Bulldog4life
10-02-2018, 12:28 PM
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-refutes-claims-of-slashed-womens-budget-but-the-spend-has-certainly-changed/news-story/8c4d15837c19bfd15550aefdb63fd7ef
THE AFL has refuted claims the budget for the AFLW has been slashed this season, with the total spend in 2018 the exact same as it was in 2017.
Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon told ABC Radio the AFL had cut the AFLW budget to fund the newly formed AFLX competition.
But foxfooty.com.au understands the only difference with the AFLW budget for its second season is the breakdown of the spend.
Less money was spent on marketing and promotion, specifically on a television campaign because the AFL was of the understanding that there was much greater awareness of the competition heading into 2018.
But more money was spent on total player payments, with an additional $477,000 going directly into players’ pockets.
Gordon said the noticeable lack of promotion of the second season of AFLW was problematic when trying to promote the league in a crowded sporting market.
“For all the other challenges that AFLW faces it faces a competitive product launched, not by soccer or cricket, but from AFL house itself,” Gordon said.
“We saw this launch of AFLX during the week ... with acrobats and parachuters trying to land in the middle of an empty Etihad Stadium.
“I’d prefer that money to go into the promotion of women’s football.
“It’s a matter of concern to me and we will be taking it up.
“It’s a matter of concern to me that they launch a competitive product of their own in the very second year when all of the emphasis should be on what a great first year we had.”
Gordon was critical of the memo sent from AFL headquarters to the eight AFLW coaches, after just one round of the season.
The Western Bulldogs president said he was thrilled with how Paul Groves had coached his side to a 26-point win over Fremantle.
“I know I’m not the only person in this industry who is pretty disappointed with the narrative of this weekend being ‘we’ve got to make the game more attacking, more interesting, more exciting’,” Gordon said.
“The fact of it is that at least three of the four games were interesting and attacking games.
“It’s just not good enough, this creeping control from the AFL.
“I think the AFL needs to continue the great work that it has done to actually promote this game over the last two years. I don’t think they’ve done themselves any favours with this memo.”
THE AFL has refuted claims the budget for the AFLW has been slashed this season, with the total spend in 2018 the exact same as it was in 2017.
Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon told ABC Radio the AFL had cut the AFLW budget to fund the newly formed AFLX competition.
But foxfooty.com.au understands the only difference with the AFLW budget for its second season is the breakdown of the spend.
Less money was spent on marketing and promotion, specifically on a television campaign because the AFL was of the understanding that there was much greater awareness of the competition heading into 2018.
But more money was spent on total player payments, with an additional $477,000 going directly into players’ pockets.
Gordon said the noticeable lack of promotion of the second season of AFLW was problematic when trying to promote the league in a crowded sporting market.
“For all the other challenges that AFLW faces it faces a competitive product launched, not by soccer or cricket, but from AFL house itself,” Gordon said.
“We saw this launch of AFLX during the week ... with acrobats and parachuters trying to land in the middle of an empty Etihad Stadium.
“I’d prefer that money to go into the promotion of women’s football.
“It’s a matter of concern to me and we will be taking it up.
“It’s a matter of concern to me that they launch a competitive product of their own in the very second year when all of the emphasis should be on what a great first year we had.”
Gordon was critical of the memo sent from AFL headquarters to the eight AFLW coaches, after just one round of the season.
The Western Bulldogs president said he was thrilled with how Paul Groves had coached his side to a 26-point win over Fremantle.
“I know I’m not the only person in this industry who is pretty disappointed with the narrative of this weekend being ‘we’ve got to make the game more attacking, more interesting, more exciting’,” Gordon said.
“The fact of it is that at least three of the four games were interesting and attacking games.
“It’s just not good enough, this creeping control from the AFL.
“I think the AFL needs to continue the great work that it has done to actually promote this game over the last two years. I don’t think they’ve done themselves any favours with this memo.”