Expansion Does anybody else get the feeling that...

[Portia]

dont wsydney and the new tv deal start in 2012,looks like afl is going to use the new tv deal to finance ws ,foxtel would be stupid to kick up the price for fta as they then would have to pay more for the paytv rights interesting times ahead.

Are you kidding? Foxtel would probably kick in to be major sponsor of West Sydney.

 

[littleduck]

Confidence is contagious. Arrogant people have their critics, but they privately command respect. As for the shy and retiring types, people just kick sand in their face.

Go soft at the ball, you get hurt. Go hard at the ball, you will be fine. Same goes in league. Same in league. Hit it up hard, you will be fine. Lack assertiveness and you will be killed.

Think about it then in the context of Melbourne Victory and soccer generally in Melbourne. If soccer came galloping over the hill guns blazing with AFL in their sights, I dare say the Melbourne public wouldn't have a bar of it and would be immediately turned off.

The reality is the FFA does not have AFL in its sights and the Melbourne Victory have been allowed to succeed with a "me too" approach to football following. In other words, a fair percentage of Victory members are also AFL club members.

It's not mutually exclusive. Any code that does think it's mutually exclusive will be in for a rude shock.

 

[genghiskhan]

Think about it then in the context of Melbourne Victory and soccer generally in Melbourne. If soccer came galloping over the hill guns blazing with AFL in their sights, I dare say the Melbourne public wouldn't have a bar of it and would be immediately turned off.

The reality is the FFA does not have AFL in its sights and the Melbourne Victory have been allowed to succeed with a "me too" approach to football following. In other words, a fair percentage of Victory members are also AFL club members.

It's not mutually exclusive. Any code that does think it's mutually exclusive will be in for a rude shock.

As far as I can see soccer is galloping with all guns blazing. First they tried to change their name to football and now they are making predictions that soccer will be the most popular sport in Australia in a few years. It is a constant theme in their marketing . 1) Football (soccer) is the world game 2) Football (soccer) will take over Australia.

It is definately working in the short term.

 

[3kzisfootball]

As far as I can see soccer is galloping with all guns blazing. First they tried to change their name to football and now they are making predictions that soccer will be the most popular sport in Australia in a few years. It is a constant theme in their marketing . 1) Football (soccer) is the world game 2) Football (soccer) will take over Australia.

It is definately working in the short term.

As a soccer supporter (and football as well, of course) I don't think the FFA predicts that soccer wil be number one sport.

Of course some 'overenthusiastic' soccer supporters (maybe with a bit of a chip on their shoulders ) go for this 'soccer uber alles' theme. But I don't believe so.

Soccer will increase its market share and the media interest because finally after thirty years of amateurish maladministration they got their stuff together. There was always a proportion of Australian sport fans that were interested in soccer. Not as many as football and cricket, but they were there. Once they got a proper tournament etc. they latched on. I think is where the growth comes from.

And I agree with littleduck. Many Victory supporters/Members are also a supporter/member of an AFL club.

 

[littleduck]

And I agree with littleduck. Many Victory supporters/Members are also a supporter/member of an AFL club.

I don't see any reason why AFL club members can't go their footy teams home games every fortnight, attend the off Melbourne Storm blockbuster at their flash new venue, attend the odd Melbourne Victory home game such as the bitter rivalry game against Sydney, perhaps go to a Bledisloe Cup when it comes around every so often, or even a RL State of Origin when it comes around every so often, and for that matter a Football World Cup when it comes arounrd every 250 years or so.

Ditto for Brisbane sporting public. Have your Broncos season membership, attend the off Lions home game such as the Collingwood game, attend the off Qld Reds home game such as the NSW derby game, and perhaps attend a few Roar games in the summer, as well as Rugby Test Matches, State of Origin, Kangaroos Test Matches... the list is endless.

The reality is one-code wonder towns are a dying bread, in the last town holding out, Melbourne.

It's not mutually exclusive, but in saying that a football fan will always have a "preferred" code which they understand better than others.

 

[jackmac7]

As a soccer supporter (and football as well, of course) I don't think the FFA predicts that soccer wil be number one sport.

Of course some 'overenthusiastic' soccer supporters (maybe with a bit of a chip on their shoulders ) go for this 'soccer uber alles' theme. But I don't believe so.

Soccer will increase its market share and the media interest because finally after thirty years of amateurish maladministration they got their stuff together. There was always a proportion of Australian sport fans that were interested in soccer. Not as many as football and cricket, but they were there. Once they got a proper tournament etc. they latched on. I think is where the growth comes from.

And I agree with littleduck. Many Victory supporters/Members are also a supporter/member of an AFL club.

i flicked it over to Toatal football(soccer) panel show on fox and was amazed with some of the comments made by Robbie Slater (A-league commentator). He went on about how he noticed alot of youth in the crowd at the grand final and went on to say this-

"This is not taking a pop at the other codes but I think they are going to struggle to find players in 10 years time because every kid in Australia will be playing soccer"

Despite that most of the people I noticed were young guys in their early to mid 20's aka hooligans. Come to think of it I didn't really notice many kids from what I saw. So I take their were no kids at the NRL and AFL Grand final. They also failed to comment on the crap game that it was instead they continued to mislead veiwers about how fantastic it was!. How can they think anyone will buy that after what Pim Verbeek said.

Also Simon Hill was on the Back page (Sports panel show) and he too was misleading veiwers and then when they were talking AFL expansion about Tassie he had nothing to offer except how the A-league might have a team their. He knew nothing but soccer.

I'm so sick of them pumping up the A-league to something it's not. I hope they get their own when in 10 years time when it come's crashing back down to earth.

 

[steve-o]

However, if on the other hand the AFL wanted to slip in quietly and raise their hand only to say "me too" (please support us as well), I think Western Sydney can comfortably accomodate an AFL team.

The reality is the AFL come charging over the hill with guns and arrows banging on drums and their hairy chest about being the biggest gorrilla in the zoo and at the same time alienating the very people they want to broaden their sporting interests.

Good point. The NHL here committed major overexpansion in the 1970's and 1990's...in the 70's a rival league had blossomed and was attempting to unseat the league, but eventually found itself folded and four of it's member clubs jumping to the NHL. Like the NFL had done in the 1960's, the NHL saw itself increase in size from 6 to 21 between 1967 and 1979. This formation stood until the San Jose Sharks (my team and employer) were added in 1991, which started a new wave of expansion.

Teams got gutted. Canada, which had 7/21 teams in 1991 and 8/24 teams in 1994, saw two small-market franchises head for the U.S. West in 1995. The quality of the game suffered from the 42% increase in the number of clubs seen in the eight seasons from 1991 to 1999. We had the lockout last year because teams in new, unstable markets (like Ottawa, Nashville, and Florida) were suffering so badly financially that they forced a full year of no hockey.

Two-fold expansion, in small amounts, works. The AFL is rich and powerful and can afford it. But I can't help but think that if the team was plowed through like it appears it will be, it'll be finding looking for a new home in a few years.

 

[Sebastian Balboa]

Good point. The NHL here committed major overexpansion in the 1970's and 1990's...in the 70's a rival league had blossomed and was attempting to unseat the league, but eventually found itself folded and four of it's member clubs jumping to the NHL. Like the NFL had done in the 1960's, the NHL saw itself increase in size from 6 to 21 between 1967 and 1979. This formation stood until the San Jose Sharks (my team and employer) were added in 1991, which started a new wave of expansion.

Teams got gutted. Canada, which had 7/21 teams in 1991 and 8/24 teams in 1994, saw two small-market franchises head for the U.S. West in 1995. The quality of the game suffered from the 42% increase in the number of clubs seen in the eight seasons from 1991 to 1999. We had the lockout last year because teams in new, unstable markets (like Ottawa, Nashville, and Florida) were suffering so badly financially that they forced a full year of no hockey.

Two-fold expansion, in small amounts, works. The AFL is rich and powerful and can afford it. But I can't help but think that if the team was plowed through like it appears it will be, it'll be finding looking for a new home in a few years.

There are other reliable sources of information on what the AFL is doing on the GC, other than plain half-truths and agenda-driven information here from fearful rugby league types.

 

[Azzballz Deluxe]

Good point. The NHL here committed major overexpansion in the 1970's and 1990's...in the 70's a rival league had blossomed and was attempting to unseat the league, but eventually found itself folded and four of it's member clubs jumping to the NHL. Like the NFL had done in the 1960's, the NHL saw itself increase in size from 6 to 21 between 1967 and 1979. This formation stood until the San Jose Sharks (my team and employer) were added in 1991, which started a new wave of expansion.

Teams got gutted. Canada, which had 7/21 teams in 1991 and 8/24 teams in 1994, saw two small-market franchises head for the U.S. West in 1995. The quality of the game suffered from the 42% increase in the number of clubs seen in the eight seasons from 1991 to 1999. We had the lockout last year because teams in new, unstable markets (like Ottawa, Nashville, and Florida) were suffering so badly financially that they forced a full year of no hockey.

Two-fold expansion, in small amounts, works. The AFL is rich and powerful and can afford it. But I can't help but think that if the team was plowed through like it appears it will be, it'll be finding looking for a new home in a few years.

Apples and oranges

Ice Hockey is a predominantly canadian affair, and can only really be successful in extreme winter.

If anything, i'd say ice hockey is more comparable to RL. Why would americans care about some shitty canadian sport, when they have a game of thier own? (scratch that, 3 games of thier own)?

 

[ChrisFooty]

Do you think the AFL would be so keen on GC if the Titans were not granted the 16th NRL team status? Would they be so keen on getting a GC team so quickly?

 

[mark73]

Do you think the AFL would be so keen on GC if the Titans were not granted the 16th NRL team status? Would they be so keen on getting a GC team so quickly?

No and as much as you discuss logistics and finances etc, to me thats the bottom line. I couldn't give a shit about RL and never will, but Littleduck is on the money about the GC invasion, or attempted invasion. Frightened that they'd missed the boat, they arrogantly barged into a rugby heartland and tried to take over, and in the process have alienated the people they were trying to get onside, and probably would've eventually if they went about it differently.

I think the people up there would've supported a local AFL club (eventually), but not on the back of being told they had to. Now it transpires, 4 months after their attempt at shafting North Melbourne, that they don't have a stadium deal, never did, and the government up there are not really interested in funding another stadium upgrade, and never were. And if the Titans hadn't come along, I'm positive this wouldn't be half the issue it is.

The problem for Demetriou, and the AFL in general, is you can't bullshit people, or arrogantly bully them, and then expect them to say "Yeah, no worries mate!"

 

[littleduck]

No and as much as you discuss logistics and finances etc, to me thats the bottom line. I couldn't give a shit about RL and never will, but Littleduck is on the money about the GC invasion, or attempted invasion. Frightened that they'd missed the boat, they arrogantly barged into a rugby heartland and tried to take over, and in the process have alienated the people they were trying to get onside, and probably would've eventually if they went about it differently.

I think the people up there would've supported a local AFL club (eventually), but not on the back of being told they had to. Now it transpires, 4 months after their attempt at shafting North Melbourne, that they don't have a stadium deal, never did, and the government up there are not really interested in funding another stadium upgrade, and never were. And if the Titans hadn't come along, I'm positive this wouldn't be half the issue it is.

The problem for Demetriou, and the AFL in general, is you can't bullshit people, or arrogantly bully them, and then expect them to say "Yeah, no worries mate!"

Yeah.

 

[Azzballz Deluxe]

No and as much as you discuss logistics and finances etc, to me thats the bottom line. I couldn't give a shit about RL and never will, but Littleduck is on the money about the GC invasion, or attempted invasion. Frightened that they'd missed the boat, they arrogantly barged into a rugby heartland and tried to take over, and in the process have alienated the people they were trying to get onside, and probably would've eventually if they went about it differently.

I think the people up there would've supported a local AFL club (eventually), but not on the back of being told they had to. Now it transpires, 4 months after their attempt at shafting North Melbourne, that they don't have a stadium deal, never did, and the government up there are not really interested in funding another stadium upgrade, and never were. And if the Titans hadn't come along, I'm positive this wouldn't be half the issue it is.

The problem for Demetriou, and the AFL in general, is you can't bullshit people, or arrogantly bully them, and then expect them to say "Yeah, no worries mate!"

Cry me a river

 

[mustapha]

Also Simon Hill was on the Back page (Sports panel show) and he too was misleading veiwers and then when they were talking AFL expansion about Tassie he had nothing to offer except how the A-league might have a team their. He knew nothing but soccer.

You think that soccer gets a fair go with the back page knuckleheads.

 

[Grunty]

i flicked it over to Toatal football(soccer) panel show on fox and was amazed with some of the comments made by Robbie Slater (A-league commentator). He went on about how he noticed alot of youth in the crowd at the grand final and went on to say this-

"This is not taking a pop at the other codes but I think they are going tostruggle to find players in 10 years time because every kid in Australia will be playing soccer"

Despite that most of the people I noticed were young guys in their early to mid 20's aka hooligans. Come to think of it I didn't really notice many kids from what I saw. So I take their were no kids at the NRL and AFL Grand final. They also failed to comment on the crap game that it was instead they continued to mislead veiwers about how fantastic it was!. How can they think anyone will buy that after what Pim Verbeek said.

Also Simon Hill was on the Back page (Sports panel show) and he too was misleading veiwers and then when they were talking AFL expansion about Tassie he had nothing to offer except how the A-league might have a team their. He knew nothing but soccer.

I'm so sick of them pumping up the A-league to something it's not. I hope they get their own when in 10 years time when it come's crashing back down to earth.

You seem to spend a lot of time watching a sport you hate.

Be careful, you might become infected. Soccer is highly contagious.
Perennial socker knocker Peter FitzSimons is a case in point. He got tickets to the soccer World Cup in Germany and came back converted and all apologetic.

Beware, Foxtel is a double edged sword.

The AFL and Channel Seven need the income from Foxtel, but they hate the fact that footy followers may also be exposed to live soccer, in the form of the A League, the English Premier League etc.

On the sports news of channels 7, 9 and 10, there is the usual 10 second report of soccer games here and abroad, invariably with the sound muted. That is how soccer has been drip fed to Australian TV viewers for years, usually accompanied by negative comments.

But now, for $50 a month, sports fans can get a pile of AFL games live, without all the ads, and also see live soccer games, with live unbiased commentary, unfiltered and unadulterated by Channel 7, 9 & 10's so called sports reporters.

The fact that The Back Page, which is basically an AFL, Rugby, League programme have allowed a soccer person to express his opinions on soccer on their show is a sign of how far soccer has become a mainstream sport.

They usually only allow rugby, league and AFL journos to give their uninformed, biased and agenda driven opinions on soccer.

What did Simon Hill say to frighten you so much?

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

You seem to spend a lot of time watching a sport you hate.

Be careful, you might become infected. Soccer is highly contagious.
Perennial socker knocker Peter FitzSimons is a case in point. He got tickets to the soccer World Cup in Germany and came back converted and all apologetic.

Beware, Foxtel is a double edged sword.

The AFL and Channel Seven need the income from Foxtel, but they hate the fact that footy followers may also be exposed to live soccer, in the form of the A League, the English Premier League etc.

On the sports news of channels 7, 9 and 10, there is the usual 10 second report of soccer games here and abroad, invariably with the sound muted. That is how soccer has been drip fed to Australian TV viewers for years, usually accompanied by negative comments.

But now, for $50 a month, sports fans can get a pile of AFL games live, without all the ads, and also see live soccer games, with live unbiased commentary, unfiltered and unadulterated by Channel 7, 9 & 10's so called sports reporters.

The fact that The Back Page, which is basically an AFL, Rugby, League programme have allowed a soccer person to express his opinions on soccer on their show is a sign of how far soccer has become a mainstream sport.

They usually only allow rugby, league and AFL journos to give their uninformed, biased and agenda driven opinions on soccer.

What did Simon Hill say to frighten you so much?

The Back page is anti RL, all you ever hear is AFL and Union blokes putting the boot in without anyone there to stick up for it since chippy died.

Thats why the ratings have fallen, hardly any RL fan watches it these days.

 

[Aucklander]

The Back page is anti RL, all you ever hear is AFL and Union blokes putting the boot in without anyone there to stick up for it since chippy died.

Thats why the ratings have fallen, hardly any RL fan watches it these days.

Fair point.

 

[jackmac7]

You seem to spend a lot of time watching a sport you hate.

Be careful, you might become infected. Soccer is highly contagious.
Perennial socker knocker Peter FitzSimons is a case in point. He got tickets to the soccer World Cup in Germany and came back converted and all apologetic.

Beware, Foxtel is a double edged sword.

The AFL and Channel Seven need the income from Foxtel, but they hate the fact that footy followers may also be exposed to live soccer, in the form of the A League, the English Premier League etc.

On the sports news of channels 7, 9 and 10, there is the usual 10 second report of soccer games here and abroad, invariably with the sound muted. That is how soccer has been drip fed to Australian TV viewers for years, usually accompanied by negative comments.

But now, for $50 a month, sports fans can get a pile of AFL games live, without all the ads, and also see live soccer games, with live unbiased commentary, unfiltered and unadulterated by Channel 7, 9 & 10's so called sports reporters.

The fact that The Back Page, which is basically an AFL, Rugby, League programme have allowed a soccer person to express his opinions on soccer on their show is a sign of how far soccer has become a mainstream sport.

They usually only allow rugby, league and AFL journos to give their uninformed, biased and agenda driven opinions on soccer.

What did Simon Hill say to frighten you so much?

Hey, I really enjoyed the World cup and the socceroos games that I always watch but this A-league is a joke and anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool.

Simon Hill is a pommy ****ter who has gone whack at AFL and NRL every oppurtunity he has. If I had a dollar for every time that w***er said "smell the fear" I'd be a rich mother****er. He offered nothing to the Back page but his self promotion of the A-league which is not what the show is about.

Hill still ripped into Fitzy as Australia's #1 Soccer Knocker.

 

[mark73]

Cry me a river

Must really hurt to know that whatever your club does off field, its facilities, money and habitual sheep it cons into thinking they're following a "great club", it can't get within cooee of mine on it.

And I don't have to cry about anything sweetie, or don't you read the papers?

 

[Azzballz Deluxe]

Must really hurt to know that whatever your club does off field, its facilities, money and habitual sheep it cons into thinking they're following a "great club", it can't get within cooee of mine on it.

And I don't have to cry about anything sweetie, or don't you read the papers?

LOL!

Is this the best you can do, pumpkin?

 

[mark73]

LOL!

Is this the best you can do, pumpkin?

Problem?

People usually turn their nose at conjecture, as I do with naysayers like you, but this would have to be the first time someone has done so with facts.

 

[Azzballz Deluxe]

Problem?

People usually turn their nose at conjecture, as I do with naysayers like you, but this would have to be the first time someone has done so with facts.

Naysayers?