Tassie or Sydney Western Suburbs?

Question

Where would you like to see another AFL team. I personally like the "Tassie Devils"!!

Answer 1

tassie definitely !

Answer 2

I do to and I think Tasmania deserve a side they have had some great players come from there and should have their own AFL team.

I think the AFL hierarchy are earmarking Hawthorn for that role and why should they have to relocate.

Tassie Devils  sounds great but Melbourne are the demons so they might clash a bit.

Answer 3

Interesting analysis Quandry, but I think it has a few flaws. First, it's not just about the ability to immediately sign up 43,000 members to a new club. The AFL is clearly obsessed with the idea that it is fighting against the NRL for the survival of the code. That is the primary reason it is targeting the Gold Coast and West Sydney. This is despite the fact that there is no evidence that the codes are really competing for the same people. The next generations maybe, but not today's fans.

As far as the population argument goes, I think you have missed some vital facts. First, as another person mentioned, 80-90% of Sydney-siders hate AFL at this point. That cuts the interested population down to about 5-600,000 - not the 4.3 million you claimed. Already you are closer to the 1 in 11 mark to get the 43,000 members you suggest - it's nothing like 1 in 100. Second, the Sydney Swans already command the lion's share of those people, and are far better placed to attract future generations just by already existing and having a brand presence. So given that the Swans already have the jump on the 1 in 11 potential AFL members. You may be looking at something like 1 in 3 people who are AFL lovers who don't already choose Sydney.

If you look at it that way, Hobart doesn't seem too badly placed, does it? There is no NRL there, it would be a one team state. I think there is more potential for members in a Tassie team than West Sydney. They all love AFL, and there is no competition. Things like stadium capacity can easily be changed if the money is there. Just a boost of 20,000 in Hobart would be relatively easy to achieve.

The main reason the AFL is ignoring Tassie is because it knows that is an easy market and they can enter it at any time. In NSW and QLD, they see themselves as battling the NRL for market share and they want to get started on the battle sooner rather than later. I think that's rather stupid as I don't think the AFL really needs to worry about NRL in the future. The AFL will grow in appeal more than NRL, naturally. Rugby is not a growing sport. I'd prefer the AFL left it alone and concentrate on it's own strongholds. I don't think AFL needs to kill off other sports to survive. Tassie is a prime market and there is a projected population explosion in Tassie due to global warming. Tassie will be the place to live in 50 years time once the North becomes horribly hot.

Finally, Sydney already has a team! If it's a national competition, they should be worried about every state being represented first. Tassie deserves a first team before other states get more teams. I think the AFL is showing that it takes Tasmania for granted by ignoring them in its current plan. It knows it is always there, panting for approval and inclusion.

For the record, I'm a born and bred Victorian, so I don't have a vested interest.

Answer 4

western sydney

they have the popluation to put the sorry nrl out of commision altogether

Answer 5

Yes, the Tassie Devils would be a good idea. Ahead of them however I would like to see a  Northern Territory side. Hawthorn represent the Tasminia area with Aurora their home ground, what about a side from the NT? Man that would be a bloody fast side.. Plenty of raw talent!

Answer 6

I'm not even much of an AFL fan, but I firmly believe that Tasmania should be the next AFL team.

Having games in both Hobart and Launceston

Answer 7

tassie would be better yep they deserve a team, not just going for a melbounre one!

i would eventually lyk to see one in northen territory even though they proberally wouldnt... think they deserve to watch  and barrack for a team of their own. and enjoy the game like the rest of us do.

Answer 8

very impressive numbers quandry matehowever under your equations the vic population is 4.5 million with 9 teams so therefore there are 500 000 people per team which is the population of tassie

the polls down here are showing that the population will get behind a local team

Auroa stadium admitidly only holds 20 000 ive been to a game there with 21000 Tigers v hawks the gold coast stadium doesnt hold that much how much can the cattery hold?

as for the afl propping up a tassie team well how long will will the afl have to prop up the sydney team?there is justnot the support in sydney for two teams all it will do is poach supporters from the swans sure the swannies have 40 000 members but at least 10 000 of those are carry over south melbourne supporters

we will agree to dissagree on this one i think

Answer 9

I'd love for Tasmania to have an AFL team.. but...

I feel it would be better for the AFL to establish teams in Rugby dominated areas and then set up some more teams elsewhere.

Also, if there was to be a Tasmanian team, there would need to be another club created (in the same way that the Gold Coast and West Sydney will be introduced together ..or a year apart or something). Maybe the Northern Territory or the ACT/Canberra

Also, regarding new teams.. something that alot of people forget are things like facilities.. the  Gold Coast ground will need to be upgraded and I would say the same for York Park (or Aurora Stadium).

Answer 10

A lot of people have been asking this question lately, and I think that Tassie deserves a team more than West Sydney or the Gold Coast. NSW and QLD are rugby dominated states, so AFL teams there won't gain as much support as places like Tasmania and the Northern Territory. There are already the Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans near the areas of the proposed teams, and if the afl really wants to expand, then they should do it in Tasmania, where a team would gain plenty of support.

Answer 11

Sydney Western Suburbs.

The AFL know that if they put a team in Tasmania they will have to prop it up forever! There is not a big enough population; not enough sponsorship; not enough dollars etc.

If Tasmania was a viable proposition there would have been a team there years ago. Don't hold your breath waiting for one to be created there.

Answer 12

PLEASE! Not here!(SWS)

Hey you guys, this is Parramatta Eels territory, we dont want no AFL here. The Swans are enough, they keep their distance.

Answer 13

**I really don't think that the AFL need another team at the moment but if they really had to have one and I had to choose from the choices above then I'd say it'd be the Sydney Western Suburbs.  I think a team on the Gold Coast will happen before a second one in Sydney though.**

Answer 14

tassie devils is a cool name! but im looking forward to the club on the gold coast, i dont think sydney should have another team tassie and GC would be good

Answer 15

I would say tassie. They have good players and Hawthorn don't have to play there as much!

Answer 16

Being a Tassie, boy, I d love to see a Tassie side in the AFL, but it wont happen.

Unfortunatly I have to agree with Quandry- the numbers simply dont support a Tassie team.

The Hawks have been adopted by, and have adopted, . tassie as thier own, but Aurora will only hold twenty thousand compared to the grounds on the north island,  which are 2 to 5 times bigger.

But the real reason Tassie wont see an AFL side is

AFL Tasmainia, and the fact that a STATEWIDE league has been non existant here for years.

The Statewide leage was up and going in the 90s', but fell over in favor of a retun to "regional" footy-

AFL Tas, and the Northwest, Northern and Southern clubs are in talks again at the moment, but cant come to any agreement.

AND PLEASE,

Dont you people know that Tassie *HAS* a side called the DEVILS?  (in the VFL)

If Tassie does get a side, that will be called the Tassie "Gunners", as Gunns will be the obvious choice for a major sponser!! (IMHO)

Answer 17

The next  AFL team should go to Tassie but there is also need for a 2nd team in Sydney at some stage in the future

Answer 18

Tassie hands down-its a true AFL state and the people deserve their own team to support, and don't worry about money,if Geelong can survive as a 1 team town then Tassie will have no problem.plus they'd be 100 times better supported than a team in West Sydney.

Answer 19

It would be great to get a Tasmanian team in the AFL and i think that team would bring forth some very talented players.

But people forget AFL is a business like every other sport in the world. And places like the western suburbs of sydney and the gold coast are becoming larger and larger in population and will prooduce the most crowds. In my opinion i would love to see a Northern Territory team because i believe they would rip but again getting 6000 people to a match is just not possible thats why Rugby League is in such a hole.

Answer 20

The only reason why there's so many people at Sydney Swans games is because Sydney is the only AFL team they support! They're all united. They all go for the same team. Add another one there, then they'd be choosing between two teams and the Swans games would have less people. Leave Sydney with one team.

Give Hobart a team then the whole of Tasmania will unite to support this one team. I guarantee you a Tasmanian team would have heaps more members than a Western Sydney team. Easily.

It's like in the A-League, If you add another Melbourne team to the league, a bunch of Melbourne Victory fans will change to that new team meaning the Melbourne Victory games at Telstra dome will lose a bunch of supporters! Unless of course it's a derby match.

My point is if you add another team for NSW fans to cheer for, it wont broaden the game... it'll just divide the Sydney Swans fans. Give it Tasmania however, and they all unite in pride for having an AFL team!

Answer 21

Simple Maths:  Sydney has a population of 4.3 million.  That means that 1 in every 100 people have to become members to have an extraordinarily popular club of 43,000 members.  They have stadiums that can hold 100,000 as well.

Hobart has a population of about 190,000.  So to get the same outcome roughly one in FIVE people have to become members.  Launceston has 80,000 - you do the sums.  The biggest Tassie stadium holds about 18,000 I think it is.

And yes, a Hobart based team can draw on Launceston but Sydney can draw on Newcastle, Wollongong and Canberra within the same driving distance.

It's unfortunate as I'd sooner see a Tassie team in the comp, but I've been in a Tas Govt team that tried to get a proposal up in Tassie and there is NOT the money there or the support for a full time team.  The AFL will not back a team that can't guarantee 20,000 as starting signatories (I think that's the number).  Plus you need about $10 million in the bank to START!  

Canberra has the same problem.  The enormously popular Brumbies only ever had 12,000 members at their peak.

Oh and IF (by some miracle or benevolence) it did happen - PLEEEASE something less cliche than the 'Devils' or 'Tigers'.

Answer 22

Sydney hates AFL - FACT!

So apart from the Swans, who are supported by ex Rugby trendsetting yuppie's who will support whatever is slightly envogue (hate those crettons!).

Tassie deserves it because they loyally follow Victoria, they are barely considered "Australians" in Sydney, and its probably about time Melbournians adopted a "tassie"!

The all conquring $$$ will however ensure that Western Sydney is plagued with the blight of AFL for several seasons to come, atleast untill that enterprise folds just like the Sydney Kings, because my good Victorian, South Aussie, West Aussie, Territorian and Queensland folk, SYDNEY is a RUGBY & LEAGUE town!

Answer 23

i have answered this 100 times so one more won't hurt,   simple Tassy.    no changing the public to aussie rules, it's already there.

Sydney siders on a whole hate aussie rules, fact.