Will the AFL cooperate with FFA for World Cup bid?

[Giants FC]

I'm a fan of the round-ball version of football, I'm going to the A-League grand final tonight. But the FFA are kidding themselves with this bid.

The rest of the world in football terms barely knows who Australia is. We've made 2 World Cups ever; England and China will both bid who are worth much more in football strategic terms than we are.
And why would the FFA award the World Cup to a footballing minnow with limited football history and who have rival sports who will drag them through the courts when there are bigger countries with existing football infrastructure who will bend over to FIFA's every demand?

And the AFL will sue, no doubt about that. They have a watertight contract with the MCG - the MCC played hardball to get it, and if the MCC even attempted to break it the AFL would drag the MCC, the FFA and FIFA through protracted court proceedings.
I'm no lawyer, but I can't see how any agreement with FIFA to prevent the AFL playing for 2 months mid-season, against the AFL's wishes, could possibly hold up in court.

 

[JeffDunne]

The AFL will co-operate because it would be political stupidity to do otherwise.

 

[Jascave]

I think it's time to give 'the home of football', England the 2018 World Cup-as long as their supporters (the Barmy Army) behaves themselves, or otherwise FIFA could what they did back in 2000 and scrap the English bid due to football hooligianism. And thereby raises another question mark about Australia's World Cup bid-can the FFA, Federal & State Police handle the troublemakers, most likely from England & Germany?

 

[Rob]

FIFA requirements are that competing sports must be suspended during the World Cup.

If that's true, that's the most arrogant thing i've ever heard.

 

[Cheeseman]

The AFL don't even cooperate with their key stakeholders "Clubs/fans" So it would be folly to expect them to cooperate with a rival code.

 

[deck]

FIFA requirements are that competing sports must be suspended during the World Cup.

I highly doubt that is the case. FIFA do require that no other sports are played on the venues in the lead up and during the World Cup. I highly doubt the MLB suspended play for 6 weeks back in 1994 for FIFA.

 

[Captain Kouta]

AFL bow to let another code take centre stage?
Not a chance in hell.

 

[Obeanie1]

Suspend the comp...PIGS ARRRRSE!

Both the AFL and NRL should keep on going, just think all those visiting soccor fans will THEN have their first opportunity to watch live real men playing a real mans sport.

High scoring, full body contact, no diving, no nil all draws and the ultimate sporting specticle.

They would convert in their thousands.

 

[gotheflag]

MCG would not host any games as it does not meet fifa requirements unless they get an exemption.

If the AFL / did not co-operate with the government they would be get alot of negative publicity even with members.

AFL would start earlier & finish later in the year but there would still be 22 home & away games.

Australia would miss out on so many jobs and so much tourism it is not funny.

Cmon Australia

 

[finders]

You cant play a game of world cup soccer one day, then an AFL game a few days later on the same pitch, infact the surfaces cannot be touched for weeks prior to the tournament.

Do you guys seriously think the Australian government will let the AFL which is a globally insignificant competition stop this nation from hosting the most globally significant competition?

Its NOT up to any government its a plain and simple business decision by the AFL who have contracts with all the major stadiums in place and who cares anyway it aint going to happen.
Just a bit of feelgood spin from the Ruddster for the great unwashed.LOL Remember this, the MCC without the 40 odd AFL games every year is nothing its football money that has allowed the MCC ground managers to build this stadium so why should the AFL give any advantage to a rival business??

 

[Rob]

The major problem we're going to have is that China are likely to bid for it as well. The rest of Asia will back China, and when you can't get your own confederation to back you, you're stuffed.
Unless China decides not to bid, then I don't think the availability of grounds will even come up because the bid won't get past first base.

 

[RICHO: A GOD AMONGST MEN]

Tell FFA to go and get ****ed.

 

[Alex99]

I can no reason at all why the AFL or NRL will not cooperate with the FFA or FIFA if Australia won the rights to host a FIFA WC in either 2018 or 2022. It would be in the AFL and NRL best interest to cooperate and accept this event or it will be a public relations nightmare for both sports. if Australia won the right to the WEC, they will cooperate.

To overcome any complications for the 5 week hiatus during the season, I would assume the WC would be held in June or July (European Summer) and to overcome this the AFL would just have a very short pre season comp (may not even have one that year) and play the first 12 rounds in Feb, March, April (May, June and July FIFA will have control of the stadiums) and then the remaining 12 rounds and finals in August, September and October and finals in November.

The AFL would be mental on a publicity front to deny Australia the privilege of hosting the biggest sporting event of the planet.

 

[NimChief]

And the AFL will sue, no doubt about that. They have a watertight contract with the MCG - the MCC played hardball to get it, and if the MCC even attempted to break it the AFL would drag the MCC, the FFA and FIFA through protracted court proceedings.
I'm no lawyer, but I can't see how any agreement with FIFA to prevent the AFL playing for 2 months mid-season, against the AFL's wishes, could possibly hold up in court.

It would be a public relations disaster if the AFL sued and stopped Australia from getting the World's no.1 sporting event.

The country would lose out on millions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs. There'll be to much pressure on them from the government and the people for them to not sue.

 

[DoubleA]

Suspend the comp for five weeks? Get f---ed. Christ can you imagine if the ICC decided to hold the Cricket WC in the USA and told the NFL they'd have to go on hold for 5 weeks? The country would explode.

Thats possibly the worst comparison I've ever heard.

 

[NimChief]

Suspend the comp...PIGS ARRRRSE!

Both the AFL and NRL should keep on going, just think all those visiting soccor fans will THEN have their first opportunity to watch live real men playing a real mans sport.

High scoring, full body contact, no diving, no nil all draws and the ultimate sporting specticle.

They would convert in their thousands.

Yep, free kicks for having a hand on someone's back. 2 week suspensions for an attempted jumper punch.

I'm sure they'll marvel at the hardness of the modern AFL game.

 

[Guido]

With the determination of the AFL to stop Australia's participation such that I could see the AFL buying ANZ stadium to block such a proposal,

Idiotic.

But besides that point, WA, SA and Vic are the states which need major corresponding infrastructure to allow the FIFA world cup to go ahead and that is not going to happen because no state government will justify the building of major rectangular stadiums

Vic and WA are fine. SA if they want to be part of it will have to build something - can possibly make it a multi-purpose venue for the Crows and Port like WA is doing. Even if's specifically rectangualr, plenty of Adelaide United and future socceroos fixtures to justify it - fixtures they're being ignored for at the moment because of a lack of a suitable stadium.

With Rudd and the ACT government on board, odds on that Canberra will come to the table with a multipurpose stadium too. Later on it can accomodate international and domestic soccer, rugby, league ... not exactly a white elephant.

Finally spending 30M on a FIFA world cup bid when interest rates and ballooning is not good economic policy,

Like saying spending 2 bucks is not good policy when your home loan repayments may be going up. In our economy it's pocket change.

Multiply 2 million tourists by 5000 bucks (typical spend in the country) and see what kind of money we're talking here.

Why do we derserve it over England?

It's not about deserving it, it's about getting it.

If we can convince China to pull out (President of Asian soccer body is trying to do so), than all of Asia's and Oceania's votes form a solid block to get the bid to the latter stages, while European votes will be split amongst 2 or 3 bids. If you can get to a final vote, then it simply comes down to who's been better at lobbying the Americas and Africa.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

The AFL will co-operate because it would be political stupidity to do otherwise.

Yep.

There are 2 issues
1. Modify/suspend part of season
2. Stadiums

First one needs full co-operation

Second one is becoming less of an issue
Gabba and SCG wont be needed
Homebush, if a second Sydney is up by then, games will be transfered to SCG.
Gold Coast ie Carra wont be needed
MCG owned by MCG trust ie Vic Government. If needed, Vic government will pass legislation and compensate AFL.
WA, new stadium will have new contract conditions allowing for WC.
SA, Aami will need to be upgraded to FIFA requirements or will be ignored
York Park, will Tassie get a game? Probably not.
Manuka, not needed.
Marrara in Darwin wont be needed.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Easy Solution.The Soccer to be played as curtain raisers to the AFL games.

 

[tigerdan]

Not gonna happen. The soccer associations will gang up so that it gets played in Europe/Latin America, or fifa will coerce them to hold it in a strategic growth location - i.e. Asia. We don't have the population to justify fifa 'wasting' a world cup in this country. It wont happen.

We have 20 million people and are at the fringe of the sport both geographically and competitively. A silly ego trip for politicians and the starry-eyed soccer converts.

 

[chook2734]

Why the need to stop all competing codes if they think the 'world game' is so spectacular? The AFL and NRL should be allowed to continue their seasons if they choose to - if soccer is as good as it's supporters and FIFA think it is, the AFL and NRL won't be anything for them to be worried about. I couldn't care less whether the world cup comes to Australia or not, just don't interfere with the game that I support.

 

[Jascave]

How would the State & Federal Police plus the FFA handle this scenario:

FIFA & the Australian World Cup orgainisers (in their wisdom) decides to have a double header on the same ground on the one day-Greece v Turkey to be first, then England v Germany in Melbourne as the 'main event'. What you've got there would be a potential disaster, because there is a lot of history between Greece & Turkey, while the England-Germany game could be an explosive encounter-off the field. Can you imagine the front-page headlines in the Herald Sun the following day if huge trouble erupted from those two games?

 

[tsf]

How is that bashing?

Give me one reason why the AFL should vacate the G for the soccer?

You only want one?

Well I will give a few.

1-The biggest sporting event on the earth.
2- The most popular sporting event on the earth.
3- Possibly the biggest party on earth.
4- Massive tourism boost.
5- We would be etched in history.
6- Because if they didn't co-operate they'd be made to.
7- Brazilian chicks.

 

[tsf]

How would the State & Federal Police plus the FFA handle this scenario:

FIFA & the Australian World Cup orgainisers (in their wisdom) decides to have a double header on the same ground on the one day-Greece v Turkey to be first, then England v Germany in Melbourne as the 'main event'. What you've got there would be a potential disaster, because there is a lot of history between Greece & Turkey, while the England-Germany game could be an explosive encounter-off the field. Can you imagine the front-page headlines in the Herald Sun the following day if huge trouble erupted from those two games?

Hooligans wouldnt travel that far. There was no trouble at Japan 02 as its harder to travel that distance if you have a banning order. There was no real trouble in Germany even.

So I cant imagine the headlines...and your post makes no sense- since when did the world cup have 'main events' ? every game is a main event and a draw dictates who plays who and where. This isnt Mickey Mouse league.

Can you throw up anymore strange hypotheticals?

 

[westdog54]

How would the State & Federal Police plus the FFA handle this scenario:

FIFA & the Australian World Cup orgainisers (in their wisdom) decides to have a double header on the same ground on the one day-Greece v Turkey to be first, then England v Germany in Melbourne as the 'main event'. What you've got there would be a potential disaster, because there is a lot of history between Greece & Turkey, while the England-Germany game could be an explosive encounter-off the field. Can you imagine the front-page headlines in the Herald Sun the following day if huge trouble erupted from those two games?

First things first:

Germany and England would more than likely be seeded as 'A' teams, and as such would not even be drawn in the same group.

Secondly, The groups are drawn months before the event. Fixturing around 'hypotheticals' like this rubbish is as easy as pie.

Just another scared little bunny rabbit who can't grasp the concept that its possible to enjoy two types of football, and who'll do all the scaremongering needed to worry off those in between.