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Second club locked in for proposed China game
THE AFL has secured an agreement from a second club to play Port Adelaide in China next season if the proposed match in Shanghai goes ahead, CEO Gillon McLachlan has said.
The Power signed a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese property developer and the AFL on Thursday with the aim of playing a match in Shanghai next season.
Port has stressed it would maintain the rights of a home team without sacrificing one of its 11 home games at Adelaide Oval, meaning the second club would need to sell one of its home games to participate.
McLachlan wouldn't reveal the other club that had agreed to play in China but said all parties were behind the push.
"We have willing teams, we have an agreement with a [second] club, which I won't talk to, and we have agreed to do it," McLachlan told travelling Australian media in China on Thursday.
The second club for the proposed Shanghai match would be reimbursed for its sacrifice in the same manner Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs are for playing 'home' games in Darwin and Cairns respectively in 2016.
Hawthorn and North Melbourne have also brokered lucrative deals to play more regular home games in Tasmania.
St Kilda travelled to New Zealand to host Anzac Day games in Wellington in each of the past three seasons in matches the club said were significantly more profitable than home games at Etihad Stadium.
The club that joins Port Adelaide in the proposed Shanghai match next season would also be exposed to a massive TV audience, with the Power already unveiled to viewers on the China Central TV network.
McLachlan said the CCTV viewership for Port Adelaide's round three clash against Essendon "more than doubled the Australian audience".
"I know CCTV are happy … and they want some more games," McLachlan said.
"They're looking to take games beyond the Port Adelaide games that have been locked in.
"It's a pleasing start, but I think you've got to be realistic about it, people are probably sampling for the first time.
"(But) small steps are how any journey starts."
The AFL's next hurdle for making the Shanghai dream a reality is to secure a venue, with turf consultants deployed to examine the surface at Shanghai Stadium, which has a capacity of 80,000.
"There's a huge appetite and a broad commitment, but we've got some stuff to work through yet," he said.
"Part of today is getting momentum and people to come onboard with that journey.
"China is so important to us (as a country) and it's so important for the future of our game and we want to work with as many people as we can to make it happen."
McLachlan praised the "vision" of Port Adelaide president David Koch and CEO Keith Thomas for pushing the match and said all international development money for Chinese expansion would be channelled through the club.
"I think it's a very important deal for them and it will just get bigger," the CEO said.
Second club locked in for proposed China game
THE AFL has secured an agreement from a second club to play Port Adelaide in China next season if the proposed match in Shanghai goes ahead, CEO Gillon McLachlan has said.
The Power signed a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese property developer and the AFL on Thursday with the aim of playing a match in Shanghai next season.
Port has stressed it would maintain the rights of a home team without sacrificing one of its 11 home games at Adelaide Oval, meaning the second club would need to sell one of its home games to participate.
McLachlan wouldn't reveal the other club that had agreed to play in China but said all parties were behind the push.
"We have willing teams, we have an agreement with a [second] club, which I won't talk to, and we have agreed to do it," McLachlan told travelling Australian media in China on Thursday.
The second club for the proposed Shanghai match would be reimbursed for its sacrifice in the same manner Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs are for playing 'home' games in Darwin and Cairns respectively in 2016.
Hawthorn and North Melbourne have also brokered lucrative deals to play more regular home games in Tasmania.
St Kilda travelled to New Zealand to host Anzac Day games in Wellington in each of the past three seasons in matches the club said were significantly more profitable than home games at Etihad Stadium.
The club that joins Port Adelaide in the proposed Shanghai match next season would also be exposed to a massive TV audience, with the Power already unveiled to viewers on the China Central TV network.
McLachlan said the CCTV viewership for Port Adelaide's round three clash against Essendon "more than doubled the Australian audience".
"I know CCTV are happy … and they want some more games," McLachlan said.
"They're looking to take games beyond the Port Adelaide games that have been locked in.
"It's a pleasing start, but I think you've got to be realistic about it, people are probably sampling for the first time.
"(But) small steps are how any journey starts."
The AFL's next hurdle for making the Shanghai dream a reality is to secure a venue, with turf consultants deployed to examine the surface at Shanghai Stadium, which has a capacity of 80,000.
"There's a huge appetite and a broad commitment, but we've got some stuff to work through yet," he said.
"Part of today is getting momentum and people to come onboard with that journey.
"China is so important to us (as a country) and it's so important for the future of our game and we want to work with as many people as we can to make it happen."
McLachlan praised the "vision" of Port Adelaide president David Koch and CEO Keith Thomas for pushing the match and said all international development money for Chinese expansion would be channelled through the club.
"I think it's a very important deal for them and it will just get bigger," the CEO said.
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