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Third of three parts.
Sources used:
Sources used:
- The Australian Game of Football...since 1858, edited by Geoff Slattery
- 100 Years of Australian Football - the official History of the AFL
- The South Australian Football Story, by Bernard Whimpress
- Behind the Play - A history of football in Western Australia, by Anthony Barker
- From Port to a Power, by Bruce Abernethy
- Football Limited, by Garry Linnell
- The Phoenix Rises, by Ross Oakley
- Fitzroy, by Dyson Hore Lacy
- Various sources at Trove.
- 1997 – Port Adelaide begin playing in the AFL.
- 1997 – The AFL launches a commission to investigate ways to improve the game in New South Wales.
- 1998 –Tasmania proposes a VFL team to go along with a stadium redevelopment, however the Commission had real doubts about the ability of the Tasmanian market _ population 450,000 _ to support financially a team in the AFL competition where the larger clubs are already generating up to $14 million a year in revenue
- 1998 – The commission into New South Wales footy reports back, resulting in the formation of the AFL NSW/ACT Commission. Planning begins for a second team in Sydney.
- 1998 – A Commission is launched into the improving football in Queensland resulting in the formation of AFL Queensland.
- 1999 – Merger talks between Carlton and North Melbourne cease when both sides make the Grand Final.
- 1999 – North Melbourne begin playing some home games at the SCG until 2001.
- 2001 – St Kilda and Hawthorn begin playing matches in Tasmania under an initial three year deal.
- 2002 – North Melbourne begin playing some home games at Manuka Oval until 2006.
- 2006 – The Saints decide not to keep playing in Tasmania. Hawthorn remains
- 2006 – September 1. Hawthorn signs a 5 year deal with Tasmania to play 4 games a year in Launceston.
- 2006 – July 13. North Melbourne confirms it is leaving Canberra to play 10 games over three seasons on the Gold Coast. North says its not part of a plan to move the club north.
- 2006 – August 6. Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs sign a deal to play a premiership match a year at Manuka Oval in the ACT until 2009.
- 2007 – January 25. Ron Joseph says its inevitable that North Melbourne will move to the Gold Coast permanently.
- 2007 – November 17. North Melbourne offered 100 million to move to Gold Coast, contingent on getting a stadium deal.
- 2007 – December 6. North Melbourne formally reject the AFL offer, largely because there was no stadium deal.
- 2007 – December 12. The AFL informs North that it will no longer have its community camps and preseason matches at Carrarra.
- 2007 – 24 December. The AFL formally registers the name Gold Coast Football Club.
- 2008 – January. Western Sydney Football club registered by the AFL.
- 2008 – March 12. Clubs give unanimous support to the inclusion of GWS and Gold Coast
- 2008 – April. A bid group called GC17 is formed to meet the AFLs criteria.
- 2008 – April 16. Tasmania invited to apply for an AFL license.
- 2008 – June 25. A survey conducted in 2008 by the State Government found that 48% of Tasmanians support a Tasmanian bid, 23% of Tasmanians would consider becoming members41% of Tasmanians would consider attending games. The AFL treats the bid with contempt.
- 2008 – July 31. Mars Confectionary announces a potential $4 million sponsorship for a Tasmanian team if it gets up.
- 2008 – August 28. The Senate formally calls for a committee into the AFLs expansion backed by Tasmanian senator Kerry Obrien.
- 2008 – November 18. The AFL formally accepts GC17 and Western Sydney having met all criteria and grants the licenses.
- 2008 – December 11. The AFL says the Tasmanian bid was comprehensive and ticked all the boxes.
- 2009 – March 27. Gillon McLachlan, told a Senate inquiry in Melbourne that Queensland and New South Wales were priorities for the growth of the game and says the AFL has not closed the door on a future Tasmanian side, but he is not sure it could happen.
- 2009 – April 1. Andrew Demetriou says that if there was ever to be another AFL club, then the next one should be Tasmania.
- 2009 – May 6. North Melbourne enter discussions with the AFL to play up to 3 games a year in Canberra.
- 2009 – May 9. Carlton play one off home game at Carrara.
- 2009 – June. The Senate Enquiry reports that there are cultural barriers facing a Western Sydney-based AFL team that appear to be insurmountable.
- 2009 – October 19. Melbourne, Richmond and Bulldogs sign deal with the NT Government for 10 games over 5 years between them with Port Adelaide to be the away side.
- 2010 – July 25. North Melbourne announce intentions to play games at a redeveloped Eureka Stadium in ballarat.
- 2010 – July 26. North Melbourne deny a deal has been done to play games in Hobart
- 2010 – August 5 – Kennett says Hawthorn ready to continue their Tasmanian partnership for another 20 years.
- 2010 – September 30. Richmond announce they will play an annual game in Cairns for three years.
- 2010 – November 11. North say they could play as many as 7 games a year in Tasmania if they were guaranteed 11 games in Melbourne.
- 2010 – November 11. Canberra and GWS sign a ten year, 40 game deal for games in the ACT worth 23 million
- 2010 – November 16. A poll in the Age has 72% sayin that North should gone to the Gold Coast.
- 2010 – November 16. Kennett says North would have eventuially moved to Tasmania entirely if it had been able to play 7 games.
- 2010 – November 16. Tasmania renews Hawthorn deal for a further 5 years, through 2016.
- 2011 – June 7. North Melbourne sign a 3 year deal to play matches in Hobart.
- 2011 – October 1. Richmond sell remaining Darwin game to Melbourne.
- 2013 – July 19. Richmond finish contract to play 1 game a season in Cairns. They opt not to renew.
- 2013 – October 5. St Kilda sign 5 year ANZAC Day fixture deal with Wellington Council in NZ
- 2013 – October 23. Melbourne announce a deal to play three games in Darwin – 2 regular and 1 preseason game.
- 2013 – October 31. Western Bulldogs announces as Richmonds replacements in Cairns.
- 2014 – July 3. Melbourne announce an extention to the deal that sees another two years and two matches in the NT
- 2014 – August 25. North Melbourne and Hobart City Council announce a two year contract extention until the end of 2016. The Council will provide $300,000 a year towards three games a season in Hobart.
- 2015 -July 31. Tasmania and Hawthorn announce a new deal to keep the Hawks playing in Tasmania until 2021. The deal is worth 20 million and consists of jumper sponsorship as well as 4 premiership matches and a preseason game.
- 2015 – August 5. North Melbourne announce they are seeking a five year contract extension for its games in Hobart
- 2015 – August 19 – Gillon Mclachlan says that Tasmania cant financially support its own AFL side. “”The brutal reality right now, the economy and scale of growth mean they financially can’t support their own team playing 11 games, you need $45 million,”
- 2015 – September 12. The Western Bulldogs announce a partnership with the Victorian Government which will result in a 5 year plan to bring games to Ballarat and promote the city. The announcement included a 31.5 million upgrade to facilities in Ballarat.
- 2015 – September 16. St Kilda announces that it will look at its options in NZ after Wellington City council declined to extend the deal to play matches there after 2015.
- 2016 - April 14. Port Adelaide announce intention to play premiership match in Shanghai in 2017.
- 2016 - June 3. North Melbourne announce a 5 year extension of their Hobart deal to play 3 games a year at Bellerive Oval
- 2017 - May 14. Port Adelaide play Gold Coast in first ever game in China for premiership points.
- 2017 - August 8. Western Bulldogs play first AFL game for premiership points in Ballarat.
- 2017 - August 23. Western Bulldogs announce they will not seek an extension of their games in Cairns when their 3 year deal is up.
- 2017 - October 24. A second game in China is confirmed for 2018.
- 2017 - October 27. Melbourne and the NT Government announce two games to be played in the Territory in 2018.
- 2018 - March 21. The AFL announces that AFL boss Gillon McLachlan will chair a high powered steering committee to try to resolve the crisis in Tasmanian football.
- 2018 - April 13. Under a deal with the Victorian Government, Ballarat in central Victoria is guaranteed to host two AFL matches a year for the next decade.
- 2018 - July 2. The AFL announces additional funding and resources for Tasmanian football, including a team in the VFL to be launched in 2021.
- 2018 - September 2. Gold Coast tell the AFL they have no interest in returning to Shanghai in 2019 after playing two fixtures against Port Adelaide in the past two season.
- 2018 - October 5. The NT Government allocates $100,000 towards a 'scoping study' to investigate whether the Territory should aim for an AFL franchise if one becomes available. The study would look at various things, such as the challenges an AFL team would face in the NT, sponsorship opportunities, local talent pathways and facility upgrades.
- 2018 - October 25. St Kilda replace Gold Coast as Port Adelaide’s opponents for the AFL’s annual match in Shanghai. The Saints commit to the Chinese venture for the next three years, giving up a home fixture to do so.
- 2018 - November 20. The Tasmanian Parliament sets up a select committee to look at a Tasmanian AFL side.
- 2019 - March 23. The Federal Opposition leader says it’s time for the AFL to get “serious” about giving Tassie its own team
- 2019 - October 6. The Tasmanian Task Force says it has almost 50,000 pledges of support for its AFL team bid.
- 2019 - October 16. As part of a new agreement with the Northern Territory Government (NTG), the Gold Coast SUNS will play one Toyota AFL Premiership game in Darwin for four years starting in 2020, while Melbourne FC will return to Alice Springs for its seventh successive home game next year (the first being in 2014) and has also been locked in until at least 2024. Further, the Demons will play a NAB AFLW game in Alice Springs for the next four years,
- 2020 - February 7. The Tasmanian Government releases a study that says an initial investment of $45 million, split between the AFL and federal and state governments, would be required to cover the initial set-up of an club, and debunks certain myths about the clubs support and viability.
- 2020 - May 7. The Tasmanian Parliament files its final report into a Tasmanian AFL Team.
- 2021 - February 12. The Tasmanian Government says it won't meet Hawthorn's mid-year deadline for contract negotiations as the state plays hardball in its quest for an AFL side. Jeff Kennett suggests the AFL club could relocate to Tasmania in the future.
- 2021 - February 22. Jeff Kennett says there is no way the AFL would consider bringing a 19th team into the competition, given the current economic climate.
- 2021 - February 26. Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein insists an independent report into the viability of a standalone AFL club based in his state must be completed within months and wants this done by a major accounting firm.
- 2021 - March 19. Former Geelong president and AFL Commissioner Colin Carter appointed to review the business case for a 19th club licence to be awarded to Tasmania.
- 2021 - May 18. Colin Carter lands in the Apple Isle for a series of crucial meetings with key stakeholders involved in the bid as part of his review into the business case for a 19th AFL team.
- 2021 - June 1. AFL sources said Carter had raised concerns over whether a Tasmanian team could be successful given its population size.
- 2021 - June 4. The Northern Territory's releases its feasibility study citing a revenue gap of 15m, but claiming social benefits would outweigh the financial losses.
- 2021 - August 12. The AFL releases the Carter report. The case for Tasmania is strong, particularly with the deep historical links to the game and there should be a team representing Tasmania in the AFL/AFLW national competitions - however the best form of that team is less clear-cut.
- 2021 - August 13 - Tasmanian Premier is unhappy with the AFL response to the report -accusing the league of kicking the can down the road.
- 2021 - August 18 - Eddie McGuire says the premier is open to discussion on private ownership, which wasn't addressed in the Carter report, and can push the entry of a team from 2026 to 2030.
- 2021 - August 22 - The AFL has agrees that a decision on whether a standalone team from Tasmania will enter the league will be made in early 2022. The agreement means that Gutwein will roll over the existing contracts with Hawthorn and North Melbourne to play games in Tasmania into 2022.
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