Sydney AFL licenced club

[Rafters]

Many times i have spoken on this site about the surprise in the lack of a licenced club that Sydney footy can call its own like all other communities can claim in Sydney & other leagues around Australia can claim.

So a few questions to ask in an open forum:

* would you like to see a licensed non-profit footy club for the benefit of all Sydney AFL fans?
* would you like to see profits being poured back into various Sydney footy related projects including
* do you think that each Sydney AFL club would be willling to be foundation members - for a fee - to help get such a club up & running?
* do you think that Sydney AFL clubs could see the benefit of supporting a licenced club with the dividends coming back in future years with improved facilities, lower fees, umpires paid for, etc etc
* do you think that end of year functions - such as Phelan medal & club B & F dinners - could be held at such a venue?
* would individuals be willing to put up cash - in debenture format - to help establish the club? If so, what interest rate should be paid? Repayment terms in general?
* where should such a venue be located?
* should we buy or lease?
* should we build, leave as is or redevelop?
* do we have people with the appropriate experience in Sydney footy to build, finance, operate/run a licenced club?
* other suggestions?

[The Spoiler]

Many times i have spoken on this site about the surprise in the lack of a licenced club that Sydney footy can call its own like all other communities can claim in Sydney & other leagues around Australia can claim.

So a few questions to ask in an open forum:

* would you like to see a licensed non-profit footy club for the benefit of all Sydney AFL fans?
* would you like to see profits being poured back into various Sydney footy related projects including
* do you think that each Sydney AFL club would be willling to be foundation members - for a fee - to help get such a club up & running?
* do you think that Sydney AFL clubs could see the benefit of supporting a licenced club with the dividends coming back in future years with improved facilities, lower fees, umpires paid for, etc etc
* do you think that end of year functions - such as Phelan medal & club B & F dinners - could be held at such a venue?
* would individuals be willing to put up cash - in debenture format - to help establish the club? If so, what interest rate should be paid? Repayment terms in general?
* where should such a venue be located?
* should we buy or lease?
* should we build, leave as is or redevelop?
* do we have people with the appropriate experience in Sydney footy to build, finance, operate/run a licenced club?
* other suggestions?

Rafters, Once again the AFL's preferred option is Blacktown!!!

[Rafters]

If it means guaranteed $$$ in 20 years time to footy in Sydney then I have no problems with Blacktown as a base. I ran 42km last month ... Blacktown really isn't that far away even for the most myopic eyes.

[The Spoiler]

If it means guaranteed $$$ in 20 years time to footy in Sydney then I have no problems with Blacktown as a base. I ran 42km last month ... Blacktown really isn't that far away even for the most myopic eyes.

Yeah sure Rafters, people will just flock there.

[Norris Lurker]

If we're looking for a club that's a massive, pokie-infested leagues club-style establishment; then Blacktown's probably the perfect place for it.

There is an existing Aussie Rules Social Club in Kings Cross, but I'm not sure what relationship (if any) it has to the game other than the Swans. Plus it's a bugger to get to, and impossible to find parking on a Friday or Saturday night.

And changes to regulations may make it harder for clubs to get poker machine licenses. And much as I hate pokies and the damage they do to the community, can a club possibly be profitable without them? How can a new club starting up get a reasonable number of licenses? Do we follow the Crowe/Holmes a Court blueprint; or hope some other club goes belly-up to make a stack of licenses available?
But cheap drinkies and AFL on the big screens would be attractive.

[Splinters]

If it means guaranteed $$$ in 20 years time to footy in Sydney then I have no problems with Blacktown as a base. I ran 42km last month ... Blacktown really isn't that far away even for the most myopic eyes.

Is this a wind up?

Such a club would cost a huge amount to be set up, be competing with endless super clubs in the area (Blacktown Workers, Panthers, Mounties etc). The idea that the supporters of North Shore, Penno and ECE would flock to Blacktown on the weekends to support the code is laughable.

Also, and I may be criticised for this, the AFL and NSWAFL have much better ways of spending their money than pouring into a venture that is bacially a gambling play. Pokies are an absoluter scourge on this state whose impact via the pubs is only beginning to be felt. I wanty our game to have no association with the filthy things.

Leave that to We$ts......