Opinion Jeff Kennett News, Media etc.

Pessimistic

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30k Posts 10k Posts HBF's Milk Crate - 70k Posts TheBrownDog
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Our crowds are dwindling because we continue to get the same old bottom of the table crap sides in Launceston, but we continue to still get better crowds than North down here.

I suspect, and I have no evidence other than less traffic on the road to and from games, that Hobart based supporters no longer want to drive up and back (6 hours minimum in the car) to watch the same bottom teams each year. I know, I know, we are also going to watch the mighty Hawks, but playing some teams that are half decent would give us all some extra incentive.

Hobart also has the majority of Tasmania's population so that puts North in an advantage position to start, as less people need to travel to Hobart.

On the North crowds, not sure you are correct here.

29 July 18 - North v West Coast (eventual Premiers) - Crowd 11,176
19 May 18 - North v GWS Giants (2018 Finalists) - Crowd 7,194 (Down 1,500 on previous year)
14 April 18 - North v Carlton (Big following down here) - Crowd 14,266
Total - 32,636

29 July 17 - North v Melbourne - Crowd 13,939
6 May 17 - North v Adelaide (GF participant) - Crowd 10,064
8 April 17 - North v GWS Giants - Crowd 8,758
Total - 32,761

North have also had Richmond twice (2015/16) who probably have one of the biggest followings down here with Crowds of 17,544 (Record AFL attendance at the venue) and 17,844.

In 2017, Hawks had;

A struggling St Kilda and attracted 15,571 on April 29.
A struggling Brisbane 10,553
GWS Giants - 12,156 (Could have been a few more as we were in Fiji!) Comfortably more than North attracted to this same game.
North Melbourne - 14,509

It will be interesting to see how many we get to the Carlton game next year. I suspect, like the North V Carlton game, Hawks supporters will be out-numbered by Blues fans!

You may not have intended to say it, but non Victorian teams are not necessarily ‘bottom of the table crap teams’. You highlighted eagles crows and giants.
Maybe the novelty has worn off. Would you say victorians travel less to tassie when Hawthorn games are on?
 
Feb 10, 2008
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You may not have intended to say it, but non Victorian teams are not necessarily ‘bottom of the table crap teams’. You highlighted eagles crows and giants.
Maybe the novelty has worn off. Would you say victorians travel less to tassie when Hawthorn games are on?

I have researched our games since 2011, and provided where the opponent finished the season on the ladder, and the crowd number for each year below;

2018 - St Kilda (16th: 15,741), Port Adelaide (10th: 13,007), Gold Coast (17th: 9,007), Brisbane (15th: 12,557): None of these teams made the 8.

2017 - St Kilda (11th: 15,571), Brisbane (18th: 10,553), GWS Giants (4th: 12,156), North (15th: 14,509): Giants and North reasonable drew reasonable crowds.

2016 - St Kilda (9th: 15,173), Fremantle (16th: 12,012), Gold Coast (15th: 10,121), Carlton (14th: 18,112): Again, Saints the highest finisher in 9th. 18,000 for 14th placed Carlton not bad! North got 14,000 to this fixture in 2018 in Hobart.

2015 - Bulldogs (6th: 15,559), Gold Coast (16th: 11,320), Fremantle (1st: 16,792), Brisbane (17th: 11,731). 16,700 is a great crowd for Freo but they were on top of the ladder or thereabouts. Look at the difference the next year when they weren't winning.

2014 - Brisbane (15th: 12,430), West Coast (9th: 15,504), Gold Coast (12th: 13,178), Bulldogs (14th: 14,187): Again no team that finished higher than 9th.

2013 - Fremantle (3rd: 12,619), GWS Giants (18th: 10,513), Brisbane (12th: 15,796), Bulldogs (15th: 14,022)

2012 - Sydney (Premiers: 19,217), Fremantle (7th: 12,959), North (8th: 16,143 on a bitter cold day!), Port (14th: 14,431)

2011 - West Coast (4th: 15,063), Gold Coast (Last, 17th: 16,377), Brisbane (15th: 14,604), North (9th: 16,820).

Trends?

Gold Coast games the crowds have dwindled for sure from 16k in 2011 when they first arrived in the AFL. There is no following for Gold Coast down here, so no neutrals will go unless they are competitive. Gold Coast this year is the only crowd below 10,000, and with them travelling so bad and no Tassie supporters this won't improve.

Traditional VFL Teams such as Saints, Dogs, North and Blues - These teams have a decent following in Tasmania as we all grew up barracking for a 'VFL' side, so numbers have remained consistent. The crowds for these games remain reasonable around the 15-17k mark. Sure, it would be nice to get 18-22k to these games, but unless the game is expected to be a reasonable contest neutrals won't bother.

"Interstate" teams such as West Coast, Fremantle, Sydney - It seems that if the interstate team is going well, this will attract a better crowd. See Sydney in 2012 and Freo in 2015. These crowds seem to have dipped since North started playing in Hobart, so perhaps their supporters aren't travelling to Launceston, but waiting for Hobart games?

It is hard to say if the Victorian support has dropped or not, but unless we get games that are more appealing to neutrals, then we can expect these sort of crowds to continue.

With the arrival of North, the novelty wearing off for neutral supporters, and a continual fixture that looks rather boring on paper will see our crowds continue to be around the 10-12k mark.

In 2019 we have Carlton, Port, Fremantle, Brisbane. Carlton, I expect will attract a good crowd, hopefully up around the 18k mark like 2016. Port & Freo will depend how they are going but I won't be expecting more than 12-13k, and Brisbane if they show some improvement could attract anything up to around 15k.

North's Tassie games are Sydney (good following in Tas), GWS (going well), St Kilda (Huge following in Tas/Hobart), Melbourne (going well, and good support in Tas).

So, even though our contract states we must have 2 'Victorian' sides play us in Launceston, we continue to get given Brisbane as the second one because of the Fitzroy ties,yet North are given St Kilda, Melbourne plus Sydney (South Melb ties). Jeff is spot on with his assessment. North's Tasmanian games have looked far more attractive on paper than Hawthorns since their arrival down here.
 
Feb 10, 2008
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PS - Speaking from a personal point of view, apart from being able to watch the Hawks play without forking out lots of $ to get to Melbourne, none of the games fixtured for Launceston have any appeal to me whatsoever.

I will go to them all though, so long as my daughters Netball allows me!

I have already booked flights and accommodation for Easter Monday as I want at least one live game to look forward to for the year.
 
Feb 10, 2008
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I'm heading to Tassie for the Port Adelaide game, think that's the pick of the fixtures and might have a bit of spice due to the Wingard and Burton trade.
I think Fremantle could be the pick of them, so long as Fyfe plays. I fear with Port's losses this year they may drop off, although there should be a bit of niggle given the Wingard move.

They are the two I hold hope for. The other two, well who knows!
 
Jun 28, 2013
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I have researched our games since 2011, and provided where the opponent finished the season on the ladder, and the crowd number for each year below;

2018 - St Kilda (16th: 15,741), Port Adelaide (10th: 13,007), Gold Coast (17th: 9,007), Brisbane (15th: 12,557): None of these teams made the 8.

2017 - St Kilda (11th: 15,571), Brisbane (18th: 10,553), GWS Giants (4th: 12,156), North (15th: 14,509): Giants and North reasonable drew reasonable crowds.

2016 - St Kilda (9th: 15,173), Fremantle (16th: 12,012), Gold Coast (15th: 10,121), Carlton (14th: 18,112): Again, Saints the highest finisher in 9th. 18,000 for 14th placed Carlton not bad! North got 14,000 to this fixture in 2018 in Hobart.

2015 - Bulldogs (6th: 15,559), Gold Coast (16th: 11,320), Fremantle (1st: 16,792), Brisbane (17th: 11,731). 16,700 is a great crowd for Freo but they were on top of the ladder or thereabouts. Look at the difference the next year when they weren't winning.

2014 - Brisbane (15th: 12,430), West Coast (9th: 15,504), Gold Coast (12th: 13,178), Bulldogs (14th: 14,187): Again no team that finished higher than 9th.

2013 - Fremantle (3rd: 12,619), GWS Giants (18th: 10,513), Brisbane (12th: 15,796), Bulldogs (15th: 14,022)

2012 - Sydney (Premiers: 19,217), Fremantle (7th: 12,959), North (8th: 16,143 on a bitter cold day!), Port (14th: 14,431)

2011 - West Coast (4th: 15,063), Gold Coast (Last, 17th: 16,377), Brisbane (15th: 14,604), North (9th: 16,820).

Trends?

Gold Coast games the crowds have dwindled for sure from 16k in 2011 when they first arrived in the AFL. There is no following for Gold Coast down here, so no neutrals will go unless they are competitive. Gold Coast this year is the only crowd below 10,000, and with them travelling so bad and no Tassie supporters this won't improve.

Traditional VFL Teams such as Saints, Dogs, North and Blues - These teams have a decent following in Tasmania as we all grew up barracking for a 'VFL' side, so numbers have remained consistent. The crowds for these games remain reasonable around the 15-17k mark. Sure, it would be nice to get 18-22k to these games, but unless the game is expected to be a reasonable contest neutrals won't bother.

"Interstate" teams such as West Coast, Fremantle, Sydney - It seems that if the interstate team is going well, this will attract a better crowd. See Sydney in 2012 and Freo in 2015. These crowds seem to have dipped since North started playing in Hobart, so perhaps their supporters aren't travelling to Launceston, but waiting for Hobart games?

It is hard to say if the Victorian support has dropped or not, but unless we get games that are more appealing to neutrals, then we can expect these sort of crowds to continue.

With the arrival of North, the novelty wearing off for neutral supporters, and a continual fixture that looks rather boring on paper will see our crowds continue to be around the 10-12k mark.

In 2019 we have Carlton, Port, Fremantle, Brisbane. Carlton, I expect will attract a good crowd, hopefully up around the 18k mark like 2016. Port & Freo will depend how they are going but I won't be expecting more than 12-13k, and Brisbane if they show some improvement could attract anything up to around 15k.

North's Tassie games are Sydney (good following in Tas), GWS (going well), St Kilda (Huge following in Tas/Hobart), Melbourne (going well, and good support in Tas).

So, even though our contract states we must have 2 'Victorian' sides play us in Launceston, we continue to get given Brisbane as the second one because of the Fitzroy ties,yet North are given St Kilda, Melbourne plus Sydney (South Melb ties). Jeff is spot on with his assessment. North's Tasmanian games have looked far more attractive on paper than Hawthorns since their arrival down here.
:thumbsu:
 
I don't really care who we play down there as long as we win our 3-4 games per year in Launny that's all that counts and i'll be happy.:):)
 
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I think Fremantle could be the pick of them, so long as Fyfe plays. I fear with Port's losses this year they may drop off, although there should be a bit of niggle given the Wingard move.

They are the two I hold hope for. The other two, well who knows!

Fremantle do have a knack of refusing to turn up to Launceston even when they're a good side though, 2012, 2013 & 2015 they received substantial losses I'm pretty sure. But that's in the past and who knows what 2019 will bring.
 
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VW group (of which Audi is part) decided it was a good idea to cheat on diesel emissions tests by setting up defeat devices in their vehicle computers that detected when the car was on a rolling road and changed their settings so they emitted less harmful gases. When not on a rolling road, they went back into their normal mode which was emitting more harmful gases.

They also as part of a marketing exercise thought it was a good idea to setup gas chambers to test diesel emissions on monkeys and Mexican uni students. A company started by Hitler had upper management that signed off on a plan to build gas chambers...

So as part of this, the VW group were fined heavily and suffered a drop in sales across the globe. So, does anyone think that perhaps that's why our sponsorship was cancelled? As part of a cost cutting effort to pay for all the fines and losses associated with the aforementioned immoral behaviour?

Sent from my RNE-L02 using Tapatalk
 
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Y
Fremantle do have a knack of refusing to turn up to Launceston even when they're a good side though, 2012, 2013 & 2015 they received substantial losses I'm pretty sure. But that's in the past and who knows what 2019 will bring.
Yeah, Round 15 in 2015 was a good example of that. Freo finished on top of the ladder that year...
From memory they left a fair few starting 22 players at home that day.

upload_2018-11-21_9-10-4.png
 
VW group (of which Audi is part) decided it was a good idea to cheat on diesel emissions tests by setting up defeat devices in their vehicle computers that detected when the car was on a rolling road and changed their settings so they emitted less harmful gases. When not on a rolling road, they went back into their normal mode which was emitting more harmful gases.

They also as part of a marketing exercise thought it was a good idea to setup gas chambers to test diesel emissions on monkeys and Mexican uni students. A company started by Hitler had upper management that signed off on a plan to build gas chambers...

So as part of this, the VW group were fined heavily and suffered a drop in sales across the globe. So, does anyone think that perhaps that's why our sponsorship was cancelled? As part of a cost cutting effort to pay for all the fines and losses associated with the aforementioned immoral behaviour?

Sent from my RNE-L02 using Tapatalk
Have I missed something? Audi cancelled our sponsorship? News to me
 
Thanks Ned.

Any intel who could replace them?

No announcements as yet. Dare say the club is making plans though - too many commercially connected people at the club now to not have some irons in the fire.
 

Pessimistic

Cancelled
30k Posts 10k Posts HBF's Milk Crate - 70k Posts TheBrownDog
Sep 13, 2000
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VW group (of which Audi is part) decided it was a good idea to cheat on diesel emissions tests by setting up defeat devices in their vehicle computers that detected when the car was on a rolling road and changed their settings so they emitted less harmful gases. When not on a rolling road, they went back into their normal mode which was emitting more harmful gases.

They also as part of a marketing exercise thought it was a good idea to setup gas chambers to test diesel emissions on monkeys and Mexican uni students. A company started by Hitler had upper management that signed off on a plan to build gas chambers...

So as part of this, the VW group were fined heavily and suffered a drop in sales across the globe. So, does anyone think that perhaps that's why our sponsorship was cancelled? As part of a cost cutting effort to pay for all the fines and losses associated with the aforementioned immoral behaviour?

Sent from my RNE-L02 using Tapatalk

Boring as batshit cars anyway. Swapping sponsors every few years is hardly a rare thing
 

Pessimistic

Cancelled
30k Posts 10k Posts HBF's Milk Crate - 70k Posts TheBrownDog
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Y

Yeah, Round 15 in 2015 was a good example of that. Freo finished on top of the ladder that year...
From memory they left a fair few starting 22 players at home that day.

View attachment 586766

And just going by finals performances, Freo got into the swing of coasting every second week
 

flinchfree

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VW group (of which Audi is part) decided it was a good idea to cheat on diesel emissions tests by setting up defeat devices in their vehicle computers that detected when the car was on a rolling road and changed their settings so they emitted less harmful gases. When not on a rolling road, they went back into their normal mode which was emitting more harmful gases.

They also as part of a marketing exercise thought it was a good idea to setup gas chambers to test diesel emissions on monkeys and Mexican uni students. A company started by Hitler had upper management that signed off on a plan to build gas chambers...

So as part of this, the VW group were fined heavily and suffered a drop in sales across the globe. So, does anyone think that perhaps that's why our sponsorship was cancelled? As part of a cost cutting effort to pay for all the fines and losses associated with the aforementioned immoral behaviour?

Sent from my RNE-L02 using Tapatalk

Fun narrative, but not really based on facts on the ground....

Audi right now involved in sports sponsorships as varied as Skiiing to Soccer to Golf to Sailing to Ice Hockey, and not minor players on those levels including clubs like Bayern and Real, the Alpine national teams from a dozen different countries. Just this past July Audi signed on for a 4 year deal to sponsor the MLS here in the States..
VW just took on all sponsorship for UEFA football from 2017 - no small chicken feed undertaking.

It's probably boring to many, but sponsorships happen to fall in my bag a little as my wife has put on the largest benefits insurance forum for the last 5 years held in different cities around the world. It's just a small part of her job, but it's a frickin insanely complex and nerve racking endeavour as it only happens by convincing the biggest Health Insurance firms around the world to kick in and sponsor it.
When one year's forum is over, my wife basically begins the process for the next year locking in what she can and following up with everyone else so that the event can be guaranteed 6 months out for everyone to plan travel around.

The reason for the long wind above, is that there's no way we undertook a 3 year deal, that we knew a fair way out wasn't renewing, and have trundled along unable to find a replacement without issues being part of the equation.
And if Audi just dropped it on us at the last second and we hadn't been talking with them with great seriousness at least 12 months out, then we were screwing the pooch.
And if, none of it has been problematic, it's extraordinary we haven't been able to line someone up who's excited by the partnership with a club of our success, unless....

You tell me.
You watch and listen to Jeff and you're a company of note.
Is that where you unquestionably want to hitch your ride?
Jeff, more help than hurt commercially? I don't know, but it's safe to say if you're at all like me he's acquired taste and better for a crisis than a cruise - ala Don Scott.

Bring it home boys, it's a slow season for topics to discuss so treat this more intellectually than as some affront to your home boy.
 

It’s on!!

Truth hurts, doesn’t it Cochrane? Maybe go back to the cars, champ - you’re not cut out for this AFL business.

Oh and Tony - as a Hawthorn fan, supporter and member - I completely agree with Jeff’s assessment of your joke of a club. The Suns are a waste of money, a blight on the game and should be relocated to Tasmania and rebranded accordingly. Professional sport on the Gold Coast is a dismal failure of an experiment and has been for 30 years. If Rugby Legaue can’t make it work there - what hope does the AFL have. Your club is a sinkhole of playing talent, finances and resources and quite simply does not deserve to exist in its current capacity. Now * off and fix your rotten culture.
 

tige19

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Jeff is out of step with the membership on his ultra passionate support for tassie.

I think you’d find a large majority would support the reduction to 3 games per year, or at least playing one of them as the away team

Less would want a permanent stop to tassie, although a large inducement, including guarantees about mcg games might be attractive too

I agree, I would prefer to leave altogether to be honest
 
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The credibility of this piece might be a bit questionable but if Jeffery Gibb took this proposal to our board its quite frankly laughable...

https://themongrelpunt.com/afl/2018...-the-tassie-kangaroos-where-next-for-tasmania

Hawthorn President Jeff Kennett has told the AFL, in the manner in which you would expect, that they should “put up or shut up” in regards to a Tasmanian team. To be fair to Kennett, it appears that he has “put up” the most for Tasmania, somewhat making up for his lack of “shut up”. Kennett has offered the most attractive proposal for Tasmania, as if he were to convince his board at Hawthorn, he would relocate the Hawks to Launceston and play five games per year (three in Hobart and two in Launceston) provided the AFL schedule them nine games at the MCG. Considering the AFL offered North Melbourne twelve games in Melbourne as part of their relocation offer, it’s hardly an unreasonable demand. While five games and a permanent training base is more significant than anything North Melbourne is prepared to stump up, the AFL can’t have the Tassie Hawks if the AFLW has the Tassie Kangaroos, surely? The arrangement is complicated enough as it is already.

It does beg the question though; why are the AFL so keen to push North Melbourne to Tasmania when Hawthorn are dying to stay there? Hawthorn have played games in Tasmania for the last eighteen consecutive seasons - surely they have dibs? Yet, only North Melbourne was offered a women’s team on the sole proviso that it was in conjunction with Tasmania. The only explanation is that the AFL understands the vulnerability of having nine clubs based in the one city, and that North Melbourne, along with St Kilda, are the most underperforming club off the field in Melbourne. Whereas, Hawthorn are already an off-field powerhouse in Melbourne.

Now you must call into judgement a president that is entertaining the 2nd largest football club in Victoria (in terms of off field strength, revenue and club membership) relocating the football club to the smallest state in Australia, where our crowds are in free fall and our club membership has stagnaunted (approx. 9000 out of a total membership of 80000 plus)

It wont be long until Tasmania is probably surpassed as a membership market by WA for Hawthorn club members

And a little tibbet about the 2010 compensation package for us to leave Tasmania...

The AFL have now placed themselves in an extremely tough spot. There will not be a new Tasmanian side enter an expanded 19-team competition before the new broadcast deal in 2023, despite the hopes of a disenchanted state. So, where does that leave them if North Melbourne are reluctant to go beyond four games? That completely rules out any form of relocation. Does the AFL then proceed with their plans of only one club playing games in Tasmania and once again offer Hawthorn, who have occupied Tassie since 2001, $8 million to abandon the state? An offer in which outspoken President Jeff Kennett said he would take “over his dead body”. If North becomes the “single team representing Tasmania”, the Tassie fans will see just four games per year, down from the eight they will see in 2019. That’s hardly a good outcome for anyone.

We had 12 home and away games at the MCG in 2010 for what its worth...

$8m cash (two years of the agreement as a lump sum), a clean jumper (major sponsorship plus naming rights) and an MCG agreement is what I understand we walked away from almost a decade ago...

Back then about 8,000 of 60,000 or so members were Tasmanian.
 

flinchfree

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The credibility of this piece might be a bit questionable but if Jeffery Gibb took this proposal to our board its quite frankly laughable...

https://themongrelpunt.com/afl/2018...-the-tassie-kangaroos-where-next-for-tasmania



Now you must call into judgement a president that is entertaining the 2nd largest football club in Victoria (in terms of off field strength, revenue and club membership) relocating the football club to the smallest state in Australia, where our crowds are in free fall and our club membership has stagnaunted (approx. 9000 out of a total membership of 80000 plus)

It wont be long until Tasmania is probably surpassed as a membership market by WA for Hawthorn club members

And a little tibbet about the 2010 compensation package for us to leave Tasmania...



We had 12 home and away games at the MCG in 2010 for what its worth...

$8m cash (two years of the agreement as a lump sum), a clean jumper (major sponsorship plus naming rights) and an MCG agreement is what I understand we walked away from almost a decade ago...

Back then about 8,000 of 60,000 or so members were Tasmanian.


Wow.
Please tell me this is not the reason for the lack of clarity regarding progress at Dingley and the seeming delayed start to breaking ground there to create our permanent future home training base....
 
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