This must stop.....

[Gaz_Brownlow]

As we approach another grand final it is becoming increasingly apparent that the AFL is approaching yet another record corporate milestone .... the only problem being, the AFL is not meant to be an organisation in a traditional sense...it is merely a custodian of 'our' great game and should be run accordingly.

Let me explain.... I have just jumped off the age website and re-read another article announcing the allocation of tickets to fans. Suprise, Suprise, the average availability of public ticketing has decreased by 16% and remains at an all-time low of 11%. In conjunction, the premium tickets (the tickets which have been created from reduced public space) have increase in cost to $270 minimum....read here
http://www.theage.com.au/business/a...s-own-tickets-20100921-15lhb.html?autostart=1

However, what should be further highlighted by our Demetriou led administration is the increase in Profits taken home by the league every year. Did I not just read that the industry is now worth 1.6 billion???? So, what does this mean...well take a good look....

1. Gambling. Whilst i love a punt, why do i have to be subjected to a Sportsbet odd's report at every interval during the football? Why do every radio, tv and print outlet feel compelled to list repeated odds for every bet under the sun and why do the AFL allow this?

2. Gold Coast and GWS....ok, well fantastic that we can expand. However, do we really need to expand into non-traditional areas that are obviously aimed at media, marketing as opposed to football? These are nothing short of gimmicks and have serious repurcussions to the footballing community. Why should Tasmania be held at bay whilst others line their pockets through their own self-interests?

When Gary Ablett announces the inevitable and the game is robbed of the greatest father-son combination that highlights the roots of our game we will all understand what Gold Coast signifies.

3. Can someone please have a look at Demetriou's personal wage? Why should this CEO profit so much from a game that doesn't belong to him? I would suggest that CEO salaries have risen disproportionally under his administration!

Anyways, this is just a rant, but FFS can't we take some ownership of our game. It is not meant to be a corporate entity and yet it is exactly what its turning out to be. There must be some accountability from the AFL to extend every benefit of the game to the people who support and play it. The grand final ticket shenanigans are just the cherry on top and I just don't understand how they are getting away with this.

 

[Maklom]

Yep, I whole heartedly agree but the main problem with getting something done about it is the AFL only looks at people voting with their feet and for some crazy reason many hundreds of thousands of people each year seem to be able to push through the financial pain barrier and pay whatever the AFL wants them to pay because they love the game so much.

One suggestion I have for getting heard is to get some exposure through "GetUp". They have been kicking goals lately though mainly through political expression but politics basically boils down to people and Aussie Rules is the peoples game! Would love to hear some fair dinkum suggestions for change from anyone?

My only hope for change is that this cannot keep getting more and more exclusive and expensive forever. Just like the stock market and real estate, things don't go up forever and then there is hell to pay!

 

[THRILLHO]

1. Gambling. Whilst i love a punt, why do i have to be subjected to a Sportsbet odd's report at every interval during the football? Why do every radio, tv and print outlet feel compelled to list repeated odds for every bet under the sun and why do the AFL allow this?

Get used to this. If the AFL mandates live football in the next rights deal and they still want a billion dollars we'll see plenty of in-play betting promos.

It's pretty common in NRL's live FNF.

 

[Maklom]

Why should we get used to it if we don't like it? Getting use to it doesn't get an improvement in anything and only creates more apathy which in turn creates an environment where conditions are less than ordinary for us.

Is this acceptable the way the AFL are treating the general football public?

If you answer yes the AFL must be a different acronym for you.
If you answer no, then the next question is why isn't anything effective being done to change that?

If you like it, you get used to it but I can tell you right now that if the AFL a copying trends from other shyte codes like NRL they will have major problems in the not too distant future.

I don't like it, I am not getting used to it and I want something done about it.

 

[dumb]

seperating the wheat from the chaff, so to speak.

when you see all the people rocking up to the brownlow who have little association with football... you know the afl is also banking on this increasingly gala event. i am just guessing but brownlow tickets can be bought for exorbitant prices?

 

[Pies time is NOW]

 

[MarkT2]

The current AFL is a body that evolved from the rebadged VFL that set up a commission to run a specific competition becasue the club pursuit of self interest was deemed not to maximise that competition. The fact that it took over the code and even re branded it as AFL is another matter.

That said, the annual finals ticket scam/farce/fiasco/official sanctioned scalp fest SHOULD be dealth with by the clubs but they don't have the balls to do it. All it takes is for them to get together and say at least 50,000 tickets must go to competing club members or the clubs will act against the commission.

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

Interestingly enough if you read the Age report (which may or may not be accurate ) the NRL is trending the other way and giving more availability of GF seats back to the fans....

I'm not sure we should be accepting this. There has got to be a line in the sand that suggests that this is just too much. I would love to counter my very own argument by saying that the AFL reinvests proportionally from their profits.... but I just don't see enough evidence of this, particulalry when talking about the AFL's investment in grass roots and state competitions.

The Gambling issue is a concern. When so much money is coming in from agencies for the right to promote gambling at events and through official channels why are we not made aware of the figures involved? The level it has increased (which is just so apparent to any football viewer) naturally dictates that A LOT OF MONEY is being passed through the AFL coffers.... Greater transparencey is needed here, and greater emphasis is needed to say that there is just too much gambling promotion.

All in all, something needs to be done. Australian Rules Football is our game, it doesn't need to be exploited to remain viable and popular....it doesn't need to be run like the for profit organisation it is being run as today. Heaven help us if someone ever has the bright idea to list it is a public company (and before you laugh, just think of Man. Untd and half the premier league). The whole thing is becoming a joke, and every year it becomes less funny around Grand Final time when the reality of coporatisation hits home to the fans.

For the record, Go the Saints!

 

[legend166]

They haven't really taken over the code.

You're free to start another Australian Rules Football competition, if you'd like.

The only legitimate complaint you've made is with regards to the ticketing situation.

 

[Thommo 42]

The AFL is a competition, not a sport.

You are confusing the 2.

They don't own anything.

 

[Kowalski]

Bit like Skynet in the Terminator movies eh??
Setup to do mans bidding, but then decides it knows better & turns...

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

The AFL is a competition, based upon being the penultimate representation for the code. It needs dollars to survive and prosper - there is no doubt about that. However, as it is also a representation of our game there needs to be a stronger separation between sport and for profit organisation. I think this is what is being confused....well not confused, but exploited.

 

[Oakland Raider]

Apart from a few posts, this is a great thread.

I agree with you re gambling.

A Docker's member I know paid something like $15 extra with their membership to guarantee a GF ticket. He didn't say how much that ticket is or where.

 

[vinum coupe]

The gambling advertisements are getting way out of hand. Nothing can be discussed these days without attaching odds to it. I hate it.

As for GC/GWS, GF tickets, and the salary of the CEO. I'm happy with all of them.

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

Can live with GC/GWS...just bugs me that there will be certain groups who stand to profit by a large amount and that is the reality of their introduction to the competition.

GF tix - why can't we make this more available to the fans? Guess clubs need to be less greedy in this role too!

CEO - reminds me of Gordan Gecko and the former RBS CEO who was knighted one day and imprisoned the next....makes a lot of money Demetriou.

Gambling.....If i here David Schwarz read the odds one more time!!!!

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

Only two ways to take our game back:

- We boycott
- We start our own league

I doubt either is going to happen.

 

[chop_me]

1. Gambling. Whilst i love a punt, why do i have to be subjected to a Sportsbet odd's report at every interval during the football? Why do every radio, tv and print outlet feel compelled to list repeated odds for every bet under the sun and why do the AFL allow this?.

I can live with this....
as long as it doesn't approach the EPL stage where the ad-boards surrounding the pitch constantly updating you with the odds of Wayne Rooney scoring the next goal....

 

[vinum coupe]

GC/GWS just had to be set up this way. History may show that they received too many concessions. Time will tell.

GF Tickets- It's just the way it goes. Supply and demand. If they didn't get away with selling tickets for $270 they wouldn't do it. It costs $70 (or so) to go to the spring carnival now. Ridiculous, but 100,000 people pay it 4 times in one week.

CEO- He is not being paid overs. I have a mate who has a similar position to Demetriou (different industry and without the profile) and he earns about the same.

Gambling - I wouldn't mind seeing them scrap 'in the run' betting.
That would pull back a lot of the odds being forced down our throat.
I can't believe they were doing it during the brownlow!!

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

The Gambling issue is a concern. When so much money is coming in from agencies for the right to promote gambling at events and through official channels why are we not made aware of the figures involved? The level it has increased (which is just so apparent to any football viewer) naturally dictates that A LOT OF MONEY is being passed through the AFL coffers.... Greater transparencey is needed here, and greater emphasis is needed to say that there is just too much gambling promotion.

The gambling advertisements are getting way out of hand. Nothing can be discussed these days without attaching odds to it. I hate it.

Same. They've banned alcohol and tobacco sponsorship, but many would argue that gambling is just as destructive to society in its way. It's Betfair's (misnomer) and other agencies' aim to promote as much gambling as they can, which is counter to the community interest.

Gambling.....If i hear David Schwarz read the odds one more time!!!!

Schwarz, of all people! - should be leading the resistance movement, or at least not participating in the promotion of gambling.

I can live with this....
as long as it doesn't approach the EPL stage where the ad-boards surrounding the pitch constantly updating you with the odds of Wayne Rooney scoring the next goal....

Who will be the first to be accused of deliberately missing a goal, or dropping a mark? This path is fraught with danger. Come in, Pakistan.

Plus it's very tacky. Promoting one-arm bandits next?

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

GC/GWS just had to be set up this way. History may show that they received too many concessions. Time will tell.

GF Tickets- It's just the way it goes. Supply and demand. If they didn't get away with selling tickets for $270 they wouldn't do it. It costs $70 (or so) to go to the spring carnival now. Ridiculous, but 100,000 people pay it 4 times in one week.

CEO- He is not being paid overs. I have a mate who has a similar position to Demetriou (different industry and without the profile) and he earns about the same.

Gambling - I wouldn't mind seeing them scrap 'in the run' betting.
That would pull back a lot of the odds being forced down our throat.
I can't believe they were doing it during the brownlow!!

Supply and demand? I guess we should be greatful we can still access the Prelim finals....mate, if we start losing this to corporate packages then i think we will be really struggling. I was at the prelim final last week and although i hated every moment of it, there was definitely something special in the Collingwood chant that went around the ground....don't see why we have to change to full corporate mode when the GF comes around, its just being greedy.

The question will have to be asked soon....with gambling so fixated in our game (and increasing its presence) then who is to say we won't be subject to 'influence'. Its happened before.

Good point about Tobacco - think Alcohol is very much still a part of advertising - but why doesn't our 'socially conscious' AFL CEO have something to say about the presence of gambling. Seems very adept at commentating about Cousins bringing the game into disrepute.....

My only real point with bringing some of these issues together is that the AFL does not need to be run like this. It is not an organisation in the traditional sense and has responsibilites outside of profit that it is to be held accountable for. This is the unique position of a sports administration - it is actually under no legal obligation to run for maximum profit, its just a shame the AFL can't realise this more.

 

[demondavey]

As we approach another grand final it is becoming increasingly apparent that the AFL is approaching yet another record corporate milestone .... the only problem being, the AFL is not meant to be an organisation in a traditional sense...it is merely a custodian of 'our' great game and should be run accordingly.

Let me explain.... I have just jumped off the age website and re-read another article announcing the allocation of tickets to fans. Suprise, Suprise, the average availability of public ticketing has decreased by 16% and remains at an all-time low of 11%. In conjunction, the premium tickets (the tickets which have been created from reduced public space) have increase in cost to $270 minimum....read here
http://www.theage.com.au/business/a...s-own-tickets-20100921-15lhb.html?autostart=1

However, what should be further highlighted by our Demetriou led administration is the increase in Profits taken home by the league every year. Did I not just read that the industry is now worth 1.6 billion???? So, what does this mean...well take a good look....

1. Gambling. Whilst i love a punt, why do i have to be subjected to a Sportsbet odd's report at every interval during the football? Why do every radio, tv and print outlet feel compelled to list repeated odds for every bet under the sun and why do the AFL allow this?

2. Gold Coast and GWS....ok, well fantastic that we can expand. However, do we really need to expand into non-traditional areas that are obviously aimed at media, marketing as opposed to football? These are nothing short of gimmicks and have serious repurcussions to the footballing community. Why should Tasmania be held at bay whilst others line their pockets through their own self-interests?

When Gary Ablett announces the inevitable and the game is robbed of the greatest father-son combination that highlights the roots of our game we will all understand what Gold Coast signifies.

3. Can someone please have a look at Demetriou's personal wage? Why should this CEO profit so much from a game that doesn't belong to him? I would suggest that CEO salaries have risen disproportionally under his administration!

Anyways, this is just a rant, but FFS can't we take some ownership of our game. It is not meant to be a corporate entity and yet it is exactly what its turning out to be. There must be some accountability from the AFL to extend every benefit of the game to the people who support and play it. The grand final ticket shenanigans are just the cherry on top and I just don't understand how they are getting away with this.

Operations these days don't exist without the corporate factor - it is to competitive out there. There is a word called business - understand it and it will answer every question you have just posed

 

[telsor]

The problems with restricting gambling on matches.

It's easily done internationally, over the net, where regulating/restricting it is practically impossible. The best the AFL can do is 'request' some betting agencies cooperate with them with regard to looking at corruption, and both as a reward, and to try and guide customers to those who play nice, allow those companies to advertise. ( yes, I'm also sure they also like the $'s this brings ).

I think it's overdone, but with the AFL having allowed the betting agencies to advertise, it's hard to blame the grounds/media for taking their money.

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

Operations these days don't exist without the corporate factor - it is to competitive out there. There is a word called business - understand it and it will answer every question you have just posed

AFL is not a business - its a sports organisation - entirely different.

 

[CaptainChardonnay]

Starting to wish Geelong was in the GF. Wouldn't have to put up with their fans having nothing better to do than whine.

 

[bulletproof]

Australia in general is driven by the corporate beast. The AFL is the poster child for this. It would not be accepted in Europe.

Very much an American style society now, which is a shame.