VFL Almost closed by corporate regulator 1986

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blue harvest said:
'there was even a view if the VFL could just get Richmond to win more games the crowds would come back'

Lol, who would have thought 30 years on they have the same problem.

Anyway, this is old news. VFL would never have folded, public would never have allowed it, would have just been re-organised somehow.
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Exactly. The product was viable, the spending was not. Salaries would have been smaller and a lot 9f administration would be voluntary. Transfer fees would be gone and VFL teams would have stuck with only 50% plus of the best players in the country running around mostly for the love of the game. It was still televised around Australia so still money to be had.

This notion it would have died is off base. It just wouldn't have thrived at that time.
 
The question is if the National Competition hadn't been created would we still see the broadcast dollars we see now.
More importantly it would have left the game much more vulnerable to Packer and Murdoch.
 
The Old Dark Navy's said:
Exactly. The product was viable, the spending was not. Salaries would have been smaller and a lot 9f administration would be voluntary. Transfer fees would be gone and VFL teams would have stuck with only 50% plus of the best players in the country running around mostly for the love of the game. It was still televised around Australia so still money to be had.

This notion it would have died is off base. It just wouldn't have thrived at that time.
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I don't think it would have died, but a few clubs would have disappeared, which did occur in several local footy league sides, right up to VFA level.
 

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The 'what if' that I ponder is; Say the 2 interstate teams didn't join the VFL and the VFL went 'bust'.

What potentially alternate national league might of emerged that was not carrying the VIC centric baggage that we have from the VFL?

Would we still have ex-VFL players dominate media roles on FoxFooty?
Would the MCG still be the only place grand finals are played?
Would there be an even distribution of teams across the country? Darwin? Tasmania?
etc etc
 
galen said:
The 'what if' that I ponder is; Say the 2 interstate teams didn't join the VFL and the VFL went 'bust'.

What potentially alternate national league might of emerged that was not carrying the VIC centric baggage that we have from the VFL?

Would we still have ex-VFL players dominate media roles on FoxFooty?
Would the MCG still be the only place grand finals are played?
Would there be an even distribution of teams across the country? Darwin? Tasmania?
etc etc
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If a national league using the major state leagues plus the remainder of the VFL had come together, I would say

Yes, great players would still have had media careers

Yes, its the best spot for a GF and doesn't disadvantage interstate sides with them winning close on 60% of the GFs involving interstate sides

Not sure about the last question, it might look similar to now but with a few more non-Victorian sides
 
Hap Hapablap said:
some still till this day think the vfl wouldve been all fine. i mean some thought that if richmond started winning the money would pour in again? seriously?

a national competition saved the sport.
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It would have happened in any case. The VFL got in and did it and saved their own arses.

A breakaway league would have happened otherwise. Maybe that would have been better, who knows.
 
galen said:
The 'what if' that I ponder is; Say the 2 interstate teams didn't join the VFL and the VFL went 'bust'.

What potentially alternate national league might of emerged that was not carrying the VIC centric baggage that we have from the VFL?

Would we still have ex-VFL players dominate media roles on FoxFooty?
Would the MCG still be the only place grand finals are played?
Would there be an even distribution of teams across the country? Darwin? Tasmania?
etc etc
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Would always have been Vic-centric to some degree. If we take Vic-WA-SA-Tas as the “football nation”, in 1990 the Vic population was 4.4m, whilst the other three states combined were 3.5m (1.6m + 1.4m + 500k). The biggest clubs, stadiums and the majority of both players and fans were Victorian. There was already a VFL team based in Sydney, and Melbourne is central in terms of expansion to the north (no time difference / less travel time to Brisbane and Sydney).

Wouldn’t have been 11 Vic teams as there was, but it would still be “Vic centric” I think.
 
Whatname said:
The question is if the National Competition hadn't been created would we still see the broadcast dollars we see now.
More importantly it would have left the game much more vulnerable to Packer and Murdoch.
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The broadcast dollars wouldn't have been there for sure but you could absolutely see a World Series Cricket type scenario happening.

In fact if it had been the 90s it would have been the perfect situation to step into..step 1. Create breakaway league 2. Create civil war between the establishment and the breakaway league 3. Sign peace treaty with new established unified national competition with billionaire protagonist signing broadcasting rights at discount rates.

Murdoch actually seriously considered attacking the national competition at one stage but attacked Rugby League with the formation of the Super League instead.
 
What a bogus story.

Firstly the VFL was not the same animal as the clubs and their debts were not the VFL's debts. This was
clearly illustrated in the VFL allowing Fitzroy to fall over.
Secondly the VFL owned Waverly and had sufficient assets and cash flow that a grandstanding ASIC head couldn't have shut down the league if he wanted to. Netting club deficiencies off against VFL assets is just an exercise in writing a story and in any case the net was still substantially positive. It can't happen. As it was all the clubs got $2m from the Waverley sale ad the league kept the change and invested part of it in docklands.
 
"Of the 11 Victorian Club companies it appears that seven of them are technically insolvent. These clubs are Fitzroy, Geelong, Footscray, Collingwood, Melbourne, North Melbourne and Richmond," he wrote on August 8, 1986."

"Victorian (Football fans across Australia - Ed) fans can thank Brisbane and West Coast - which joined the competition in 1987 - for effectively saving the league."

You're welcome.
 
MarkT2 said:
What a bogus story.

Firstly the VFL was not the same animal as the clubs and their debts were not the VFL's debts. This was
clearly illustrated in the VFL allowing Fitzroy to fall over.
Secondly the VFL owned Waverly and had sufficient assets and cash flow that a grandstanding ASIC head couldn't have shut down the league if he wanted to. Netting club deficiencies off against VFL assets is just an exercise in writing a story and in any case the net was still substantially positive. It can't happen. As it was all the clubs got $2m from the Waverley sale ad the league kept the change and invested part of it in docklands.
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Seven of the VFL clubs were in debt though. If they were forced to close the doors then you would be left 5 teams.
They were never going to shut down the league just the clubs.

Not saying the clubs wouldnt have survived but if a government watchdog wants to shut you down then you are in big trouble.
Especially if it involves the taxman.
Remember the VFL didnt have the money it has now to prop these clubs up.
Also Waverley wasn't sold until the late 90's some 10 years later.
Not sure how it could have been sold in the mid 80's, would the clubs have stayed at their suburban grounds leaking more money.
 

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JinmboJones said:
"Of the 11 Victorian Club companies it appears that seven of them are technically insolvent. These clubs are Fitzroy, Geelong, Footscray, Collingwood, Melbourne, North Melbourne and Richmond," he wrote on August 8, 1986."

"Victorian (Football fans across Australia - Ed) fans can thank Brisbane and West Coast - which joined the competition in 1987 - for effectively saving the league."

You're welcome.
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It wasnt West Coast but the Indian Pacific company and its note holders who raised the 6 million dollars.

I know the current West Coast setup evolved from this but remember the State Government had to bail them out after they went broke.

Hence the creation of the WAFC.
 
Whatname said:
It wasnt West Coast but the Indian Pacific company and its note holders who raised the 6 million dollars.

I know the current West Coast setup evolved from this but remember the State Government had to bail them out after they went broke.

Hence the creation of the WAFC.
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Not sure where you got that from? Indian Pacific were publicly listed and were bought out by the WAFC and that's how they got control of WCE.
 
Wait...so these so called 'franchise' clubs saved the league from irrelevance interesting.

I like this quote where the seven broke arse VFL clubs are referred to as 'companies'.

Gordon Lewis had been commissioner for corporate affairs for only a couple of months when he penned an ultimatum to VFL commissioners.

"Of the 11 Victorian Club companies it appears that seven of them are technically insolvent. These clubs are Fitzroy, Geelong, Footscray, Collingwood, Melbourne, North Melbourne and Richmond," he wrote on August 8, 1986.
 
Who could forget lining up at grounds like the lake oval or victoria park before the gates opened at 11am. Then dashing to the wing and throwing your blanket onto the wooden slatted seats that surrounded the oval.
Then watching the reserves followed by the seniors.
Popped up your brolly if it was pissing down (bugger the people standing behind you - whose umbrellas dripped water down on you anyway).
Those were the days.
Now we have to put up with bucket seats, high prices for one game and no outer to watch fights (both on and off the ground).
And comfort.
Bah humbug
 
Bombermania said:
Yeah, the egos did get in the way, we saw the SANFL were also not keen to see their clubs break away. Its an historical what if.
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Wasn't that the trigger for the creation of the crows. If I rememb correctly Port Adelaide had come to an agreement to joint the National comp which forced the SANFL administration to form a team.
 
greatwhiteshark said:
We already knew this. The WAFL was not in any better shape itself.
But clearly without the license fees some clubs would not exist now.
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The WAFL has long struggled with semi-bankrupt clubs to the extent East Perth made tepid representations in the 50's
and more seriously in the early 80's to join the VFL.

They were laughed at, nay sneered at the time.

A national competition was overdue by the mid 70's what with better airline flights, colour TV and the diluting of the WA/SA state leagues.
 
No surprise the clubs looking for a handout 30 years ago, most of the same names still topping the list today.
Clearly still two too many clubs not in Victoria today.
Poor old Fitzroy fans must shake their heads at how the Bulldogs, St.Kilda, Melbourne and North are still kicking.
And I bet a few down the highway are thankful Victoria kept voting in Cat supporting Premiers.
Pity we can't vote in a conservative government into AFL house to sort it all out.
 

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VFL Almost closed by corporate regulator 1986

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