One of world sport’s most respected administrators has urged the AFL not to be swayed off expansion by the global financial crisis.
Former American National Football League (NFL) commissioner Paul Tagliabue said the AFL’s expansion plans made sense provided any new clubs would grow the sport’s fan base, regardless of the economic climate.
The AFL has earmarked a 17th team on the Gold Coast in 2011, followed by a club based in western Sydney in 2012.
But there have been rumours of possible delays because of the economic downturn.
Tagliabue, who has been one of the guests at a forum this week as part of the 150th anniversary celebration of Australian rules football, said the AFL was on the right track with its expansion plans.
He held a two-hour meeting with AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou and AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick at which a number of topics including the NFL’s experience with expansion were discussed.
“The worst things is to do it prematurely and fail,” said Tagliabue, who oversaw the NFL’s expansion from 28 teams to 32 during his 17-year tenure.
“I think here in Australia, expansion makes sense.
“From what I’ve read here, your economy is expected to avoid a recessionary period, though your economy’s growth may not be as robust as in the past.”
Demetriou reiterated the AFL’s commitment to expanding into NSW and Queensland.
“We know in NSW and Queensland we’ve got huge challenges, but we’ve got two teams (Brisbane and Sydney) that have done particularly well,” he said.
“They need some support. They need another team to create rivalry, another team to help the two clubs that have done all the heavy lifting.”
Meanwhile, Demetriou said he hoped commonsense would prevail in a looming showdown over stadium deals between the 10 Victorian AFL clubs and those who run the MCG and Telstra Dome.
The clubs want to meet with the Victorian government, which controls the MCG through the MCG Trust, claiming they are not getting a good enough deal for their matches compared to other sports and AFL clubs in other states.
“All they want is to have a fair hearing to make sure they see some upside in the economy they’re generating (for the stadia),” Demetriou said.
“You can’t have a situation where 10 Victorian clubs are generating four and a half million people going to the football, yet the return to Victorian clubs is significantly less than what’s happening in other parts of Australia.”
Michael C
Guest
Hang on guys - - I was only reflecting on past and present squad/club creations - - - I'm sure I wasn't hijacking a footy thread myself............was I?
dasilva
Guest
The idea of Culina heading to the world cup in 2010 without a competitive match for 3 months is scary especially from someone who is a certain starter in the first XI and plays a critical role in our team. Move to the gold coast after 2010. He'll be only 30 years old then and still young enough to be able to star in the A-league.
dasilva
Guest
Sure Culina will be great for the A-league but for the Socceroos? I wish he waits after the World Cup before he makes the move There will be an extended break when the A-league ends and he has to keep himself fit for the socceroos when his team will be out of season. Not ideal.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Mid Bleiberg will be in Holland next week - they're working him over - and yes - if he signs, he'll definitely play as an AM and will be a great success in the A-League.
Midfielder
Guest
MC Tell the truth you had a couple of KB's bill pills in younger people they can have quite an affect ......... now lets see the article is by an AFL writer about the new AFL team on the gold coast ..............so you need to talk about football ....see mate those pills KB has send you have this kinda of affect ........Pip then has Jason Culina playing where god only knows maybe were Barry Hall plays up front. My advise MC ... a quite walk some coffee and a good dose of real footy ... TBH local player numbers some call it grassroots may be important .... by gingo you got me doing it now... MC walk / coffee/ sleep / read the Herald Sun in the morning, should do the trick.... KB gotta issue a warning with those pills.
Michael C
Guest
Pippinu - the curiousity here is the local content, the Nix has been referred to as an Australian team of Australians playing in New Zealand............any wonder the locals are cooling to them. I guess, is the GC soccer side building up a nice team of locals for there youth league squad? I'd assume so. BUt, for now, all the PR is around the open age players - - and a lot of it doesn't seem overly inspiring. That's why, reflecting on this - - I do like the AFL approach with GC17. It's effectively putting the youth first - - and the profile that gains IS actually 'inspiring'. Or - at least - I'd imagine it would be, more so than just more recycled players, half of them from existing HAL sides, and others from the tier below - - certainly, for the HAL, the only 'excitement' really can be from the marquee signings. I reckon - - reflecting on that with the FFA - - I reckon, they ought to have a national draft too.............because...........suddenly - you get a level of excitement at the 'junior graduation' phase. Because - - the whole AFL 'world' is now looking to tomorrow as a big, big day - - and the number of people - over 2 months after the GF - who will be glued to the radio or the internet checking out the draft selections............it's interesting..........and I'm really intrigued at the prospect of the trading/drafting connotations that will take place over the next couple of years as the entry club (GC17) builds there list. Trading of draft picks and players will really become an art form. I reckon, rather than being a bad thing, it might actually create a new 'mentality' in AFL circles. The big question is still the time frame that may or may not apply to WS18. Personally, I can't wait to see them come together and build a team from ground up.......well.......the age level foundations.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
MC these 6 "new" GC players represents old news - and they're nothing special either. At the moment, they have 2 or 3 pretty good players signed up (Vanstrattan, ex Juve keeper, Smeltz, current Nix striker, and maybe another). The big news is whether they can get Jason Culina to sign on as a marquee - that would be huge.
Michael C
Guest
Just thinking about the GC17 'build up' whilst reading this article about Clive Palmer and his GC soccer club 'construction': http://news.theage.com.au/sport/gold-coast-bolster-aleague-roster-20081128-6mpk.html Palmer is 'buying' players from here, there and everywhere.........to provide a 'manufactured' club 'overnight'. (better than the old VFL approach when the Brisbane Bears were 'plonked' into Carrar). At any rate, between those 2 examples - we also have the GC17 grass roots ground up approach. In 2 years time, we'll see the serious trading and wooing of 'mature' players. But, unlike the NRL and HAL, you can't go doing it during the season. How BIG will that trade period be? Will the AFL have relaxed a little with a limited free agency by then?