Expansion Wellington Based Club ?? For Sure !!

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Great crowd considering most didnt really know what was going on, great they backed St Kilda. The Greater Wellington area population is 480,000 (meaning those that are within 40 mins of the CBD), still believe Auckland (1.5 million) is a better long term option.

Just on Westpac Stadium I would think the dimensions would have been about 155m x 130m judging from past experience (it looked big enough). If however there was a Wellington team they could modify the size probably for about $5-10 million to 165m x 140m also with an AFL team it would mean that with the Hurricanes (Super Rugby team), Wellington Lions (Provincial rugby team), Wellington Phoenix (A-League team) and Wellington cricket it would be viable to construct a translucent retractable roof which has often been suggested (cost would be about $80 million) this would greatly help with the quality of the conditions for all teams and especailly AFL which runs through the coldedt wettest months.
 
Rob said:
How about a NZ league actually commencing first before talking about teams in the big time?
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They actually have 5 leagues, and a national provincial championship between them at the end of the year. They also have a national equivalent of OZkick, and a govenment funded schools program. The U18 national championships is on now.

While I suspect you mean a national league, I think they are closer to that than you think (although anything other than an amateur league is a long way of)
 

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No way I can see it in the next 20 years. Plenty of other codes have gone down the NZ path with many teams ending up on the scrap heap. Hell, even the Wellington Phoenix have been moderately successful in a much better known sport yet still struggle to get over 8k fans to their games. That and I don't see the corporate dollars that will back an AFL team over a super rugby, NRL or netball franchise.
 
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/we-want-afl-team-kiwis-20130425-2ihk7.html

A New Zealand-based AFL team was firmly placed on the agenda by that country's Prime Minister John Key shortly before the historic St Kilda-Sydney Anzac Day game in Wellington.
Speaking at an official pre-game function, Key, who was seated alongside Australia's Minister for Sport Kate Lundy and AFL chief Andrew Demetriou, said the unique relationship between the countries, coupled with a fierce mutual sporting rivalry, made the concept a perfect platform for the Australian game. ''Let's get real,'' he said. ''We've got to get a New Zealand side in the AFL. We've got the Breakers and we've got the Warriors - well, they've been struggling a bit lately - we need our own AFL team.''
Afterwards, Demetriou would not be drawn on the comments, except to say he planned to ''have a chat'' with Key at a later date.
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It's a certainty now !!!
 
TheSheik said:
Whilst this game in Wellington tonight is being played under the guise of an Anzac Day clash, nothing could be surer than it's a trial of whether there is a market over there for our game.

Based on there being around 16K at what is being described as a "purpose built" AFL stadium, the answer is 'yes'.

The AFL is keen to build the number of teams it has and given that there is already a NZ team in the NRL, you know it's only a matter of time before we have our first international club - Wellington FC here come !!

Just not sure what their logo will be ...........
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I'm from wa and every second car has a fern sticker on the rear windscreen and there is one thing I know about kiwis.........they do not like afl repeat do..not...like afl.
It's wugby or nothing
 
TheUndertaker said:
Not interested in New Zealand having a team.
Too many teams for the competition, under no circumstance should it get to over 20.
AFL should be helping Melbourne, North, WB, Saints, GC, GWS and Port. Their weak teams that are a work in progress.
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So what we have is the AFL helping the Saints (a team on your list) by playing in NZ in an 18 team competition.

Let's just say by some miracle NZ produces it's own team, wouldn't that allow a 20 team competition with the inclusion of Tasmania.

I don't see any problem at all.

.
 
Milang_Panthers said:
Does auckland have a large cricket ground?
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No not to host an AFL premiership game but Eden Park with about $10 million spent (other than the older west stand which will eventually be replaced, should have been replaced for the world cup) could be better configured for AFL and cricket to about 150m x 130m and hold about 40,000 for cricket/AFL with retractable seating removed.
 
Doggy doo doo said:
I'm from wa and every second car has a fern sticker on the rear windscreen and there is one thing I know about kiwis.........they do not like afl repeat do..not...like afl.
It's wugby or nothing
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i know a of fair few kiwis here in perth that play footy over rugby but none of them really care about AFL at all.
 

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TheSheik said:
Brisbane & Adelaide have Perth covered and Darwin is just another Geelong.

By the way, any coincidence that the AFL promotional ads this season show people in other countries watching our game ?? Maybe a conspiracy theory but its all adding up to me.
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Perth has about 30% more people than Adelaide champ, nt sur where you get our figures from....try google.... About to go past brisvagas in a couple of uears based on current growth
 
Spook said:
Perth has about 30% more people than Adelaide champ, nt sur where you get our figures from....try google.... About to go past brisvagas in a couple of uears based on current growth
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Thank-you for repeating the facts Spooky, we have covered that off and confirmed it all a page or two back. Nice of you to read all of the thread too !!
 
Doggy doo doo said:
I'm from wa and every second car has a fern sticker on the rear windscreen and there is one thing I know about kiwis.........they do not like afl repeat do..not...like afl.
It's wugby or nothing
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I live in WA and would suggest a crowd of 22,000 in Wellington watching AFL has more bearing than bumper stickers.

.
 
Crackn said:
Great crowd considering most didnt really know what was going on, great they backed St Kilda. The Greater Wellington area population is 480,000 (meaning those that are within 40 mins of the CBD), still believe Auckland (1.5 million) is a better long term option.
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A great crowd for that sized city.
I guess the AFL is repaying the original arrangement of Wellington investing in AFL.
Kevin Sheedy suggested that AFL could assist in the rebuilding of Auckland in mores ways than one.
Auckland does seem more viable than Wellington, yet not complaing about Wellington's effort.

.
 
I could sort of see this working if the AFL maintains a continuous presence for a couple of decades.

How big was Rugby League in NZ before the Warriors? Different situations since it's similar to Union but who knows.
 
I can think of at least one club I'd love to see shipped out of the country.

North_Melbourne_Football_Club_Logo.png
 
cos789 said:
A great crowd for that sized city.
I guess the AFL is repaying the original arrangement of Wellington investing in AFL.
Kevin Sheedy suggested that AFL could assist in the rebuilding of Auckland in mores ways than one.
Auckland does seem more viable than Wellington, yet not complaing about Wellington's effort.

.
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Wellington has a great culture (it is the closest thing to a mini Melbourne as you can get anywhere in the world with a great vibe and nightlife) but if the AFL were to go into NZ either an Auckland based team or a NZ team with 6 in Auck, 4 in Well and 3 games based in Chch (2 of which are 'away' games that are paid by the AFL/NZ team hence the 13 home games).
 
Arwib said:
I could sort of see this working if the AFL maintains a continuous presence for a couple of decades.

How big was Rugby League in NZ before the Warriors? Different situations since it's similar to Union but who knows.
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Every situation is different.
I have a perception (rightly or wrongly)that rl is able to "steal" support from RU regions.
The AFL have now developed a system which they have refined with the benefit of previous expansion.
It's a mixture of pushing Auskick through grassroots, to community football and exhibition games through to premiership games as well as gathering coporate and community support at the ready.

.
 
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