What the AFL has to do to become king
Roar Rookie By jono52795, 4 Jul 2010 jono52795 is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- AFL, AFL expansion, Gold Coast FC, State of Origin AFL
308 Have your say
Long regarded as the prominent organisation in the Australian sports pecking chain, the AFL faces a crucial period of expansion and potential growth in the coming years.
Its medium term success might just prove its worthiness as the leading sports organisation in Australia.
Below are a series of things which yours truly (a passionate AFL supporter) believes is required for the game:
1. TV revenue.
The coming deal with the networks following the 2011 season looms as a defining moment. If the windfall exceeds $1 billion, it is a sure fire indicator that AFL will rule sports broadcasting for years to come. Here’s what needs to improve:
- Live Friday night football (as well as no more than one hour delay in WA and live telecast of Friday games in NSW/QLD featuring any the NSW/QLD teams).
- Monday night footy. Without this drawcard, there will not be as much potential for bigger bucks in the AFL pocket. Saturday twilight football should be the other major inclusion.
2. Season structure.
The AFL is on a winner with this one. With 18 teams in the comp, a plethora of opportunities is available for the season’s operation. I prefer a simple 24 round home and away season, with emphasis on more blockbusters and the development of Friday night football games in New South Wales.
3. State of Origin.
I like it too much to ignore it. Once every three years; a State of Origin Series should be played. Five teams (Victoria, South Australia, West Australia, Queensland, Indigenous All Stars) playing off against each other throughout the season; before a preliminary final between teams two and three, followed by the final in October, a few weeks after the Grand Final.
Players from other states would go to the state of their choosing, with perhaps a maximum of four “extra” players from none of the above states playing for Vic, SA, WA, IAS or QLD. Can you imagine a Cyril Rioli-lead All Stars hosting a star studded Victoria at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on a Friday night?
Showing off the game’s superstars in this way can only be a good thing. One condition; no person can coach any state team if involved with any club team. Clubs believed to be influencing a player’s State of Origin commitments should be fined serious money; at least $100,000.
4. Connect with the community.
There are some parts of the nation still yet to recognize AFL as a sport worth watching or playing. Polynesian Queensland and New South Wales is embedded in these select areas; and if the AFL shows off its game and players to these regions, then the final jigsaw in the national puzzle could come together.
5. Clubs of the future.
Assume West Sydney and Gold Coast prove to be a success. It is 2030 and the AFL’s final expansion phase arrives. With 10 wealthy Victorian clubs thanks to the AFL’s ownership of Docklands, relocation is no longer an option for any club.
The 19th team should be Tasmania, with the statewide population at this stage about well over half a million. Provided no other codes have established a team in the Apple Isle; the AFL team will attract instant support if games are shared evenly between Launceston and Hobart.
The 20th team is anyone. If the AFL have been marketing the game in Northern Queensland from 2012 onwards then Cairns is an ideal location. Western Australia does seem just as likely though for a third team. With the 2022 football World Cup in Australia having past, the perfect 65,000 Perth Stadium is in use and Perth’s future population projections mean a third city team should work.
Picture an expanded AFL season in 2020 with 18 teams playing from the start of March to end of August. The quality of football on display can only get better as has been the case in the last three to five years. The AFL has the potential to be one of the biggest organizations in the nation on the way to fulfilling its completely national status beginning in the 1980s.
Considering the sport itself is perhaps the most unique and fastest in the world, its potential will only get bigger. If the AFL can harness the demand for the game in the southern states, grow the game in the northern states and ensure that every club has over 30,000 members by 2020 then there can be simply no competition from any other code.
Nobody at AFL HQ will admit it to you, but the secret desire of making AFL in Australia the equivalent of the NFL in America is burning ever stronger.
As of now, the AFL is number one on the nation’s sports popularity table but if they play their cards right, this time in 30 years it could be king.
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July 4th 2010 @ 8:34am
Timmypig said | July 4th 2010 @ 8:34am | Report comment
So the AFL gets bigger and bigger and bigger. But why? Why is this crucial? Why does it even matter? Every few days The Roar has another contribution talking about expansion (of NRL, AFL, A League) and I’m always left wondering … ‘why hasn’t the author said why expansion is so important?’
And also, really Jono, “most unique” …. ? Tsk tsk tsk. Something is unique or it isn’t. There are no gradation of uniqueness.
July 4th 2010 @ 8:39am
Bay35Pablo said | July 4th 2010 @ 8:39am | Report comment
“There are some parts of the nation still yet to recognize AFL as a sport worth watching or playing. Polynesian Queensland and New South Wales is embedded in these select areas; and if the AFL shows off its game and players to these regions, then the final jigsaw in the national puzzle could come together.”
The AFL has been showing off its wares to NSW and Queensland for almost 30 years, and not that many are buying. Why would that be? Because they have codes they already like better, and they don’t regard AFL as watching or playing. You are deluding yourself if you think they will all wake up one day with an AFL epiphany.
The AFL is taking the McDonalds approach – throw cash and media overkill at the areas and swamp the competition.
Don’t kid yourselves, the fact that McDonalds is so successful doesn’t mean they provide good food, just that they have a better business model. And success begets success.
If league, rugby or football (the real one) had a billion dollar TV deal, Australia would all be playing their code within a generation. As it is, we could all be eating the sporting equivalent of McDonalds within a generation.
July 4th 2010 @ 11:00am
punter said | July 4th 2010 @ 11:00am | Report comment
The McDonalds of Australian sport I like that, just force the product upon us with media overkill even if we don’t like.
Keep telling us that it’s the Sydney media are telling us not to like AFL & we believe, as to say we have no intelligence to decide which game we enjoy. They keep telling us it’s the ‘Australian game’ & we should be proud of it, while yes like vegemite, it’s Australian, we don’t want it as our main staple diet.
July 5th 2010 @ 9:58am
JamesP said | July 5th 2010 @ 9:58am | Report comment
Surely the Big Mac of world sport is soccer.
They are both the most popular hamburger/sport in the world
They are both enjoyed the most by low socio-economic masses
July 5th 2010 @ 10:12am
Art Sapphire said | July 5th 2010 @ 10:12am | Report comment
No JamesP – soccer is the tortilla, bratwurst, tapas, pizza, souvlaki.. etc, etc of world sport.
Its part of sporting culture all over the world.
Soccer is played where the golden arches don’t even exist.
By the way , in third world countries Big Mac’s are seen as a bit of luxury item. Its beyond the reach of the low socio- economic masses you are trying to denigrate.
I advise you attend some cultural studies classes.
July 5th 2010 @ 3:30pm
JamesP said | July 5th 2010 @ 3:30pm | Report comment
Don’t kid yourself…Its as popular as the Big Mac…ie most popular burger world wide…no doubt…but not the only take away option available. 1 billion+ chinese, 1+ billion indians and 300+ milliion Americans (top 3 most populated countires in the world) have other things to do rather than play soccer.
As for low socio-economic…Big Mac may be a luxury item for few, but its a poverty choice for the most of the world where the Golden Arches exist.
Ditto Soccer….
Inter Continental…Think North v South America,
Intra Continental…think Rugby v Soccer in Europe,
Intra country…Think black v white in South Africa
July 5th 2010 @ 3:49pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | July 5th 2010 @ 3:49pm | Report comment
You’ve got to be kidding JamesP! Have you ever travelled outside Australia?
Football is the most popular sport in the world. End of story.
Yes, it’s popular amongst the poorest of the poor.
It’s equally popular amongst the richest of the rich. The future king of England is a mad Aston Villa fan. The Chancellor of Germany made a special trip to Sth Africa to watch her lads play Argentina. The French Parliament is currently holding an enquiry into the failure of Les Bleus at the FIFA WC.
Heck, some of the richest people in the world own Football clubs in the English Premier League! At the FIFA WC you’ll just as easily bump into a Head of State as you will “the man in the street”.
Every person – regardless of race, socio-ethnicity or religion plays and follows football.
It’s the only thing that truly unites everyone on this crazy planet!
PS: Football is the most popular sport in China and the EPL and other European leagues gain huge revenue from merchandise sales to the Chinese population.
Whilst cricket is the national sport of India, in some States, Football is the most popular sport.
July 5th 2010 @ 3:56pm
Art Sapphire said | July 5th 2010 @ 3:56pm | Report comment
JamesP – 39.7 million Chinese watched the Sth Korea v Argentina. Can you imagine the figures if China had qualified. Won Ton soup anyone?
July 5th 2010 @ 4:13pm
Michael C said | July 5th 2010 @ 4:13pm | Report comment
Art Sapphire -
39.7 million Chinese
less than 4%.
July 5th 2010 @ 4:16pm
MVDave said | July 5th 2010 @ 4:16pm | Report comment
JamesP
7 million Americans watched the German v Socceroos match (terrible game) …how many watched the last AFL GF?
7 million Poms watched the same game…how many watched the GF?
28 million Germans watched…how many watched the AFL GF?
Over 5 million South Africans watched…How many from SA watched the AFL GF?
Thats 47 million from 3 continents plus another 1.1m in Oz gives over 48m from 4 continents and there is still about 100 plus countries to add the TV viewing figures for the Socceroos game.
Thats more than the number who have watched the entire AFL both live and on TV so far this season. Just to give you some perspective.
Figures from Neilsen in the US, Guardian media in UK, SBS in Oz, bizcommunity.com in SA and Variety US.
July 5th 2010 @ 4:27pm
Art Sapphire said | July 5th 2010 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
Michael C AFL: Hawthorn Vs Western Bulldogs 591,000 2.7%
Nice try no Cigar
July 5th 2010 @ 4:28pm
Art Sapphire said | July 5th 2010 @ 4:28pm | Report comment
Hawthorn Vs Western Bulldogs 591,000 less than 2.7%
July 5th 2010 @ 4:38pm
JamesP said | July 5th 2010 @ 4:38pm | Report comment
At Fussball: Not sure why you had to reassure us that soccer is the most popular sport in the world…”end of story”. Not sure where I mentioned otherwise…please read posts carefully before you reply to them. As for your comments suggesting that rich people own soccer clubs….well duh! Did we not just agree that soccer is the most popular in the world? Is McDonalds not one of the biggest countries in the world? Hell, if I had the money I would buy a soccer club too….that does not detract from my point that soccer is mostly a poor mans game. I think you will also find the future King of England is a mad Rugby fan as well…and certainly played it during his schooling along with the rest of UK’s elite
At Art Sapphire: Wow…thats a whopping 2.97% of the population. Meanwhile, when China hosted the Beiging Olympics, Reuters reported just about everyone in China was whatching
http://china.suite101.com/article.cfm/biggest_worldwide_ratings_ever
At Art Sapphirte again: compare apples with apples please. World CUp is PINNACLE. AFL GrandFInal had almost 4m viewers…I believe this is equates to almost 20% of Aus pop.
July 5th 2010 @ 4:49pm
Art Sapphire said | July 5th 2010 @ 4:49pm | Report comment
JamesP – China was not playing.
Here is a nice comparison
Germany – Argentina ratings in Australia = 2.71%
Collingwood v Essendon ANZAC Day 719,000 = 3.2%
July 5th 2010 @ 4:53pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | July 5th 2010 @ 4:53pm | Report comment
@ JamesP
Let me walk you through this slowly …
1. There are rich and poor people in the world
2. Football appeals to both rich and poor alike.
3. Check out the 10 richest countries (GDP per capita) in the world. Four of the 10 richest countries in the world qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. All of the 10 richest countries tried to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
4. In fact 204 countries attempted to qualify for the 2010 FIFA WC, which is more than the number of countries in the United Nations!
So, to make a comment that Football “is mostly a poor man’s game” is, at best, ill-informed or, at worst, just ignorant.
July 5th 2010 @ 3:34pm
Lazza said | July 5th 2010 @ 3:34pm | Report comment
Then our sports must be the vegemite of the world. If you’re weened on them from birth then you seem to like those sports. For everyone else they look and taste like axle grease.
July 5th 2010 @ 9:01pm
Rob of Wollongong said | July 5th 2010 @ 9:01pm | Report comment
Great analogy! When I think of AFL now I am going to think of axle grease
July 7th 2010 @ 10:01pm
pike64 said | July 7th 2010 @ 10:01pm | Report comment
magnificent analogy in reference to the AFL
July 4th 2010 @ 3:43pm
jono52795 said | July 4th 2010 @ 3:43pm | Report comment
“The AFL has been showing off its wares to NSW and Queensland for almost 30 years, and not that many are buying”
You are kidding yourself if you think AFL has been imbedded in these areas (RL heartland NSW, northern Queensland…). Until now, the Australian game has barley been advertised up there. Finally though that is changing. Its not about taking over but rather gaining a genuine foothold in these areas. The times… they are a changin!
BTW – If you regard AFL Football as the “McDonalds” of Australian sport (ie: strong, cash-filled organization but with a poor product to display) then I can only wish you were present at the MCG last Friday Night when 50,000 fans watched the game of the season between Hawthorn and Western Bulldogs or Round 2 classic between Melbourne and Collingwood, again at the home of Football.
July 4th 2010 @ 3:46pm
M1tch said | July 4th 2010 @ 3:46pm | Report comment
I beg to differ..there is plenty of advertising of AFL where I live. AFL is shown every sat night even when a lions game isnt on
The AFL has had it pretty easy for a long time
July 5th 2010 @ 10:47am
Ken said | July 5th 2010 @ 10:47am | Report comment
Yep, I’m in Sydney and AFL is advertised heavily. I know the Swans team song yet I’ve never been to any of their games. We get all of the media campaigns (we really appreciated ‘the game that made Australia’ a few years ago – it really hit home….), coverage on 7 & 10 that borders on sycophantic, radio etc and every school here gets visited by those damn Auskickers who are as persistant as the Mormons!
July 5th 2010 @ 3:58pm
bazza667 said | July 5th 2010 @ 3:58pm | Report comment
You would have to be living in a cave or Melbourne to think that there has been no exposure to Victorian Rules football in Sydney for the past 30 years
July 6th 2010 @ 9:03am
Redb said | July 6th 2010 @ 9:03am | Report comment
There are good, bad and ugly AFL games like any other sport. Some games are classics, like last Friday night between the Hawks and Bulldogs, do yourself a favour and watch the replay.
AFL has no peer as a spectacle – that is why it gets good crowds.
if anything soccer is the Mc Donalds – the easy option and available everywhere.
Rugby is in real trouble – the game has turned to dust as a spectacle.
Rugby league is very one dimensional and mind numbing its fans the most boorish in the country, they dont go to games because its just not worth paying money to see.
July 6th 2010 @ 9:21am
Art Sapphire said | July 6th 2010 @ 9:21am | Report comment
redb – I have to correct your statement – it should read.
“AFL has no peer as a spectacle for many Australians that is why it gets good crowds”
In no other sport do you get TV and radio commentators constantly having to remind its audience and themselves that they are watching the greatest sport in the world.
July 6th 2010 @ 9:35am
Redb said | July 6th 2010 @ 9:35am | Report comment
C’mon Art,
Did you watch Friday night? or the Tigers come from behind win on Sunday? – the pure electricity running through the crowd in that last quarter. On its day, the game is peerless.
July 6th 2010 @ 9:44am
Art Sapphire said | July 6th 2010 @ 9:44am | Report comment
redb – the game is peerless for many Australians. I watched the end of the Bulldogs Hawks game.
Ice Hockey fans in Canada probably think their sport is peerless as well.
However, they don’t suffer from “AFL syndrome” and have the compulsion to tell all and sundry that they are missing out.
July 6th 2010 @ 9:49am
Redb said | July 6th 2010 @ 9:49am | Report comment
Like so many of the fans of other sports have commented on this AFL thread, that is your view/opinion only, it is also subjective and in no way an indication or accurate analysis of the AFL or unbiased commentary on the merits of our game.
For some joker to even compare soccer World Cup TV ratings with a home and away AFL game becuase it is on the same night is just laughable and somewhat desperate.
Art, you should have watched the whole of the Hawks v Bulldogs game – classic from start to finish – you really missed out, one handed marks, freak goals, huge intensity.
July 6th 2010 @ 10:20am
Art Sapphire said | July 6th 2010 @ 10:20am | Report comment
redb – I agree, every sport has its great games. I like watching AFL games, watched them all my life. I just think the AFL has lost the plot with the way the game is played these days.
Even Michael C agreed with me, get rid of interchange.
In the end its all relative. I’m not one to tell people what’s best for them. Most people don’t even follow sport. When I attend events like the Melbourne Film Festival, people I meet there don’t care about who doing what in the AFL or the A-League.
July 6th 2010 @ 10:56am
Michael C said | July 6th 2010 @ 10:56am | Report comment
Spectacle wise – - everything has it’s high points. Right now – Richmond in the AFL is one of the sides I’d most take someone to watch – - in no small part that they have a key forward in Jack Riewoldt who is marking everything and the sense of anticipation when a kick heads in his direction is a sense of anticipation that ANYTHING could happen.
It reminds me of North in the ’90s with Carey and McKernan up forward.
Big key forwards…..I love ‘em!! I get a little sick of ‘scrappy/invented’ goals ALL the time. Alas, at North Melbourne – - we’re still tending a tad too much to the scrappy/invented side of things but as a few of the lads develop bigger bodies then the structures will be easier to maintain.
July 6th 2010 @ 1:32pm
Redb said | July 6th 2010 @ 1:32pm | Report comment
Art, MC,
the irony of the interchange perceived over use is that in Friday night’s game this kept the pace and intensity at a high for the whole 120 mins.
July 6th 2010 @ 1:55pm
Art Sapphire said | July 6th 2010 @ 1:55pm | Report comment
redb – the irony of the interchange perceived over use is that its changing the game into ice hockey without the padding. You see pace and intensity. I see players having shorter careers and broken bodies.
July 6th 2010 @ 2:05pm
Redb said | July 6th 2010 @ 2:05pm | Report comment
“Are you not entertained?”
Well Michael Barlow trying to stand with a broken leg does make all those soft soccer WC players look pretty ordinary. AFL not for the squeamish types eh Art?
July 6th 2010 @ 2:16pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | July 6th 2010 @ 2:16pm | Report comment
@ Redb
Broken legs – like that suffered by Barlow and Nathan Brown – are one of the most common injuries in Football. Several EPL players suffered a similar injury last year.
FACT: street fighters will agree that much greater pain and damage is inflicted when you use your feet to kick someone than using your hands/arms/body to punch or “shritfront” someone.
The following video clearly demonstrates the prevalence of horrific injuries from football.
Warning: Do not watch if you are squeamish about broken bones
July 6th 2010 @ 9:55am
Fussball ist unser leben said | July 6th 2010 @ 9:55am | Report comment
I watched the last 10 minutes of the Haw v Foot match on Friday night. I’m glad it got you excited but it did absolutely nothing for me.
Later that evening I watched BRA v NETH and then early morning Ghana v Uruguay.
Those games had me glued to the tv. Every kick, every tackle, every mistake has huge consequences of global proportion – not suburban proportion!!
The following evening a group of 30 of us watched the Arg v Germany match. Not one single person had watched the Haw v Foot match the night before.
It was interesting to listen to analysis of the Foot v Haw and Ghana v Uruguay game.
a) Foot v Haw: Final seconds of the game and Footscray forward, Griffen, did not have the cerebral capacity to quickly assess the situation and try to do something to give his team victory.
b) Ghana v Uruguay: Final seconds of the game and Uruguay striker, Suarez has tracked all the way back to help his defenders and has to make a split second decision, which ultimately wins the game.
I love the way AFL fans continually tell us that “their game is the best”. It’s like listening to those boring parents tell us “my kids are the smartest, cutest, funniest”. Or, listening to Aussies, who have never left Australia, trying to convince us “Australia is the best country in the world”!
Those outside the AFL fan zone just don’t listen to AFL fans talking about their game.
Perhaps, one day, non-AFL fans will compliment your game then you have reason to be proud.
Until then, AFL fans are as boring as those insecure parents, who, inevitably, raise mediocre children.
July 6th 2010 @ 10:54am
Redb said | July 6th 2010 @ 10:54am | Report comment
Again comparing a world cup tournament with a home and way game just smacks of desperation on your behalf.
.
July 6th 2010 @ 11:00am
Fussball ist unser leben said | July 6th 2010 @ 11:00am | Report comment
@ Redb
I’m just trying to be consistent.
1. AFL is the premier competition for Aussie Rules in the world
2. FIFA WC is the premier competition for Football in the world
Sure, it would be wrong to compare FIFA WC with the VFL or SANFL or VAFA.
July 6th 2010 @ 11:03am
Redb said | July 6th 2010 @ 11:03am | Report comment
Nothing consistent about the comparison. You obviously hate AFL footy I feel sorry for you.
July 6th 2010 @ 11:15am
Fussball ist unser leben said | July 6th 2010 @ 11:15am | Report comment
I don’t hate AFL at all; I just have no interest in it any more.
But, it wasn’t like this in the past. In fact, I was a member of Hawthorn FC for 20+ years but lost interest in the past 10+ years and stopped attending matches.
Nevertheless, I went to the 2008 GF – had to pay $1k for the ticket because I wasn’t a member and thoroughly enjoyed the win.
All through this time I also played and followed Football and put up with the constant ignorant comments about Football from the mainstream media and many AFL fans.
The petulant behaviour by Andy and the AFL hierarchy in relation to Australia’s bid to host the WC was the final straw for me.
I will never again spend a single cent on anything to do with Aussie Rules and have been an MVFC member for the past 4 years.
Normally, I wouldn’t post negative comments about any other sport, but, after reading continuous rubbish about Football and the WC from AFL & NRL-types (Rebecca Wilson, Neil Mitchell, Jason Akermanis, Billy? Birmingham) I’ve decided no more keeping quiet and smiling.
Henceforth, I’ll be active in voicing my opinion about the insignificance, and poor technical and tactical qualities, of AFL (I know nothing about NRL so cannot comment).
July 6th 2010 @ 11:26am
AndyRoo said | July 6th 2010 @ 11:26am | Report comment
Welcome to the Roar Figjam
Apploigies if I am mistaken
July 6th 2010 @ 1:13pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | July 6th 2010 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
@ AndyRoo
To use the words of Francis Urquhart, whenever he could not be seen to agree with a question, in the classic BBC drama The House of Cards …
“You might very well think that; I couldn’t possibly comment”.
July 6th 2010 @ 9:39am
PastHisBest said | July 6th 2010 @ 9:39am | Report comment
“AFL has no peer as a spectacle…”
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder RB. Not for me sorry.
July 4th 2010 @ 10:09am
Squire Gordon said | July 4th 2010 @ 10:09am | Report comment
I keep hearing about ‘converting’ ‘polynesians’ in NSW. From what I’ve seen the AFL isn’t full of ‘polynesians’ from Victoria, SA or WA? Maybe because they don’t like being clumped in a box as polynesians to be exploited. Or maybe its because the game isn’t as desirable and wonderful as the AFL and its supporters think.
July 4th 2010 @ 12:23pm
Billo Boy said | July 4th 2010 @ 12:23pm | Report comment
More duplicity from the AFL. On one hand they preach to the Anglo mums of Sydney to save their little boys from the big Poly kids of the rugby codes, but then put Izzy up as a pied piper for those same Polys they had portrayed to us as oversized monsters.
July 4th 2010 @ 12:30pm
Mister Football said | July 4th 2010 @ 12:30pm | Report comment
So on the one hand, the AFL is meant to be marketing the white bread upper classes of the Hills district.
But no, wait, actually, they are marketing the West’s vast multi-cultural mix.
Heaven forbid that the AFL, like any smart business organisation, might try and market itself to anyone!!
July 4th 2010 @ 10:11am
The Other Reds Fan. said | July 4th 2010 @ 10:11am | Report comment
The problem I find with AFL is that you can normally predict the result by quarter time and the game is often over as a contest by half time. Thereafter, for the next 50 or so minutes you are left watching grown men either scramble around on all fours like they’re looking for their lost glasses, getting a ‘free kick’ for achieving the remarkable feat of catching the ball (and bringing the game to a temporary halt), misdirecting passes because you have to punch the ball (thus stopping the flow of the game) and sniping at each other like children in the playground. And where’s the skill in kicking the ball between two sticks with no goalie or crossbar?
What an unwatchable bore fest.
Of all of the four football codes, AFL is surely the one demanding the lowest skill levels which might explain its popularity down south because pretty much anyone can play it.
What people down south don’t understand about their sacred sport is that for most people in Queensland & NSW AFL is as alien as gaelic football or American football and we’re just not interested in it.
July 4th 2010 @ 11:12am
Mister Football said | July 4th 2010 @ 11:12am | Report comment
So it’s harder to “catch” a rubber footy thrown to you from someone three metres away from you? And no one is there to stop you from catcing it. Is that harder is it? And it’s harder to throw a rubber footy three metres either side of you?
Call me crazy, but I would have thought hitting someone on the chest with a 50 metre foot pass (on either foot), running at full pace with someone on your hammer is quite difficult (also recalling that it’s a leather footy, not a rubber one).
But Australians should feel free to choose their preferred sport. If they want to see fat blokes running into each other, the option is there for all Australians to choose. No problem at all – it’s a free country.
July 4th 2010 @ 12:27pm
Billo Boy said | July 4th 2010 @ 12:27pm | Report comment
None of which addresses the point raised by The Other Reds Fan.
Many AFL contests are over by quarter time. Why bother tuning in if there is no contest?
You can get away with blow outs when you have rusted on fan base as in Melbourne, but it’s of no use as a means to draw in potential new viewers.
That’s what real football has over the Melbourne psuedo football code. We are guaranteed a contest for our time and money.
July 4th 2010 @ 12:35pm
Mister Football said | July 4th 2010 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
I”m sorry, but this was his point, let me repeat it for you:
Of all of the four football codes, AFL is surely the one demanding the lowest skill levels which might explain its popularity down south because pretty much anyone can play it.
So by his reckoning (and possible yours), it’s more difficult to throw a rubber ball 3 metres either side of you and to catch the said rubber ball, and it’s much easier to execute a 50 metre foot pass with a leather footy, either foot, at full sprint, under physical presure, and hit someone on the chest laces out.
That’s a peculiar logic – but I”m all ears!!
July 4th 2010 @ 3:18pm
Billo Boy said | July 4th 2010 @ 3:18pm | Report comment
Whatever floats your boat. The “physical pressure” is tiddly winks compared to that of either rugby code, and in real football the waiting player of the end of that 50m kick can’t resort to the easy option of using his hands to control the ball.
July 4th 2010 @ 4:07pm
Mister Football said | July 4th 2010 @ 4:07pm | Report comment
YOu mean the opposition standing 10 metres in front of you?
Do you call that physical pressure?
July 5th 2010 @ 10:06am
JamesP said | July 5th 2010 @ 10:06am | Report comment
If you offered me an 120kg rugby league/union player in front of me where i could prepare and brace for the hit/tackle, versus an 90 – 100kg Aussie Rules player coming from anywhere around me…I would take the Rugby hit anyday
July 6th 2010 @ 6:21pm
Dogs Of War said | July 6th 2010 @ 6:21pm | Report comment
James, you say that. But try standing there when they are coming straight at you, and there only objective is to run right over the top of you. In AFL you wouldn’t try the same thing, and the rules of AFL just don’t allow the same situation to happen.
July 5th 2010 @ 10:04am
JamesP said | July 5th 2010 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Don;t forget the final act of throwing their bulking 120kg frames over a line the entire width of the field…reall skill in that…
July 5th 2010 @ 10:49am
Ken said | July 5th 2010 @ 10:49am | Report comment
Actually there is skill in that and we don’t even give points just for being close…
July 5th 2010 @ 3:32pm
JamesP said | July 5th 2010 @ 3:32pm | Report comment
I agree with the second part of your sentence only
July 4th 2010 @ 7:38pm
Beast-A-Tron said | July 4th 2010 @ 7:38pm | Report comment
“None of which addresses the point raised by The Other Reds Fan.
Many AFL contests are over by quarter time. Why bother tuning in if there is no contest?”
TORF’s point is rendered bullshit when you consider live betting for football and upset victories (that happen every round). If it were over by quarter time as you say, so easily predictable; there would be no live betting.
Why aren’t you making millions off Australian Football if it’s so easy to predict?
But go ahead and argue against the laws of supply & demand, go ahead and ignore reason; your zealotry is amusing.
July 5th 2010 @ 11:10am
Billo Boy said | July 5th 2010 @ 11:10am | Report comment
Beast-A-Tron hullo? You do realise that its 21st centiry now and live betting is not all on the result.
July 6th 2010 @ 9:07am
Redb said | July 6th 2010 @ 9:07am | Report comment
The claim by others red fan is a rubbish generalisation.
How did the Sydney and Richmond game pan out on Sunday?
July 4th 2010 @ 4:13pm
Aka said | July 4th 2010 @ 4:13pm | Report comment
There isn’t the same concept of ‘close enough is good enough’ in league that permeates through Aussie Rules. You don’t get ‘paid’ catches in RL.
It doesn’t seem to be any easier for AFL players to handball 3 metres or catch 3 metre handball either, which is not surprising, there’s no penalty if you can’t manage it.
July 4th 2010 @ 4:17pm
Mister Football said | July 4th 2010 @ 4:17pm | Report comment
Not sure what you blokes are on about.
In Australian Football, you have to win your own footy – Karmichael is finding out just how hard it is to win your own footy, and that’s in the lower leagues.
No one says: here you go mate, it’s your turn, you have the footy now.
Do you understand the difference?
July 7th 2010 @ 10:36pm
pike64 said | July 7th 2010 @ 10:36pm | Report comment
most AFL players can’t kick 50 meters with a drop punt any more much less with a foot (stab) pass. let’s not forget Illija Grgic who never played the AFL game until he was 16 and by 19 was playing senior AFL for the Bulldogs and you delusional vegemite lovers think it is a skillful game!!!!!
July 15th 2010 @ 12:01pm
Corey said | July 15th 2010 @ 12:01pm | Report comment
I tend to agree Mister Football, although I do think Union and League have skills much broader then the ones you mentioned. It is extremely hard to keep that ball in hand when you run into a brick wall of players. And catching a pass that is going across your body is harder than catching one going into your body or in front into your hands (NFL players don’t pass sideways much because it is lower percentage stuff). But I do think there is a lot of skill involved in all sports.
I do think the aim to be the NFL of Aus is a stretch as the American calendar works so that the sports are spread out without conflicting too much. But AFL and NRL (the 2 leading the “code war”) are both conflicting right against each other. Almost starting and finishing at the same time.
July 5th 2010 @ 4:05pm
bazza667 said | July 5th 2010 @ 4:05pm | Report comment
The billion dollar TV money will be used to re-educate you The Other Reds Fan
July 7th 2010 @ 10:40am
Chris said | July 7th 2010 @ 10:40am | Report comment
CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP. Finally someone on this thread talking some sense, fantastic comments, fantastic. AFL to me looks little more than a bunch of bumbling fools knocking it on constantly.
July 4th 2010 @ 10:40am
Crashy said | July 4th 2010 @ 10:40am | Report comment
Long regarded as the prominent sporting code in Aus??
some perspective please.
NSW ( for reasons I have no idea ) appears to have completely lost interest in the game.
Keep kidding yourselves if you think plonking a team will have any beneficial effect. Look at the A league as a prime example.
My thoughts would be spending time consolidating the grass roots and suburban club competitions. Someone on this site quoted a stat that there are 35 senior AFL teams in Sydney. That is poor if that is the case.
Not intending on starting a code war but there are some in AFL land that need some serious persepective.
July 4th 2010 @ 11:14am
Mister Football said | July 4th 2010 @ 11:14am | Report comment
Most indicators demonstrate that it is the prominent sporting comp in Australia.
Just for starters, the AFL’s 600,000+ memberships are triple that of the number of the other three codes combined.
That’s a very, very big disparity. A huge disparity, a yawning gulf – we’re talking about opposite ends of the spectrum.
July 4th 2010 @ 12:17pm
MVDave said | July 4th 2010 @ 12:17pm | Report comment
You keep mentioning the 600,000 members but we know this is a huge exaggeration for propaganda purposes …just read the following;
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/the-truth-about-cats-and-dogs-20100514-v4od.html
and this from a Melbourne paper.
July 4th 2010 @ 12:27pm
Mister Football said | July 4th 2010 @ 12:27pm | Report comment
Two obvious responses:
1. Each game is free to develope whatever business model it so chooses to drive memberships and revenue. It’s entirely up to them.
2. We can dig out other indicators: attendances, ratings, sponsorship, media exposure, annual turnover, have I left any out? They all paint a similar picture. If you think the memberships are inflated, no problem, simply look at the revenue figures – and the revene derived from memberships will tell you a similar story – and at the end of the day, it’s the revenue that matters.
July 4th 2010 @ 4:19pm
Aka said | July 4th 2010 @ 4:19pm | Report comment
1. Maybe, but don’t try and impress non AFL people with your one game memberships.
2. It’s prominent in half the country. Most of your indicators show that. oh and you left out participation rates strangely enough.
July 4th 2010 @ 10:06pm
Michael C said | July 4th 2010 @ 10:06pm | Report comment
Aka –
and the NRL is happy to push over 100,000 odd, with both ‘ticketed’ and ‘non-ticketed’ memberships.
Whether one talks of some form of 1 game or 3 game package vs a ‘non-ticketed’ support membership – - doesn’t really matter does it??
Main thing is that people have put their money where their heart is. That alone – is far more symbolic than picking up the $2 socceroos scarf with your News Ltd paper!!!!
July 5th 2010 @ 10:09am
JamesP said | July 5th 2010 @ 10:09am | Report comment
To Aka: Perticipation is higher in Tennis, Swimming and Netball. Thats why it was left out…it the world of professional sport – it means dougnuts
July 5th 2010 @ 10:17am
MVDave said | July 5th 2010 @ 10:17am | Report comment
According to the latest ERASS (2009) report participant numbers in organised football was higher than Tennis, Swimming and Netball…in fact was only 2nd overall to aerobics/fitness. Sorry to spoil your story with some facts James P…look it up for yourself.
July 5th 2010 @ 3:09pm
Michael C said | July 5th 2010 @ 3:09pm | Report comment
MVDave -
the participation numbers presented in the ERASS survey are NOT facts. It’s extrapolated data based on a survey of around 17,000 respondants across the country and demographics (gender, age groups etc).
July 5th 2010 @ 3:37pm
JamesP said | July 5th 2010 @ 3:37pm | Report comment
MV Dave…I meant participation in Aussie Rules is probably less than tennis, swimming, netball, aerobics, ping pong and whatever else….who cares
The central point of my argument still stands i.e participation rates to not directly translate to interest professionally.
July 5th 2010 @ 4:01pm
MVDave said | July 5th 2010 @ 4:01pm | Report comment
MC
big enough of a sample which basically confirms what we already knew…BTW smaller samples are used to predict tv ratings so l wouldnt quibble.
July 5th 2010 @ 4:17pm
Michael C said | July 5th 2010 @ 4:17pm | Report comment
MVDave -
ah, that’s the thing though ain’t it – - the sampling for TV viewing based on established ratings households is probably far less informative!!!……..the more recent or more ‘transient’ households will be really poorly represented.
I’d suggest that we mungs can fuss all we like – but, the people in power will go a tad bit deeper into the data and other sources as well……….or,……..they should!!
July 5th 2010 @ 10:51am
ItsCalledFootball said | July 5th 2010 @ 10:51am | Report comment
Aussie Rules pride themselves on memberships, but Sydney FC has more members than North Melbourne.
They count the AusKick kids as “Club members” now to make “Record memberships”.
July 5th 2010 @ 11:57am
Baz35 said | July 5th 2010 @ 11:57am | Report comment
Do they and do they?
I reckon in two sentences you have made two incorrect statements
July 6th 2010 @ 10:27pm
Michael C said | July 6th 2010 @ 10:27pm | Report comment
SydneyFC is giving away free seasons home memberships to all under 12 kids who play soccer,
CCm are giving away free seasons home memberships to the 8373 or so kids 16 or under who play soccer on the Central coast.
So, that’ll boost membership numbers and attendances I’m sure.
btw – do you know how many members both SFC and NMFC have for purpose of comparison for you to make the statement you did??
or did you once again just make up whatever the heck you feel like??
btw – auskick kids counted in club memberships?? where’s your link to illustrate this??
July 4th 2010 @ 3:28pm
Beaver fever said | July 4th 2010 @ 3:28pm | Report comment
Nope i think the quote was 35 for the ACT and 50/60 for Sydney, with 18 colts teams.
There has been great growth at junior level, flow on effect to new senior teams takes time, i think there has been a few new senior teams/clubsC this year, cronulla and Auburn spring to mind.
July 4th 2010 @ 11:37am
Chris said | July 4th 2010 @ 11:37am | Report comment
I really get sick of “days of our lives”, I mean Aussie rules. If the game is not worth talking about they flood the media with a players indiscretion or some other non event. One thing that AFL will never have is an international standing and more rugby in Melbourne will be a great thing. Watch your patch fella’s the big end of town loves the Game they play in Heaven!
Taking rugby league players (yes there are 2 codes of Rugby) will be a great risk and I can guarantee these guys will go back to the more physical game as soon as they do their time and collect their dough!
July 4th 2010 @ 11:52am
ballerrr said | July 4th 2010 @ 11:52am | Report comment
Reds Fan,
As I assume you are a soccer fan, I don’t think you are in a position to label our sport a “bore fest”
What kind of a sport ends 0-0 and is still apparently exciting?! Not to mention the pathetic diving and staging for free kicks that constantly feature in every single soccer match, I feel embarrassed when that happens.
And don’t insult us by saying you require no skill to play footy, that is a ridiculous claim and one typical of a soccer fan.
P.S I can often predict the result in a soccer match before it even starts! 0-0 or 1-1 are generally good predictions
July 4th 2010 @ 4:31pm
Aka said | July 4th 2010 @ 4:31pm | Report comment
It’s not so much that there is no skill in it it’s the fact that clubs will actively recruit players with little or no exprience of the game. So the clubs think the skills and tactics are relatively easy to pick up. Just as the crossover of RL players to Union illustrates that Union clubs believe the transition from RL to union is relatively easy.
So don’t be insulted by football fans saying there is no skill in aussie rules, be insulted by the AFL clubs that are willing to prove that it’s not as difficult as people like you try to make out.
July 4th 2010 @ 7:51pm
Beast-A-Tron said | July 4th 2010 @ 7:51pm | Report comment
“So don’t be insulted by football fans saying there is no skill in aussie rules…”
What exactly do you expect otherwise?
Think about that for a good few seconds… how would you react if your favourite hobby/sport/interest was described as having “no skill” ?
The question is not of whether you are right or wrong (which cannot be proven anyway; your arguement is an opinion not an objective fact), but whether you are acting like a pompous dick.
I don’t understand some soccer fans, surely you want your sport to grow in this country? You’re not going to achieve it by pouring vitriol on the established sports. That is such a no-brainer and yet you see the likes of Foster thinking ‘let em have it, bit of payback for all these years’ is a successful marketing strategy for their game.
Insult football all you like, but realise your scorn produces a negative portrayal of soccer.
Actions have reactions.
July 5th 2010 @ 10:14am
AndyRoo said | July 5th 2010 @ 10:14am | Report comment
Insult football all you like, but realise your scorn produces a negative portrayal of soccer.
Well Aka is a RL fan and Reds fan obviously a Union fan…. so it seems were dammed if we do dammed if we don’t.
July 6th 2010 @ 8:37pm
Beast-A-Tron said | July 6th 2010 @ 8:37pm | Report comment
My mistake, thought Aka was someone else.
July 4th 2010 @ 7:56pm
Forgetmenot said | July 4th 2010 @ 7:56pm | Report comment
So you are basically saying that you could play AFL level Football next year if you trained hard enough?
Perhaps you could make a Fbook group – I have skill … lol jk im a footballer,
July 4th 2010 @ 12:47pm
hog said | July 4th 2010 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
Looking forward to the rebels next year there is definately a market in melbourne i think people will be surprised how successful they will be support wise with quite a few fans coming out of the woodwork
July 5th 2010 @ 10:01pm
Michael C said | July 5th 2010 @ 10:01pm | Report comment
and how unsuccessful the Storm suddenly become……
July 4th 2010 @ 1:18pm
Jim Wilson said | July 4th 2010 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
The AFL isn’t even the most watched football code in Australia:
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/we-will-fight-them-on-the-couches-league-outrates-afl-for-first-time-20091220-l7i3.html
Since that article the AFL TV audience has slumped even more.
Soccer has got more participants & if RL adds in the Touch Football players it too would have more participants.
July 4th 2010 @ 2:22pm
Mister Football said | July 4th 2010 @ 2:22pm | Report comment
You’re quite welcome to the participation rates – they are not an indicator of the financial success of an actual comp (for instance, aerobics has very high participation, but I don’t think the Australian Aerobics League is a strong comp).
As for the TV ratings, I”m just looking them up now:
http://www.talkingfooty.com/tv_ratings_2010.php
After the first twelve rounds, the AFL had ratings of 41 mill, at an average of around 3.4 million per round (which from memory, is quite similar to last season).
After 12 rounds, the NRL had ratings of a tick under 30 mill, at an average of 2.5 mill per round.
That’s pretty good mind you, so I’m not going to say it’s not.
But it would appear that even on the indicator of ratings, the AFL is well out in front.
Let’s not even look at memberships, attendances, sponsorship and annual revenue – it’s a non-contest.
July 4th 2010 @ 5:03pm
Akazie said | July 4th 2010 @ 5:03pm | Report comment
Very funny mr football, that site is an AFL fans site that jumbles around the ratings to make the AFL look better.
Matter of fact, have a look at a few of the rounds and see the totals, one round, round 8 I think has 3 games of RL down as usual and the Broncos are one, yet the ratings total for QLD is given at 56,000 even though the lowest game on FTA that week was around 180,000.
You work it out, I also noticed not all the ratings are in there for RL, yet I added up a few of the ratings for the AFL and they did not add up to the totals, infact they had a few k put on.
That’s why RL fans will rubbish that site and we will only use figures from the media.
July 4th 2010 @ 10:22pm
Michael C said | July 4th 2010 @ 10:22pm | Report comment
type looks like, 54,000 is meant to be 544,000.
Grand total on the left was still right.
So – - does that one type kill off all the stats for you?? and you’ll take a 1 dimensional media headline?? remember when they reported NRL GF outrated AFL GF only for that to be reversed with the full data and corrected figures rather than the preliminary figures that the media report at their own peril??
btw – so, the NRL outrated AFL in 2009…..in grand total…..with 2 whole extra rounds of matches plus their SoO (3 matches) and International match(es) thrown in…………that’s a might fine effort to be pretty proud of really.
It’s a bit like the Soccer folk being happy about the most ever attendees for a full year of HAL…..alas, took an extra 50 odd games and a big hit in averages to get there………yup…..it’s the 1 dimensional arguments that look a bit silly sometimes.
July 5th 2010 @ 9:34am
M1tch said | July 5th 2010 @ 9:34am | Report comment
Considering the AFL is a ‘national’ game compared to Rugby League which is only NSW and QLD – to outdo the AFL is something to be proud of
July 5th 2010 @ 9:40am
captain nemo said | July 5th 2010 @ 9:40am | Report comment
Just to correct you m1tch, the NRL comp is an international comp, NSW, ACT, QLD and New Zealand!!! So sure AFL =national comp, NRL = international comp
July 4th 2010 @ 10:12pm
Michael C said | July 4th 2010 @ 10:12pm | Report comment
Jim Wilson -
careful with assume mutually exclusive populations in your adding Touch Football to RL participants,
be like adding indoor and outdoor soccer……not gonna be mutually exclusive……is it?
btw – the ERASS (Govt participation) surveys are based on about 17,000 respondants nation wide and is more indicative of trending rather than absolute numbers.
Also – you need to account for male/female and organised/non-organised participation.
July 5th 2010 @ 11:54am
Baz35 said | July 5th 2010 @ 11:54am | Report comment
haha, if rugby league adds in touch football?
thousands of people, guys and girls, play touch football in melbourne and many would not be able to tell you which rugby code it is based on.
July 5th 2010 @ 12:29pm
AndyRoo said | July 5th 2010 @ 12:29pm | Report comment
Baz35….if they knew it was a non contact version of Rugby league they wouldn’t be allowed to play it in Melbourne would they
July 4th 2010 @ 2:42pm
Beaver fever said | July 4th 2010 @ 2:42pm | Report comment
Good article Jono, without doubt, the AFL are the premier sporting league in this country.
BTW we could quite easily have a 3rd team in WA, but ground issues would be the real concern, footy population and money would be fine.
July 4th 2010 @ 3:35pm
jono52795 said | July 4th 2010 @ 3:35pm | Report comment
perhaps. But the new Perth Stadium appears the logical solution, if of course we get the FIFA World Cup. I think the most lasting legacy an Aussie World Cup would bring is an improved AFL stadium for WA, sad is it may sound!