No AFL team for Tasmania, league boss Gillon McLachlan announces

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Apr 12, 2012
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They'll turn out in greater numbers. This IS a footy state after all.
Hope your right. But it's not guaranteed. Not everyone in Tassie is going to ditch their old club for a new one. Other new clubs have shown this.

Just think the pot shots at other clubs is unnecessary considering getting a club doesn't hinge on another being killed off.
 

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Mar 17, 2009
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Hope your right. But it's not guaranteed. Not everyone in Tassie is going to ditch their old club for a new one. Other new clubs have shown this.

Just think the pot shots at other clubs is unnecessary considering getting a club doesn't hinge on another being killed off.

I beg to differ. I think in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane & Sydney that's just what many did. Ditch the old VFL teams for their own new local AFL clubs.

I certainly haven't said to kill other clubs off. That originally came from people trying to get rid of other peoples clubs in Melbourne or to reduce the overall size of the league. Demoting them to the VFL could have been an option if the AFL were concerned re the economics of the competition. That only ever seemed to be applied to Tasmania. Still it seems that Melbourne is an over serviced market. That wont change. Some clubs will always struggle to get the support of the bigger clubs.

Comments re GC are just a fact of the history of sports clubs. People seem to live on the GC for reasons other than going to sports events. They seem to have been the death of so many failed franchise attempts. NRL, AFL, NBL, A-League. You cant ignore that stark reality. Sure just throw money at it.
 
Mar 21, 2008
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Tasmania would be the equivalent of the Eagles and Crows from the perspective of local loyalty, maybe a degree less. They would be seen as a flagship state team like those sides were when they entered. The effect might be diminished because a) Tasmanians have followed the old VFL more strongly than their counterparts in WA and SA, and b) footy has taken a massive hit in the last couple of decades down there. WC and Adelaide command 50k on good days in their 50k stadiums, Tasmania would get their 20k on good days in their fully government funded 20k stadiums (you'd think they'd equalise Hobart's capacity through whatever means if a bid was successful) at either end of the state...

And GC - the throwing of money at them is not an act of stupidity. It is the way the AFL will keep the deal up and running. The execs aren't looking at Qld's or GC's figures wholly and solely - they want to dominate the entire eastern seaboard which contains 75% of Australia's population. If GC suck for an extended period, it means little if Brisbane or GWS or Sydney, alongside guaranteed Victorian audiences, can bring the viewers in and keep the profile up and running in all three states, but it does ensure nine games a week as per the deal. Adding this gave them an extra billion - this surely has to be the most significant number in Australian football...! All the fta stations need to do is keep the rugby states stable on a Saturday night, which is where the bulk of the NSW/Qld matches end up. They might struggle up north to beat a really good Channel 9/10 movie or the Bledisloe Cup, but they will hold their own v Foxtel's NRL coverage...
 
Mar 17, 2009
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Tasmania would be the equivalent of the Eagles and Crows from the perspective of local loyalty, maybe a degree less. They would be seen as a flagship state team like those sides were when they entered. The effect might be diminished because a) Tasmanians have followed the old VFL more strongly than their counterparts in WA and SA, and b) footy has taken a massive hit in the last couple of decades down there. WC and Adelaide command 50k on good days in their 50k stadiums, Tasmania would get their 20k on good days in their fully government funded 20k stadiums (you'd think they'd equalise Hobart's capacity through whatever means if a bid was successful) at either end of the state...

And GC - the throwing of money at them is not an act of stupidity. It is the way the AFL will keep the deal up and running. The execs aren't looking at Qld's or GC's figures wholly and solely - they want to dominate the entire eastern seaboard which contains 75% of Australia's population. If GC suck for an extended period, it means little if Brisbane or GWS or Sydney, alongside guaranteed Victorian audiences, can bring the viewers in and keep the profile up and running in all three states, but it does ensure nine games a week as per the deal. Adding this gave them an extra billion - this surely has to be the most significant number in Australian football...! All the fta stations need to do is keep the rugby states stable on a Saturday night, which is where the bulk of the NSW/Qld matches end up. They might struggle up north to beat a really good Channel 9/10 movie or the Bledisloe Cup, but they will hold their own v Foxtel's NRL coverage...

Next move is Cairns then?;)
 

BringBackTorps

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Jan 5, 2017
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Would a 19th Tas. team create an extra 11 H & A games pa (22 week H & A season, 198 - 209 games)? How much extra Broadcasting $ would this be worth?

Would there be a Final 9 or Final 10? Extra Finals? Additional Broadcasting $?

Would there be more H & A Thursday night games; or Sunday twilight, or Monday night games? (These time slots are all high rating Prime Time, so very valuable for advertisers & broadcasters).

When Hawthorn & NMFC cease playing their 8 games pa in Tas., where in NSW/ACT, Qld, NZ, USA, Canada or even India or China would games be taken from Melbourne?
A strong case can be made for taking more games to Cairns & Townsville; & start games in Newcastle & Wollongong(should suitable ovals be created).
(I assume Hawthorn will play all its home games in Melb. when it vacates Tas.- but it's likely NMFC, Footscray & MFC will always be interested in relocating games, for extra $).

GWS & the AFL are currently investigating playing a match in the USA. Also, GWS (with RFC, EFC & AFC) is investigating playing a match in India.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...ica-giants-seek-usa-game-20190624-p520up.html
("... a small group of Americans have become generous patrons of the Giants"- probably connected with the Orange County Giants AF team, near Los Angeles).

A 1987 post-season game, played in Vancouver Canada, had a 32,789 crowd. Games in Toronto & Japan have attracted crowds of c. 25,000. It has also been speculated recently a game could be played in India- which has c. 80,000,000+, english-speaking middle class & many cricket ovals).


The AFL has announced it is proposing to broadcasters to extend its current Broadcasting Rights contracts by an extra 2 years (at the same quantum pa) ie to finish 2024, not 2022. A short term extension of current Broadcast $ is a unique change for the AFL (ie not analagous to the former 1 year ABC deal).
Is this proposal predicated on the entry of a 19th Tas. team into the AFL in 2025- so the new Rights (& expected increase in Rights $) would commence simultaneously with the 19th Tas. team entry into the AFL? A coincidence?

( note comment "...within 6 years" ie 2025)

Would the VERY large no. of expat Tasmanians residing around Australia be encouraged to attend Tas. AFL games- outside of Tas. where they now live; or, on their occasional trips back to Tas.?
A Tas. 19th team is very unlikely to deliver, directly, much increased funds for the AFL (it is small & not a new AF market, it is heartland AF)- but, indirectly, could potentially be very valuable for the AFL; & help propagate the game in new areas.
 
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Mar 21, 2008
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Next move is Cairns then?;)
I could be selfish and say that would be nice...! I was hoping (apparently it was a discussion topic once) the Devils would join an expanded NEAFL with a Cairns team, and then I might see them once a year as well as have a "local" side (I'm in Mission Beach which is 140km away, and we refer to Cairns as "just up the road, be back in a bit"...!) to watch now and again...!

There are 7 teams in the league up here, and the local PE teacher is first ruckman in one of the better ones...let's just say the depth isn't great, and it's the oasis in a footy desert...Townsville is a minnow by comparison. This is Cowboys country...
 
May 30, 2006
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I beg to differ. I think in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane & Sydney that's just what many did. Ditch the old VFL teams for their own new local AFL clubs.
West Coast and the Crows were a different beat though, as people followed their local team much more closely than their VFL team. That hasn't been the case in Tasmania since the 70s. If a team was to eventuate, which still seems very unlikely, many people would swap over and many would not. Pretty much all young kids would go with the local team.
And as soon as it was announced all finals would be in Hobart, many in the north would drop back off again (or vice versa).
 

Aussie in exile

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Nov 21, 2013
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It seems Vlad has changed his tune about Tassie in the AFL. Comments in the local Muckery paper.

He really is a slag. He is now on some NBL advisory body, & now his boss Larry K who owns the NBL is negotiating a deal for a team & associated development opportunities, Vlad is now sucking up to his boss, pumping the Tassie tyres up when it suits him. What a gutless slag.

No one is interested in you now Vlad. Just STFU you fat goose.
[/QUOTE]
Obese Andy has less morals than a sewer rat when it comes to money.
 

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Mar 17, 2009
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West Coast and the Crows were a different beat though, as people followed their local team much more closely than their VFL team. That hasn't been the case in Tasmania since the 70s. If a team was to eventuate, which still seems very unlikely, many people would swap over and many would not. Pretty much all young kids would go with the local team.
And as soon as it was announced all finals would be in Hobart, many in the north would drop back off again (or vice versa).

I beg to differ. seeing the result in WA, SA, Sydney & Qld of people going to watch their new AFL clubs I don't see Tas as being any different.
 
Mar 4, 2009
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That's what, 30-40 years? Not sure they'll get that long.

Given the size of the market, they need 80%+ support pretty much straight away.
In Northern Tasmania about half of kids support Hawthorn who only play games here. This occurred in 15 years. Combined with the amount of people who would straight away support a Tasmanian side, people financially supporting a Tasmanian club even though they support another team with fill in the void well enough for the 20 years needed for 80-90% saturation.

It’s a bit weird when people talk about gross population numbers because they assume every random person is just as likely to support AFL as the next. This isn’t true. I’ve been to Melbourne and there’s no doubt that AFL support in Tasmania is significantly higher than in Melbourne, probably because of less immigration. 500k in Tasmania may be the equivalent of 1 million in the Melbourne context.

Unlike some, I am very optimistic about the prospects of a Tasmanian’s AFL side. The biggest problem is the financial durability of 2 grounds of ~25-30k. There’s only limited cricket matches that would also be played there. I’m not sure how they work around that scenario. Although Bass is like Geelong, so maybe the Feds will build it. Hobart will have no such luck.
 
Mar 4, 2009
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In terms of some sort of North/South thing, it’s totally exaggerated by people who have never been to Tasmanian. Some extremely minor ribbing contest has somehow been concocted into an issue. I think almost everyone would support Hobart being the base and a 6/5 split in games. Apart from maybe some on the North West, basically every Tasmanian has family and ancestors who live in the North and the South. It’s really a non issue. The ONLY issue is the viability of two grounds.

In the short-term, I think Launceston will pull better crowds as the North is more sports orientated, but in the long-term Hobart’s Population is growing much faster so this should swap around.
 
Mar 17, 2009
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For the first year or 2, maybe. But 2nd team support doesn't last if their 2nd team starts beating their first team. Or worse, if their 2nd team really sucks.

I just disagree that the team won't be the vast majorities first team.

Even so, people know how long it takes to develop a team. People like success, sure, but are just as interested as long as they perceive the players are having a dip.
 
Nov 8, 2000
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I just disagree that the team won't be the vast majorities first team.

I don't agree or disagree with that - I wouldn't know.

But I do think that for a Tassie team to have any chance of success, they need a huge majority of Tassie footy fans on their side. Quickly. None of this 2nd team bullshit because that won't last.
 
Aug 14, 2011
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Hope your right. But it's not guaranteed. Not everyone in Tassie is going to ditch their old club for a new one. Other new clubs have shown this.

Just think the pot shots at other clubs is unnecessary considering getting a club doesn't hinge on another being killed off.

it should, not because of any of the clubs specifically but because there are not enough AFL footballers for all the clubs to put a talented enough 22 out there every week - increasing players by 10% from whats left now wont do anything for the game IMHO.

More teams, no, a Tassie team yes !!
 
Apr 12, 2012
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it should, not because of any of the clubs specifically but because there are not enough AFL footballers for all the clubs to put a talented enough 22 out there every week - increasing players by 10% from whats left now wont do anything for the game IMHO.

More teams, no, a Tassie team yes !!
Cut the number of players on the list/on field and it'll be fine. Would also kill congestion.

Someone will always come last and be s**t.

No such thing as a Super league. Been tried in other sports and failed.
 
Aug 14, 2011
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Cut the number of players on the list/on field and it'll be fine. Would also kill congestion.

Someone will always come last and be s**t.

No such thing as a Super league. Been tried in other sports and failed.

Yep, but will the AFL do it, the charter specs 18. 16 on field, no wings great idea, worked in the VFA.

You miss my point going down the super league path, the AFL is the highest level of the game, there are limited places & the AFL pays well unlike all other levels that are part time.

We all know someone comes last & just 'having the cattle' is no recipe for success.
 

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