David Harding
Cain LynchStatewide support for more AFL games
November 12th 2010 06:13
Sourced: AFL Tasmania
Grassroots football from every region of Tasmania has thrown its support behind AFL Tasmania’s push to bring more AFL games to the state with a financial dividend flowing back to community sport.
Far from seeing the arrival of the nation’s top competition as a threat, football organisations from around the state realise that Tasmania is on the verge of a once in a generation opportunity to bring lasting benefits to every level of football.
According to AFL Tasmania chief executive, Scott Wade, there is a clear message to the Government from the football community.
“AFL Tasmania has the full and collective support of the NTFL, NTFA and SFL and nine of our ten clubs to pursue its agenda of securing more AFL games for the state,” Wade said.
“They are all of one voice. Any new deal to bring AFL football to Tasmania must produce a return for Tasmanian football.”
“At the moment the current arrangement with Hawthorn provides no benefit for local football.’’
“The proposal that we are working on to get more AFL games here will not only grow the support base for our sport, it will provide a direct financial return that will flow down to all levels of football in this state.
“The football community see this benefit and that is why they support AFL Tasmania’s vision.
“The world is not standing still. AFL football is not standing still. To opt for the status quo is to miss out on an opportunity to build the economy, build the sport, support the community and more towards having our own Tasmanian team one day.
“The offer is on the table. It is our opportunity to be part of the future of the game.”
North West Coast club, Devonport, is right behind the move says club President, Steve Daley.
“The Devonport Football Club fully supports AFL Tasmania’s proposal that there be more AFL games played in Tasmania and strongly believes that all Tasmanian State League clubs should receive a direct financial benefit from any AFL games played in this state,” Daley said.
Clarence Club President, Kim Farrow, is looking at the big picture.
“Let's get on board and get those dollars back to grassroots level and then we can all say that it’s a benefit having AFL games in Tasmania,” Farrow said.
South Launceston Club President, Ian Goninon, says Launceston will be the winner out of playing more AFL games in Tasmania, even if some of them are in Hobart.
“The future deal with an AFL club must return dollars directly to the sport,” Goninon said.
“More AFL games in Tasmania is good for our game if it helps us build our local clubs, to work with our talent, and to provide good sporting opportunities for kids at all levels.
“Launceston hosts games now, but no Launceston club gets a single dollar to go back into its programs because of it.
“A model that provides a dividend to the sport and allows us to do our job properly can make everyone a winner.
“More Games means a bigger dividend, and if this requires games played in the north and the south of the state, that’s fine by us.”
Lauderdale President, Phil Giffard supports the move that brings Tasmanian Football into line with the other states who generate revenue from hosting AFL games.
“We simply must change the mindset that football revenues generated from the Tasmanian football public are for use on anything other than the football clubs that are committed annually to promoting and developing the code in this state – and that is our Tasmanian football clubs,” Giffard said.
Grassroots football from every region of Tasmania has thrown its support behind AFL Tasmania’s push to bring more AFL games to the state with a financial dividend flowing back to community sport.
Far from seeing the arrival of the nation’s top competition as a threat, football organisations from around the state realise that Tasmania is on the verge of a once in a generation opportunity to bring lasting benefits to every level of football.
According to AFL Tasmania chief executive, Scott Wade, there is a clear message to the Government from the football community.
“AFL Tasmania has the full and collective support of the NTFL, NTFA and SFL and nine of our ten clubs to pursue its agenda of securing more AFL games for the state,” Wade said.
“They are all of one voice. Any new deal to bring AFL football to Tasmania must produce a return for Tasmanian football.”
“At the moment the current arrangement with Hawthorn provides no benefit for local football.’’
“The proposal that we are working on to get more AFL games here will not only grow the support base for our sport, it will provide a direct financial return that will flow down to all levels of football in this state.
“The football community see this benefit and that is why they support AFL Tasmania’s vision.
“The world is not standing still. AFL football is not standing still. To opt for the status quo is to miss out on an opportunity to build the economy, build the sport, support the community and more towards having our own Tasmanian team one day.
“The offer is on the table. It is our opportunity to be part of the future of the game.”
North West Coast club, Devonport, is right behind the move says club President, Steve Daley.
“The Devonport Football Club fully supports AFL Tasmania’s proposal that there be more AFL games played in Tasmania and strongly believes that all Tasmanian State League clubs should receive a direct financial benefit from any AFL games played in this state,” Daley said.
Clarence Club President, Kim Farrow, is looking at the big picture.
“Let's get on board and get those dollars back to grassroots level and then we can all say that it’s a benefit having AFL games in Tasmania,” Farrow said.
South Launceston Club President, Ian Goninon, says Launceston will be the winner out of playing more AFL games in Tasmania, even if some of them are in Hobart.
“The future deal with an AFL club must return dollars directly to the sport,” Goninon said.
“More AFL games in Tasmania is good for our game if it helps us build our local clubs, to work with our talent, and to provide good sporting opportunities for kids at all levels.
“Launceston hosts games now, but no Launceston club gets a single dollar to go back into its programs because of it.
“A model that provides a dividend to the sport and allows us to do our job properly can make everyone a winner.
“More Games means a bigger dividend, and if this requires games played in the north and the south of the state, that’s fine by us.”
Lauderdale President, Phil Giffard supports the move that brings Tasmanian Football into line with the other states who generate revenue from hosting AFL games.
“We simply must change the mindset that football revenues generated from the Tasmanian football public are for use on anything other than the football clubs that are committed annually to promoting and developing the code in this state – and that is our Tasmanian football clubs,” Giffard said.
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