every mainlander and his dog falls over himself either spruiking the benefits or fearing the consequences of assistance to GWS, attributing future success to factors that are untested at best and total bollocks at worst, they are only too willing to do the same wayward extrapolations in bagging Tasmania. Anyway, rant over...this thread is about NT, after all...

 

[Bokonon_]

The way GWS has gone about building their team and club is the reason I like them. They are footy's equivalent of setting up a base on Mars. Concessions yes, but equity and equality aren't the same thing, and in any case it's because of GWS that the tv rights are worth $2.1b, so they aren't exactly freeloading. I'm being flippant when I say "noone cares", so I'll backpedal on that one! Sheer weight of numbers says that someone will turn up to a Giants game in Sydney, and the example was used by way of comparison with Tassie - 13 times the population, and only half the crowd that would have turned up to a Tasmania v Gold Coast match last weekend. So that 8000 is the hardcore fan base, and they aren't going away any time soon. Long term Hawk supporters like myself are well aware of the phenomenon of the bandwagon supporter, so if the Giants can snatch a flag or two, they might experience the type of boom the Lions enjoyed about 15 years ago...

The galling thing is that it could be us. While every mainlander and his dog falls over himself either spruiking the benefits or fearing the consequences of assistance to GWS, attributing future success to factors that are untested at best and total bollocks at worst, they are only too willing to do the same wayward extrapolations in bagging Tasmania. Anyway, rant over...this thread is about NT, after all...

Just hope there's not too much resentment down there, I'm coming for the game and have a suspicion we might be outnumbered.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

They're also really sensitive up there. Must be the humidity.

I was going to mention the incredibly high cost of living, and that there are only three stories in the local newspapers - crocodile something something, local politician is corrupt, or local guy does something stupid while drunk.

But I think maybe I better not.
I'd be found guilty of disloyalty by a jury of sweaty drunks and sentenced to ten weekends at Throb in leather pants.

I fail to see your point

(No, really, that headline never gets old.)

 

[True Blue Saint]

A team from the NT would go exceptionally if they could coax Aussie Wonaeamirri into playing for them. I would watch them every week

 

[Proud SJW]

(No, really, that headline never gets old.)

Haha - was that four years ago? Jeez.

Best thing to do is just google "NT news front page" and go to images.
Everything will become clear.

(BTW - for "Eyeful Tower" I was in the building directly opposite on Knuckey St... not much work was done that day.)