If the AFL were to expand, where should the first new team be based?

[Mr Crow!]

Darwin successfully hosted the Port vs. Bulldogs game this year... do you think that Darwin could be the host of a new franchise?

It will be interesting in 2006 when new markets are tested, due to the unavailability of the MCG due to the Commonwealth Games.

 

[4for brisbane]

the gold coast
as there are central americans everywhere [nsw people are mexicans]
the southport sharks are massive/pokies revenue
it will shut mayor clarke up
get in before the rugby league wakes up

the gold coast city is bigger than all of tassie put together
australia's 6th biggest city

 

[4for brisbane]

reading some previous posts it strikes me how little people seem to know about qld, let alone how big the gold coast is

 

[4for brisbane]

strangely mr crow cairns is an afl town
but its not big enough to sustain an afl team

 

[WCL]

Hobart, because of tradition and with the support AFL gets down here without a team, you would probably have 25-30,000 members straight off. But first they need a strong comp behind the team, similar to the SANFL or WAFL, the Devils will not be able to sustain any crowds if they are just a reserves team, therefore they will not be a viable proposition for the VFL.

 

[littleduck]

strangely mr crow cairns is an afl town
but its not big enough to sustain an afl team

It has a good local comp, but AFL is not the market leader in Cairns.

 

[MickZu]

Too much RUM by the sounds of it,

I voted for Hobart, football tradition and strong following of the code, they only need 25,000 fans to become regular season ticket holders/members, and some state government support. .


Basketball and Rugby League didn’t work on the Gold Coast, 99% chance AFL will fail as well.

Darwin has the wrong whether conditions and wrong time of the year to play AFL football up there during the southern states winter’s.

Actually aussie rules is extremely popular on the gold coast. Local footy teams pull in bigger grounds than local rugby teams. As for basketball, it's not popular in Brisbane either, dying a slow death.

 

[MickZu]

AFL has already failed on the Gold Coast. Do we remember Carrarra. Hobart has to be next. They love their Footy down there. (Plus the Geelong Hick jokes would stop )

Please don't bring back bad memories for me, I still have psychological scares from that era.
The upside is the population of gold coast has tripled since then.

 

[jezza]

Would love it to be Hobart, Tassie an awesome footy history, just looking at our team of the century speaks volumes about the level of talent we can produce. Major concerns about crowd/memberships, sponsorship and a home ground. Bellerive is a great ground but needs lots of work, Nth Hobart is too small, and York Park is, well, in Launceston.

Would expect the next team to be based in Western Sydney as that's where the people are, the AFL is desperate for the Swans to win a flag to boost the popularity of AFL in NSW, biggest untapped market.

The support that the Devils get and the fact they are so competitive in the VFL is a good sign though.

 

[4for brisbane]

It has a good local comp, but AFL is not the market leader in Cairns.

no its not, but last time i was there, a few years ago
it struck me that afl was more alive in cairns than anywhere else in qld
still not big enough for an afl team

morally, tassie should be given a go but money talks and it lives on the gold coast