While Andrew Demetriou was the CEO of the AFL, many Tasmanians thought that having an AFL team was an impossibility. With Demetriou about to leave the top job, hopes of Tasmania having a team have risen again.
Being a Tasmanian through and through, I see both the argument for and against potentially having a Tasmanian AFL team. To avoid the perception of bias, this piece will attempt to present an objective view of all the pros and cons.
Pros
Tourism
A Tasmanian AFL team would provide a huge boost to state tourism, with interstaters coming to see their respective teams play every second week. Some may even make a long weekend away of it.
The hospitality industry would benefit greatly due to the flow-on effect, while some of these footy fans could return for a future holiday independent of the football.
Sporting Culture
There is a rich AFL culture that is burnt into the Tasmanian psyche. Ever since football was first played in Tasmania in the 1860s, support for the game has always been strong.
As the sport has the distinction of having the second highest participation rate in the country, putting a team together wouldn’t be an issue.
Supporter Base
While it has been argued that a Tasmanian team would struggle to gain support due to Tasmanians already having AFL teams, I am sure Tasmanians would make the team their ‘second team’ and become members in order to go to games.
If you use Hawthorn as an example, it is estimated that 25 percent of young Tasmanians support Hawthorn as their ‘local’ team. Imagine the support that an actual Tasmanian team would get from not only young Tasmanians, but all age groups?
Corporate Support
When the Tasmanian AFL bid really gained momentum in 2008, Mars Snackfood Australia signed a deal that would put forward $4 million to sponsor the team. This would mean that the government would have to pay $1 million less than they are currently giving to Hawthorn each year.
Cons
Financial Support
With the way the economy is in Tasmania, it would be hard to see a business being able to provide ongoing support for a team. With that also in mind, what business in Tasmania would have the finances to support an AFL team?
While the Tasmanian Government has said they would back the team and are willing to cover the gap on sponsorship, what then becomes of the relationship with Hawthorn and North Melbourne? Particularly as Hawthorn considers Tasmania as their biggest sponsor.
Support
It is safe to assume that most, if not all Tasmanians who follow the AFL would already have an AFL team. This could cause issues for the team because they could struggle to gain membership and support. The relationship that Tasmania has with Hawthorn and North Melbourne also has hampered their push for a team, especially as young supporters have adopted them.
In summary, the issues of both financial and community support are paramount when it comes to Tasmania having an AFL team. While it would be great for Tasmania to have a team and I can see the benefit of having one, making it a reality is a different story.
Me Too
Guest
Tassie could obviously support a relocated Melbourne team. 8 home games in tassie, 3 in the old heartland (for the old fans of the tassie rood evils (autocorrect more correct).
Wilko
Guest
Expansion to 20 teams will happen in the AFL. I can see the next 5-8 years a team will be in Tasmania, and 'believe it, or not' ...Northern Territory (NT Thunder)...
mlesliec
Guest
Tasmania is aussie rules strongest state by a country mile, support is practically compulsory, however corporate support and crowd numbers will never be sufficient for the huge business that is afl. any person with basic tasmanian football economy and population knowledge realises this is a ridiculous argument, tasmania will never be able to support an afl team. to compare a city ten times bigger supporting ten teams shows total ignorance of club support and what is really needed to run an afl club
Floreat Pica
Guest
Ha! Is that part of 'turn back the boats'?
Floreat Pica
Guest
Not as they stand now, no. Yet with enough time dedicated to the region, why not a boutique stadium to host minor drawing/interstate teams? The AFL is currently looking at this with Princess Park and Punt Road. Collingwood could potentially reinvigorate Vic Park for this purpose. The Saints would benefit far more than these.
Cat
Roar Guru
Gonna be hard with the liberals sending all the jobs overseas.
Cat
Roar Guru
Difference is the Cats actually play at Kardinia Park, Saints will never play games in Seaford or Mornington.
Floreat Pica
Guest
Saints will benefit well from NZ, but I think they will try to set Seaford and the Mornington Peninsula eventually in the same way the cats have their bastion at Kardinia park. Could be a winning move. So too with North and Ballarat- if only the AFL had courted the Liberals in the last state election it would already have happened.
Floreat Pica
Guest
I would love the opportunity to come down for the footy. If Hawthorn or North was hosting the pies, I would be there once for the novelty. Wont happen unless it's for NAB. But if it was a genuine tassie team hosting, I would be there every time.
Shane Donoghue
Guest
The West Coast Eagles, Adelaide Crows and Fremantle Dockers all started in places where supporters already had a team so that argument doesn't wash with me. As a very proud Tasmanian who is a fanatical Hawks supporter I would immediately follow the Tassie team and the Hawks would become my second team...just like followers of the aforementioned clubs.
Wiwik Pusparini
Guest
Well Ian W.Now that you have had the satisfaction of delivering an insult perhaps you could follow it up with some argument?Or maybe not!
lyn
Guest
Wouldn't it be great to see the mighty pies here? Florat Pica
IanW
Guest
Anyone who thinks the "logical decision" is a stadium in Oatlands isnt thinking particularly well.
Wiwik Pusparini
Guest
A good analysis however I would add a few observations. 1.The schismic nature of Tasmanian politics leaves the State Government frozen in inactivity because if it supports the relocation of a Melbourne based team[with North Melbourne being the most likely candidate] it will be castigated by the strong contingent of Hawke’s supporters on the Apple Isle.Likewise if the relocation or establishment involved the logical decision to build a stadium around half way between Hobart and Launceston [a bit over an hour by car from each city]any State Government in support would be murdered in the polls particularly in the North. 2.There is a real danger that without strong and urgent action from the AFL commission to force a Melbourne club to relocate,Soccer will move to establish an A league team and Tasmania over time will cease being an AFL bastion. 3.The establishment of a new club in Tasmania is probably not viable [too many potential supporters already rusted onto existing clubs]The obvious solution is to allow one of North Melbourne or St Kilda to fail and then for the Commission to “Save” the club by a move to the Apple Isle.Tasi gets a team, and is saved for the AFL code,the competition maintains an even number of clubs,and the over concentration of clubs in Melbourne is reduced. 4.The above would need tough leadership of the sort Andrew Demetriou has been capable of.Unfortunately he is on his way to greener pastures.
Tad
Roar Rookie
No they don't, the Swans, Lions, GWS and GC Suns have first dibs on them, if bypassed other AFL teams then have the option. Pretty obvious you don't understand the rules as they stand ATM.
Axle an the guru
Guest
<Reply: how would you have the season run FP, as one single comp or would you run it like the EPL, two divisions with a promotion/ relegation system. Im curious. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Floreat Pica
Guest
As to your second point, if we were to have 24 teams the representation of Melbourne clubs would be a lot more natural than the percentage of representation we have today. The final 8 would be a much better representation (as the top third) of the best of the competition than we have now. Within 40 years, Australia is predicted to be closer to 35million people, and Melbourne 6 or more.. So I think the demographics would work.
Floreat Pica
Guest
I would want to (admittedly aggressively) expand to 24 teams over the next 20-40 years. I have posted similarly on other threads over the last couple of years. Im sympathetic your argument that the less powerful clubs will be those less likely to succeed with every new team added, but I do not believe this has diluted the standard of the competition- even as behind as they were with boys playing against men, there has been no increase in blow-out games with GCS and GWS in the competition in comparison to the decades before. There will always be clubs rebuilding no matter the number of teams, but as we are seeing with GWS if well managed this will not be for long. Melbourne is the obvious rebuttal, but they were simply too poorly managed at crucial times when they threatened to return to strength. Instead, I see every spot opened up by an expanded competition as an opportunity for another player to go full-time- thus simply being another chance to reveal greatness in more players. Every successful player who has come off the rookie-list proves this point. Any team that has managed extensive injuries to its senior list and maintained competitiveness shows the same. I would simply ask whether the competition is a better, more even standard now than when it was the VFL?- without doubt.
Beny Iniesta
Guest
Which 4 clubs are you saying are uncompetitive? Are you talking about GWS - which just beat Sydney? Or are you talking about St Kilda - which beat GWS (which just beat Sydney) or are you talking about Gold Coast? Who beat Richmond - again. I'll give you Melbourne - but that is only 1 team!!!
alicesprings
Guest
Absolutely.. After Tassie and WA3 i think NSW3 (Newcastle) and NthDLD (Cairns) could well get AFL teams followed by Canberra and Darwin. The Saints will slowly increase their presence in NZ before relocating there. And btw if you had of said that there would be two teams in WA, SA, NSW and QLD 20 years ago you would have been laughed out of town.