Until now all talk has been of a single team A-League bid for Tasmania, but now things appear to be up in the air.
According to an ABC news report an AAFC (Association of Australian Football Clubs) meeting in Brisbane on July 15 will determine how a second-tier competition would look.
South Hobart FC president Victoria Morton who is deputy chair of the newly formed AAFC has said that: “I’m not in favor of creating a new franchise” in relation to creating a new single team to represent the whole state.
If AAFC is successful, it is likely that one or more of the existing NPL (state league) clubs would take part in the new second division rather than a composite Tasmanian team.
It is believed that South Hobart, Olympia Warriors (Northern Hobart) and Devonport are all interested in playing in a new national competition. But notably absent so far are either of the two NPL clubs from Launceston.
Football Federation Tasmania CEO Mike Palmer has also gone on record speaking out against a single team model saying: “It would not be our intention for Tasmania to be represented by a state team in any second-tier competition”.
As for the A-League bid the signs aren’t looking good.
The A-League consortium led by Harry Stamoulis and Robert Belteky has reportedly gone to ground and council haven’t heard back form them since they put forward a proposal for a 15,000-seat rectangular stadium in Hobart earlier this year.
Hobart City Council general manager Nick Heath stated: “Our door remains open to any proposal, but we are yet to hear back from the consortium since the initial briefing”.
What it all means
The ABC news report does note that “Tasmanian representation in a national B-League or A2 would be independent of any future Tasmanian A-League team” but if the Stamoulis-Belteky consortium have disappeared then Tasmania won’t be one of the new expansion teams.
The latest developments could have serious ramifications for a Tasmanian AFL bid. One of the main points in favour of the Tasmanian A-League bid was that it would unite the whole state and wouldn’t be beset by the same division that an AFL team would be. Not so, apparently.
If the AFL were ever thinking about giving Tasmania a team they might now be having second thoughts and anyone in Melbourne opposed to a Tasmanian team will now have more ammunition to shoot it down with.
Unless Stamoulis and Belteky reappear the only way that any team from Tasmania will be able to enter the A-League is via promotion from a second division. But it won’t be one that represents the whole state.
As for a Tasmanian AFL team this episode might just be the end of it.
MatthewSkellett
Guest
Everything is back on the table after Lowy and Gallop are deposed
Timmuh
Roar Guru
For me, this is a huge question. If the idea is to eventually go to incluiding the full pyramid, with the top two tiers being national then no more "franchise" clubs should be created. They will just get in the way of existing clubs, and if relegated their very reason for being set up falls away. There would probably be zero Tasmanian teams in the top two tiers most of the time this way, but they have a chance to earn it. If the A2 league is not going to include relegation to the rest of the straucture, different story and (especially if regional areas are to be included) new, wider ctachment, franchises are needed. Personally, I still think an A2 league is a fair way off; but this sort of decision needs to be made at the start of the process. As for the AFL, utterly irrelevant to Association Football. While there is limited sponsorship and market in Tasmania, probably too limited, the FFA has to do what's best for its sport - not worry about others.
tom
Guest
makes for a good rivalry in Football ;)
Realfootball
Guest
The money has disappeared. What a surprise.
Nemesis
Guest
Who said the ALeague embraces the whole country. What I said was: "From what is being reported, this 2nd Division will ensure football is the only sport that has a competition that fully embraces the whole nation."
Nemesis
Guest
The National 2nd Division for football in Australia will have teams from all 6 States & from the ACT.
platypusFC
Roar Rookie
Standard Nemesis way of thinking. No teams in Northern Territory or ACT but team in Tasmania (Potentially) in the A-League - National competition No teams in Northern Territory or ACT but pre-existing team in Tasmania in Sheffield/Matador/Big Bash - Not national competition
Al-Shazahd
Guest
you silly goose. so the a league has teams from NT and ACT do they. so by your logic masterchef is more national than the a league. but wait masterchef is not a sporting competition. so not sure why you mentioned them.
Al-Shazahd
Guest
But if the A-League doesn't contain clubs from NT or ACT how is it embracing the whole country
Nemesis
Guest
So, just checked Matador Cup. A competition of 7 teams representing the 6 States of Australia. No teams from NT, or ACT. But a team called "Cricket Australia XI". Each team plays each opponent once. Season lasts 3 weeks. MasterChef is more of a national competition than Matador Cup.
Al-Shazahd
Guest
PS Who said anything about club competition? you simply stated 'competition'.
Al-Shazahd
Guest
"I know the Sheffield Shield is not a club competition." before you said football is the only sport that has a COMPETITION. the sheffield shield does not contain what you would call 'clubs' but these teams were established a long time ago. they play cricket = sport. and they play in a competition. a competition involving states across the country. "Never heard of the Matador Cup – is it a club competition? What sport?" no wonder you never address other poster's questions. you don't read do you. i wrote "the Sheffield Shield and Matador Cup are both domestic CRICKET competitions"
Nemesis
Guest
I know the Sheffield Shield is not a club competition. Never heard of the Matador Cup - is it a club competition? What sport? PS: Who said anything about professional sport? The FFA Cup is a National Competition with clubs from every State & Territory.
Al-Shazahd
Guest
"From what is being reported, this 2nd Division will ensure football is the only sport that has a competition that fully embraces the whole nation." the Sheffield Shield and Matador Cup are both domestic cricket competitions involving NSW, QLD, VIC, SA, WA and TAS. in addition, the big bash also involve the same number of states. and by definition no sport involves the whole nation. NT and ACT don't have professional sporting teams from cricket or football. you do realise those two are part of australia? so not sure what you are on about. slow day at work?
Lionheart
Guest
indeed
Newie
Guest
If the national second division is created (from NPLs?), would it have a promotion/relegation system to & from the league below it? That situation would enable teams from Tas to compete to become part of an eventual promotion to the A-League, without a created "Tasmania A-League team" being needed?
Nick Symonds
Guest
A war in Tasmania will never happen. People in the North wont make the drive South and vice versa.
Nemesis
Guest
Tasmania will be part of the National 2nd Division that should be operating by February 2018. From what is being reported, this 2nd Division will ensure football is the only sport that has a competition that fully embraces the whole nation.
Ken Spacey
Guest
I believe the AFL reference is about the reality that several centres are marginal for elite sports franchises. If the AFL commits to Tassie, the HAL dream is over. The view that football is more streamlined and less expensive is the reason why it could possibly work if it was the main game in town. But as ever, all new area bids need unity and civic support.
Nick Symonds
Guest
"How does this effect an AFL bid?" The North-South divide has been one of the biggest issues, if not THE biggest, in holding back Tasmania from having an AFL team. When people who supported a single A-League team for the whole of Tasmania are now saying they support multiple teams it just confirms fears in Melbourne that a Tasmanian team would split up. If that's the case then why would the AFL take the risk putting one there? And what does it mean for the North Hobart Oval upgrade? If there's no A-League team based there and there's little or no chance of a Tasmanian AFL team using it as training ground will the federal government still pay for an upgrade? And is the North-South divide what's made Stamoulis and Belteky go to ground? Their plan for the team was that it would play only 3 or 4 games in Launceston with the rest going to Hobart. Has this played a part in any of this? Again the North-South divide. Not a good look for an AFL bid.