Talking Footy

SMH wrote:

Sydney Swans decide to go west
February 17, 2005 - 6:09PM
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Breaking-New ... 38437.html


The AFL will aggressively target the western Sydney market as part of a goal to double the league's operating profit within five years.

AFL Commission chairman Ron Evans believes the league had become too content with steady growth and needed to do more to promote the code north of the Murray.

That will include more games in western Sydney (at Telstra Stadium) and south-east Queensland in coming years, with a long-term view to clubs being based in those areas.

"We should be seeking a far more aggressive growth in what we do," Evans said.

"We should aspire to grow faster, and take advantage of that market leadership position.

"In business, if you are the market leader, your shareholders expect you to grow and we should be expecting to grow."

Evans said the 'northern markets' approach had been abandoned, with the AFL now acknowledging Queensland and New South Wales had to be treated differently.

The success of the Brisbane Lions had vastly increased the AFL's market share in terms of media and participation in the sunshine state, but New South Wales was lagging well behind.

"The NSW market is our biggest challenge," Evans said.

"We have got a job of work to do in the Sydney market in particular.

"We are going to put some dollars into that and some effort into that."

The launching of a rugby Super 14 team in Perth, the new soccer A-League and strong junior participation in that sport had put the AFL on a more aggressive footing.

"When someone is coming after your market share, you can do various things," AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said.

"One thing we will not be doing is surrendering market share."

Demetriou foreshadowed a hard-ball approach to ground-sharing requests from competing sports, with battle lines already drawn against the new rugby franchise in Perth.

The AFL had doubled its operating profit (before distributions to clubs and game development spending) from $60.95 million to $124.01 million in the past five years, with the AFL targetting a further doubling to $250 million in the next five.

"I would have thought that is something we can aspire to," Evans said.

More immediate concerns for the AFL were legal costs, which will jump to more than $3 million next year as it defends action by Channel Seven over losing the broadcast rights, and the troubled Hall of Fame, which had already drained $210,000 from league coffers with more to come.

King-Eliagh wrote:

Yeah an interesting and strong approach from the afl beaussie. They ar smart and i personaolly hope for the continuation and growth of the sport in nsw.

King-Eliagh wrote:

However i am disappointed, as you know, in the aims and objectives from the afl within the state i am currently living in. Here in central australia N.T. as im sure is the case in darwin the game is very strong and it is sad to see no state team from here in the afl?? I know money and sponsorship is the problem but really.. if they are truly to call it an 'australian' game they must make grounds and stadiums available here??? I really believe they would get the support week in and week out. Atleast 26,000.

King-Eliagh wrote:

I myself playrd a game against some indigenous fellas today and although i didnt drop a mark, and played superbly well. i can tell you the level was well above many if not all nsw school teams. From my natural talent and skill level i am seriously considering taking the game up for a season but my point is still valid. OUR SCHOOL AGAINST ANY NSW SCHOOL... WE WOULD WIN!!! SO WHY CANT THE AFL MAKE IT HAPPEN??? fuuuuking money i bet? All true AFL supporters admire arron davey's play!!!!

schoolsport.edu.au wrote:

Of the 74 Championships conducted (1956 and 1957 Championships having Senior and Junior Divisions and 1996 and 1997 having Division One and Division Two) 68 have ended with outright winners, 7 with ties and the 1956, 1973 and 1987 Championships finishing in three way ties.

Outright winners have been Victoria 41 times (including Victorian Country 3 and Victorian Metropolitan 1), Western Australia 12 times, South Australia 5 times, New South Wales 4 times, Tasmania 3 times and Queensland 3 times.

Victoria (7), Western Australia (4), Queensland (2), New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Northern Territory (each 1) have been involved with ties.

http://www.schoolsport.edu.au/h_AustFootball.htm

footyhead wrote:

Northern territory and nth Qld could start a nothern team and play 6 home games in darwin and 6 in Cairns ! Whdya think ?

Rugga cactus slapper wrote:

Hahahaha where the fcuk are they going to put a team now?

West Sydney, hahaha now thats funny.

Gay F L has gone as far as it can, it's all downhill from here.

NZ hahaha, not even the KIwi's are that dumb, although if they do move a team to NZ, i hope it crushes U***N.