Peter Gutwein says the AFL should reconsider its commitment to less profitable clubs amid dire financial circumstances during the coronavirus pandemic.
Tasmania Premier Peter Gutwein has urged the AFL to consider reconfiguring the competition by replacing one of its less profitable clubs with one from the Apple Isle.
AFL operating costs are being drastically scaled back as the game tackles its biggest-ever financial crisis in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
The AFL has taken out a $600 million loan to keep the competition afloat and chief executive Gillon McLachlan has consistently said the league’s aim is to ensure the survival of all 18 existing clubs.
But Gutwein on Monday said it was time for the AFL to consider whether it could afford to continue propping up struggling clubs in dire financial circumstances.
The AFL has spent millions setting up expansion outfits Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney, and continues to support debt-ridden clubs such as St Kilda.
“They have had clubs that they have had to support in other areas of the country for a long period of time, that they have had to pour money into,” Gutwein said.
“Now is an opportunity for the AFL to actually start with a blank sheet of paper and to determine that they should have a national competition in the future and that Tasmania should have an AFL team at some stage in the future – and for them to consider whether some of those outlying clubs that they have poured so much money into are part of the AFL’s future moving forward.”
Gutwein also confirmed he had spoken to McLachlan about the possibility of basing a quarantine hub in Tasmania as the AFL looks for a way to restart the 2020 season.
But Tasmania is yet to receive full details about which party would foot the bill and Gutwein questioned whether there would be an economic benefit to hosting a hub, especially if matches were played without crowds.
“I suspect that it may, largely, be very small,” Gutwein said.
“In fact, it may even come with a cost, so I want those things to be answered first and foremost before we engage and put forward a firm proposal.”
Republican
Guest
Exactly Nick. Blatant double standards. How subjective are respective 'economies' anyway? Capital city economies throughout the developed world are based on spurious criteria and constructs. When deconstructed, they present far less dynamic than they command and yet that's where the majority of elite sporting brands are based. Sport should be valued for its potential cultural capital as much its potential commercial capital, while society is far more diverse than an economy and our elite tier of sport must begin to reflect this. Canberra as an example, is a stereotype of a government city however over 60% of its economy is private sector, which has grown out of this industry if you like, as with any city. The AFL are myopic in their criteria of growth sadly, solely dependant on the almighty television dollar, meting out their neo liberal platitudes, in their defence of this mind set.
Republican
Guest
......the double standard of the AFL is breathtaking in this respect. While they are dismissive of Tassie and Canberra based on the criteria of population and said gates, they will talk up blazing new plastic frontiers in NZ et el. They are abjectly depraved in terms of custodial stewardship of the code in my opinion.
Republican
Guest
.......drop the Sydney bit and market them as the Western Giants, then ensure more fixtures go to Canberra where Australian Rules Footy is inherent of it's sporting culture.
Republican
Guest
Relocate the Giants to the Nations Capital and GC to Tassie, easy peasy.
Republican
Guest
.......their geographic reach included NZ briefly. Thats how desperate they are I suppose. What an insult to our code, to be even contemplating NZ. Im a rusted on Saints man but reckon Tassie would be a good fit for them as the only AFL entity based south of the Yarra, while they had a long history of recruiting from the Apple Isle.
Republican
Guest
.....its long overdue, while the AFL continue to their expedience of real footy heartlands, double standards galore, creating plastic concoctions in the guise of national status. They are first and foremost at the behest of the multi national television networks, so in that respect they are at odds with their custodian role as a governing body, throwing good $'s after bad to grow their empire of illusion. Tassie MUST have a team in the elite national league. Their historical pedigree is more than compelling while they have an established footy culture and as such a proven market. It also follows that our nations capital, should be a focus for future expansion, to be afforded a stand alone entity in the big league. That the Albion Rugby codes boast an elite presence in The Australian Capital while the Indigenous code does not, flies in the face of the AFL's national postulations and remains a lost opportunity to reinforce the games long and illustrious footprint there.
ScottD
Roar Guru
easy solution is to stop propping clubs up. Those that survive stay. Those that don't .......
Lukey Miller
Guest
If Tassie do get their team in the AFL, it will not be an additional team, but would likely be as a replacement for a current team. Almost certainly it will be a Victorian based team and not necessarily the least financial outfit. The Victorian team with the smallest membership/supporter base (one that consistently attracts small crowd numbers for home games) will be in the van.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
It was pretty well argued. Quite civil too.
Micko
Roar Rookie
The problem is the AFL is full of overpaid executives who just see it as a business. Nobody cares about the sport in western Sydney, but it happens to be a "large and expanding market" with "potential for growth" as these corporates like to say.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
That's how it works.
Ian_
Roar Rookie
I never said they did. I happen to have a view on what should be done by governments and sponsoring professional sports isn't one of these things. Others obviously enjoy paying taxes more than me.
RT
Roar Rookie
Cheers Matches. I must admit if something doesn’t look right to me I will challenge it but I like to check my facts first. It is not to have a go at someone, just to correct the record. It can also be quite revealing. For example I was surprised Sydney were only averaging 53000 viewers per Sydney game after they have being there 40 years. I am sure Tasmania would do better with a local team after 1 year so you do have to wonder about GWS coming along. You can talk about population and sponsor opportunities until the cows come home, but if no one is watching it doesn’t matter.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Add the pokies and the Hawks are out! (Just sick of your GF record)
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Ask the Government after all these hard outs they’re giving us.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Tassie has kept Hawthorn afloat? No way, due to Hawthorn's long term success the Tasmania government pay them a very profitable sponsorship that assists their state's Tourism industry. Hawthorn's membership would increase if they didn't play 4 home games in Launceston. A study has shown that if no AFL support was given this year only four club's would survive. Collingwood, Richmond, West Coast Eagles & Hawthorn.
Matches
Roar Rookie
I liked the way you presented the facts & your sources in your reply to Timbo Richie. You challenged and corrected an incorrect sweeping statement. Good stuff! It's why these forums are better than some media which allow people like Caro & Robbo to present their bias as facts, unchallenged.
RT
Roar Rookie
Oh sorry! I was wondering why you liked my other comment but then wrote this. Oops.
Matches
Roar Rookie
That's my point Richie, The argument against Tassie excludes the revenues of TV, catering, sponsorship, advertising etc. The Victorian argument against Tassie isolates their crowds and population & does not include the TV rights or any other revenue streams. It certainly is nonsense!
Matches
Roar Rookie
The financial argument against Tassie is simply rubbish. Melbourne clubs need the Victorian majority to get Carlton v Richmond opening every season. Collingwood v Essendon every Anzac day home ground advantage for GFs etc. In 2017 Richmond lost every game on the road except 1 against GC. Adelaide finished top but Richmond had a home GF. In 2016 Sydney finished above the Bulldogs, who got a home-state GF after finishing 7th. In 2015 the Eagles finished 2nd and beat Hawthorne by 32 points in the qualifying final in WA. The Hawks finished 3rd, lost their 1st final to WCE, but still got a home GF. 3 unworthy premiers in a row is a poor result for any competition. But it gives the Victorian teams reason to exclude Tassie.