Demetriou beats the drum for western Sydney team
By Greg Buckle, 16 Aug 2009 Greg Buckle is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- AFL, Andrew Demetriou, Expansion, Sydney, western Sydney
Andrew Demetriou has given his campaign to build support for an AFL club in western Sydney a new name – Team GWS.
With plans to introduce a second team to NSW in 2012, the AFL chief addressed a dinner of 500 business people from western Sydney at ANZ Stadium ahead of Sydney’s round-20 clash with Geelong.
Demetriou said the unveiling of the Team GWS website and logo marked the next stage of the AFL’s expansion plans, designed to engage the community and businesses of greater western Sydney in the campaign for a new team.
“The launch of Team GWS is one of the first steps in the journey towards the development of the identity of the football team,” Demetriou said in a statement on Saturday.
“As this campaign takes shape, we are encouraging the 14 diverse communities of greater western Sydney to join Team GWS and be a part of history. Team GWS is a team we can all be proud of, and be part of, based on unity and inclusion.”
Wary of the hurdles he faces with a push into the rugby league heartland in tough economic times, Demetriou said community support was essential.
He wants fans to be involved in designing the team’s name, logo, colours, theme song and team mascot.
“We want people in the area to take ownership of this club,” he said.
The Team GWS campaign identity incorporates the iconic red AFL Sherrin Football, along with the four goal posts meant to signify a bright future on the horizon.
Demetriou says the Team GWS website, www.teamgws.com.au, encourages community participation and registration.
The AFL chief’s 500 dinner guests have been invited to become financial supporters of the new team.
“The AFL has committed to increasing investment in the area of greater western Sydney over the next eight years,” Demetriou said.
He claimed Team GWS would generate permanent economic and social benefits for the region.
“It all starts here. It all starts with young people who get introduced to the game,” Demetriou told reporters after the dinner.
“We’ve found that with our Auskick programs over many, many years. If you can capture them early, they can start to dream about what can be.
“We’re actually delighted that tonight we’ve got some young lads from the Parramatta Goannas and hopefully this will be the future of what we see here in greater western Sydney.
“We’ve got a long journey and it’s a great challenge for us.
“To see 500 people here tonight from local businesses and communities is a really pleasing start.”
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Pippinu said | August 16th 2009 @ 11:10am | Report comment
This is the new site:
http://www.teamgws.com.au/
altough there ain’t much on it (but it’s focus is clear enough).
I have to say that I find the logo quite uninspiring.
MyGeneration said | August 16th 2009 @ 11:46am | Report comment
At first I thought they were smokestacks. Then I realised they were AFL goal posts. And is that a red sunset as in “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight”. So, the Western Wendells?
Yes, some work to do there.
The 1 and only Master said | August 16th 2009 @ 12:58pm | Report comment
Another good crowd at ANZ stadium to see Sydney Vs Geelong. Seems to lend support to the idea for a team in Western Sydney. If the Swans are achieving crowds of approx 25K at the SCG then we are looking at around 15K extra for games played out of ANZ.
I would make the assumption that only 2/3rds of regular SCG / Swans fans would travel to ANZ, so crowds of 40K would in my opinion constitute 20-25K coming from the greater Sydney area, the area the AFL is targeting.
Crowds of 20-25K would be a good result in the first few seasons for the new club
James said | August 17th 2009 @ 5:47pm | Report comment
If they can average 20k in the first year, the AFL will be very pleased. Then again, they only need to schedule one of Collingwood, Essendon, Carlton, and maybe a Geelong, Hawthorn or even a Richmond (if they get their act together), and you will get 10,000 travelling fans, leaving them will just 10k to make up the numbers.
megatron said | August 16th 2009 @ 2:42pm | Report comment
I’m starting to think west Sydney is a better proposition than Gold Coast based on population. As shown at last nights Gold Coast A-league match, Gold Coast crowds are gonna struggle
Pippinu said | August 16th 2009 @ 3:14pm | Report comment
megatron
It’s really difficult to say at this stage. The titans appear to have got the local crowds onside, but GCU (or at least their owner), has very deep pockets.
In relation to the AFL – until now, the wisdom has been that the Gold Coast makes more sense than Western Sydney, and I can see the merit in that because of the emigre factor.
But – you’ve got it – it’s a numbers game – the AFL are thinking that they only need 5 to 10% of the local population to be half-interested to make a fist of it.
Difficult? Maybe. Impossible? I wouldn’t have thought so.
Dogs Of War said | August 16th 2009 @ 3:21pm | Report comment
Remember that an AFL team costs twice as much to run as a NRL one. Which means you really need to be a success almost immediately, or the team will bleed money. So NRL can afford to run much lower membership given the comparative smaller costs involved.
Pippinu said | August 16th 2009 @ 4:10pm | Report comment
DOW
that’s true – Aussie rules teams have a high cost structure – certainly double that of an A-League club.
Dave said | August 16th 2009 @ 3:58pm | Report comment
but even with the cheaper costs all NRL clubs in Sydney make a loss
Dogs Of War said | August 16th 2009 @ 4:20pm | Report comment
A paper loss. Yet they still exist. Funny that.
Not to say that in the future that some Sydney clubs won’t dissapear, that’s a given as the Western Sydney AFL team, and others will take sponsorship dollars away from clubs, and some won’t be able to make ends meet at all.
I think this is why the NRL isn’t announcing any new clubs, or a strategy, as it knows that some clubs are going to have to move to survive, and with areas looking for teams, some will have to make the hard decision, and it will be for the good of the game in general.
Dave said | August 16th 2009 @ 5:05pm | Report comment
The NRL are waitng till the next TV contract
onside said | August 16th 2009 @ 4:50pm | Report comment
What’s in a name
GWS=Greater Western Sydney
Soweto =South West Township
Dave said | August 16th 2009 @ 5:04pm | Report comment
What’s in your name comparison?
Nothing.
onside said | August 16th 2009 @ 6:11pm | Report comment
Sunday arvo Dave.BBQ lunch.The GWS irked.Thats all.You’re right.Nothing.
Michael C said | August 17th 2009 @ 9:47am | Report comment
Onside -
it’s a ‘working title’ – that’s all. The name, logo extra is all yet to be confirmed and is up for public engagement.
That’s the whole idea. But, the website for the time being needs a URL.
Just as Gold Coast footy club isn’t going to be known for ever as GC17, and yet the website is GC17.com.au and that’s the ‘working title’.
Ain’t meant to ‘inspire’. Yet.
The 1 and only Master said | August 16th 2009 @ 10:16pm | Report comment
The Gold Coast AFL side will easily average 20-25K from year 1, absolutely no doubt. If they play the big 4 Melbourne clubs along with Adelaide, Geelong and of course the Lions, we are talking 7 sell outs.
You would have to imagine 5-10K supporters would travel to the G.C. with any of those 6 interstate clubs, not to mention supporters of those teams now living in QLD and Nth NSW.
As time moves on both these new ventures look very solid.
lauboy said | August 16th 2009 @ 11:40pm | Report comment
The Swans have every right to be worried.
Where are the fans for the new West Sydney team to come from?
If the AFL thinks they are going to create 20-25,000 new fans to watch the new team play then I can only assume that the AFL will be trucking them in from Victoria.
I have no doubt the AFL is counting on the people of southern NSW (and even Canberra) to push the crowd figures up for the new team.
Pippinu said | August 17th 2009 @ 12:00am | Report comment
lauboy
I don’t know if you know, but 40,000 turned up to ANZ the other night to watch the Swans – I don’t know where they come from, but a few must come from those environs.
Matt S said | August 17th 2009 @ 8:15am | Report comment
They dished out mega amounts of free tickets for the Geelong game. I got offered 5 free tixs at Bing Lee’s.
Pippinu said | August 17th 2009 @ 9:23am | Report comment
Bing Lee is SFC’s major sponsor!!