The important issue on the World Cup you guys don't seem to understand.

[McCrann]

Oh i love averages. They tell you half a story, and then you make up the rest.

Did u know, Qatar and Luxembourg are the 2 biggest countries in the world, using GDP per capita(a type of average). I know we all fear the power of Luxembourg creeping into our homes at night.

Or that the AFL Grand Final is bigger than the Superbowl(using average attendance again). Wow.

And that a guy named GA Lohmann was the greatest bowler in test cricket..ever. Stuff Wanre and Muralitharan taking 700 odd test wickets, this guy has the lowest average for his 100 wickets in 1890's.

Averages are flawed, unless you look at the real numbers instead, and how/why they are so high.

AFL is high on average attendances due to the fact it likes to play out of a small number of big stadiums, a 9 team city, relative cheap tickets, multiple days to attend a game and a relative low amount of games. Not because they are the 3rd biggest(or most popular in a country) league/sport in the world.

Total attendence is a better figure, but even then, it doesn't tell a full story, like how much the tickets are, size of arena, TV ratings etc etc.

So, you're basically saying there that other sports around the world - clearly including the sport you're pushing here - Soccer - would rather:

A) Overcharge people to attend their sport

B) By doing so, price out many members of society from being able to afford to see their own (perhaps local) team play at their home ground

C) Prefer to play out of small stadiums to ensure fans can't get to the game so they can jack up the prices for those who attend - please see A) & B)

So, basically spit in the faces of their own fans to chase the "almighty dollar."

While, in stark contrast to this, the AFL doesn't seek the dollar at every turn, has helped build the MCG into one of the World's largest grounds to allow many many people to come to the footy.

On top of that, the AFL charges very low prices to attend the football to maximise crowds at the ground and allow people to afford to go along to watch their local team?

And you're arguing we should shove an organisation that largely (and certainly comparatively) looks after the fan - for a corrupt internationl leech like FIFA that is always looking for new opportunities to squeeze more cash out of people's pockets?

Really, that's an attitude I certainly can't understand for a second. Where is your common decency to the man in the street?

 

[Kompany]

So, you're basically saying there that other sports around the world - clearly including the sport you're pushing here - Soccer - would rather:

A) Overcharge people to attend their sport

B) By doing so, price out many members of society from being able to afford to see their own (perhaps local) team play at their home ground

C) Prefer to play out of small stadiums to ensure fans can't get to the game so they can jack up the prices for those who attend - please see A) & B)

So, basically spit in the faces of their own fans to chase the "almighty dollar."

So you suggest Man Utd should build a stadium that holds 300,000 seats with 200,000 of the spectators needing binoculars to see any of the action?

Please have at least half a clue. Arsenal will be paying off its new stadium for years and clubs like Liverpool and Valencia simply can't afford a new one. That's not something your average AFL club needs to worry about, is it?

And don't pretend as if any AFL club is going to let me in free of charge if I can't afford a ticket

 

[mustapha]

So you suggest Man Utd should build a stadium that holds 300,000 seats with 200,000 of the spectators needing binoculars to see any of the action?

Please have at least half a clue. Arsenal will be paying off its new stadium for years and clubs like Liverpool and Valencia simply can't afford a new one. That's not something your average AFL club needs to worry about, is it?

And don't pretend as if any AFL club is going to let me in free of charge if I can't afford a ticket

Demetriou cares for the people who follow the game. That's why all members of teams in the grand final get a seat at the game. Screw the corporates. The AFL is about the community.

 

[Pessimistic]

IF the AFL decides to ruin the bid for the World Cup then the backlash from potential expansion areas will be enormous and expansion will be absolutely pointless. This then means the AFL will die as sport is becoming far and far more globalised Demitriou knows this.

All the money spent will be wasted and the code will be screwed. AFL is massive in Victoria but in the end of the day its till only popular in Hlf of a small country and is not compariable to 20-30 of the top sporting leagues in the world.

If the World Cup comes to Aus suck it up and do without Footy for a year.

The most likely scenario iis theres no world cup for Oz because the fat cats at fifa are happy to take hospitality but weill let you down at the 'point of satisfaction' so to speak

Then the FFA is left with a pissant little competition and has burnt all the other codes and stadiums it needs to give it a leg up.

 

[damochandler]

we are as likely too get the world cup. is as likely as ivan millat being releases from prison

 

[wikipediaAFLproject]

If the right (correct) story gets into the media, and the general public of Australia reads and understands it, then they will realise that the AFL has been very accomodating thus far, and that the FFA being very secretive, and manipulative.

At the moment the public views the FFA as having made all the right decisions. But this recent media exposed discussion between the AFL and FFA is a lot like politics.
When a politician tricks the public into thinking something is good for them, and its later found out to be wrong, the public get angry and have a major backlash against the lying politician.

The FFA is covering up and trying to make itself out to be the party making all the compromises, when in actual fact, it is the AFL who is making compromises with its season, its ground (contracted), and its future (mostly economical).

Also. If you were the FFA organising this event, would you give the AFL all the details on how it will be staged, and what will happen? Or would you want to keep as much as an advantage as possible over your main rival?

The FFA are giving the AFL as minimal info as possible so as to prevent the AFL from organising themselves in a proper and effective manner.

 

[wikipediaAFLproject]

we are as likely too get the world cup. is as likely as ivan millat being releases from prison

Big pros for a soccer world cup (against US, assuming england wins one):

- US is in same timezone as Mexico (WC2014)
- US rejected for Olympics
- FIFA seems to be going for fans rather than money (South Africa, Mexico).
- Asia is a huge market for any product
- Australia hosted best Olympics ever
- US hosted fifaWC before (1994?)

 

[mickctiger]

Also. If you were the FFA organising this event, would you give the AFL all the details on how it will be staged, and what will happen? Or would you want to keep as much as an advantage as possible over your main rival?

The FFA are giving the AFL as minimal info as possible so as to prevent the AFL from organising themselves in a proper and effective manner.

wouldn't that be counter productive

 

[Pure_Ownage]

IF the AFL decides to ruin the bid for the World Cup then the backlash from potential expansion areas will be enormous and expansion will be absolutely pointless. This then means the AFL will die as sport is becoming far and far more globalised Demitriou knows this.

All the money spent will be wasted and the code will be screwed. AFL is massive in Victoria but in the end of the day its till only popular in Hlf of a small country and is not compariable to 20-30 of the top sporting leagues in the world.

If the World Cup comes to Aus suck it up and do without Footy for a year.

Bollocks.

If the FFA weren't so incompetent that they allowed their bubble dome to be built in such a way that it couldn't be expanded to meet the 40,000 criteria, then they wouldn't need Etihad and thus the threat of AFL non co-operating scuttling their bid would be a non issue. Like in normal businesses where people are incompetent, they should have to pay for their incompetence by expanding bubble dome at an exorbitant cost, or building another stadium. The end.

 

[wikipediaAFLproject]

wouldn't that be counter productive

The FFA are (i think) trying to get away with giving the AFL as little info as possible on the bid. It serves several processes. a) can help prevent any attempts by the AFL to scuttle the bid (the AFL is smart and realises this is counter productive). b) Means the AFL has as little info to be able to respond to.

The FFA currently is trying to make it out as though the AFL is trying to scuttle the bid. The AFL is not trying to do this at all. The AFL is trying to reach a compromose that will allow it to continue its season with minimal interruptions.

 

[damochandler]

Big pros for a soccer world cup (against US, assuming england wins one):

- US is in same timezone as Mexico (WC2014)
- US rejected for Olympics
- FIFA seems to be going for fans rather than money (South Africa, Mexico).
- Asia is a huge market for any product
- Australia hosted best Olympics ever
- US hosted fifaWC before (1994?)

.lets face it. we won't get the 2018 world and i reckon the government and the ffa are puting all their eggs into one basket to get that one. england or italy will probably get that one. 2022 i still think it's doubtfull. tv money will help with the bid over their and i couldn't trust blatter as far as i could throw him

 

[wikipediaAFLproject]

.lets face it. we won't get the 2018 world and i reckon the government and the ffa are puting all their eggs into one basket to get that one. england or italy will probably get that one. 2022 i still think it's doubtfull. tv money will help with the bid over their and i couldn't trust blatter as far as i could throw him

They are saying that they want 2018 as they wish to be considered as a real contender.
Politics also plays a HUGE part in bids. America and England may get together and vote for each other.

I wouldnt discount 2018, as England are putting together a poor bid, and Sth Africa was already in the same time zone.
Australias bid is looking promising, and they are playing up Australias strenghts well.

 

[mickctiger]

.........
The FFA currently is trying to make it out as though the AFL is trying to scuttle the bid. The AFL is not trying to do this at all. The AFL is trying to reach a compromose that will allow it to continue its season with minimal interruptions.

im not sure that i'd like to be in the FFA's shoes when people start to catch on

 

[merse]

During the 2010 world cup everybody will be thinking about and talking about football. It will be at the forefront of everybody's mind. When fans are forced to get up at 4:30am, stay up until midnight, and get up at 4:30am just to catch a glimpse of us partaking in this worldwide phenomenom a few people might realise the importance of actually hosting this thing.

The AFL on the other hand will enter its 13th year of stale repetition. No state of origin, no international games or competitions, no games or competitions against teams from other leagues - just 16 teams playing a knock out cup, the same 16 teams playing a league, and the same 16 teams playing a finals series. The only variation between this season and last season is the weaker teams have been heavily rewarded so they may enjoy succes this year.

Its a no brainer. During the home straight of our bid the whole of Australia is going to be experiencing the world cup and the heart of AFL welcome's a new football team playing in a new football stadium.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Europe will win one bid, most likely 2018. That leaves just an Asian nation v USA for the other. It is likely we will be Asia's choice, as Indonesia aren't ready, Korea recently hosted it, Japan are in trouble after their the Olympic bid + recently hosted it, and Qatar being too small. the bidding is similar to the Olympics, so hopefully one by one, they drop out(or even before), just leaving Australia v USA

Aussie Pros
Asian timezone, huge Tv audience
Never hosted it/links to Oceania Football
Have hosted previous big sporting events well
US have hosted it in 94.
The US slogan for the bid is stupid. "the game is in US"

US Pros
Bigger stadiums, no problems there
Bigger country, hope for a post world cup football boost
More friendly TV for Europe
have hosted it successfully before.

roughly.

 

[CAS79]

I just had a look at the odds for hosting the 2018 world cup

http://www.oddschecker.com/football/internationals/world-cup/to-host-2018-world-cup

Were third behind England and the joint Spain Portugal bid. It's very tight between the top four with Russia in that spot...

The US are miles behind.

 

[BobbyMorri]

We are seen as the dark-horse for 2018. If it doesn't go to Europe for some stupid political backstabbing reason, then we are more likely to get it, since we have been campaigning very well. If there was 2022 odds, you would see the US way closer. I heard somewhere that they are putting more of an effect in 2022 than a 2018 bid(despite bidding for both). no source on that though.

It is highly likely an Europe bid will win 2018, and hence kicking out all the other bids from Europe, shorting all the odds for all the other bids.

 

[merse]

2018 will be between England & Portugal/Spain, Australia red hot favourite for 2022.

 

[Smyth94]

If the WC was going to Asia surely China would be the major playing (assuming they have a bid)

 

[merse]

If the WC was going to Asia surely China would be the major playing (assuming they have a bid)

China had a bid but fortunatley for us they withdrew.

 

[CAS79]

China have had a major issue with gambling corruption in their domestic soccer league.

Despite it's authoritarian rule it has not been able to totally come to grips with controlling this. It's a look FIFA don't wont to be associated with,.

 

[Dimenhydrinate]

I dare you to name TEN sporting leagues in the world with a greater attendance then the AFL.

Hell, see if you can name FIVE.

Umm... since when does attendance = popularity?

 

[stmookeyj]

Big pros for a soccer world cup (against US, assuming england wins one):

- US is in same timezone as Mexico (WC2014)
- US rejected for Olympics
- FIFA seems to be going for fans rather than money (South Africa, Mexico).
- Asia is a huge market for any product
- Australia hosted best Olympics ever
- US hosted fifaWC before (1994?)

The 2014 WC is in BRAZIL, not Mexico. Plus the fact that rejection as an Olympic host and the fact that they've hosted the event previously is irrelevant. Otherwise England would have NO chance of getting the event.

Besides, I see the bloc of Western Asian nations still pissed at Australia getting into the Asian confederation as a bigger threat, same with convincing the more powerful nations that we should host the event in either year before we can even consider ALL of these possibilities despite having to lodge our bids at these times.