Aker can see our game being big in Asia.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

I thought this was an interesting article, he makes some good points, but it seems like a far away dream at the moment.

http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/aka-afl-needs-club-in-asia/2007/03/13/1173722467215.html

 

[RememberMe]

Akermanis will be the next James Brayshaw.

 

[Brilliant]

Akermanis' comments come as Australian football reaches its 20th anniversary in Japan. The reigning JAFL premier is the Tokyo Goannas and they play Eastern Hawks, Senshu Power, Komazawa Magpies, Tokyo Leopards, and the newest club in Osaka, the Dingoes.
Akermanis' talents and trademark handstands could strike a chord in Asia and he is prepared to play a role promoting football in the region.
"I think our game has evolved that well and that quickly that let's look at taking it to the world," he said. "It'll come when a lot of sports look at Asia, let's get over there and properly first.
"In three to four years who knows where it could be and how big it can be. To me Asia is a logical and practical choice."

The Japs have very Aussie names, An AFL club should've been called the Dingoes.

It may be my cynical nature but I think Aker is looking for a job after footy
already.

He should've just said
"I holiday in Japan, am learning to speak it. Heres an idea, pay me to promote it and i can live their at your expense as well"

Evolved that quickly? the game took over 100 years to get a national comp FFS. The game is'nt even the dominate code in parts of Australia a decade on.

Asia is a logical and practical choice for Akers pocket.

It's the AFL and the logical choice would be to control Australia first, Prop the JAFL up so they can field a competitive international side one day and we can use their league as a feeder league to ours, not include an Asian side in ours you fool.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Yeah i have to say it does look that way in some of his quotes Brill.

 

[AlibiMonday]

His arguments are extraordinarily thin and based on a few irrelevant points:

1. Japanese people don't like failure - who does and why is this an argument for expansion. I bet the Italian's don't like failure either.

2. It's a big market - Granted, but market size has little to do with the success and adoption of a new product. If anything, it can make it harder to penetrate at a meaningful level.

The biggest problem any new market struggles with when introducing Australian Rules is the massive demand (and cost) on infrastructure. This is the biggest problem in both NSW and QLD. It's played on the largest grounds in the world and largely become feasible due to the fact that they can be shared off-season with our cricket brethren. Jason is extraordinarily naive in his comments if he thinks Japan can develop this game to anything more than a blip on their sporting landscape. Africa on the other hand has far more space and possibility.

Once again, this does smack of self-promotion.

 

[Pessimistic]

Couldn' they have got im to the kangaroos somehow ?

Could have been useful promoting in seq

 

[TheSaviour]

Sorry aker Football as in the real football is the sport in asia.

Mabe the AFL should of sent a world class world cup to Korea japan before FIFA did HAHAHAHHAA!!!

 

[Lidge]

Aker is an A grade knob. But he does go OK on the footy ground

As far as Asia is concerned, less than zero chance in 100+ years of a team ever being transplanted. But if the AFL and a couple of the clubs were smart, I can see an opportunity to carve out a TV audience and merchandising (i.e Kangaroos & the Asians do love their furry critters).

 

[JeffDunne]

Aker talks to dead people.


What did he say again?

 

[Butane]

Regardless of Akermanis saying this, lets look at it rationally.

Theres little doubt it would make million upon million. In Tokyo the population is what? 20 million people? I have no doubt they could average a crowd size of 25-35 thousand for the first 10 years then increase to unlimited amounts down the track.

But the fatal flaw in this plan is that the entire team would be made up of Aussies, not a big reason to start a team there. It would be different if there was 5-10 Japanese players already playing AFL, but clearly there isn't.

As for Aker asking for a job after football, come on thats just bull****. He could get a job writing for any paper in the country, not to mention TV and radio or working for a football team as a coach, with he's skill and footy brain.

 

['Bam!'bell Brown]

Regardless of Akermanis saying this, lets look at it rationally.

Theres little doubt it would make million upon million. In Tokyo the population is what? 20 million people? I have no doubt they could average a crowd size of 25-35 thousand for the first 10 years then increase to unlimited amounts down the track.

But the fatal flaw in this plan is that the entire team would be made up of Aussies, not a big reason to start a team there. It would be different if there was 5-10 Japanese players already playing AFL, but clearly there isn't.

As for Aker asking for a job after football, come on thats just bull****. He could get a job writing for any paper in the country, not to mention TV and radio or working for a football team as a coach, with he's skill and footy brain.

Totally. Aker would be taking a pay cut going to Japan. Probably the biggest Football identity around at the moment, he hasn't even played one game for a Vic club yet but he's in the papers everyday.

I love the notion of the Japanese taking up AFL. They are fanatical and cool. Imagine a young Hizaki Mamoto playing for your team. It'd be uber-cool. Then you'd have 20,000+ new members join up in a week! Bring it on.

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

Regardless of Akermanis saying this, lets look at it rationally.

Theres little doubt it would make million upon million. In Tokyo the population is what? 20 million people? I have no doubt they could average a crowd size of 25-35 thousand for the first 10 years then increase to unlimited amounts down the track.

But the fatal flaw in this plan is that the entire team would be made up of Aussies, not a big reason to start a team there. It would be different if there was 5-10 Japanese players already playing AFL, but clearly there isn't.

As for Aker asking for a job after football, come on thats just bull****. He could get a job writing for any paper in the country, not to mention TV and radio or working for a football team as a coach, with he's skill and footy brain.

Hence why he said to go there.

One city>Australia's population.

Who cares about 500,000 on the Gold Coast when you have 50x that in a city.

Doubt it will go ahead any time soon but could in the future.

 

[40010]

Aker is an A grade knob. But he does go OK on the footy ground

As far as Asia is concerned, less than zero chance in 100+ years of a team ever being transplanted. But if the AFL and a couple of the clubs were smart, I can see an opportunity to carve out a TV audience and merchandising (i.e Kangaroos & the Asians do love their furry critters).

Whilst what Aker had to say was extremely naive, at least he is thinking outside the square and showing some support to International footy. Japan does have an established program in place, although they are leagues behind the likes of the US, NZ, PNG and South Africa as far as development is concerned.

The photo next to the article in the Age was taken at the 2005 International Cup (the World Cup for Aussie Rules - played by many of the countries who play Aussie Rules on an amateur basis). The match was between Japan and Spain.

It shows that our game does have a future overseas. Those players aren't Aussies they are locals, most of whom have learnt the game in their own country.

Whilst I highly doubt we will ever see an AFL team located in Asia (in fact probably anywhere) and if we did I'm sure it would be NZ, that is not to say that these leagues won't strengthen or that we will not one day see a professional or semi-professional football league outside of Australia. By 2009 South Africa is supposed to have 20,000+ Aussie Rules footballers. In 1999 the AFL held their first clinic there (i.e. there was no-one playing the game). That's 10 years! Image what can heppen in 100 years Lidge!

Support International footy! www.worldfootynews.com

 

[fishmonger]

But the fatal flaw in this plan is that the entire team would be made up of Aussies, not a big reason to start a team there. It would be different if there was 5-10 Japanese players already playing AFL, but clearly there isn't.

Not the whole team. All you need is a couple of token players.

And here is your man ... care of Kevin Sheedy ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michito_Sakaki

Michito and Tsuyoshi Kase have a lot of experience playing for the national side and could probably slot in as rookies. Just there presence would be enough to inspire more players to go to the home side.

And the Japanese don't mind watching Aussies play anyway.
Back in the mid 1980s, they had the "Aussie Bowl", a series of games between Hawthorn and Essendon and it drew 25,000 paying spectators. That is the second biggest crowd for an AFL match outside of Australia. To put it into perspective, it is also bigger than any AFL crowd for a game played in Tasmania, the Northern Territory or the Australian Capital Territory all touted as possible locations for future footy teams.

It could work with a little help, just as NFL Europe and American football in Japan works with the investment of the NFL, it is just some people are too narrow are afraid to think outside of the square .... and that will be the eventual downfall of our sport.

 

[AsIfYouCare]

Akermanis will be the next James Brayshaw.

High praise indeed.

 

[Butane]

I'm all for it anyway Might be able to get a game for Japanese Kamikazes. Which really brings me to my next point. Does that mean that the AFL would become the World Football league? WFL?

 

[fishmonger]

I'm all for it anyway Might be able to get a game for Japanese Kamikazes. Which really brings me to my next point. Does that mean that the AFL would become the World Football league? WFL?

No, as the name "Australian Football League" is not necessarily limited to Australia. You see, it can simply mean the highest level of competition in the sport of "Australian Football" (which it is undisputedly). ie. "Australian Football" League All you have to do is tweak the logo.

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

No, as the name "Australian Football League" is not necessarily limited to Australia. You see, it can simply mean the highest level of competition in the sport of "Australian Football" (which it is undisputedly). ie. "Australian Football" League All you have to do is tweak the logo.

Like National "Rugby League".

Maybe the name of the game should just be Australian Football.

 

[fishmonger]

Like National "Rugby League".

Maybe the name of the game should just be Australian Football.

Exactly. There is nothing stopping the NRL from having a team in NZ and still calling it "national". In A-League, A stands for "Australia", but it doesn't stop them from having a team in NZ. Even the NBL has a team in Singapore, and it doesn't necessarily have to rebrand to become the Australasian Basketball League to do so ...

And it already is
"Australian Football" is the sport's official name. The AFL just brands it as it sees fit.
See the "Laws of Australian Football".
Maybe the league could become "National AFL", "Super AFL" or "Super Australian Football League". That would please everybody one would think.

 

[EurekaKid]

Exactly. There is nothing stopping the NRL from having a team in NZ and still calling it "national". In A-League, A stands for "Australia", but it doesn't stop them from having a team in NZ. Even the NBL has a team in Singapore, and it doesn't necessarily have to rebrand to become the Australasian Basketball League to do so ...

And it already is
"Australian Football" is the sport's official name. The AFL just brands it as it sees fit.
See the "Laws of Australian Football".
Maybe the league could become "National AFL", "Super AFL" or "Super Australian Football League". That would please everybody one would think.

Also commonly referred to as Australian Rules Football as well. With regards to Japan, I think South Africa is on the cards before Asia. Africa is a continent blessed with the natural ability and body types to play the game.

 

[fishmonger]

Also commonly referred to as Australian Rules Football as well. With regards to Japan, I think South Africa is on the cards before Asia. Africa is a continent blessed with the natural ability and body types to play the game.

Australian Rules Football is too long and unwieldy for the name of a league, hence why the AFL prefers using the acronym. BUT the formal name of the sport since the formation of the Australian Football Council in 1927 has been the noun Australian Football.

Nevertheless these days, this causes an issue with soccer (read "new football") supporters who prefer to use the adjective "Australian" with the sport they call "Football" - Australian Football.

 

[fishmonger]

Also commonly referred to as Australian Rules Football as well. With regards to Japan, I think South Africa is on the cards before Asia. Africa is a continent blessed with the natural ability and body types to play the game.

Maybe so, but indigenous South Africans are typically shorter than the average Africans. Hence why the Buffaloes typically stock up with Afrikaners to fill in key positions, the Dutch in South Africa descend from the European regions which are also among the tallest and strongest in the world which makes them produce potential Rugby and Australian Football players. Due to the strong lure of rugby for Afrikaners, you'd have to find other countries in Africa to play the sport (of which there are none) to help make it a success.

Anyways, these days globalisation means that race no longer plays a big part, many of the best players are the product of multiculturalism, which is what is found in most major cities.

 

[footballnutter]

AFL in Asia, you have got to be phaaaarkin kidding! There is no chance AFL will be enjoyed by any other states other than Victoria and Western Australia. South Australia doesn't count as they are proof that Tasmanians can swim, And Tasmania, well the less said the better.

 

[RememberMe]

AFL in Asia, you have got to be phaaaarkin kidding! There is no chance AFL will be enjoyed by any other states other than Victoria and Western Australia. South Australia doesn't count as they are proof that Tasmanians can swim, And Tasmania, well the less said the better.

Melbourne was founded by a Tasmanian.

 

[Footy Rules Australia]

I thought this was an interesting article, he makes some good points, but it seems like a far away dream at the moment.

http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/aka-afl-needs-club-in-asia/2007/03/13/1173722467215.html

Aker has dints in his face. Footy may rule Australia, but forget any overseas impact.