@ Munro Mike

You have provided very comprehensive information, from the various relevant parties, on the whole WC Bid saga.

You haven’t explored the corruption involved in FIFA and many/most of its officials in the bid, the employment by the FFA of persons with criminal records/unsavoury pasts etc to promote the Australian bid, nor the waste of about $48 million (some of which went “missing”) of taxpayers’ money. These subjects weren’t in your scope.
Perhaps a future article awaits!

Your above, immediate post reflects that the FFA/FIFA were not forthcoming with the full details on how a WC here might affect Australian Football, and other codes.
The AFL, of course, required all these details, and would need to be fully compensated for the severe financial losses it would have incurred.

The AFL has over 720 players, and the AFL and its 18 Clubs employ, directly and indirectly, thousands of people. The AFL and its Clubs had a legal and fiduciary duty to ensure that revenues and profits were fully protected (including guarantees on detailed and appropriate compensation from the FFA/FIFA).
Similarly, the banks that had lent moneys to the AFL and its Clubs would require that the AFL and Clubs would protect their revenue bases; and could all meet their repayment obligations.

Finally, of course, the AFL is fully responsible (both legally and morally) for protecting and enhancing the current and future health of Australian Football- which encompasses not just the AFL and its 18 Clubs.
The members of the Clubs would not accept, and would vote out Club Boards (and, ultimately AFL Commission members would also have to depart the Commission), if the current and future interests of the Clubs and Australian Football were damaged.

@ Munro Mike

Can you answer the questions I put to you in my 2nd, 4th and 5th dot points, from my 12,43 pm comments above?

@ Rob Charlton

Your reply is of about equal standard to your article- both are poor, and are incorrect.
Why did you not include the very crucial fact in your “analysis” ie Jenna Mc Cormick had considerable experience as an elite soccer player?

This link provides details of both the AFL’s and FFA’s 2018 Official Registered participant numbers.
You will note the AFL had 1,649,000+ participants, including 500,000+ female participants, in 2018. Community Australian Football is having good growth all over Australia (excluding competition males in Tasmania).

What can we learn from the AFL and FFA’s participation rates?

Incidentally, can you illuminate for me the FFA’s 2018 Official Registered 500,000+ Community Events’ soccer participants- what exactly are these? And has this 500,000+ Community Events participants been registered, and have paid insurance- if so, how?

Also, there a very large number of soccer players who are counted many times, because a soccer player can easily play multiple formats of soccer, even in the same week.
Also, soccer is played about 11 months per year. These facts, therefore, inflate soccer numbers.
In contrast, Australian Football is played about 5 months per year.

Finally, can you answer the assertions and questions I put to Redondo and Midfielder above (as it appears they are unwilling to do so)?

@ Midfielder
Your response is poor, and your use of such emotive terms (“anger frustration”) is childish.
You are raising Straw Man arguments, which indicates your inability to specifically answer the questions I put to you.

I never said:
.re Australian Football “I can see it taking over the world”.
I said nothing about Australian Football being played overseas.

. AFLW “was only created to counter women’s football”.
( Although I strongly suspect that the AFL wants a summer competition, to have media publicity for Australian Football for most of the year; and the AFL, like all sports, want to maximize their participant numbers).

. the AFLW should be specifically compared to female soccer played overseas.

I reject your false comment re “southern states”- “But leave the nest and it is nothing”.

This is absurd, and reveals your discomfort about the undeniable strong growth of Australian Football in NSW, ACT, Qld and NT (it dominates in the latter). There are currently a record 100+ drafted players on AFL lists who were born in NSW, ACT, or Qld.
There are also a large number of AFLW players drafted from these areas.

Round 19 – which state is the most productive “footy factory”?

It should be noted that these AFL figures are from 2016, current numbers are higher. The AFL & AFLW Academies in NSW, ACT, Qld and the NT are thriving, and the drafted numbers will certainly grow.

I assume your reluctance, and that of redondo, to specifically address, with facts, the assertions and questions I put to you above is because you are unable to provide a convincing rebuttal.

Midfielder
and your comment

“Comparing a competition (AFLW) running with a HANDFUL of teams for TWO to THREE YEARS against a code where the world cup or women’s world cup has been the most watched sporting event in the world this year is fanciful…”.

Irony.

I am pleased you admit the AFLW is in its INFANCY, having only started in 2017!

I assume you agree the advent of the AFLW has been precocious, and a trendsetter for elite female sport in Australia.

Do you also admit, in such a VERY SHORT time, the AFLW has achieved massive success for Australian Football eg:

. the record highest stand-alone crowd in Australia for a non-international female sport (Adelaide AFLW Grand Final 2019, 53,000+).

. extraordinary success in greatly accelerating Australian Football official female registered participation numbers- 550,000 + in 2018

. second highest in the world (for a stand-alone, non-international female Home and Away annual competition) average crowds of about 6200.
WNBA has the highest average.

. good TV ratings for an incipient sport- which, as the average skill levels inexorably rise over the next decade, will become much greater.

These phenomenal achievements of the AFLW , “a handful of teams for two to three years (using your words)” indicate that female Australian Football is on a stratospheric trajectory to dominate female sport in Australia when the AFLW expands to 18 teams (probably about 2025).
Do you agree?

It appears redondo is not willing to specifically address the questions I put to him, in my post at 10.53 am above. Do you?

Munro Mike

You have written a very interesting history of Australia’s inglorious WC bid.
You have provided an appropriate and comprehensive chronology of events, together with relevant links to newspaper etc comments by journalists, FFA, AFL and NRL officials (which must have been very time-consuming to compile). Congratulations.

I have these questions (although my memory of events from 10 years ago is not perfect!).

Your views on:

. the AFL gave in-principle agreement to all it stadia being utilized for a WC- EXCEPT for Docklands Stadium; which, at ALL times, it expressly stated it would fully retain for AFL matches during the WC. Is this correct?

If this is correct, how and why did the FFA believe it could it could forcibly acquire Docklands- as it was then privately owned, and the AFL had contractual rights to use it?
Governments cant forcibly overcome private property rights (except for compulsory land acquisition to build public infrastructure eg to build public roads/railway lines etc.).

. would the AFL have had to surrender any AFL grounds, or be inconvenienced/adversely affected etc, for the Confederations Cup (which occurs 12 months prior to a WC in the host country)?
. the AFL demanded, and it was accepted (by legal, written agreements) by govts. and the FFA , that it would be fully compensated if the WC happened. Is this correct?

If so, what were the details of the financial compensation eg loss of revenues due to reduced crowds, reduced corporate box income, lower ratings ( and thus lower broadcast rights funding etc.)?

.what period did the AFL agree to release its grounds- just for the duration of the WC, or longer?
Details?

. when the AFL learnt (after it had specifically refused release of Docklands) that the FFA in its Bid showed videos of Docklands being used for the WC, and arranged tours of Docklands by FIFA officials, then the AFL said it would rescind its agreement to allow all its other AFL venues to be used.
Is this correct?
And is this FFA brinsmanship the time when the “code war” became most ugly?

@ Post_hoc

Your comment that “why it (Australian Football) is played on cricket ovals whilst all other football is played on football fields” does not reflect the fact that Australian Football was, at least until the 1890’s, played on a rectangular field.
A rectangular field was stipulated by the earliest Melbourne Rules from 1858. The rectangles were up to 200 yards wide, and up to 300 yards long, with up to 25 players per team.

@ Redondo

I assume you accept the factual accuracy of all my above comments, as I note that you have not challenged:

. my claim that one needs courage to play Australian Football (since it is a full body contact sport; and it is a 360 degrees sport, thus hard contact often occurs when one is blindsided eg tackle from the side/rear).

. my relayed comments of most female Australian Football players (who, generally, have played other sports) who state that they enjoy (but only after CONSIDERABLE training on the tackle and bump bags!) the fierce physicality of Australian Football.

This OP, poorly researched and lacking any deep analysis, is obviously a clickbait article to improve advertising metrics. This is very clear from the writer’s decision to deliberately ignore the widely known boom in rgistered female Australian Football particpant numbers (which is also occuring in NSW, ACT and Qld- as reflected in the vast number of players recruited from these areas into the AFLW).

@ Hopper
Your statement “Why then is it one way traffic at junior level where many talented athletes, male and female, are moving across to afl…” is a generalization, but there is an element of truth in it.

Female Australian Football numbers have boomed since 2017, when the AFLW started- over 550,000 official, registered participants in 2018 (Like all sports who all “pad out” their registered numbers, one must be wary- since many are Gala Days, school physical education skill program participants, one-off participants etc.)
It is certainly true that many females are switching over to Australian Football from another sport, or continuing to play both sports.

https://thewomensgame.com/news/wa-coach-our-top-footballers-are-going-to-afl-532022

The AFLW has alarmed the other female sports. Some of their officials, elite players, or their sports’ commentators have referred to the threat posed by the burgeoning AFLW since 2017.
Melissa Barbieri, former Matilda’s captain, said on the Daily Football Show podcast many Matildas enjoyed watching Australian Football (“Its our game, it’s tough etc.)

It is no coincidence that Australian authorities in female netball, cricket, soccer and basketball greatly increased their renumeration for their elite female players just before, or just after, the AFLW started in 2017.
They correctly predicted the AFLW juggernaut- but probably did not predict (did any one!) that the AFLW Grand Final in 2019, at Adelaide Oval, would attract a crowd over 53,000.
Nor did anyone predict that average AFLW crowds are about 6200 since 2017- the highest average for a female stand-alone (ie not with male teams), non-international, annual Home and Away competition.

When females are asked why they enjoy playing community Australian Football, they usually cite the very broad skill set and challenges required to play Australian Football- the need to use both your hands and feet to kick and hand ball (with both left and right), the physicality, and the need to have courage.

Jimmy

Your statement “Yet historically more people than ever have watched Rugby League than ever this last decade, it’s just on TV unfortunately” may or may not be correct.
However, this “fact”, even if true, may not be a true reflection on the overall health of League- and its sustainability.

On the contrary, many would argue that League sustainabilty may be threatened, if the decades-long decrease in League competition male playing numbers in Australia is not reversed.
The heartland of League is generally considered to be rural and regional Queensland- and Australian Football has minimal presence there (excluding SE Queensland, the Cairns area, and some coastal towns).
Even in rural and regional Queensland, League is in decline, as Meninga (and others) have stated.
Meninga “It’s a problem in all regional and rural areas” of Queensland.

https://www.centralnorthburnetttimes.com.au/news/is-rugby-league-in-the-bush-on-borrowed-time/3498233/

https://www.centralnorthburnetttimes.com.au/news/custodians-of-the-game-its-time-to-step-up/3498267/

@ Double Agent

You are correct in your statement “Check out how many League clubs amalgamate their junior comps with other clubs because they don’t have the numbers for a stand alone”.

The situation described in this link below is widespread throughout Sydney League (but Penrith District, the exception, is doing reasonably well, and has recruited many female League juniors).

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/macarthur/macarthur-regions-junior-rugby-league-numbers-continue-to-fall/news-story/10981dd31ed7ad0df6a3319acc002768

Senior League community clubs have virtually disappeared from the once strong Manly Warringah, and North Sydney, competitions. The remaining 4 community clubs have been forced to transfer to the distant Sydney Combined Competition, unthinkable 20 years ago.

Junior League is also evaporating in Northern Sydney and Eastern Sydney- and is struggling in the Inner West. Community Australian Football Club numbers, and private school and government school competition numbers, have grown very strongly in all these areas.

In 2017, then NRL Chairman Grant wanted to spend about $100 million on supporting the grassroots, to attempt to reverse the big losses in League community competition playing numbers. The NRL Clubs, however, rebelled at his proposed policy- they stymied his efforts, by obtaining greater NRL payments for the NRL Clubs themselves.

In about September 2018, NRL Chairman P. Beattie said the NRL was concerned about the big problems League was having in its teenage male playing numbers.

Union still has strong numbers in many private schools and, as a generalization, attracts the best athletes of all sports- but is also (similar to Brisbane/SEQ private schools) in decline.
Sydney Union junior community Club numbers have also fallen considerably in the last 15 years, from U 13 onwards.

Both League and Union (7’s), however, are both having strong growth in female tackle numbers, and this trend will probably continue.

Stuart

A League crowds average about 10,500, and are very good. Soccer is a second tier sport in Australia, on most metrics, yet its domestic competition average places it in the top 20 in the world. Soccer fans should celebrate this, as well as the A League itself, which is far superior to the NSL.
Soccer, now, is a mainstream, professional sport in Australia- unlike the NSL era.
Soccer fans should be proud of the crowds its games attract- yet you bemoan the GREAT crowd of 33,000 at Marvel, and suggest Derby games should return to the smaller AAMI! It appears to me this is a click-bait statement from you, which reflects poorly on you.

Your review has failed, inexplicably, to consider soccer’s main problem- its disastrous ratings. Why did you not address this issue, since you are an “expert”?

On the main ABC channel on Saturday 5-7 pm, the A League game rated an average 47,000, nationwide. In the same time last Saturday, the main ABC channel program, Antiques Roadshow, rated 188,000!

There is no evidence that Kayo is attracting high A League ratings. A League ratings are not being “talked up” by Kayo management, FFA, or Club officials (but Kayo has revealed strong figures for Australian Football and League).
As the ABC broadcast is more reliable than Kayo streaming, one would expect Kayo subscribers to prefer the free ABC telecast of the match – yet the ABC ratings were abysmal.

Foxtel ratings have, also, been in a downward spiral- and the A League is, in Oct.- Nov., being played in its most “popular” time, having clean air from all other sports.

Unless A League ratings can be vastly improved, the next broadcast rights will be so poor the future of the A League’s existence will be imperilled.

Soccer has the great advantage over most of the other popular sports in Australia, in that it easily has the largest, international profile (and Socceroo World Cup matches rate very well). Yet, the A League is virtually ignored by viewers in Australia.

Yes, it’s a very good result for Raiders selling out their Canberra Final- but your Canberra crowd reference is actually reinforcing the growth and achievements of GWS.

Canberra Raiders were established in 1982 (where League already had a good presence), GWS only 2012. Raiders have won 3 Premierships, been in 5 Grand Finals, and only ever finished last once, generally fairly competitive- but their average home crowd since 1982 is only about 11,000.
GWS was flogged for the first few years, is in an area that, formerly, had a very small Australian Football presence, but has average home crowds already over 11,000!

GWS has NO poker machine revenue. Most Sydney NRL clubs, however, can only exist due to the revenues/many billions of dollars lost by the punters. This pokies’ social evil preys, generally, on the poorest socio-economic demographic- those who can least afford the billions lost.

Re your Canberra Finals’ crowd reference, it has been reported today in the Daily Telegraph that MANY thousands of free tickets are being offered for the Prelim Final at the SCG, Easts vs. Storm. The 15,000 ANZ members have been sent an email offering each of them 4 free tickets to attend this SCG Prelim.!
It was reported that many free tickets, also, were offered to last week’s Final between Souths and Manly.

I note you are not challenging the facts I presented, in my previous posts above, about the strong growth in community Australian Football in NSW, ACT and Qld.; nor that Storm is producing, after 22 years (and a Premiership in its second year, in the Finals for 19 years!) minimal growth in community League in Melbourne- where club competition numbers are miniscule.

GWS has, also, DIRECTLY contributed to the strong growth of Australian Football community club and school competition Australian Football numbers allover Sydney and the ACT (and the record 50+ NSW/ACT born players who are now on AFL lists).

This link has the 2019 (and previous years) detailed growth of Australian Football all over Sydney.

http://aflsj.com.au/

http://aflsj.com.au/

GWS is only 8 years old, in an area -western Sydney- that had minimal Australian Football presence before 2011. Therefore, attracting about 22,000 and about 19,000 in its 2016 and 2019 home Finals, respectively, against the Western Bulldogs is quite good.

Also, the 2016 Final against the Bulldogs had an average rating (FTA and Foxtel combined) of about 2,400,000- the 2nd highest Preliminary Final rating in history.

Au contraire, what is amazing is the large decline in male League competition numbers in Sydney.
David Hill, President of the North Sydney Bears from 1989-92, gave the esteemed annual Tom Brock Rugby League Lecture in 2012. In it, he said dozens of League Clubs have disappeared in recent times- in both northern Sydney and western Sydney.

http://www.tombrock.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/tb12hillA5singlepages_PRINT.pdf

In late 2018, Peter Beatie said League is still declining in its male teenage player numbers.

Your comment that
“GWS main goal was: to grow the code in Sydney. I just can’t see how anybody can class GWS as a success in that regard” is incorrect.

There are now over 13,000 community junior club competition players in Sydney, a record. This figure does not include the many thousands of kids 5-8 years old, who play Auskick (as there are no Club competitions for these age groups).
Google “AFL Sydney Juniors Sporting Pulse” if you wish to see the exact clubs where these juniors are playing.

Below are listed (for 2018, but numbers higher in 2019) the 50 players on AFL lists, who were born in NSW or the ACT; and about 42 who were born in Queensland

What would AFL State of Origin look like in 2018?

The expansion sides are providing good numbers of recruits into the AFL.

In comparison, Melbourne Storm, Australia’s most consistently successful (by far) professional team over several decades, has provided about 3 Victorian-born recruits for the NRL.
Also, League community club player numbers are very small in Victoria- adult numbers may have retreated over several decades (unconfirmed).

There are also close to record numbers of Club Australian Football players in the ACT.
Google “www.aflnswact.com.au”, then click on “Competitions” for the exact teams in the ACT (also for Sydney).

In 2019, GWS had about 30,500 members (24,000 + in Sydney; 6,000 in ACT)); averaged home crowds over 12,000; received private sponsorship of $13,000,000+ (higher than private support for most other clubs- both AFL and other sports): and was instrumental in the new Giants Stadium being built for Australian Football- attracting about $120,000,000+ government and Council etc. funding.
Pre 2011, these figures can be replaced with “zero”.

This is a very good record for a club that didn’t exist pre 2011. Also, western Sydney had low Australian Football community club, primary and secondary school, and AusKick player numbers pre 2011. Now, these Australian Football numbers are booming in western Sydney, as they are in the ACT.

Importantly, the Swans’ main metrics have not been “cannibalised” ie there has been net growth for both. There are record numbers of players from NSW/ACT currently listed with AFL clubs- about 50 now? A few are starting, also, to be drafted from western Sydney.

Some of GWS community work is reflected here by Steven Coniglio, GWS Multicultural Ambassador, who just signed a $1,000,000 per year, $7,000,000 contract for 7 years, to remain with GWS.
It was reported, however, he was offered $300,000 per year EXTRA (ie $2,100,000 over 7 years) to transfer to other clubs. It was reported a factor in his decision, to reject the other higher offers, was his enthusiasm for his community work in western Sydney.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-25/gws-giants-stephen-coniglio-afl-grand-final-drive-after-richmond/11543516?section=sport

A few weeks ago, on a Channel 9 WWOS panel, NRL’s Phil Gould (and a major promoter of League community grassroots in WS) said “GWS will become a juggernaut”.

Any business invests for the future, by moving into NEW markets, promoting its “product” etc. Western Sydney is a fast growing area, which has about $2,100,000 people now, and will have about 3,300,000+ by 2050. The AFL was wise to invest there, as well as the Gold Coast, another fast growing area.

@ I. Buatava
and your comment that, paraphrasing “…I would not be surprised if local competition contact sports have declining participation due to fear of head knocks”.

There is declining enrolment in male, tackle League and Union in Australia, which has occurred over several decades. Female enrolment in tackle competitions is having strong growth recently.

In Australian Football, however, Official Registered Participant numbers are at record highs, for both organized competition players (the true indicator); and one-off Gala days, short term programs (which the AFL, and all sports, use to inflate their numbers).

The 2019 AFL Official Registered Participant Numbers are 1,649,178.
Australian Football is growing strongly, for both males and females, in NSW, ACT and Qld.
In Vic., WA, SA, Tasmania and the NT female numbers are booming, with males having modest growth (except competition males in Tasmania).

As for CTE, it is not only concussion that is linked to this insidious disease- it is also linked to continuous knocks (but not concussion) to the head.

Heading the soccer ball has been linked to CTE, dementia etc- but further studies are needed to be conclusive. Most soccer heading, of course, does not occur in matches, but in training sessions for heading.
For these reasons in the USA, heading the ball has been banned for soccer juniors up to, and including, 10 year olds; and for 11 to 13 year olds included, heading is not permitted in training for more than 30 minutes pw.

https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/2173346/heading-football-damages-nerve-cells-brain-according-new-study
Why haven’t other countries introduced similar bans on heading?
Do you think heading should be banned in soccer, for all juniors and adults?

@ Grotto
and your anti- Folau comment re the author of this article “I’m genuinely surprised the Roar let it be published”.

Irony.

@ Dorian
You are 100% correct that the mainstream media, by a significant majority, constantly promulgates left wing views- either on political issues, or social issues, or both.
The mainstream media, also, often, excludes articles, viewpoints, facts and events that don’t conform to its agendas.

Added to the mainstream media leftist ‘echo chamber’ are, also, many in the music, acting, and entertainment industries.

A humorous, but sadly typical example of the media’s etc overwhelmingly leftist bias, was the tweet made by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (ie the journalists union) twitter account the day after the 2019 Federal LNP election victory.
After the LNP won the “unwinnable election” (contrary to the ‘expert analyses’ of the overwhelming majority of ‘expert journalists’!), the Union tweeted that those journalists etc “angry at the results of the LNP election win should join the union”! The tweet was withdrawn the same day, after the obvious embarrassment to ” impartial journalistic ethics” was exposed!

The Union has, for decades, long been affiliated to the ALP, and pays the ALP dues and funding. It is no surprise that public opinion polls place the trustworthyness of journalists only slightly above used-car salesmen and real estate agents.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fbusiness%2Fmedia%2Fjournalists-slam-union-tweet%2Fnews-story%2Ff8f46f55c377eafe5468aa37f1adc321&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21suffix=49-a
(Behind a paywall, but brief theme included. Can someone open and provide the full The Australian article here?)

It is being reported that the Australian Christian Lobby is receiving a massive response after Go Fund Me (which allows fundraising for mosques- what are their views and PRACTICES on homosexuality?) banned the Folau fundraiser.
The ACL, which just opened its own fundraiser for Folau, has received donations of $600,000+.

The Folau issue is, now, far beyond a dispute between I. Folau and RA. It has become part of the Culture Wars; and is a direct attack on the right to publicly express Christian values AWAY from the workplace (which is what Folau did- it wasn’t at a RA match or function).

Furthermore, I personally know a person who, visibly, wore a gold chain with a crucifix around her neck at work (professional job, in an office environment) A manager told her, in early 2018, he thought this was “inappropriate” and she should desist- but did not order she remove it. She was shocked and offended- but removed it, as she felt it could affect her promotion prospects.
What do the anti-Folau proponents think about this?

And what do the anti- Folau proponents think about Maria Folau openly supporting her husband’s right to publicly express (AWAY from work) his biblical views?
And Liz Ellis wanting action being taken against Maria Folau?

@ Concerned Supporter

You may be correct that RA’s actions re I. Folau, and the disdain many Rugby fans have for RA over its Folau actions, is “impacting on crowds”.
In The Australian on 31.5, Alan Jones has stated that since the Folau issue has arisen, there has been a significant decline in Super Rugby crowds.

Jones has also written that Barnaby Joyce has recently “argued for laws to exempt religious beliefs from employment contracts” ie employers cannot seek to legally control comments of employees which are made OUTSIDE their workplace. Other LNP MP’s have also expressed strong concerns that the law must protect freedom of speech & freedom of religion, and the LNP is conducting a Review on these issues. Many commentators suggest the laws will be tightened to protect these long established freedoms.

ALP Federal MP’s (Eg Bowen, Husic, Bourke & others), since losing the “unloseable election”, have said they believe that “people of faith” do not feel comfortable with the ALP- & the ALP had a net lost votes because of this. This was reflected in seats which swung to the LNP, where there were significant numbers of religious ( Christian, Muslim etc.) voters.

Jones also cites the Unfair Dismissal case of Professor Peter Kidd, who was sacked for making, publicly, critical comments of fellow James Cook University academics.
Kidd won his case- and Judge Vasta ruled that the University had unfairly sacked Kidd as it was” not an Orwellian institution that suppressed ideas”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/rugby-family-has-lost-all-patience-with-shrill-dogma-of-administrators/news-story/52f996ec563be411944d2f0864b165a8

@ Ad-O

You are correct.
Removing Captain Cook’s statues will, probably, be later on the agenda of those who promulgate Identity Politics (some have already been defaced).
Probably, also demands for removal of other statues of explorers’ statues – who didn’t really “discover new” areas.

Matt Cleary’s article is poorly written, with factual errors, and very dubious arguments. It is a clickbait article, we’ve fallen for it.

I did not say sport players are required to sing a national anthem. Traditionally, many have not. I don’t think anyone has advocated that- it is perfectly acceptable to remain silent.

I stated that protests by sports’ players should not occur at the sporting EVENT as, probably, about 50% of fans will be aggravated/express their disapproval/be less inclined to attend or watch that particular sport (This has occured in the NFL with some payers ‘taking the knee’).

Players are entitled to express their political/moral/religious views away from the sporting event, as long as they are not advocating violence. I, therefore, disagree with Israel Folau being sacked for expressing his views away from a sporting event.

Will Matt Cleary offer a detailed and balanced explanation of the accuracy of his statistics on US police shootings?

Are you saying that players and fans are entitled, at sporting EVENTS, to OPENLY protest at the playing of a national anthem? And do you believe there will ever be 100% approval of the lyrics or tune of any national anthem?

@ Matt Cleary
and your comment ” The Great War wasn’t great, it was rubbish”.
You have misinterpreted the word “great”. The context then was “huge”- as in, “the sinking of the troop ship caused a great loss of lives”. You argued “great” with a meaning of “approval”- which is incorrect.

You also said “American cops shoot black people at a rate of 3:1 white people”.
Can you substantiate and advance these statistics; and your claim of implied racism on part of US police?

Also, what is the relevance (which you conveniently ignored in your claim) of the fact that African-Americans (about 10% of the US population) have VASTLY greater crime rates, against the person, than white Americans?

Opinion polls show a large majority of Australians prefer Advance Australia Fair, compared to other “popular” options. Of course, it is possible that, in the future, another song might become more popular. Do you accept that any anthem will have some lyrics that people disagee with- should those sports’ people who disagree also protest at the new anthem at sporting events?

I believe the vast majority of people want sport to be separate from politics, an “escape” from the constant tedium/aggravation of daily politics. Do you?

Probably about 50% of fans would be strongly opposed to political stances (on any political issue, not just the anthem) being taken at sporting events- why would any sporting organisation annoy/disillusion/anger a large part of its fan base? What about the fan backlash? And backlash from a large political party?

Professional sports’ people, of course, are free to express their political and moral views away from sporting events, as long as they don’t advocate violence.
( I assume Israel Folau disagrees- and he is likely to take his sacking, for expressing his views away from a sporting event, to court)
Do you agree sports’ people would be better to keep politics etc away from sporting events?
Or do you believe it is only acceptable when they openly express views/do political acts you agree with?

Mary

Your claim that the AFLW season in 2019 was shorter than in 2018 reveals you do not follow the AFLW very closely. That’s OK, each to their own- one can’t follow every sport closely.

It was unwise of you to compare the NRLW to the AFLW- there is no comparison.

As Maximus above mentioned, the AFL is devoting FAR greater sums to female Australian Football (compared to NRL spending on the NRLW and female League).
Female Australian Football is booming all over Australia, with 500,000+ female players. Most Clubs are introducing female teams.
Female League is tiny by comparison: perhaps about 5,000+ female junior and adult players, but it is having good growth.

The 2019 AFLW Grand final had a stand alone crowd of 53,034 at Adelaide Oval. There will be 14 AFLW teams in 2020.

Foxtel have started to cut their soccer content.

If their plummeting ratings continue, the A League and Rugby Australia (for Super Rugby) are facing a major diminution of funding from Foxtel; or no Foxtel funding, if Foxtel withdraws completely from these competitions.

Foxtel’s comments that it will withdraw its funding for “non-marquee sporting events” (ie not just soccer and Union) means many sports may have severe financial constraints. This could lead to a severe contraction in their professional competitions…or in their financial commitments to their community funding…or both.

https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2019/5/22/foxtel-axes-3-sports-channels-as-cuts-to-premium-programming-continues