Should Tasmania have an AFL team?

[boydogs]

Pressuring existing clubs to relocate is like living to work not working to live, getting carried away with the money as opposed to it being a means to an end

[jeemak]

It'd be really nice to not continually have to hang the threat of relocation or disbandment over the heads of 2-3 Victorian clubs, plus the expansion sides, at any given moment.

Are we really too big a competition to not include teams that have been part of the comp for nearly a century in their current form, especially when they are solvent (North)? Why do we accept the narrative that one of them has to go when there has been no issue this whole time. I mean North are the easiest target and they still regularly attract crowds in excess of 25,000 people, a figure basically any other code would dream of (and is impressive by world wide standards).

Gold Coast and GWS still have a long way to grow, but that is in no way a surprise and also what do people expect? Essendon and Carlton have been stuck in the pit of ineptness for almost as long as the Suns and what do they have to blame? The fact that Gold Coast averaged a crowd of 11,000 in 2019 despite never actually being good in less than 10 years of existence should be a credit to them, not a source of derision. Again they are starting out in a non football area, and as soon as the AFL committed to the project there then they knew it would be a long term plan.

Tassie is great, and I am all for a team there, although am pretty sceptical on it being this big behemoth everyone seems to think it will be. The record crowd there is 17,000, and i suspect in the depths of winter there could be some very low crowds. I'm not saying this against Tassie, but I do think it will have its own struggles at least optically. If it has a poor first 5 years like Gold Coast has had (and averages a reasonable crowd figure of say 13,000) do we all start bagging it out for being a failure as well and that it was always a dumb place to put a team?

I'm a bit tired of everyone punching down at the two expansion clubs, I'm not really sure what everyone expected. If Tassie is included it should be as the 19th side, no team should be "punished" by being sent down there unless they choose to go, and it's going to require patience until it becomes a side that everyone thinks is actually worthy of being in the comp.

I think we as Dogs supporters punch down onto GWS and GCS because as we were on our decline after a solid crack for a few years they were perceived to be taking what we were owed through equalisation, and there was still talk at the time of lowly Melbourne clubs being sacrificed to rationalise the Victorian arm of the competition. We've held off the wolves by winning a premiership and through good management becoming sustainable, but what would our lives be like if we didn't sack BMac, never got Bevo on board and had a decade of mediocrity? I know what that looks like, it looks like Peter Gordon having sleepless nights trying to keep us afloat and WOOF being overly optimistic about trading for Two Metre Peter year after year to solve our forward line malaise after burning a shit tonne of the good draft decisions we've made in real life and chasing magic beans.

If we don't keep this run of good management and form up we will be a target for rationalisation again. And it's incumbent upon all of us to understand that and do what we can to point out the inequity and stupidity of "expansion" for the sake of it, and how it screws clubs like ours. Additionally, those at our level in Melbourne will kill us as soon as they can. In this upcoming post COVID environment resources are going to be tighter than ever and we will need to fight tooth and nail for everything we get. Shit is about to get seriously ugly within the AFL, especially if we go another finals series without reasonable crowds which is highly likely.*

Anyway, a bit like GWS and GCS if Tassie got its own team it's not really competing for market share like the multi-team towns it would be carving out its own niche.

Yes both GCS and GWS are technically part of multi-team cities/ states but they're new teams in very different parts of their regions and I think any Tassie team has an awesome opportunity to carve out something similar but with a head start because they would be based in a footy state. If given the chance they could cultivate a very strong and dedicated following, suitable to the capacity of their stadiums and sustainable overall.

We talk about allegiances to pre-existing AFL teams and it already being a captive market, but I think we undersell how parochial folks in Tassie are and how willingly they would unite and take it up to the mainland. Yes, intra-state rivalries are stronger in Tassie than in most states in Australia, but if funding is distributed equally to get members on board from all areas of Tassie it's more than possible the whole state would be behind its team.

Give them two clean stadium deals, engage at the junior level properly and it's going to work. The people of Tassie are close to my heart, I've travelled there heaps of times for different reasons and they just deserve to be given a go at making this work. Give them and their team an opportunity to shine and show how awesome their place, their spirit and them themselves are. They'll make it work.

*I'm a collectivist by nature, but I'm also scarred by how poorly we have been treated by our fellow clubs over time. This is a topic that I really feel can turn against us if we let our guards down, and it's genuinely us or them.

[hujsh]

Pressuring existing clubs to relocate is like living to work not working to live, getting carried away with the money as opposed to it being a means to an end

I think this is one case where that might not be true. A Tassie team doesn't add much more money to the AFL but it should exist for Tasmanian AFL fans.

Not sure of the best way to make it happen though.

[Happy Days]

Punching down is very underrated. Funny, easy, no fear of respite; what's not to like?

[Ghost Dog]

"The AFL's Purpose is not to maximise shareholder value but rather to maximise enjoyment of our game," Carter states in his report.

There is a more succinct line later: "It is the right thing to do."

Time then, to do it properly.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-...ting/100376020

A stupid amount of good footy players comes from Tassie. Reward for return.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

"The AFL's Purpose is not to maximise shareholder value but rather to maximise enjoyment of our game," Carter states in his report.

There is a more succinct line later: "It is the right thing to do."

Time then, to do it properly.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-...ting/100376020

A stupid amount of good footy players comes from Tassie. Reward for return.

They really think we’re that stupid? Yeah everyone enjoys AFL going to western Sydney and the Gold Coast where they don’t give a damn about the sport rather than a football heartland like Tassie.

[DOG GOD]

They really think we’re that stupid? Yeah everyone enjoys AFL going to western Sydney and the Gold Coast where they don’t give a damn about the sport rather than a football heartland like Tassie.

Exactly. Tassie should well and truly have been a part of the AFL before those 2.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Exactly. Tassie should well and truly have been a part of the AFL before those 2.

A tassie team would instantly become every victorians second team. I mean, I never have a second team, but if we can’t win it, it’d be tassie who I want to see win it. And that includes if the saints relocated there. I hate them.

DG, how would you feel towards a tassie team? Obviously you’re dogs through and through, but would a tassie team hold any meaning to you?

[Ghost Dog]

Tassie would add a lot of social capital and cultural capital to AFL.
GWS and GC add little in terms of cultural capital.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Two new licences- Tasmania and NT

20 teams, everyone plays each team once
20*19= 380 games v the current 18*22=396 games
-Throw in one or two “Rivalry rounds” to get off the extra derby/showdown/Q clash/Bridge battle/traditional Vic/NTvTassie
-An extra one could be based on the previous seasons ladder position (GF rematch, 3v4, 5v6 etc) which would be a bit like how they weight the fixture with teams that finished in the same bracket.

So 20*20=400 or 20*21=420 games in total. Either way you are reducing games for each team without impacting the total games and (critically) broadcasts.

20 teams probably flags an argument for a playoff pre-finals round- 7v10 and 8v9
This gives the top 6 a week off and two ratings blockbusters in what has otherwise been the Pre-finals bye round.

[bornadog]

Two new licences- Tasmania and NT

20 teams, everyone plays each team once
20*19= 380 games v the current 18*22=396 games
Throw in one or two “Rivalry rounds” to get off the extra derby/showdown/Q clash/Bridge battle/traditional Vic/NTvTassie
An extra one could be based on the previous seasons ladder position (GF rematch etc) which would be a bit like how they weight the fixture with teams that finished in the same bracket.
So 20*20=400 or 20*21=420 games in total. Either way you are reducing games for each team without impacting the total games and (critically) broadcasts.

20 teams probably flags an argument for a playoff pre-finals round- 7v10 and 8v9
This gives the top 6 a week off and two ratings blockbusters in what has otherwise been the Pre-finals bye round.

I like it. I think the NT team should also include Northern Qld and Nth Western Australia. Could take in all the indigenous players form those areas.

[The Adelaide Connection]

I like it. I think the NT team should also include Northern Qld and Nth Western Australia. Could take in all the indigenous players form those areas.

There is certainly scope to make Townsville or Cairns a second home too, much the same was as GWS has Canberra. Considering teams like ours have banked $1 million for hosting games up there, it should go a long way to making anNT team fiscally viable. What’s Broome’s facilities like? Maybe at worst the WA government could tip in a bit of money to get a ground to AFL standards?

[The Adelaide Connection]

Two new licences- Tasmania and NT

20 teams, everyone plays each team once
20*19= 380 games v the current 18*22=396 games
-Throw in one or two “Rivalry rounds” to get off the extra derby/showdown/Q clash/Bridge battle/traditional Vic/NTvTassie
-An extra one could be based on the previous seasons ladder position (GF rematch, 3v4, 5v6 etc) which would be a bit like how they weight the fixture with teams that finished in the same bracket.

So 20*20=400 or 20*21=420 games in total. Either way you are reducing games for each team without impacting the total games and (critically) broadcasts.

20 teams probably flags an argument for a playoff pre-finals round- 7v10 and 8v9
This gives the top 6 a week off and two ratings blockbusters in what has otherwise been the Pre-finals bye round.

I should add that teams battling out to get to 10th would reduce dead rubbers and add extra intrigue to the last few rounds.

On the current ladder If WC win today, everyone outside the 8 has their season ended. With the playoff 7-10 system you have five current teams (9-13) fighting for ninth and tenth next week. Looking at the fixture that sees 6 of 9 games with both teams alive for finals (as opposed to the 3 of 9 that is likely next week).

The elimination style games in the last round (where teams that are on the cusp are trying to win by x amount of points) are often some of the best and best rating-wise of the year. There would be bumper ratings for this round.

[bornadog]

No stadium, no club: AFL’s $750m ultimatum to Tassie as 19th team talks heat up

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan says Tasmania will need a new stadium if they are to be considered for a 19th stand alone team in the future.

McLachlan, who met with new Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff in Hobart on Thursday, suggested it was expected a new club would have a stadium that would compete with modern facilities - which means a fresh one.

story continues - click heading

[DOG GOD]

I’m Tasmanian. Live in Tassie (Launceston) and I just can’t see this becoming a reality. No AFL supporter I’ve spoken to would change their club to barrack for Tassie. They may buy a membership to help, but not change clubs. A 26,000 seat stadium would be lucky to fill 6,000 in a Tassie vs Freo game. I also just can’t see it being financed the way it needs. I also think 18 teams is just right.