AFL hands out more cash to poor Melb clubs

[hammo]

The AFL is contributing $10million to refurbish the training bases ("traditional homes") of Melbourne Clubs.

This means the AFL is effectively bankrolling new facilities for clubs like Essendon and St Kilda.

Source

I have no problem if the Victorian or Federal Governments do this but why does the AFL feel the need to doll out cash to a certain few clubs to help them keep pace with interstate clubs and Collingwood, Hawthorn etc?

I feel this has been a major area of advantage for interstate clubs and there is no doubt Collingwood's Lexus Centre is state of the art and clearly paying off.

I just don't see how on an ethical basis the AFL, as governing body, can justify doing this when ALL clubs don't get the money.

If financially stricken Melbourne clubs can't compete with interstate clubs and Collingwood then they need to look at their business models, not get handouts from the AFL for training facility upgrades.

[swansrock4eva]

But why should clubs like West Coast making millions of dolloars profit each year get that sort of handout "just because"? If the AFL wants to keep a competitive 16 team competition, it needs to make sure all teams are competitive to some degree. Otherwise it becomes 6 interstate clubs, collingwood and maybe one other, and the rest are virtually worthless. Yes business plans etc should be looked at, but think of the market share in Melbourne, as opposed to Adelaide or Perth, or Sydney or Brisbane. There are 9 teams competing for public money down there, which is a very different situation to 2 or even 1 team in the market. The AFL has committed to a 16 team competition, so it needs to commit to the viability of those 16 teams, and if some are looking less viable than others, then it makes sense to out some cash into them if it maintains what has been committed to.

[swantastic]

stuff the clubs going bankrupt let them fold,the AFL did nothing to help south melbourne or fitzroy."just here to help"

[prenda]

long drought ahead for melb afl.

look at the power houses of 80,s afl,hawthorn,essendon,carlton all are a shadow of there former selves,theres team in the vfl,like werribee,sandringham and port melbourne that would give them a run for there money.

it will be ten years before two melbourne teams face off again in a grand final.very sad but very much a reality.

[swantastic]

Originally posted by prenda
long drought ahead for melb afl.

look at the power houses of 80,s afl,hawthorn,essendon,carlton all are a shadow of there former selves,theres team in the vfl,like werribee,sandringham and port melbourne that would give them a run for there money.

it will be ten years before two melbourne teams face off again in a grand final.very sad but very much a reality.

not sad at all melbourne clubs are just jelous of interstate clubs success."just here to help"

[prenda]

Originally posted by swantastic
not sad at all melbourne clubs are just jelous of interstate clubs success."just here to help"

no it is sad the 89 grand final was one of the greatest footy games i have seen.sad to think those grand finals will be very few and very far in between.

[SimonH]

The 1984 SANFL grand final (Port v Norwood) was/is one of the best games I've seen, and it's sad to think that those type of grand finals have probably gone for good. But that's life, like it or not. The 2 other major footy leagues in Australia (WAFL, SANFL) had to take their medicine and suffer a big hit and a big restructure in the interests of the 'national game'.

But the Victorians have traditionally thought they're exempt from rules of common sense and economics. Stark reality is now hitting: you can have 10 teams, at least half of which are weak on- and off-field and are constantly begging for prop-ups from central admin; or you can have 7 or 8 competitive, sustainable teams. Their choice; no-one else can make it for them.

[graystar]

What I find more interesting is I think the melbourne clubs except for say collingwood, have to yet to reach that next level of professionalism.

With things like the draft and salary cap, the only way you can gain an edge is via off field methods. Facilities, doctors, training, mentoring, leadership - all the things the swans have improved a lot recently. Areas where maybe the older guard has been yet to seriously innovate in.

[prenda]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by graystar
[B]What I find more interesting is I think the melbourne clubs except for say collingwood, have to yet to reach that next level of professionalism.

i totally agree,teams like north,western bulldogs,hawthorn would really have to relocate to become super clubs with mass membership and proper corparate sponsorship ,training facilities etc.sadly they lack all of the above,i cant see them being very sucessful in the future.

north will have to relocate,canb or gold coast,there situation is dyer.

[graystar]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by prenda
[B]

Originally posted by graystar
What I find more interesting is I think the melbourne clubs except for say collingwood, have to yet to reach that next level of professionalism.

i totally agree,teams like north,western bulldogs,hawthorn would really have to relocate to become super clubs with mass membership and proper corparate sponsorship ,training facilities etc.sadly they lack all of the above,i cant see them being very sucessful in the future.

north will have to relocate,canb or gold coast,there situation is dyer.

If you think of the hardships south melbourne went through in the early 80s, at least now the south name lives on through the sydney swans. By moving early they got a decent pick of remaining markets.

It could be a case of first mover with those above teams. Sydney at the moment could not have a second team, so that leaves the gold coast/canberra as the last place to move to. If they stay in melbourne too long, the first one that moves will survive, the rest - who knows?

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by graystar
If you think of the hardships south melbourne went through in the early 80s, at least now the south name lives on through the sydney swans. By moving early they got a decent pick of remaining markets.

It could be a case of first mover with those above teams. Sydney at the moment could not have a second team, so that leaves the gold coast/canberra as the last place to move to. If they stay in melbourne too long, the first one that moves will survive, the rest - who knows?

The fat controller said a few months ago that within 10 years there will be a second team in Sydney and a team on the Gold Coast.

[573v30]

Originally posted by goswannie14
The fat controller said a few months ago that within 10 years there will be a second team in Sydney and a team on the Gold Coast.

Western Bulldogs --> Western Sydney Bulldogs

Kangaroos --> Carrararoos

[Tuesday]

Originally posted by prenda
there situation is dyer.

Jack.

[CureTheSane]

I think it's a bit rude for Sydney supporters complainng about other AFL clubs being helped, given our history, and especially ho we have been taken care of since the move to Sydney.

Once we won a flag, (and especially after Brisbanes trilogy) I would expect the spotlight to be well and truely off the 'rugby cities' for a while.

It's now up to the clubs to make the most of their success.

But the same has to be said for Vic based clubs.

Do the AFL have imput into the board members to make sure they are capable of running a profitable team?

In the end, still the most likely result will be a relocation.
I find it hard to see the public allowing any club to disintegrate these days and the AFL will prop up a dead club with options of relocations to expeand the Australia league in the ay that they want.

Along the way the will have to be seen to not want this, even though it has to be their long term plan.

[floppinab]

Originally posted by CureTheSane
I think it's a bit rude for Sydney supporters complainng about other AFL clubs being helped, given our history, and especially ho we have been taken care of since the move to Sydney.

Come on CTS, I haven't done the sums but given all the business about the licence fee and paying back loans from the AFL I'm willing to bet that the nett amount "taken care of" has been in the negative since the move to Sydney.

We've been started to being helped again since the AFL has started to bankroll our COL allowance but is still a fair way behind the Dog's et al and a long way behind the $1mill + for each club for these facilities.