AFLW Could this be the end?

[CrowdedHouse]

One possibility I could see is the start of the 2021 AFLW season re-scheduled to start in October and run through to Christmas (up against WBBL).


If the AFL did that, most of the costs of the AFLW would not appear on their books for the financial year of 2020-21.

Plus, we've already lost the NAB League Girls comp for the year, and the U18 Girls National Champs look very unlikely.

A delayed 2021 start, could mean you have NAB League extended to U19 and U19 Girls Nationals in the first half of 2021.

The SANFLW and QAFLW already start in Feb, and you could then encourage the WAFLW and VFLW to move to Feb/March.

Get the State League seasons done by June/July, with a draft in July and pre-season training beginning in late July.


If that works, keep that format year-on-year... if not, have 2022 off as a 're-alignment year' and back to early Jan in 2023.

 

[Caputo]

One possibility I could see is the start of the 2021 AFLW season re-scheduled to start in October and run through to Christmas (up against WBBL).


If the AFL did that, most of the costs of the AFLW would not appear on their books for the financial year of 2020-21.

Plus, we've already lost the NAB League Girls comp for the year, and the U18 Girls National Champs look very unlikely.

A delayed 2021 start, could mean you have NAB League extended to U19 and U19 Girls Nationals in the first half of 2021.

The SANFLW and QAFLW already start in Feb, and you could then encourage the WAFLW and VFLW to move to Feb/March.

Get the State League seasons done by June/July, with a draft in July and pre-season training beginning in late July.


If that works, keep that format year-on-year... if not, have 2022 off as a 're-alignment year' and back to early Jan in 2023.

Only problem I see is the pre-season is longer which means they need to be paid more for more contact hours. Not a pay rise but Pro rata

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

If social distancing is over by January, AFLW will be as normal in 2021.

 

[Purple_Turtle]

Which is why I want to assure you the AFL Commission and Executive, led by myself and Gillon McLachlan, will protect our game at all levels. From the 18 AFL clubs, to the 14 AFLW teams, to State leagues and the community game, footy will be back when it is the right time to be back.

AFLW Latest News - AFL.com.au/aflw

Latest breaking AFLW news from the official website of the Australian Football League.

womens.afl

 

[Tackle Bag]

I think any claims to pay increases over the next couple of of years need to be shelved.
Costs reduced where necessary, perhaps playing games before afl preseason games wherever possible and charging entry to aflw games.
Time to show that aflw can operate within its means and stand alone. I think it can but only if it keeps its expectations realistic. It is still a way off from being able to support fully professional athletes and the men's game isn't looking like being able to finance that going forward

 

[BringBackTorps]

Ch.9 WWOS C. Wilson 16.3

"The AFL is on the verge of extending its current TV rights deal for 2 years...The AFL receives $418m per year, and according to Wilson, the same agreement (ie @ $418m pa- my words) will now continue to 2024"

"It will be announced in months, possibly 1 month" said Wilson, a multi-award winning,very experienced, AFL journalist.

AFL set to extend TV deal amid COVID pandemic

'It's Gil's finest hour and his best ever deal'

wwos.nine.com.au

This is colossal news.

RA, NRL, & FFA/A League clubs are in severe financial stress- much speculation that some fully- pro clubs might not survive.

The AFL, in particular, may soon increase its hegemony over these codes- & big boost for the AFLW. GR AF, in general, will have many further, relative advantages, cf other sports.

 

[stattosoftware]

No, it as mentioned as the cost to operate, otherwise, if they were taking about the biggest expenses, then the salary in the mens competition is the biggest expense. The $14m is the cost (revenue less expenses) to run the AFLW.

In the business world, $14m is peanuts.

AFLW gets as good or better TV ratings than the A-League, and soccer has by my calculations around a $49m/year television package. I'm sure that includes Socceroos etc and that will probably go down when it expires in 2023. AFLW currently has a modest $2.5m/year television deal through 2022 based on what I could find.

If teams charged even $10/game for entry, I think overall attendance might decline slightly, but I don't think by all that much, and you may actually increase attendance for some matches like the season openers where people have had to fight the crowds in the past. Even at $10, I estimate gate receipts would be around $2m or so a year the AFL is just leaving on the table.

They haven't been able to fully monetise the league yet and given the massive growth in grassroots, women's footy has been the game's biggest growth point the last four years - if they kill it or even reduce it to save less than a month of combined salary for the men, it's going to be a huge blow to the AFL in general

 

[quotemokc]

Imagine if the AFL gave us a breakdown like this for the other leagues they bank roll

 

[TWLS]

Ch.9 WWOS C. Wilson 16.3

"The AFL is on the verge of extending its current TV rights deal for 2 years...The AFL receives $418m per year, and according to Wilson, the same agreement (ie @ $418m pa- my words) will now continue to 2024"

"It will be announced in months, possibly 1 month" said Wilson, a multi-award winning,very experienced, AFL journalist.

AFL set to extend TV deal amid COVID pandemic

'It's Gil's finest hour and his best ever deal'

wwos.nine.com.au

This is colossal news.

RA, NRL, & FFA/A League clubs are in severe financial stress- much speculation that some fully- pro clubs might not survive.

The AFL, in particular, may soon increase its hegemony over these codes- & big boost forth AFLW. GR AF, in general, will have many further, relative advantages, cf other sports.

Good find BBT.
No mention of Amazon and others Streaming games, maybe after 2024. As they say you have to run with what you have got.

 

[jatz14]

More silence from the AFLW. Let the guys take a pay cut yet hope they can still get their 10% pay rise in 2021. AFLW have shown their true colours and should from now on be forced to pay their own way.

Northern Blues die as AFLW watch.

You know their contracts end in April, yes?

How do you cut a wage of zero.

Do they pay the AFL to not play?

The AFL players haven't taken a pay cut for next year yet, so why would AFLW players.

Your proving the point of people that say people who just hate on the AFLW are using this crises as a reason to vent on AFLW, hoping they don't look like a pillock.

On moto g(6) plus using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Kwality]

It's like some people have not realised we're in the era of equality - no organisation in this day and age is going to back out of something for one gender because they're prioritising the other. Sure - if the AFL went bankrupt then a successor organisation may not prioritise reintroducing a replacement for AFLW, but as long as AFL is going then AFLW is here to stay (and that's a good thing). There's more chance of them renaming the men's comp AFL than there is them walking away from AFLW.

Unless it doesnt meet the covenant with the Bank.

 

[Kwality]

Good find BBT.
No mention of Amazon and others Streaming games, maybe after 2024. As they say you have to run with what you have got.

Not happening ... 7 cant do it even if they wanted to, no money.
'Seven West Media boss James Warburton has warned sporting bodies they should better demonstrate their value to broadcasters '

 

[emuboy]

I always thought the women's competition was set up wrong from the start and rapid expansion into a confusing conference system with a diluted talent pool was even more perplexing. Interest in the Gold Coast Suns teams in the AFL and NEAFL has been limited at best, so why introduce the Gold Coast women's team when there is already the Brisbane Lions women's team 80 km up the road?

I think there should have been an elite 9 team women's national competition with teams not affiliated with the AFL clubs, but rather set up along 'State of Origin' lines. Each team plays each other once, four home games, four away. At the end of the season, a three week finals series using the McIntyre Final Four system. Simple and fair, more talent in fewer teams and Tasmania, ACT and Northern Territory get to play. The teams could be as follows:

Western Australia Black Swans (Gold & Black)
South Australia Ravens (Red, Blue & Gold)
Melbourne Metro Falcons (Navy Blue, Purple & White)
Victoria Country Panthers (White & Navy) - Home games in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo & Traralgon
Sydney Metro Sharks (Sky Blue & Black) - Sydney & Illawarra, Hunter & Central Coast Regions
NSW/ACT Comets (Royal Blue & Gold) - ACT & Southern NSW including Riverina
Queensland Marlins (Maroon & Gold) - Two home games in Brisbane, two on Gold Coast
Northern Territory Taipans (Orange, Red & Black)
Tasmania Devils (Green, Dark Red & Gold) - Two home games in Hobart, two in Launceston

 

[Kwality]

I always thought the women's competition was set up wrong from the start and rapid expansion into a confusing conference system with a diluted talent pool was even more perplexing. Interest in the Gold Coast Suns teams in the AFL and NEAFL has been limited at best, so why introduce the Gold Coast women's team when there is already the Brisbane Lions women's team 80 km up the road?

I think there should have been an elite 9 team women's national competition with teams not affiliated with the AFL clubs, but rather set up along 'State of Origin' lines. Each team plays each other once, four home games, four away. At the end of the season, a three week finals series using the McIntyre Final Four system. Simple and fair, more talent in fewer teams and Tasmania, ACT and Northern Territory get to play. The teams could be as follows:

Western Australia Black Swans (Gold & Black)
South Australia Ravens (Red, Blue & Gold)
Melbourne Metro Falcons (Navy Blue, Purple & White)
Victoria Country Panthers (White & Navy) - Home games in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo & Traralgon
Sydney Metro Sharks (Sky Blue & Black) - Sydney & Illawarra, Hunter & Central Coast Regions
NSW/ACT Comets (Royal Blue & Gold) - ACT & Southern NSW including Riverina
Queensland Marlins (Maroon & Gold) - Two home games in Brisbane, two on Gold Coast
Northern Territory Taipans (Orange, Red & Black)
Tasmania Devils (Green, Dark Red & Gold) - Two home games in Hobart, two in Launceston

It should have been built on an expanded 'State by State' basis for at least 5 years - the basis was there is varying forms, but sorry Gil, it was never about you.

 

[jatz14]

I always thought the women's competition was set up wrong from the start and rapid expansion into a confusing conference system with a diluted talent pool was even more perplexing. Interest in the Gold Coast Suns teams in the AFL and NEAFL has been limited at best, so why introduce the Gold Coast women's team when there is already the Brisbane Lions women's team 80 km up the road?

I think there should have been an elite 9 team women's national competition with teams not affiliated with the AFL clubs, but rather set up along 'State of Origin' lines. Each team plays each other once, four home games, four away. At the end of the season, a three week finals series using the McIntyre Final Four system. Simple and fair, more talent in fewer teams and Tasmania, ACT and Northern Territory get to play. The teams could be as follows:

Western Australia Black Swans (Gold & Black)
South Australia Ravens (Red, Blue & Gold)
Melbourne Metro Falcons (Navy Blue, Purple & White)
Victoria Country Panthers (White & Navy) - Home games in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo & Traralgon
Sydney Metro Sharks (Sky Blue & Black) - Sydney & Illawarra, Hunter & Central Coast Regions
NSW/ACT Comets (Royal Blue & Gold) - ACT & Southern NSW including Riverina
Queensland Marlins (Maroon & Gold) - Two home games in Brisbane, two on Gold Coast
Northern Territory Taipans (Orange, Red & Black)
Tasmania Devils (Green, Dark Red & Gold) - Two home games in Hobart, two in Launceston

The issue with this is, no one supports the Queensland Marlins or the Victorian Panthers.

No girls grow up dreaming of playing for these teams.

They have no synergies with AFL clubs.

The Victorian Panthers would have SIGNIFICANTLY more trouble getting backing for it's team than a Collingwood or Carlton or WC, so this comp would be completely bank rolled by the AFL.

Most AFL clubs have between 1000 to 4000 paid up AFLW members. These clubs would struggle to sell any.

Girls playing footy in WA are excited about getting on a development squad run by the Eagles or Freo, girls switch sports for the opportunity.

A completely new comp brings none of that.

It brings fewer new girls into the sport. Gets fewer cross coders, gets less media attention, less sponsorship, less leverage of existing AFL clubs.

It may stretch the player base less initially, but grows it more slowly, and frankly, has less reason to exist.

It's like deciding you need a new shed to hold all your shit, then buying one that cannot hold all your shit, because it's cheaper. It's false economy, if not spending money is the key driver, don't get a shed.

On moto g(6) plus using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Caputo]

Monetarise of the AFLW it seems to be the elephant in the room. Maybe I should say lightening rod.

By making the games free as had comments at both angles criticising. ‘That they are not paying their way’ and the other extreme is that ‘you a belittling the product by not charging entry fees.’

In some ways I am happy that this has remained the case and has seen the different clubs are able to work in this space.

Clubs have specific ALFLW memberships and that need to provide value. This can be by reserved seating at games, access to change rooms and at least one invitation to a luncheon. I believe the Crows membership was set at $60.00.

I look at this like Road Cycling where it is free but the Tour Down Under had corporate packages with bus tour including exclusive viewing areas at start and finish areas.

I like the idea that there could be a nuanced approach which was starting this year.

The use of OPTUS Stadium has required the purchase of tickets for entry due to the unique circumstances of the stadium. No parking available but the ticket includes the public transport and the opening of the railway station at the stadium.
This year we saw the first Women’s Derby with a crowd of 35,185 paying $3.00 for charity. This may be the high water mark. Prior to this in 2018 as part of the stadium opening there was a Fremantle v Collingwood match with 54,000 tickets sold and an attendance of 41,975. This was a test event with a lot of rubbernecking, tickets $2.00 for charity.

Then there was the Bushfire Appeal with State of Origin and Collingwood v Melbourne as the entrée.

Doubleheaders

Gold Coast v Brisbane Saturday, February 22 at Metricon Stadium. An AFLW-Marsh Community Series double-header. The crowd was listed as 4,223.

Collingwood v Western Bulldogs Sunday March 8 at Morwell Recreation Reserve. An AFLW-Marsh Community Series double-header. The crowd was listed as 1,992.

There was proposed matches cancelled

Round 7 - GWS Giants v Geelong Saturday March 21 at Giants Stadium but became a Semi Final loss to Melbourne with no spectators.

Round 8 - Carlton v Fremantle at Saturday March 28 at Marvel Stadium. With the Men’s team playing Western Bulldogs.
Round 8 – Brisbane Lions v North Melbourne Tasmania Kangaroos, whilst the Men’s team hosting North Melbourne.

The alternative was the GWS Giants playing Richmond at Wagga Wagga in Round 5 and had a stand alone game on Saturday with 3,377 and the Men’s game on Sunday.

Adelaide Crows crowds in the AFLW
2017 - Average 8,283 Home Average 8,876
2018 - Average 4,665 Home Average 6,037
2019 - Average 4,174 Home Average 5,431
2020 - Average 4,551 home Average 6,857 * 5 Rounds counted

The Adelaide Crows SANFL team plays only away games as part of the licence with the SANFL and draw crowds of approximately 2,000. Tickets are $14.00 and $8.00 with Under 18 free

AFLW Finals
2017 - Grand Final - Brisbane v Adelaide 15,610 Metricon
2018 – Grand Final - Western Bulldogs v Brisbane 7,083 Ikon
2019 – Semi Final – Carlton v Fremantle 7,146 Ikon
2019 – Semi Final – Adelaide v Geelong 13,429 Adelaide Oval
2019 – Grand Final – Adelaide v Carlton 53,034 Adelaide Oval
2020 – Semi Finals – No spectators allowed

One thing I did not cover was specific AFLW mechandise sold by clubs.

 

[Kwality]

Monetarise of the AFLW it seems to be the elephant in the room. Maybe I should say lightening rod.

By making the games free as had comments at both angles criticising. ‘That they are not paying their way’ and the other extreme is that ‘you a belittling the product by not charging entry fees.’

In some ways I am happy that this has remained the case and has seen the different clubs are able to work in this space.

Clubs have specific ALFLW memberships and that need to provide value. This can be by reserved seating at games, access to change rooms and at least one invitation to a luncheon. I believe the Crows membership was set at $60.00.

I look at this like Road Cycling where it is free but the Tour Down Under had corporate packages with bus tour including exclusive viewing areas at start and finish areas.

I like the idea that there could be a nuanced approach which was starting this year.

The use of OPTUS Stadium has required the purchase of tickets for entry due to the unique circumstances of the stadium. No parking available but the ticket includes the public transport and the opening of the railway station at the stadium.
This year we saw the first Women’s Derby with a crowd of 35,185 paying $3.00 for charity. This may be the high water mark. Prior to this in 2018 as part of the stadium opening there was a Fremantle v Collingwood match with 54,000 tickets sold and an attendance of 41,975. This was a test event with a lot of rubbernecking, tickets $2.00 for charity.

Then there was the Bushfire Appeal with State of Origin and Collingwood v Melbourne as the entrée.

Doubleheaders

Gold Coast v Brisbane Saturday, February 22 at Metricon Stadium. An AFLW-Marsh Community Series double-header. The crowd was listed as 4,223.

Collingwood v Western Bulldogs Sunday March 8 at Morwell Recreation Reserve. An AFLW-Marsh Community Series double-header. The crowd was listed as 1,992.

There was proposed matches cancelled

Round 7 - GWS Giants v Geelong Saturday March 21 at Giants Stadium but became a Semi Final loss to Melbourne with no spectators.

Round 8 - Carlton v Fremantle at Saturday March 28 at Marvel Stadium. With the Men’s team playing Western Bulldogs.
Round 8 – Brisbane Lions v North Melbourne Tasmania Kangaroos, whilst the Men’s team hosting North Melbourne.

The alternative was the GWS Giants playing Richmond at Wagga Wagga in Round 5 and had a stand alone game on Saturday with 3,377 and the Men’s game on Sunday.

Adelaide Crows crowds in the AFLW
Average 8,283 Home Average 8,876
Average 4,665 Home Average 6,037
Average 4,174 Home Average 5,431
Average 4,551 home Average 6,857 * 5 Rounds counted

The Adelaide Crows SANFL team plays only away games as part of the licence with the SANFL and draw crowds of approximately 2,000. Tickets are $14.00 and $8.00 with Under 18 free

AFLW Finals
2017 - Grand Final - Brisbane v Adelaide 15,610 Metricon
2018 – Grand Final - Western Bulldogs v Brisbane 7,083 Ikon
2019 – Semi Final – Carlton v Fremantle 7,146 Ikon
2019 – Semi Final – Adelaide v Geelong 13,429 Adelaide Oval
2019 – Grand Final – Adelaide v Carlton 53,034 Adelaide Oval
2020 – Semi Finals – No spectators allowed

It will be a cost line on the document presented to the Bank. Not sure where income came from in 2019, not much in 2020.
Imho, its a growth strategy & will have a line through it for now.
When the AFL is in a position to do anything, fund State base comps in the first stage.

 

[CURVE]

I always thought the women's competition was set up wrong from the start and rapid expansion into a confusing conference system with a diluted talent pool was even more perplexing. Interest in the Gold Coast Suns teams in the AFL and NEAFL has been limited at best, so why introduce the Gold Coast women's team when there is already the Brisbane Lions women's team 80 km up the road?

I think there should have been an elite 9 team women's national competition with teams not affiliated with the AFL clubs, but rather set up along 'State of Origin' lines. Each team plays each other once, four home games, four away. At the end of the season, a three week finals series using the McIntyre Final Four system. Simple and fair, more talent in fewer teams and Tasmania, ACT and Northern Territory get to play. The teams could be as follows:

Western Australia Black Swans (Gold & Black)
South Australia Ravens (Red, Blue & Gold)
Melbourne Metro Falcons (Navy Blue, Purple & White)
Victoria Country Panthers (White & Navy) - Home games in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo & Traralgon
Sydney Metro Sharks (Sky Blue & Black) - Sydney & Illawarra, Hunter & Central Coast Regions
NSW/ACT Comets (Royal Blue & Gold) - ACT & Southern NSW including Riverina
Queensland Marlins (Maroon & Gold) - Two home games in Brisbane, two on Gold Coast
Northern Territory Taipans (Orange, Red & Black)
Tasmania Devils (Green, Dark Red & Gold) - Two home games in Hobart, two in Launceston

Thankfully you aren’t in charge.

 

[Biggie]

Players concerned

Players worried AFLW could be sacrificed because of financial cost of coronavirus

AFLW players are concerned their competition may be sacrificed or scaled back in 2021, as the AFL continues to grapple with the financial cost of the coronavirus pandemic.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Purple_Turtle]

I always thought the women's competition was set up wrong from the start and rapid expansion into a confusing conference system with a diluted talent pool was even more perplexing. Interest in the Gold Coast Suns teams in the AFL and NEAFL has been limited at best, so why introduce the Gold Coast women's team when there is already the Brisbane Lions women's team 80 km up the road?

I think there should have been an elite 9 team women's national competition with teams not affiliated with the AFL clubs, but rather set up along 'State of Origin' lines. Each team plays each other once, four home games, four away. At the end of the season, a three week finals series using the McIntyre Final Four system. Simple and fair, more talent in fewer teams and Tasmania, ACT and Northern Territory get to play. The teams could be as follows:

Western Australia Black Swans (Gold & Black)
South Australia Ravens (Red, Blue & Gold)
Melbourne Metro Falcons (Navy Blue, Purple & White)
Victoria Country Panthers (White & Navy) - Home games in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo & Traralgon
Sydney Metro Sharks (Sky Blue & Black) - Sydney & Illawarra, Hunter & Central Coast Regions
NSW/ACT Comets (Royal Blue & Gold) - ACT & Southern NSW including Riverina
Queensland Marlins (Maroon & Gold) - Two home games in Brisbane, two on Gold Coast
Northern Territory Taipans (Orange, Red & Black)
Tasmania Devils (Green, Dark Red & Gold) - Two home games in Hobart, two in Launceston

AFL teams already have established fanbases. It's a lot easier to leverage that for stronger initial support for AFLW teams than it is to create new teams with no starting fanbase, and it makes AFLW financially viable a lot sooner.

 

[emuboy]

AFL teams already have established fanbases. It's a lot easier to leverage that for stronger initial support for AFLW teams than it is to create new teams with no starting fanbase, and it makes AFLW financially viable a lot sooner.

That's true, but the problem is that not all AFL clubs have women's teams and the market is smaller than for the AFL.

Of the teams that do have women's teams, some supporters follow the team while others are indifferent to it. And what of supporters from clubs who don't have women's teams who are interested in women's football and want to support it? Are Hawthorn and Essendon supporters going to follow other Victorian teams? In Sydney, are Swans fans going to follow arch rivals the GWS Giants? Ditto for Port Adelaide fans in Adelaide, I can't see them following the Crows' team.

I genuinely want women's football to succeed, but I have strong doubts that there is the market and talent pool for 14 teams let alone 18, especially in Queensland where it has proven very hard to establish and keep sports teams of any code on the Gold Coast. The conference style fixture is also confusing.
My thought is that fewer teams not affiliated with AFL teams would see better standard games due to consolidation of talent and give all fans a chance to support a team in their region, regardless of what AFL club they support. And Melbourne-based fans would probably support a Victoria Metro club, country Victoria fans a Victorian Country team and so on for the teams representing other states and territories.

And have a look at the A League. This commenced in 2005, and only three Australian clubs - Perth Glory, Adelaide United and Newcastle Jets - came across from the old National Soccer League - along with the now defunct New Zealand Kings. Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC, Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners were all new teams, and other new additions since then like Western Sydney Wanderers and Melbourne City (previously Melbourne Heart) were also set up from scratch. Some expansion teams (Gold Coast, North Queensland) did fail, but for the most part the A League teams seem to be doing fine in terms of support, at least before COVID 19.

 

[jarrod_island_doggies]

That's true, but the problem is that not all AFL clubs have women's teams and the market is smaller than for the AFL.

Of the teams that do have women's teams, some supporters follow the team while others are indifferent to it. And what of supporters from clubs who don't have women's teams who are interested in women's football and want to support it? Are Hawthorn and Essendon supporters going to follow other Victorian teams? In Sydney, are Swans fans going to follow arch rivals the GWS Giants? Ditto for Port Adelaide fans in Adelaide, I can't see them following the Crows' team.

I genuinely want women's football to succeed, but I have strong doubts that there is the market and talent pool for 14 teams let alone 18, especially in Queensland where it has proven very hard to establish and keep sports teams of any code on the Gold Coast. The conference style fixture is also confusing.
My thought is that fewer teams not affiliated with AFL teams would see better standard games due to consolidation of talent and give all fans a chance to support a team in their region, regardless of what AFL club they support. And Melbourne-based fans would probably support a Victoria Metro club, country Victoria fans a Victorian Country team and so on for the teams representing other states and territories.

And have a look at the A League. This commenced in 2005, and only three Australian clubs - Perth Glory, Adelaide United and Newcastle Jets - came across from the old National Soccer League - along with the now defunct New Zealand Kings. Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC, Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners were all new teams, and other new additions since then like Western Sydney Wanderers and Melbourne City (previously Melbourne Heart) were also set up from scratch. Some expansion teams (Gold Coast, North Queensland) did fail, but for the most part the A League teams seem to be doing fine in terms of support, at least before COVID 19.

I'm not sure you can apply the bolded to the AFLW - a huge majority of players at the two Queensland clubs are from the state, both played finals this year (Lions have played in a GF before too), Lions get decent crowds at Hickey Park (capacity 4,000) every game and the Suns played at Cararra in front of 12,000 fans over 2 hitouts. Austag, touch, 9s etc have a very solid cut through in social and lower level competitive sports in SEQ for women, girls and mixed comps - let alone junior footy pathways going bananas.

Queensland as a men's footy state is still a work in progress, despite a patchy history of 100 years and change to work from (33 years with a top flight team) - as a women's footy state? No question about it.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

9 team super league
4 in Melbourne (east, North, West, and gippsland)
1 in Sydney, bris, adelaide, Perth and tasmania.

Season played parallel to men's league as curtain raisers (exception with gippsland) and the occasional closing game.

Final 4 knock out finals, grand final curtain raiser to men's grand final.

That's how it should have been set up, and what should happen going fwd

 

[Purple_Turtle]

Of the teams that do have women's teams, some supporters follow the team while others are indifferent to it.

That's fine. That's still adding to the supporter base in a way that you wouldn't get if you were starting a completely new franchise.

And what of supporters from clubs who don't have women's teams who are interested in women's football and want to support it?

That's what the quick expansion has been for. Which has been problematic, but I think you'll find the people who are really interested are following other teams in the interim, and the others will be getting ready for their own team.

I genuinely want women's football to succeed, but I have strong doubts that there is the market and talent pool for 14 teams let alone 18, especially in Queensland where it has proven very hard to establish and keep sports teams of any code on the Gold Coast.

Queensland is especially more viable for AFLW. There's a much larger talent pool for Queensland teams than several other states.

My thought is that fewer teams not affiliated with AFL teams would see better standard games due to consolidation of talent and give all fans a chance to support a team in their region, regardless of what AFL club they support. And Melbourne-based fans would probably support a Victoria Metro club, country Victoria fans a Victorian Country team and so on for the teams representing other states and territories.

But you could achieve the same higher quality with less AFLW teams, keeping in mind some clubs were really keen on the opportunity and willing to buy in, whereas others (like Port) had other things they wanted to do instead.

The flip side of everything you've argued is the actual numbers. 41,975 people attended the first AFLW derby. Can you seriously say that many people would have shown up for a West Australian Swans game where the only buy-in is an idea of state pride and whatever marketing a new underfunded franchise would have put out?

I can genuinely say that I probably wouldn't follow a WA Swans AFLW team. I'm in it as a Freo fan, and I think you'll find most people are.[/QUOTE]

 

[BringBackTorps]

The AFLW juggernaut is unstoppable

The Age C.Wilson 9.4

"The AFL & Ch.7 look set to reinforce...a potential 2-year extension of the games media rights...(in) a new marginally reduced contract that would run until 2024".

AFL, Seven working to extend broadcast deal

AFL, Seven and Fox Sports explore a marginally reduced contract that would run until 2024.

www.theage.com.au

An historic triumph for the Australian game.

The AFL in particular, & GR AF in general, will have significant female & male growth, cf the other codes, in NSW, ACT, & Qld. The other codes are facing MASSIVE financial reductions, & are in disarray.
The only problem will be finding sufficient ovals for GR AF females to train & play on.