Adam Bailey
DeanoHarmoFootball's snowball effect
December 6th 2007 02:06
Category: No Category
The AFL are holding a guillotine above the Kangaroos' time in Melbourne. The Gold Coast beckons but a major rearguard action is on the cards starting tonight at Dallas Brooks Hall in Melbourne. A question I have is why are only the Kangaroos under pressure
In the AFL, there are a number of clubs struggling financially. The ‘Roos, Western Bulldogs and Melbourne have dire financial issues. St.Kilda is a club in perpetual turmoil and have been unable to fully secure their financial future. Carlton, once known as the silvertails of the AFL, have a massive debt which they accumulated through the poor management of successive boards led by John Elliott and Ian Collins. They have enlisted the services of a billionaire to bail them out of trouble by managing the place properly.
The question posed is what will the AFL do about it? The ‘Roos have a place waiting for them on the Gold Coast along with financial stability if they switch the life support system off on their financially lifeless club. They have asked North Melbourne to go willingly. The indications are that they won’t and the AFL is threatening to flex their muscle to get them there.
With the Kangaroos up north what else can happen? It would seem that no other place in Australia is fit for relocation of another club. The idea of a second side is Sydney is ridiculous because as soon as the Swans stop making the finals, the crowds will dwindle fairly rapidly. The Western Bulldogs would be the most likely team to head north on the AFL’s say-so.
Then what? With no other viable marketplaces to enter, the AFL would have to either cut support off to the struggling clubs or increase their subsidies to them under their Competitive Balance Fund.
I think they should force them to merge or cut off support to the clubs which consistently need propping up. There are too many clubs in the AFL, not just in Melbourne. There are sixteen teams in the AFL, 2 more than the largest feeder competition, the VFL. Why is the elite product made up of more teams that the lesser products? Surely the VFL should have more teams than the AFL. 10 AFL teams and 12 VFL teams would surely be a better mix.
The major effect of this would be a rise in the standard of AFL football. With the reduced talent pool at the top level, only the very best would make league standard instead of the mediocre footballers creeping in to the top level. The days are gone where people should be paying to see a goer. The cost of going to, and watching footy on TV, are continually rising. The standard of the product should do the same, the sad fact is that it isn’t, the skills are in decline as is the entertainment value of watching players like Damien Peverill from Essendon, Simon Prestigiacomo from Collingwood and Nathan Carroll from Melbourne share the football oval as players like Andrew McLeod, Jonathan Brown and Chris Judd.
Elite prices, demand an elite product. The AfL has a duty to the game to bite the bullet and separate the wheat from the chaff, both on the field and off. Start with the Kangaroos and revolutionise footy by clearing the dead wood. You know which clubs you are.
In the AFL, there are a number of clubs struggling financially. The ‘Roos, Western Bulldogs and Melbourne have dire financial issues. St.Kilda is a club in perpetual turmoil and have been unable to fully secure their financial future. Carlton, once known as the silvertails of the AFL, have a massive debt which they accumulated through the poor management of successive boards led by John Elliott and Ian Collins. They have enlisted the services of a billionaire to bail them out of trouble by managing the place properly.
The question posed is what will the AFL do about it? The ‘Roos have a place waiting for them on the Gold Coast along with financial stability if they switch the life support system off on their financially lifeless club. They have asked North Melbourne to go willingly. The indications are that they won’t and the AFL is threatening to flex their muscle to get them there.
With the Kangaroos up north what else can happen? It would seem that no other place in Australia is fit for relocation of another club. The idea of a second side is Sydney is ridiculous because as soon as the Swans stop making the finals, the crowds will dwindle fairly rapidly. The Western Bulldogs would be the most likely team to head north on the AFL’s say-so.
Then what? With no other viable marketplaces to enter, the AFL would have to either cut support off to the struggling clubs or increase their subsidies to them under their Competitive Balance Fund.
I think they should force them to merge or cut off support to the clubs which consistently need propping up. There are too many clubs in the AFL, not just in Melbourne. There are sixteen teams in the AFL, 2 more than the largest feeder competition, the VFL. Why is the elite product made up of more teams that the lesser products? Surely the VFL should have more teams than the AFL. 10 AFL teams and 12 VFL teams would surely be a better mix.
The major effect of this would be a rise in the standard of AFL football. With the reduced talent pool at the top level, only the very best would make league standard instead of the mediocre footballers creeping in to the top level. The days are gone where people should be paying to see a goer. The cost of going to, and watching footy on TV, are continually rising. The standard of the product should do the same, the sad fact is that it isn’t, the skills are in decline as is the entertainment value of watching players like Damien Peverill from Essendon, Simon Prestigiacomo from Collingwood and Nathan Carroll from Melbourne share the football oval as players like Andrew McLeod, Jonathan Brown and Chris Judd.
Elite prices, demand an elite product. The AfL has a duty to the game to bite the bullet and separate the wheat from the chaff, both on the field and off. Start with the Kangaroos and revolutionise footy by clearing the dead wood. You know which clubs you are.
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