18 teams going ahead

[bigcarl]

The game must grow.

But that doesn't mean the number of clubs needs to.


Look it's pretty simple.

There are too many clubs in Melbourne
Al least four of them are not viable long term.
The AFL wants to expand the competition into growth areas like the Gold Coast and Sydney's West.

So why not solve two problems at once ?

exactly. it's the logical solution

[Life Long Saint]

The game must grow.

But that doesn't mean the number of clubs needs to.


Look it's pretty simple.

There are too many clubs in Melbourne
Al least four of them are not viable long term.
The AFL wants to expand the competition into growth areas like the Gold Coast and Sydney's West.

So why not solve two problems at once ?

exactly. it's the logical solution

The AFL couldn't get the Kangaroos over the line. They were a lay down misere.

Name two Melbourne based clubs that would want to relocate to the Gold Coast or West Sydney?

[nicola69]

Well, actually no, they represent the St Kilda Football Club.

they are elected by the members to represent st kilda football club ... and would do well to remember it.

I would doubt that most members would know what is best for the St Kilda football club.

...That is why the board makes those types of decisions.

Mate, I don't know why the board went with it. There must be stuff (short term gains?) that we don't know about yet.

My concern is that the 18 teams is an interim measure aimed at getting rid of 2 Melbourne sides.

I've written before to a BigCarl topic saying you don't think it will be us?...beware of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The western Sydney side in particular is a stinker. Stand there and watch this albatross being hung around our neck.

I am also predicting that not only will 2 Vic clubs get the bullet over the 5 years following the inception of these 2 clubs but our club will be raped for players. To any Sainters who think this will be good for the game: I hope you enjoy it when some of our champs are lining up for these new robot clubs that have no supporters. Lenny Hayes, Captain of the Western Sydney Bulldogs?!!! Gilbo and Armo, star flankers for the Western Sydney Bulldogs?!!! Joey, champion wingman for the Old Coast Wankers?!!!

Be alarmed. The guys who are making these decisions are terrorists of the game and sabateurs of our club.

If you were going to put a Vic club anywhere, it should be Tassie.

But having said all that spleen stuff, I recognise that the Old Coast has a lot of retired Vics living up there, some with children maybe, who could possibly form a proper supporter base for an AFL club. The Western Sydney thing however, as I have said, is a reverse barium enema for all footy fans.

[bigcarl]

Name two Melbourne based clubs that would want to relocate to the Gold Coast or West Sydney?

i can't think of any that would if they thought they could survive in this market place (melbourne).

the kangaroos might think they can but that remains to be seen. they have a crippling debt and a miniscule supporter base (compared to many other clubs) ... even after finishing in the finals last year.

an unsuccessful couple of years and they will be in diabolical trouble.

what the league should do, imo, is to not bail these clubs out and tell them if they go to the wall financially then don't expect any help from us.

if you can't pay you can't play in other words ... unless you decide to relocate.

if they'd taken the gold coast offer they would have been guaranteed survival as an entity.

they would have been looked after by the afl, given player concessions etc and probably nabbed a flag within five years or so.

and their supporters would still have had a club to support.

[bigcarl]

The Western Sydney thing however, as I have said, is a reverse barium enema for all footy fans.

you have a way with words

[meher baba]

Mate, I don't know why the board went with it. There must be stuff (short term gains?) that we don't know about yet.

My concern is that the 18 teams is an interim measure aimed at getting rid of 2 Melbourne sides.

I've written before to a BigCarl topic saying you don't think it will be us?...beware of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The western Sydney side in particular is a stinker. Stand there and watch this albatross being hung around our neck.

I am also predicting that not only will 2 Vic clubs get the bullet over the 5 years following the inception of these 2 clubs but our club will be raped for players. To any Sainters who think this will be good for the game: I hope you enjoy it when some of our champs are lining up for these new robot clubs that have no supporters. Lenny Hayes, Captain of the Western Sydney Bulldogs?!!! Gilbo and Armo, star flankers for the Western Sydney Bulldogs?!!! Joey, champion wingman for the Old Coast Wankers?!!!

Be alarmed. The guys who are making these decisions are terrorists of the game and sabateurs of our club.

If you were going to put a Vic club anywhere, it should be Tassie.

But having said all that spleen stuff, I recognise that the Old Coast has a lot of retired Vics living up there, some with children maybe, who could possibly form a proper supporter base for an AFL club. The Western Sydney thing however, as I have said, is a reverse barium enema for all footy fans.

Agree 150% with all you have said: except about the Gold Coast, which is also a stupid idea (albeit, not as stupid as Western Sydney). I mean, we are talking about starting a club in a place where the idea has already been tried and failed at a time when there wasn't a hugely successful rival club operating an hour's drive up the road.

And as for the boards of clubs knowing what they were doing, we are currently witnessing the collapse of companies whose boards thought they were onto a fabulous expansionary policy beyond the business at which they were currently succeeding: Centro, Allco, ABC learning and etc.
People on boards don't always get it right: there is something called groupthink which I suspect we are watching in action here.

I'd have been more comfortable to know that the vote had gone 10-6 or even 9-7: this would mean that there had been a serious debate on the issues. Instead, what I suspect happened was that there was some sort of a presentation from some smarmy consultants which showed that the whole venture was certain to succeed as long as everyone was prepared to accept a whole lot of highly dubious premises. And nobody present had the guts to say that the emperor had no clothes. I've seen it happen so often, and it is almost always the prelude to a disaster.

Anyone who seriously believes that AFL is anywhere near becoming a big deal in NSW or Qld should have a good hard look at the times that they show games on free to air TV in those states!!

[Enrico_Misso]

My concern is that the 18 teams is an interim measure aimed at getting rid of 2 Melbourne sides.

Why the hurry ?

The way the AFL are strangling North with
- a crap draw,
- crap TV coverage and
- cutting their finances
they are on a one way trip to oblivion,
or make that the Gold Coast.
Don't be fooled by their surge in "sympathy" members.
These are "one-offs" - they won't purchase again next year.

And the Bulldogs simply do not have enough supporters to generate revenue to survive.
They are battling on gamely.
But they exist only on the basis of kindly handouts from the AFL.
Once that is switched off they will be forced to go where the financial carrot is, or die.
Welcome to the West Sydney Bulldogs.

Yes it is painful.
But at least the competition is maintained at a more manageable level of 16 clubs instead of 18.

[Enrico_Misso]

What happens if we go to 18 clubs ?

Whilst the two new ones get favoured treatment and we all lose star players.
How does that do any long term favours to North and the Bulldogs.

They will steadily sink into financial quicksand.
Then what ?

Surely Dimwit won't just let them die.
Will they be then sent to their original planned destinations with sham mergers a la Fitzroy and the Bears ?

I see a lot of tears and a lot of pain.

[bigcarl]

My concern is that the 18 teams is an interim measure aimed at getting rid of 2 Melbourne sides.

what if it is not and we're stuck with 18 clubs?

my concern is that the league eventually takes it to 20 or 24 clubs rather than make the hard decisions it should have made in the first place: Move some struggling melbourne clubs from a city that cannot support 10.

interesting to note that while the kangaroos and a couple of the other melbourne clubs are keeping their heads above water only with the substantial help of the afl, the interstate clubs are sitting pretty

at the eagles for example there's actually a waiting list if you want to be a member.

their stadium cannot hold the number of fans who want memberships.

every business in the state wants to get behind the eagles or the dockers with sponsorship dollars.

every school boy wants to be an eagles or dockers player.

it is no surprise that a melbourne club (which doesn't include the regional city geelong) hasn't won the flag since essendon in 2000.

my sincere hope is that we do it this year, because after that it is going to get much harder.