Would you support the Hawks if...?

[Alite]

I know this has been stated already but, this thread is based on a hypothetical thought bubble of Jeff Kennet.
A thought bubble with intent.

It is all about forcing the Tassie Government to make a decision on whether they will renew our partnership. Frankly, the Tassie government can talk big but they have no leg to stand on. The AFL cannot currently afford to pay for another team (as they did with GWS) and the Tassie government will not either. No government will deprive their supporters of their favoured sport... and so Tassie will continue their sponsorship with Hawthorn. Jeff has many faults, but he knows politics.

 

[lyger]

If it was to Tassie I think I would.

This comment made me think.

As a general pondering, are you more likely to keep following the Hawks if the new location was still relatively easy to get to and if the club had some existing connection?

Is a relocation a relocation regardless and the end of the story?

 

[CobberRodgers]

This comment made me think.

As a general pondering, are you more likely to keep following the Hawks if the new location was still relatively easy to get to and if the club had some existing connection?

Is a relocation a relocation regardless and the end of the story?

It's still a relocation end of story type of set up, just for me, having been through this before, a move to Tassie wouldn't make me stop following Hawthorn.

Things are very accessible these days and I have family and work links in Tassie.

No doubt it's still a relocation and ripping the club out of it's home and I would completely understand the feelings of the long time supporters of 50 plus years etc.

 

[theiaofseed]

Yes I live 100's of kms away from any AFL ground only ever attended 2 AFL games, paid up member every year. Insanity to me people wouldn't support the club if it moved cities/states.

 

[killerspud]

Probably not - hmmm maybe. I'm not sure - The one thing I do know is that I would have even more contempt and scorn for the AFL which is a mickey mouse organisation that hasn't got much right in the past 40 years and have destroyed the game almost beyond repair with its attempt to turn it into a business.

 

[Agent Smith]

Whenever I'm faced with a tough decision, I often think to myself "What would the AFL do?"



And then do the opposite.

 

[Brant]

Whenever I'm faced with a tough decision, I often think to myself "What would the AFL do?"



And then do the opposite.

#rulechange

AFL: “Dammit, I swallowed a fly... I should definitely swallow this spider to catch the fly, then penalise a bunch of other people for not swallowing flies. Oh nuts, now I’ve swallowed a spider... I better swallow this here bird...”

And so on...

 

[Ugottabjokin]

Anything that isn't Hawthorn Hawks can GAGF. I'll follow Storm, Victory, Melb United etc.
Plenty of over sports and if the AFL and the powers to be at Hawthorn want to be dicks then they can go and suck each other off.
They won't be getting my membership $$$ or following.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

I'd follow the hawks, but interest would lower over the years. Would start following the local team

 

[TheExtractorFactor]

After everything that has gone on the last year it has really been driven home to me that by far and away my main enjoyment of following the club comes from attending games at the G. My passion for footy was so depleted last year that for the first time in a decade there where some matches I didn’t even watch on TV. I refuse to go to the Docklands dump so even moving our home games there would be a big change to me. So in answer to your question probably not. For me the best part of footy is going to the games and barracking.

 

[Linda CRS]

I would support them where ever they are.
#always

Agree totally as sad as it would be. The reality is Jeff’s 74 or thereabouts, he will hand the baton over this year and the relocation talk will be history.

 

[medusala]

No disrespect but Waverley was only our home for about 8 years. I’m only in my 30s but am young enough to have gone to Princes Park every week, followed by Waverley and now the G.

Waverley was a dump and hated by a very large % who didn't live near there.

There is a very obvious answer to all this and cant happen under the polo player as he can't admit the AFL made a MASSIVE mistake re expansion to GC and GWS.

Tasmania WILL get a team. Two choices re how that happens. The rational choice or the AFL irrational choice.

 

[Goldhawk]

Tasmania WILL get a team. Two choices re how that happens. The rational choice or the AFL irrational choice.

Maybe Tassie will get a team eventually but i can't see it being sustained as the economy is just not big enough, one just has to look at the Hobart Devils (Basketball) in NFL and the Tasmanian Devils in the VFL they both folded in the end.

 

[Ashman23]

Maybe Tassie will get a team eventually but i can't see it being sustained as the economy is just not big enough, one just has to look at the Hobart Devils (Basketball) in NFL and the Tasmanian Devils in the VFL they both folded in the end.

The Hobart Devils had good support, nearly always full at home games but a bad history of losing, the season they got canned by Malcom Speed they had a talented and young list and buyers waiting to take over. Obviously I'm not privy to the financials but I also think the deal they had with the DEC (placed where they played - is the new home of the Jack Jumpers) wasn't team friendly.

Tassie can support a team but it needs 100% government assistance.

 

[medusala]

It is all about forcing the Tassie Government to make a decision on whether they will renew our partnership. Frankly, the Tassie government can talk big but they have no leg to stand on. The AFL cannot currently afford to pay for another team (as they did with GWS) and the Tassie government will not either. No government will deprive their supporters of their favoured sport... and so Tassie will continue their sponsorship with Hawthorn. Jeff has many faults, but he knows politics.

Everyone knew at the time that a standalone Tasmanian team would need little if any support from the AFL given the support it would get from the state govt. Yet the AFL CHOSE to throw tens of millions stupidly at GC and GWS (doesnt take a rocket scientist to work out why).

The AFL are reluctant to concede what every bloke with an abacus knows - it was a stupid financial decision even without the effects of coronavirus.

A standalone Tassie team would likely cost LESS not more to the state government.

 

[medusala]

Maybe Tassie will get a team eventually but i can't see it being sustained as the economy is just not big enough, one just has to look at the Hobart Devils (Basketball) in NFL and the Tasmanian Devils in the VFL they both folded in the end.

Not comparable. Tasmanaian football stuffed around for years with different grounds ie TCA, North Hobart and then Bellerive. Finally they have a decent ground that would enable them as per Geelong to be profitable with a smallish crowd. Geelong has a similar population to Hobart.

 

[MistyAvalon]

yes, there is a nice park just near me in Sydney