Swans AFLW Team and new training venue

[Mug Punter]

How come GWS had space? How come many Melbourne teams had space? Smacked of a cop out to me. Would love to see my girls in red & white but the Swans would want to get their act together soon!

GWS have BISP as a ready made venue.

There is no way that Sydney could have supported two teams in the AFLW this season. AFL for women in Sydney is, compared to somewhere like Queensland, totally in its infancy but I'm sure your girls will have that opportunity in time. It really is the NSWAFL who need to get their act together though

[Meg]

How come GWS had space? How come many Melbourne teams had space? Smacked of a cop out to me. Would love to see my girls in red & white but the Swans would want to get their act together soon!

It is disappointing but I don't think it's a cop out. GWS has a dedicated training oval, Tom Wills Oval, at Olympic Park which they have access to all year round, and where their facilities including an indoor training field, gymnasium and running track are located overlooking the oval. The women also train there and there was space to fit out a brand new dedicated change room for the women. GWS don't have to compete for space or training time with cricket as do the Swans at the SCG.

[bloodspirit]

There is a lot more space in Western Sydney with the lower population density - it's easier (and cheaper) to get a place to do what you want.

Good news is that the new sponsors announced today may help us with the moolah we'll need to build flash new facilities: Three more join Swans - sydneyswans.com.au.

[Pmcc2911]

I think Erskinville Oval is good alternative venue.
Big ground lots of space, 2 mins walk to the train line, close to the new West Connect interchange.
There is a bowling club next door with heaps of space that could be taken over and redeveloped into training facilities, social club etc etc.

[Meg]

I've just posted this link on another thread but really belongs here. This was the statement the Swans put out in April 2016 explaining their reasons for not bidding for an AFLW licence for the first stage of the competition.

"The Sydney Swans are committed to broadening female participation at all levels of AFL football, however the Club is unable to provide the necessary infrastructure to support an elite women?s team in time for next year?s season launch."

"The decision follows a detailed analysis .............. (which) identified significant challenges, most notably an absence of adequate training facilities."

"The Sydney Swans are at maximum utilisation of their facility at the SCG and there is no capacity or space for an additional team to be housed at the Club?s headquarters."

Sydney Swans NWL statement - sydneyswans.com.au

[Meg]

Good news is that the new sponsors announced today may help us with the moolah we'll need to build flash new facilities: Three more join Swans - sydneyswans.com.au.

Re Nike (as well as Dexus and Science in Sport) becoming a corporate sponsor of the Swans - they've been quick off the mark to use their Swans' link. I've been in the CBD this morning and did a double take when I saw a photo of Dan Hannebery as part of a Nike ad - on the side of the public toilet in Elizabeth Street outside the entrance to the St James underground station!

Dan is wearing Nike in predominantly white with some black and there is nothing in the ad to identify the Swans. Nike must believe Dan and, by association, the Swans are well enough known in Sydney to being kudos to their brand without explicit identification clues. That's positive!

[Mug Punter]

Re Nike (as well as Dexus and Science in Sport) becoming a corporate sponsor of the Swans - they've been quick off the mark to use their Swans' link. I've been in the CBD this morning and did a double take when I saw a photo of Dan Hannebery as part of a Nike ad - on the side of the public toilet in Elizabeth Street outside the entrance to the St James underground station!

Dan is wearing Nike in predominantly white with some black and there is nothing in the ad to identify the Swans. Nike must believe Dan and, by association, the Swans are well enough known in Sydney to being kudos to their brand without explicit identification clues. That's positive!

I think commercially we are about to go absolutely gangbusters in Sydney and I think it now makes a mockery of COLA even though it was genuinely needed at the time. We are now the bluest of blue chip sporting brands in Sydney and I can see the off field opportunities for players here to be at least the equal, if not more, than in the traditional states.

I see the Academy as a really important part of the Swans' business model. It's football benefits, elite and grassroots, are indisputable but the community engagement it is building in our local football community, who will then all go out and spread the message, is a benefit that I think we overlook.

[Meg]

Ha! I just walked past Dan's Nike Ad again. It seems to be specifically advertising Nike's Air brand sports shoes. And the wording says "Kiss my Airs".

Well Dan, if you insist ....... !

[bloodspirit]

Presumably the lack of Swans branding means that it doesn't count towards salary cap. What's the story with ASAs? Do they get counted in any way? Or are they also completely outside the TPP cap?

[Meg]

Presumably the lack of Swans branding means that it doesn't count towards salary cap. What's the story with ASAs? Do they get counted in any way? Or are they also completely outside the TPP cap?

The use of Dan's image suggests to me that he has an ASA as part of his salary package. We know Buddy certainly does. The total amount a club can pay to players as ASAs is capped (and was never indexed to COLA) but these amounts are currently not counted as part of the club's total 'salary cap' or TPP. There was some suggestion a year or so ago that this might change - so perhaps under the new CBA (when it finally gets released).

However none of the above has implications for the use of Swans' branding as far as I can see.

[giant]

It is disappointing but I don't think it's a cop out. GWS has a dedicated training oval, Tom Wills Oval, at Olympic Park which they have access to all year round, and where their facilities including an indoor training field, gymnasium and running track are located overlooking the oval. The women also train there and there was space to fit out a brand new dedicated change room for the women. GWS don't have to compete for space or training time with cricket as do the Swans at the SCG.

Fair cop, will put my skepticism to one side!