GWS chief keen to foster ACT ties

[Cylon7]

GWS chief keen to foster ACT ties (Canberra Times, 1 April)

Why does the ACT have to prove its interest in AFL? Why isn’t the same requirement asked of Sydney and in particular, Western Sydney? Does Dale Holmes realise how threatening this sounds, (i.e. If you don’t support us we will take our ball and game elsewhere)?

Like Sydney, the ACT is predominately an NRL/rugby/soccer state with resident teams, the Raiders and the Brumbies dominating the Canberra Times pages. AFL averages a couple of syndicated articles per day that are usually buried deep in the sports news in black and white, unlike the reams of positive NRL spin reported by local news reporters.

One of the major problems here is the lack of media coverage of AFL. Although money has been spent on tv ads, it isn’t enough. People in the ACT are unaware of what is going on in AFL. They need to get to know the players and the teams. The local news services avoid AFL and at times seem hostile towards the game. Days can go by and some stations provide no news at all.

Most sports news is about NRL – every game, every breath, every muscle twitch . When they do cover AFL, the topics tend to be negative, e.g. Fevola, Cousins sagas. AFL needs to ask the television stations why they are restricting coverage here and in Sydney. Channel Seven is the worst, especially when it is supposed to be the main host of AFL games.

Before Dale Holmes asks the ACT to support the game, AFL will need to solve this problem.

One of the most positive television news items recently was when Paul Roos was interviewed about the new Swans academy and how it is intended for kids to enjoy and have fun as well as to identify talent. His laid back style of talking about their approach would reassure parents. They interviewed one enthusiastic boy and this probably did more to attract parents and young kids to the game than a bunch of expensive tv and newspaper ads.

Perhaps AFL first needs to hire more writers and spruikers who can counter the negativity? And before AFL decides who will get the broadcasting rights, they should ask each channel what television news coverage they intend giving AFL in the ACT and northern states this year.

Is there any government or legal body they could appeal to about deliberate coverage restrictions and the negative AFL campaign in some of the Sydney newspapers?

 

[Canyouhearthedrums]

Canberra has a massive AFL base....before the Raiders came along, it was arguably predominantly AFL.

The Brumbies and Raiders get more play because they are local sides playing in the national comps but I think you'd find GWS would get a reasonable run if there was an official tie.

 

[FootyJunkie]

2 "away" games at Manuka Oval against say the Bulldogs and Melbourne would be good.

 

[pazza]

Sounds like holmes isn't after too much - and a regular link to Canberra and the nearby Riverina region isn't a bad thing.

Sydney itself has dropped the ball in the Riverina.

 

[Zvim]

Canberra has a massive AFL base....before the Raiders came along, it was arguably predominantly AFL.

The Brumbies and Raiders get more play because they are local sides playing in the national comps but I think you'd find GWS would get a reasonable run if there was an official tie.

That was a long time ago, the demographic changed dramatically and if you look at the figures from the last few census there has been heavy movement into Canberra from NSW, which have brought their Rugby following ways with them. It wouldn't have mattered if AFL got in earlier, the presence of a team wouldn't have changed the demographics of people coming and going.

There is support still there for AFL but it is as difficult a market to crack as Sydney without the population base.

 

[Mr Eagle]

The big problem for AFL in Canberra is that its support base is fractured by existing loyalties formed before people moved here. Without a local team to focus media reports on, it makes it harder to grab the attention of the entire AFL supporter community.

 

[Go GWS!]

I think we should focus on Sydney, not the ACT. After the Swans game got Iron Cheffed again on the weekend on tele, I think we should choose a core constituency and work it hard. As a plus, at least Sheedy is making waves up here. He's in the press enough to be as recognised as Wayne Bennett these days.

 

[SydneyGoose]

As a soon to be Canberran and someone who has spent every other weekend for the last year there, I have to say that the only thing anyone has spoken to me about in sport is AFL and Rugby. Most people seem to know as much about the raiders as a Sydney sider would know about the swans.

Bit I agree that it's hard to form a team there because everyone has one already. You would be able to get a decent amount of support for a full time team there, but it'd take a generation before it'd have real die hards. And it'd be hard to relocate a current team because of everyones current loves and hates.

My personal preference would have been to have the kangas move to western Sydney and have the new team in Canberra.

 

[Vader]

Most sports news is about NRL – every game, every breath, every muscle twitch . When they do cover AFL, the topics tend to be negative, e.g. Fevola, Cousins sagas. AFL needs to ask the television stations why they are restricting coverage here and in Sydney. Channel Seven is the worst, especially when it is supposed to be the main host of AFL games.

AFL is almost always the last sport to get a mention - if it gets a mention at all. It's behind NRL, Super-12, local Rugby League and Soccer (if the Socceroos are involved). That's an absolute disgrace, considering it's our national code. I can understand it being behind the NRL and Super-12, but to be put behind the local sport as well is just plain insulting.

 

[Luc]

Sorry. Quick reply didn't quite work how I thought it would

 

[Haduken]

AFL is almost always the last sport to get a mention - if it gets a mention at all. It's behind NRL, Super-12, local Rugby League and Soccer (if the Socceroos are involved). That's an absolute disgrace, considering it's our national code. I can understand it being behind the NRL and Super-12, but to be put behind the local sport as well is just plain insulting.

In the Canberra media that's certainly correct. Amongst the populace I wouldn't have thought as much. Admittedly the demographic of "people I know" is hardly a proper sample size, but most of them have at least a passing interest in the AFL. A team based here would certainly galvanize that a bit.

As it stands the most heavily supported team is the Swans, because they do play here occasionally, that alone would be proof that interest is based on being able to go and see the players play live, as well as a geographic familiarity. GWS will have its supporters here too, especially if they do play matches here.

They're right about Manuka Oval needing a revamp though. It's not a bad place to watch the footy, but it has far too much of a small town feel to be taken seriously.

 

[SydneyGoose]

Only if you are playing there regularly. I love the small town feel of it, even though I would hate to have that the home ground of a full blown AFL team. But no point over developing Manuka Oval if you're only going to play four matches a year there.

 

[Vader]

Only if you are playing there regularly. I love the small town feel of it, even though I would hate to have that the home ground of a full blown AFL team. But no point over developing Manuka Oval if you're only going to play four matches a year there.

I think the ACT Govt are planning on upgrading it, so that they have a high quality oval shaped ground to go with the rectangle out at Bruce.

 

[SydneyGoose]

They need to do something about the parking then because it's going to be beyond a joke if they increase the capacity. The cars piled up on the median strip on Canberra avenue is just unbelievable! Need a decent screen too, the kind where it's not possible for the score keepers to hang their supporters flags out the gaps in the numbers!

 

[Barkly St End]

They need to do something about the parking then because it's going to be beyond a joke if they increase the capacity. The cars piled up on the median strip on Canberra avenue is just unbelievable! Need a decent screen too, the kind where it's not possible for the score keepers to hang their supporters flags out the gaps in the numbers!

The scoreboard is the old MCG scoreboard, complete with clock on top - no one's ever going to touch it.

 

[SydneyGoose]

I know. I'm just bitter it always has WB flags hanging out of it everytime we play them there. And it's fine for regular matches but you should try watching a NAB cup match there and figure out which line means what.

 

[Pie eyed]

I think the ACT Govt are planning on upgrading it, so that they have a high quality oval shaped ground to go with the rectangle out at Bruce.

Believe it or not Bruce was a pretty good oval ground before the ACT Govt spent millions on it to make it less useful, smaller and possibly the coldest sporting arena outside of Alaska. Even now with its corporate boxes and arse freezing seating it is not nearly as fine a ground as Manuka.

The ACTAFL also had a very reasonable ground in Woden, Phillip Oval which is now in ruin waiting to be covered in "future slum" precast concrete "Luxury Apartments" (LOL the Luxury refering directly to the price not the inevitable future sluminess.)
The sad fact is even when the population has doubled in 20 odd years you'll still only get 30,000 to a game max.

I still enjoy getting to Manuka for as many games as the Local Government can buy though.

 

[Tazmania]

I moved here 5 years ago and because I wanted to see some footy regularly I joined as a local North Melbourne member. At my workplace there were a few and they were very loyal to the Kangaroos because they had made an effort to develop Canberra.

The games were good to attend and the crowd really enjoyed it. I remember seeing Sav kick a torpy from about 60 metres out at the urging of the crowd on the other side of the fence. Loved it.

Only lasted 1 year for me then North Melbourne bailed out and left a lot of Canberrans feeling betrayed.

Now Sydney with their away games get about 15000 a pop (most of whom don't seem to actually know the rules ) which is about the same as you get to a raiders game.

So it seems to me that a team who puts effort into Canberra will get a return if they make it longer term.

 

[MisterMarcus]

Canberra's a problem because it has a dedicated AFL following, but is not large enough to support its own team. So you either have a situation where you play 1-2 token Swans games a year there, or you have some forced GWS/Canberra/Riverina hybrid. Neither of those options will please anyone.

I'm pleased GWS at least acknowledges the ACT market exists. But I don't think the public will embrace some Western Sydney team who plays a handful of token Canberra games....any more than they embraced the Swans or Roos when they tried the same thing.