Football wars continue

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Authored by: Stephen Anthony Funder
on Monday, November 17 2008 @ 07:05 pm ACDT

With Australia's small population and economy and given the increasing financial demands on the various codes there is only room for one major player the others being more subordinate in nature.That is why the succesful code must attract ,hold and grow its following for commercial reasons.You cannot afford to have any fence sitting,warm and fuzzy fairweaher friends who like to spread their favours about.Thats because with the first sign of adversity you won't see them for dust.Australian football faces enough obstacles such as the bias displayed by the Qld Government in handing out $200 million for a stadium at the Gold Coast at the drop of a hat.With taxpayer funded payouts like that no wonder Michael Searle is cocky.You also have the acute myopia of the Victorian public who are against anything unless its in their own back yard.
The AFL have to be very business like and ruthless when dealing with its compeditors and where possible roll right overthe top of them.You cannot under any circumstances be sentimental.You take no prisoners.
All the best
Stephen Funder

Football wars continue

Authored by: Brett Northey
on Monday, November 17 2008 @ 09:28 pm ACDT

Yep, what Stephen Funder said is the reason I think the "football wars" are important, because of Australia's relatively small market. And of course if the AFL faded then a lot of the impetus for our sport internationally would fade - there wouldn't be the support for South Africa, there wouldn't be fresh waves in the same numbers of Aussie expats going out and starting clubs, there wouldn't be new generations who saw it on TV and wanted to play, etc.

Personally, if I had to make a long term prediction to say 2050, I'd expect that there will be three sports considered to be big in Australia in terms of where the money, crowds and talent are. They would be 20-20 cricket, soccer and one other football code. Whether it be the AFL, Rugby League or Rugby Union, it depends on which sport plays its cards best. Sure the other codes would still exist, but I suspect in a much weaker form.

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Brett Northey - Co-founder and Chief Editor of WFN

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