GWS coach Leon Cameron is keeping an open mind about the prospect of playing for AFL premiership points in the United States, having detailed his pride at the expansion club’s bold vision.
The Giants are in the embryonic stage of talks with the AFL regarding playing a home game in the US.
There are a number of hurdles to clear, most notably finding a suitable venue, but Port Adelaide’s Shanghai experiment shows that it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.
The league most recently took a exhibition game to the US in 2006, when John Travolta, Hugh Jackman and Olivia Newton-John were among the crowd of 3,000 in Los Angeles.
The oval used for that fixture at the University of California-Los Angeles now has synthetic turf.
Hosting an AFLX series would be an easier goal for the league, given how widely available rectangular fields are in the US.
However, the Giants are keen to show Americans the real thing.
The project could create various logistical challenges for Cameron, who featured in London exhibition games during his playing career, but he is more excited than cynical about the latest attempt to expand the sport outside its homeland.
“As Kevin Sheedy always said, you have to keep exploring ways to grow our game,” Cameron told reporters.
“We’ve got some really good connections in America and we’re really lucky in that part, and the AFL clearly likes to grow the game as well.
“The thing I like about our club is that we’re bold and we want to be aggressive in terms of promoting the game and our footy club … we’re willing and able to have those discussions.
“Where that leads to I don’t know but it’s great to be a part of …if it leads down that path (of playing in the US) then I think it’s only a good thing.”
GWS, who are unable to play games at Giants Stadium when it is used as the base for Sydney’s Royal Easter Show, already have a contract with the ACT government to play three games in Canberra each season.
Stirling Coates
Editor
San Francisco has glorious weather and would certainly be a lot more temperate but, from memory, the only decently-sized venues in the city are quite aways from the main population base.
Adam
Roar Guru
Maybe even Giants fans will be confused and turn up
Macca
Roar Rookie
Perhaps they could play in San Francisco: "The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco." Mark Twain.
Grints
Roar Rookie
I cant see a country that plays Aussie Rules, Rugby League and Rugby Union allowing American Football to take hold.
Stirling Coates
Editor
They do realise playing during the AFL season would mean playing during the blazing Californian summer, right? No thanks.
Knocka
Roar Rookie
A complete and total waste of time, money and Australian sports talent, GWS can't attract a crowd in Australia, let alone overseas. After years of living in the USA, I can tell you the game of Australian Rules football is viewed as some kind of weird, little game that is a bit of a dogs breakfast in appearance and a source of amusement to Americans. It has zero chance of evolving into anything outside of Australia and even struggles to exist in NSW and Qld. American football has more chance of growing in Australia than AFL has of taking a foothold in the USA - money speaks. AFL has reached its zenith and should focus on consolidating its position in the states in which it is historically strong, because future funds and broadcasting will be focused on global sports, not small time local boutique sports.
Grand-Dag
Guest
The AFL have had a number of tries to expand the game overseas - London, NZ, China and now LA. IMNSHO they need more persistence and repetition. One offs are quaint but do not build any sort of following or local interest. In these days of direct flights from Perth to London and Melbourne to the US it is not such a leap faith and time to arrange a fixture incorporating these games. Also live streaming, social media and plenty of good old Aussie bulldust could promote the game in areas where nebulous AFL competitions now exist. Go for it but they will have to really work at it.
Martin
Roar Rookie
If it happens, would they sacrifice one of their matches at the Giants Stadium or would it be one of their three Canberra matches, which supporters are they going to disappoint? It would need some promotion over there. I would put some full page adverts in the Los Angeles Times newspaper. But I agree it needs to be the “real thing” to be authentic, a match for premiership points just preceding the bye round.
Nick Symonds
Guest
I think that a rectangular ground is the way to go. If they take a match to MetLife Stadium in New York they might be able to trick a few NFL fans into going there by mistake so that they can actually have a crowd to play in front of.
anon
Roar Pro
Tell 'em they're dreamin'