RussellEbertHandball
Flick pass expert
Wayne Jackson was right when 18 years ago he said footy is too much of a business to be run just as a sport, and is too much of a sport to be run just as a business.lol at the nuffies with no idea of Christine Holgate is (other than a fleeting reference to Cartier watches) commenting on her business management abilities. She is a great CEO and would be great for the AFL. I am not sure if she will the best as I don't know about other candidates. But she would be more than suitable. At least she's got a spine, not like the current CEO.
The CEO of the AFL competition should be run by a CEO that has some experience in club land and have a board/commission of business heavyweights. But IMO the Commission should be split in 2 and have Custodial Commissioners who look after the game and Competition Commissioners who look after the AFL 18 team competition.
A set up like the Euro soccer model where the Football Association look after the game at all levels and national teams, and a company is set up to run the biggest national league and other companies are set up to run the 2nd and 3rd biggest leagues, with shares being allocated and removed as relegation happens.
There is no oversight of the AFL and it rides roughshod over the clubs, especially if a club does something the AFL doesn't like. The Boys Club book lays it all out. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely, and the AFL executive team have had absolute practical power since Demetriou got the Commission to hand over most of the power to the executive team in the early '00's.
If Holgate was prepared to be a CEO who was going to cause this restructure, then she probably could do the job given her background at Telstra, Blackmores and Auspost. But I doubt she has even thought about these issues.
If the AFL isn't going to reform, then I'd prefer an ex CEO of a club, Brian Cook or Brendon Gale to be CEO for a few years. They understand the clubs and what makes them tick better than any of the AFL executives or a business person, even one who has spent some time on a club board.
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