Why isn't AFL big overseas?

[Reptilia]

It has everything..yet why do other nations stick to soccer etc. Of all countries you would expect America to be into it atleast but they stick to their boring stop start NFL.

So honestly, what are the reasons it hasnt got big in any other nations? does anybody have any thoughts?

 

[Paddy_Mac]

It has everything..yet why do other nations stick to soccer etc. Of all countries you would expect America to be into it atleast but they stick to their boring stop start NFL.

So honestly, what are the reasons it hasnt got big in any other nations? does anybody have any thoughts?

I'd like to know mate.
Probably due to not enough publicity.

 

[RUNVS]

I'd like to know mate.
Probably due to not enough publicity.

Exactly. Australia as a country doesnt have alot of influece in the world and as a result people dont know alot about us. Hell, half of the USA think Australia is a living Crocodile Dundee movie.

 

[Borgsta]

Too confusing to understand for most, rules changing every minute because of "interpretation".

 

[gandaal]

Because the rules are overly complicated, difficult to explain, and the game is almost completely different to most other major football codes.

 

[Houli2Gumbleton]

Who is the CEO of AFL?

THAT IS YOUR ANSWER!

 

[Paddy_Mac]

Hell, half of the USA think Australia is a living Crocodile Dundee movie.

How true is that!
They got not clue about us.

 

[Gabbatoir]

I think it would be interesting if a season was broadcast in America on one of their sports channels. Maybe one game a round a week, just to give them a taste.

Anyone know if they broadcast the grand final at least?

 

[CoZi36]

Perhaps because AFL has too many different rules to it, hard to follow and rules change yearly, really screws the game up.

Like in soccer, one goal is one point, it can be hard for a first game watcher about the scoring system with goals, behinds, touched and rushed behinds.

Promotion of the game overseas is a must and telling people about the rules of the game.

I disliked all sports, especially AFL prior to 2004, I watched a game with my father in early 2004, he taught me the rules and how to understand the game and I was hooked - enjoyed the game from that moment. Since then I have only missed one match at the Gabba (and that was in 2004). Now I live and breathe the game. I became a member of the Lions just before the 2005 season too.

 

[Jimpson]

I think it would be interesting if a season was broadcast in America on one of their sports channels. Maybe one game a round a week, just to give them a taste.

Anyone know if they broadcast the grand final at least?

They already do, on setanta. I'm not sure how widely available setanta is but you can watch afl games in the states

I'd say the problem is the same we have trying to push the game in the northern states: it's hard to dislodge so many years of loyalty to another sport.

 

[Jimthegreat]

It has everything..yet why do other nations stick to soccer etc. Of all countries you would expect America to be into it atleast but they stick to their boring stop start NFL.

So honestly, what are the reasons it hasnt got big in any other nations? does anybody have any thoughts?

Location, other country's culture, traditions. Let's face it we're miles from anyone except New Zealand so our influence isn't great for that reason. In the earlier days communication, transportation would've made it impossible to get the game out beyond our shores so other country's took up other sporting traditions. If the game was invented in England for example it would be a real world game given the skills, speed, body contact, excitement.

 

[Paddy_Mac]

Because the rules are overly complicated, difficult to explain, and the game is almost completely different to most other major football codes.

I disagree. While the rules are complicated, they are learnable. We know the rules, don't we?
When immigrants move to Australia, lots get hooked on the game. So it's not the rules mate. It's got to do with the advertising and the coverage shown overseas.
All we need to do is play more overseas matches (maybe even h&a matches) and for foreign countries to show more television coverage.

 

[bunsen burner]

The answer is simple:

When AFL started, it started in Australia. Isolated. When soccer started, it started in Europe. Shitloads of people from shitloads of countries. Also Britain was a power and had social power.

If AFL was started in Europe before soccer you could almost guarantee it would be the world game. Which would mean our Hirds, Buckleys, and Voss's would be playing in Europe. And Cuzzy would be hanging at Maradonna's cribb.

 

[giantroo]

Even if we did, i would hate it. Imagine what would happen if India came in for example and Offered massive pay packets to our players. Considering we get free agency and co.,it could turn out into an NRL scenario and into a disaster.

If those players from other countries want to play, let them come here and play. Improve our draft with more players. We need them now that the GC and WS are coming.

 

[Ghostwriter]

Absolute joke of a game, run by a joke of administrators, with a joke of a tribunal and a joke of a rules committee.

 

[Rob]

Because there's no such thing as the Australian empire.

Just about every major world sport either has English (who inhabited the world) or American (who inhabited the world media) origins.

 

[greennick]

Because there's no such thing as the Australian empire.

Just about every major world sport either has English (who inhabited the world) or American (who inhabited the world media) origins.

Exactly, Australia is a piss small country with limited international influence.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Exactly, Australia is a piss small country with limited international influence.

every major creation has come out of australia. without our genius, the world what be disease ridden.

without us, people would be trimming their lawns manually taking forever

water use has halved thanks to an australian invention

there is also plenty more which i so CBF atm

 

[carsoutback]

Just so you know. The AFL is here on Setanta. We get a number of games per week, at least 2 of those are live and the others on slight delay. Just remember live means they are broadcast from midnight on the east coast (for day games) and from about 5am (night matches). There is also a footy highlights package and the games are replayed throughout the week. Setanta is primarily a soccer station, but also includes ARL and Union matches. But Setanta is not included in any standard satellite-TV package and must be purchased separately (about $20 per month). Up until this year, Setanta was only available from one of the two major satellite-TV providers but that's now been fixed. So now you know.....

The AFL will never get real traction in the US. It's just not a game made for television. If you've never seen a game live (where you can watch all the machinations around the ground and understand what's going on) it can be very difficult to follow on the small screen. On TV, it really just looks like a mess of a game for the unitiated with players running everywhere and nowhere it seems. The rules are also difficult to follow enough for AFL diehards in Oz, let alone a newbie in another country. Those who have seen it love its toughness. But the game is mocked more than it is appreciated - it is surprising how much attention the flagwaving goal umpires get from those who have watched it - it is something rather quaint in our game after all.

It's pointless complaining about the stupid American football and how, it seems, people think the Americans would only love our game in comparision more if they had it rammed down their throats. Not true at all. The NFL is THEIR sport, they've been platying it for a 100 years. College football still gets crowds of 60,000 in my part of the world. Basketball and baseball are also huge of course. No "new sport" will ever compete with that. The US soccer league, with Beckham (who is a massive star here) will almost certainly fail. It won't get close to achieving its goals. No-one watches it. If soccer with Beckham at the helm won't make it, nothing else will i can assure you.

So forget about it. The game doesn't even have portability within Australia - look at the Brisbane and Sydney AFL crowds recently! It (popularity at any decent level at all) will NEVER happen in the US and the AFL have been smart in not wasting time their time on a very expensive and resource-intensive project destined for failure.

 

[Dagless]

Exactly, Australia is a piss small country with limited international influence.

Its funny the US is mentioned in this vein, because there is little real interest in full time gridiron leagues overseas outside of the continent. Despite its media outlets, the US struggles to really get the game going other than some random games overseas... There is interest in Europe like Germany, but the NFL Europe was recently shut down because it wasn't getting enough money...

It comes down to culture and what has been in-built to that culture... America is focused on totally different sports because it cut itself off from its monarchy quite early, and wasn't forced into the cricket/soccer tradition (Not that their weather is appropriate) and rather adopted their own choice of sports, obviously enough in baseball/basketball and gridiron.

Most outside sports without a huge base struggle to really expand a heck of a lot... Soccer has a huge base spreading various continents to help it grow... League hasn't really grown, and is shrinking rather, not too many more countries are getting into Union, and Gridiron and Aussie Rules haven't spread at all tbh other than a few nations near us or that grew up with a similar sport. Cricket gets a few minnows here and there but not enough success to really give it HUGE interest in those areas... Same goes with LaCrosse and Hurling...

Aussie Rules would need a HUGE focus in the US market to grow to the US, and with the variety of sports they follow, it doesn't really have a chance to break in... It would need to be on Fox Sports or a high ESPN, and its viewer group doesn't warrant that. Heck they have the NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, NCAA Football/Basketball/LaCrosse, golf as well as various track and field college events... It would have to break into Europe or Asian nations first, which are already hugely focused on soccer, which is a huge international sport.

 

[gandaal]

Absolute joke of a game, run by a joke of administrators, with a joke of a tribunal and a joke of a rules committee.

Then go bugger off, support soccer and get the hell off these boards if you hate it so much.

 

[Valve Bounce]

It has everything..yet why do other nations stick to soccer etc. Of all countries you would expect America to be into it atleast but they stick to their boring stop start NFL.

So honestly, what are the reasons it hasnt got big in any other nations? does anybody have any thoughts?

They have been playing Gridiron, Baseball and Basketball and Ice Hockey. It is not a question or why, but "HOW!"

 

[TheTrav]

Afl's Rules looked at from an outsider>>>>>>>>>>>>NFL rules looked at from an outsider

Seriously if you haven't played Madden on Playstation, you'd have no idea about that sport.

Baseball is also the worst sport to watch, ever.

 

[CoZi36]

Really, other questions have to be asked before this, why isn't the AFL big in QLD and NSW?

 

[PUSSIES_07_FLAG]

Why do we care what other countries think.

They will only corrupt our great game. Keep them the hell out of it.

Look at Soccer - and how the fans all stab each other. Shocking sport and shocking culture involved with it.

Keep AFL pure and Australian.