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PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
Under your reign as AFL CEO Mr Demetriou we have had an overwhelming number of non-Victorian Team premierships. The last two years the Grand Finals have been contested by four non-Victorian teams and if all goes the way of probability the 2006 Grand Final will be between 2 non-Victorian teams. Whilst this should be applauded as those premierships and this years final series are proof that the AFL is now a national competition, have you explored the long term ramifications to the continuance of non-Victorian clubs being the power teams in the AFL competition?
Someday, somewhere Victorians are going to get sick and tired of running second to the “interstaters” and will turn their back on your competition – in preference to other home town Aussie Rules competitions or other sports.
Please do not point to the current season crowd figure increases – these are "propped up” by fanatical Collingwood supporters – and my argument is not about 2006 – it is about 2010 and beyond should non-Victorian Clubs continue to rule the competition through to then like they are now.
Is this a concern? I certainly hope you feel it is as Melbourne is the “hub” of the AFL!
Why are the “interstaters” so much better than the Melbourne based clubs – there certainly is a gap between the two groups when you look at recent results? The answer lies within the imbalance of the competition. i.e.
1. Home Ground Advantage – outside Geelong who do not have all their home games at Skilled Stadium there is no Victorian AFL Club that can claim a home ground advantage like the interstaters can – those that come close are St Kilda and Western Bulldogs with the Telstra Dome – but even then should those two teams be successful in winning a “home” final they have to play that final on the MCG.
2. Financial support of one or two teams in a city is far easier than financial support for 10 teams from 1 city – this gives rise to “interstaters” always having full rookie lists and better facilities. Plus it is easier to sell their brand to sponsors due to the share of the market they dominate in their home city.
3. Travel 1 - too is an imbalance – some will say that interstaters have to travel every second week – this is not true as some have away games in their own city due to another team residing in that city and Melbourne Clubs desperate to get a crowd at the game “sell” there home game to the away interstater. Knowing full well that they would not get a crowd in Melbourne for that game and would hence make a loss. (There is a clear message from Melbourne based Club supporters there!)
4. Travel 2 – due to the AFL draw and some teams not playing each other twice we have situations where a Melbourne Club travels interstate to play a particular team but does not necessarily have that team back in Melbourne later in the season.
5. Extra dollars in interstater salary caps – this is now being rectified and it did assist Brisbane and Sydney to gain a “foot-hold” in their rugby cities – but it also gave them an unfair advantage.
When I first saw non-Victorian clubs become successful in the AFL I was filled with pride that our game had become a national game.
Now I fear that we are on the verge of losing the very grass roots of the AFL – the supporters of the 10 Melbourne Clubs.
Mr. Demetriou - Please act before this happens!
Someday, somewhere Victorians are going to get sick and tired of running second to the “interstaters” and will turn their back on your competition – in preference to other home town Aussie Rules competitions or other sports.
Please do not point to the current season crowd figure increases – these are "propped up” by fanatical Collingwood supporters – and my argument is not about 2006 – it is about 2010 and beyond should non-Victorian Clubs continue to rule the competition through to then like they are now.
Is this a concern? I certainly hope you feel it is as Melbourne is the “hub” of the AFL!
Why are the “interstaters” so much better than the Melbourne based clubs – there certainly is a gap between the two groups when you look at recent results? The answer lies within the imbalance of the competition. i.e.
1. Home Ground Advantage – outside Geelong who do not have all their home games at Skilled Stadium there is no Victorian AFL Club that can claim a home ground advantage like the interstaters can – those that come close are St Kilda and Western Bulldogs with the Telstra Dome – but even then should those two teams be successful in winning a “home” final they have to play that final on the MCG.
2. Financial support of one or two teams in a city is far easier than financial support for 10 teams from 1 city – this gives rise to “interstaters” always having full rookie lists and better facilities. Plus it is easier to sell their brand to sponsors due to the share of the market they dominate in their home city.
3. Travel 1 - too is an imbalance – some will say that interstaters have to travel every second week – this is not true as some have away games in their own city due to another team residing in that city and Melbourne Clubs desperate to get a crowd at the game “sell” there home game to the away interstater. Knowing full well that they would not get a crowd in Melbourne for that game and would hence make a loss. (There is a clear message from Melbourne based Club supporters there!)
4. Travel 2 – due to the AFL draw and some teams not playing each other twice we have situations where a Melbourne Club travels interstate to play a particular team but does not necessarily have that team back in Melbourne later in the season.
5. Extra dollars in interstater salary caps – this is now being rectified and it did assist Brisbane and Sydney to gain a “foot-hold” in their rugby cities – but it also gave them an unfair advantage.
When I first saw non-Victorian clubs become successful in the AFL I was filled with pride that our game had become a national game.
Now I fear that we are on the verge of losing the very grass roots of the AFL – the supporters of the 10 Melbourne Clubs.
Mr. Demetriou - Please act before this happens!