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AFL missing its chance to send the game global

28th July, 2014
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Australia and Ireland will play an International Rules Test this weekend at Croke Park (AAP Images)
Roar Guru
28th July, 2014
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By not taking advantage of the international exposure available during the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, the AFL’s new administration under Gillon McLachlan is showing a timidity that was never a part of Andrew Demetriou’s reign at the top of the game.

You can say what you like about Demetriou, but he was no coward. For better or worse he and his administration team courageously took the AFL into unchartered waters. He held no fear, always confident that his gambles would pay off.

McLachlan has begun his era by embracing fans and clubs, seeking to be seen as a more approachable administration. However, in his quest for approval, McLachlan has lost the fearless attitude that characterised Demetriou’s approach to governing the game.

My case in point is that McLachlan has failed to pursue the opportunity to take the game to the world by going head to head with the Cricket World Cup.

Earlier this year the AFL announced that the beginning of the 2015 season will be delayed until the first week of April, due to the reduced availability of venues resulting from the World Cup.

For a league that has proclaimed its desire to promote the game on an international level for more than a decade, it is a baffling decision. Why not take advantage of what will be the biggest sporting event to come to Australia in more than a decade?

This was the AFL’s chance to take the game to all parts of the globe. India, England, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and the West Indies are all markets the AFL has considered in the recent past, and Australia is about to be visited by these nations’ most dedicated sports fans.

If the AFL Season were launched as the backdrop to the World Cup, it could be marketed directly to international visitors. Those presenting a World Cup ticket at the gates could be given discounted or even free entry to encourage them inside.

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The logistics of organising this would admittedly be difficult, but they would be worth taking on. Any problems could be solved by playing a split round and utilising the available venues, including Etihad Stadium, ANZ Stadium, and Paterson’s Stadium among others.

Instead the AFL has shirked this challenge and chosen to start its season in the first week of April. By this time, the thousands of overseas tourists will have returned home. The opportunity to spread the game around the globe will be gone.

As Demetriou might have said: no fear.

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