-
Mobile App Discontinued
Due to a number of factors, support for the current BigFooty mobile app has been discontinued. Your BigFooty login will no longer work on the Tapatalk or the BigFooty App - which is based on Tapatalk.
Apologies for any inconvenience. We will try to find a replacement.
Why isn't AFL big overseas?
- Thread starter Reptilia
- Start date
- Tagged users None
🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.
Was that comment directed at me?
Have no clue as to what you're on about if it is.
the afl should give up... this game will never be big outside of australia and somoa (i believe)
every nation has their own game... and its not going to change
if you want people to follow afl overseas... the afl has to go to war and colonise different nations
furthermore... the rules are odd compared to any other sport... a foreigners first impression 9/10 times is "wtf is this"
every nation has their own game... and its not going to change
if you want people to follow afl overseas... the afl has to go to war and colonise different nations
furthermore... the rules are odd compared to any other sport... a foreigners first impression 9/10 times is "wtf is this"
Brasher
Premium Platinum
That's it in a nutshell.....No grass roots following will mean Australian Rules Football never gets elevated beyond querky status in America.
Log in to remove this Banner Ad
carsoutbck, you should be sent straight to the AFL Commission to tell them your views. It is the best summary I have heard or read.
The AFL seems to think that money thrown at it will make the NSW / Sydney people learn to love the game. The emphasis on $$$'s to solve every thing is ruining sport, including the AFL. It is not the same as business. The love of AFL is not just about the sport or the game, it is about loyalties, belonging, rivalry, competition etc.
The AFL could take a lesson from business however and that is "it costs 10 times as much to win a new customer as it does to hold an existing one. Chasing West Sydney could cost $100 mill while local footy suffers, school footy suffers etc. I would rather see a strong code in the south of Australia than a weakened attempt to go "national" and laughably international.
Having lived o'seas for many years I can confirm that major events in this country do not even make it to the papers let alone an unusual sport. The GF which Seven used to say was broadcast to millions in the UK and Europe usually got 3 minutes as a novelty game on the Sunday sports show the day after.
Every country has its great sports (just like every country is the best country in the world to the eople that live there......it is a belief or perception rather than an objective measure).
More people play and watch boules and Boce than play AFL.
The AFL seems to think that money thrown at it will make the NSW / Sydney people learn to love the game. The emphasis on $$$'s to solve every thing is ruining sport, including the AFL. It is not the same as business. The love of AFL is not just about the sport or the game, it is about loyalties, belonging, rivalry, competition etc.
The AFL could take a lesson from business however and that is "it costs 10 times as much to win a new customer as it does to hold an existing one. Chasing West Sydney could cost $100 mill while local footy suffers, school footy suffers etc. I would rather see a strong code in the south of Australia than a weakened attempt to go "national" and laughably international.
Having lived o'seas for many years I can confirm that major events in this country do not even make it to the papers let alone an unusual sport. The GF which Seven used to say was broadcast to millions in the UK and Europe usually got 3 minutes as a novelty game on the Sunday sports show the day after.
Every country has its great sports (just like every country is the best country in the world to the eople that live there......it is a belief or perception rather than an objective measure).
More people play and watch boules and Boce than play AFL.
griggisalegend
Team Captain
Was that comment directed at me?
Have no clue as to what you're on about if it is.
no it was directed at me coz im just a dumb carlton supporter that cant voice their opinion
Wow, I didn't know that, I'm glad you're here to set us all straight. Where did you find this out? Why didn't I know this was fact before?
- Dec 2, 2003
- 9,765
- 4,183
- AFL Club
- Sydney
The game is called football.........just like Australian Rules is called football here.
The sport itself is not called gridiron. The gridiron is the field of play.
you're spot on there.
I think junior participation also helps.
The sort of thing that is being done in South Africa is great. Kids are growing up playing the game and becoming so passionate that they are tattooing a footy to their arm.
I was also talking to the parents of some of the young players from overseas at the International Cup, and they are full-on converts because their kids played juniors.
A generation of new fans will come out of it.
Most of the kiwis I've spoken to didn't even know the game existed before they came to Australia. Bit like NSW and the way QLD used to be. Probably because the sport died out after World War I and most people were born after that.
Dagless
Hall of Famer
gostk86
Club Legend
Why isnt NFL big overseas?
Its just not a world sport....its a aussie sport and will always be that way
Its just not a world sport....its a aussie sport and will always be that way
Also, why do we want our sport to go global? The Irish couldn't give a stuff if anyone else played Gaelic footy or Hurling. The Scottish don't care that we don't play the Highland games. The NFL hasn't really cracked it overseas (except a few European clubs).
AFL will NEVER make it overseas so STOP trying!
AFL will NEVER make it overseas so STOP trying!
Basketball has though...
There is probably a niche market everywhere for AFL
Comes down to cost/return for the AFL
I would guess they will try and push into a few southern hemisphere areas - SE Asia, rest of Southern Africa, mb South America before thinking about Europe.
There is probably a niche market everywhere for AFL
Comes down to cost/return for the AFL
I would guess they will try and push into a few southern hemisphere areas - SE Asia, rest of Southern Africa, mb South America before thinking about Europe.
carsoutback
Team Captain
Thanks mate, that's a deal. I've booked my Orlando-LA-Melbourne flight. You just need to contact Qantas and give them your credit card details. Just so you know, I've also booked a stopover in Tokyo (just a short one). No need to worry about the car to get me to AFL headquarters from the airport, I'll take care of that myself. Cheers.
No problems. I will call Andrew and tell him you want to talk to him about touring USA to meet city officials who have expressed interest in accepting North Melbourne as their local team.
He will happily pick up the tab.
Also in Japan you can watch AFL at a few Aussie bars, in Tokyo or Osaka. Was therea few weeks ago.
While you are here you might have a chat to our Premier and explain to him that all these cities have million more people traveling on their trains and have a WORKABLE ticketing system and no need for bullying officials to police it.....nah forget it he wont believe you.
He will happily pick up the tab.
Also in Japan you can watch AFL at a few Aussie bars, in Tokyo or Osaka. Was therea few weeks ago.
While you are here you might have a chat to our Premier and explain to him that all these cities have million more people traveling on their trains and have a WORKABLE ticketing system and no need for bullying officials to police it.....nah forget it he wont believe you.
NTRabbit
Brownlow Medallist
A lot of International Relations experts on Big Footy I see.
🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.
lol, you're just happy to be the big fish in the small pond yeah?
BIG FAT BOB
Club Legend
Another reason the game will struggle to get a foothold abroad is the size of the field:
Soccer, Rugby League/Union, NFL etc are all played on fields of a similar size and shape making it easier to find existing stadiums and facilities to play a new sport and help it grow.
Other than countries with cricket ovals, Aussie Rules will always struggle to find suitable venues overseas.
I think the scoring system would just be too strange for foreigners too. We think nothing of a 'A point for missing' because we grow up on it, but to foreigners, it would just seem stupid.
Soccer, Rugby League/Union, NFL etc are all played on fields of a similar size and shape making it easier to find existing stadiums and facilities to play a new sport and help it grow.
Other than countries with cricket ovals, Aussie Rules will always struggle to find suitable venues overseas.
I think the scoring system would just be too strange for foreigners too. We think nothing of a 'A point for missing' because we grow up on it, but to foreigners, it would just seem stupid.
The amount of ignorance in this thread is terrifying.
I'll start off simply with this: you follow what you grow up on.
I can guarantee you, 100%, that those who say "soccer is boring", would be saying "AFL is boring" had they grown up on soccer. Simple as that. There is no denying it, no trying to rationalize it. Its how personalities and people are shaped. If you have a bad experience with a dog as a young kid, that could shape how you look at dogs for the rest of your life. The formative stages will determine what you like to do, what you like to watch.
It is very rare that a person will be "converted" to another sport at the age of 25 if they have been brought up on soccer. They may learn to eventually like the AFL - like myself - but if it came to choice between soccer and Aussie rules...theres almost no comparison.
People who say "AFL is fast, hard, high scoring" etc etc completely miss the point. It is why, as has been mentioned, the NFL thrives in the US, and the US alone. It is why Mexico, just across the border, loves soccer. Geographic location doesnt have to mean anything (although it can be different for some cases). Really, it has nothing to do with the isolation or size of Australia. The game was largely confined to a few states up until only 15 years ago. I cant imagine how much global expansionism would have taken place had they had the luxury of bordering other nations.
The United States are the cultural hub of the world, and exert massive influence around the world - and what has that done for the NFL? Its gained some fans, its managed to attract a good crowd at Wembley; its European venture failed. To put it simply, people just arent buying it. The NFL wants to gain fans in Europe for its existing NFL teams. They can do that to some extent, but at the end of the day if gridiron isnt being exposed at a grass roots level in Europe - you're doomed. Nothing else to it.
And this applies to Australia aswell. As long as people arent growing up on Aussie Rules in overseas nations - which looks likely to be the case for forever and a day - then no real growth can take place .
The arugment over Englands imperialism and what it has done for world sport is irrelevant. It happened; theres nothing to discuss. And lets not forget that the inhabitants who created Aussie Rules are infact a result of British colonialism.
Hell, if they spread Darts to mainland Europe, Africa, Asia....then darts could very well today be the "World Game". But they didnt.
AFL would be the world game today if it was spread by the Brits. It would more than likely be the world game (assuming we took rugby out of the equation). But it wouldnt be the world game beacuse its fast and hard and "exciting". It would be the world game because it would have the same strucutres in place that soccer has.
The whole "exciting argument" as I said is irrelevant. People have seen AFL overseas, and many have said its boring. Same goes with some Australians who think soccer is boring. So clearly, here, we are seeing that something is not adding up. Someone is telling the truth and the other is lying right? Well, as mentioned, thats not quite true. Its all about growing up with a game (whatever it may be) and becoming attached to it to the point of identifying yourself with it.....
Which, mind you, is why people continue to have debates over which sport is better. Even though arguing about the validity of one sport being "better" than the other is completely rubbish when you think about it - because you're never arguing objectively, only subjectively.
I'll start off simply with this: you follow what you grow up on.
I can guarantee you, 100%, that those who say "soccer is boring", would be saying "AFL is boring" had they grown up on soccer. Simple as that. There is no denying it, no trying to rationalize it. Its how personalities and people are shaped. If you have a bad experience with a dog as a young kid, that could shape how you look at dogs for the rest of your life. The formative stages will determine what you like to do, what you like to watch.
It is very rare that a person will be "converted" to another sport at the age of 25 if they have been brought up on soccer. They may learn to eventually like the AFL - like myself - but if it came to choice between soccer and Aussie rules...theres almost no comparison.
People who say "AFL is fast, hard, high scoring" etc etc completely miss the point. It is why, as has been mentioned, the NFL thrives in the US, and the US alone. It is why Mexico, just across the border, loves soccer. Geographic location doesnt have to mean anything (although it can be different for some cases). Really, it has nothing to do with the isolation or size of Australia. The game was largely confined to a few states up until only 15 years ago. I cant imagine how much global expansionism would have taken place had they had the luxury of bordering other nations.
The United States are the cultural hub of the world, and exert massive influence around the world - and what has that done for the NFL? Its gained some fans, its managed to attract a good crowd at Wembley; its European venture failed. To put it simply, people just arent buying it. The NFL wants to gain fans in Europe for its existing NFL teams. They can do that to some extent, but at the end of the day if gridiron isnt being exposed at a grass roots level in Europe - you're doomed. Nothing else to it.
And this applies to Australia aswell. As long as people arent growing up on Aussie Rules in overseas nations - which looks likely to be the case for forever and a day - then no real growth can take place .
The arugment over Englands imperialism and what it has done for world sport is irrelevant. It happened; theres nothing to discuss. And lets not forget that the inhabitants who created Aussie Rules are infact a result of British colonialism.
Hell, if they spread Darts to mainland Europe, Africa, Asia....then darts could very well today be the "World Game". But they didnt.
AFL would be the world game today if it was spread by the Brits. It would more than likely be the world game (assuming we took rugby out of the equation). But it wouldnt be the world game beacuse its fast and hard and "exciting". It would be the world game because it would have the same strucutres in place that soccer has.
The whole "exciting argument" as I said is irrelevant. People have seen AFL overseas, and many have said its boring. Same goes with some Australians who think soccer is boring. So clearly, here, we are seeing that something is not adding up. Someone is telling the truth and the other is lying right? Well, as mentioned, thats not quite true. Its all about growing up with a game (whatever it may be) and becoming attached to it to the point of identifying yourself with it.....
Which, mind you, is why people continue to have debates over which sport is better. Even though arguing about the validity of one sport being "better" than the other is completely rubbish when you think about it - because you're never arguing objectively, only subjectively.
al ain pie
Team Captain
blewhismindout
Debutant
The game in full flight, is a marvelous spectacle, but like all things, the novelty will eventually ware off.
I love footy, but I enjoy watching the dees play far, far more than any other team. The reason is, I identify myself as Melbourne. When we win, I feel proud, and when we lose badly, I'm embarrassed.
Although I have no great interest in soccer, I found myself up at 3am to watch Australia in the World Cup, because I identify myself as Australian. That loss to Italy hurt just as much as any Melbourne loss in recent memory.
I'm emotionally committed to the club, but it's very difficult to get people to make the same commitment.
Instead of making the game big overseas, we should be making the game big for the people from overseas. I feel that soccer is their natural inclination, whereas the AFL may be seen as a game for white Australians.
I love footy, but I enjoy watching the dees play far, far more than any other team. The reason is, I identify myself as Melbourne. When we win, I feel proud, and when we lose badly, I'm embarrassed.
Although I have no great interest in soccer, I found myself up at 3am to watch Australia in the World Cup, because I identify myself as Australian. That loss to Italy hurt just as much as any Melbourne loss in recent memory.
I'm emotionally committed to the club, but it's very difficult to get people to make the same commitment.
Instead of making the game big overseas, we should be making the game big for the people from overseas. I feel that soccer is their natural inclination, whereas the AFL may be seen as a game for white Australians.
