It won't impact My State Bank Arena. Money will be invested in that. The JackJumpers success will see to that.
Getting the stadium, thus a team also means the AFL will put in $33M towards junior development and $90M in grass roots football.
Plus the extra govt money to help other sporting infrastructure in the Nth West and North.
Taking aside that it is needed for the team to go ahead, the stadium is the single biggest thing that will determine the new teams success.
Not to mention all the other benefits it will bring. Best thing for the state in decades.
Reckon anyone doesn't understand that has rocks in their head.
I think what it probably illustrates though, is the AFL team is a last gasp to essentially keep the sport alive in Tasmania, in any meaningful capacity.
I’ve always had the fear that maybe the AFL team has come 20-30 years too late. The time to enter was the on the back of the 90s bid, when the AFL then chose to admit Port Adelaide instead of Tasmania. This was coming off strong State of Origin performances when the general systemic entrenchment of the sport at a community level was sufficient to underpin a team.
I still have doubts we haven’t gone past the point of return. Time will tell.
The Devils need to provide an AFL, VFL (ressies), AFLW and women’s ressies side.
Sure, the AFL and AFLW sides can theoretically be filled without needing to even draw on Tasmanian talent in the first instance. But the supporting ressies sides need to at least to some degree, draw from the supporting footy system to maintain sides. Hard to see that element being up to scratch in such quick turnaround. That will be a generational project.
If you think the men’s footy structure in Tasmania is on its knees, should see the women’s. All over the shop, so poorly managed and hap hazard. The initial flavour of the month has worn off and girls/women are leaving the game in droves in the south at least.
