Nathan Motton18 team competition revealed
February 20th 2008 06:31
The AFL revealed details of it's plans for an 18-team competition by 2012, after the bombshell was revealed in The Age on Saturday.
Football operations chief Adrian Anderson and executive Gillon McLachlan will meet this week to discuss plans for the 17th team, which could debut as early as next season.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou on Monday said the Australian football was the oldest in the world, celebrating it's 150th birthday this year, and that it was important to expand into as many markets as possible.
"Do we wait and wait and wait? I don't think we can afford to wait... One of the negative consequences of waiting is that we will miss a great opportunity," Demetriou said.
It cannot be denied the success of the AFL since Demetriou came to be its chief executive.
But the fact that he makes no excuses for his appetite for money, money and well, money is undeniable.
But I here you asking, how is this a bad thing?
It's not, except for the obvious flaw in his grand plan.
There are too many established clubs in the AFL, which have never been in more financial hardship, continually posting annual revenue losses.
As much of a purist as this scribe must sound, surely the AFL should be concentrating more on those clubs in most financial difficulty, before trying to establish more.
And we all know which clubs I'm talking about.
The financial lee-way afforded to the Brisbane Lions and Sydney has been something of a sore point for years with Victorian clubs.
Two new clubs will occupy an enormous amount of money.
Heaps.
They will need it to cover the vast losses they are set to incur to begin.
Meaning the problems with clubs on the AFL's doorstep will continued to be ignored.
They are already in a precarious position, with poor membership figures, drops in sales revenue and a genuine lack of depth in lists, in stark contrast to clubs with more financial clout.
And unless something is done, the rich will get richer, and the poorer clubs will continue to follow in the shadows of their more affluent opponents.
An 18-team competition, will in time be a good thing.
But not now.
Demetriou must first fix the problems with struggling Victorian clubs, before getting carried away with attempts to fill the leagues coffers.
Football operations chief Adrian Anderson and executive Gillon McLachlan will meet this week to discuss plans for the 17th team, which could debut as early as next season.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou on Monday said the Australian football was the oldest in the world, celebrating it's 150th birthday this year, and that it was important to expand into as many markets as possible.
"Do we wait and wait and wait? I don't think we can afford to wait... One of the negative consequences of waiting is that we will miss a great opportunity," Demetriou said.
But the fact that he makes no excuses for his appetite for money, money and well, money is undeniable.
But I here you asking, how is this a bad thing?
It's not, except for the obvious flaw in his grand plan.
There are too many established clubs in the AFL, which have never been in more financial hardship, continually posting annual revenue losses.
As much of a purist as this scribe must sound, surely the AFL should be concentrating more on those clubs in most financial difficulty, before trying to establish more.
And we all know which clubs I'm talking about.
The financial lee-way afforded to the Brisbane Lions and Sydney has been something of a sore point for years with Victorian clubs.
Two new clubs will occupy an enormous amount of money.
Heaps.
They will need it to cover the vast losses they are set to incur to begin.
Meaning the problems with clubs on the AFL's doorstep will continued to be ignored.
They are already in a precarious position, with poor membership figures, drops in sales revenue and a genuine lack of depth in lists, in stark contrast to clubs with more financial clout.
An 18-team competition, will in time be a good thing.
But not now.
Demetriou must first fix the problems with struggling Victorian clubs, before getting carried away with attempts to fill the leagues coffers.
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