2011 confirmed for next IC, location up for tender

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2011 confirmed for next IC, location up for tender

Authored by: Mudgee
on Friday, January 16 2009 @ 01:03 am ACDT

Maybe I am a conspiracy theorist, but my honest belief is that the AFL are most interested in the IC as a way of competing against rugby (union & league) in the domestic market. Those two sports have only one advantage over the AFL and that is an international presence. I believe the AFL support the IC as a way to showcase aussie rules as an international sport and win more converts (fans, advertisers, tv time, etc) in Australia. Developing international players is secondary to that - a nice side effect, but not the main point. Just my theory.

If that is the case, I would not be surprised to see the Gold Coast / Brisbane region get the IC. Win over a few more rugby heads and allow good australian media coverage.

If I am wrong (as I have been known to be), and it really is about getting maximum participation, then the US would be a good bet. As someone said, equally easy/difficult for everyone to get to, and they seem to have their act together with grounds, sponsors, etc, not to mention a lot of local teams. I would love to see it in the UK (easier for Germany to make its debut) but agree that this might devalue the tournament by keeping many of the pacific teams at home.

cheers.

2011 confirmed for next IC, location up for tender

Authored by: Michael Christiansen
on Friday, January 16 2009 @ 08:15 am ACDT

I loved the article reference on WFN about Peter Wilson and footy in Japan - -especially the lack of regard for growing the game in Japan by the VFL and the Australian Embassy. Only for Peter Wilson to discover in 1995 at a wedding, that his ruck rover had gone on to important international business position and had opted for grain contracts worth 10s of millions from Australia rather than Canada because he 'liked Australia'.............

During the IC 08, Simon Crean, the Fed minister for trade and a North Melbourne tragic has been quoted as saying that Australian Football is now classified as an Australian Export. Perhaps, everyone is slowly coming around. After all, unlike soccer or rugby - - Australia IS the global Mecca of this sport.

One feels, the AFL has been fairly reluctant to OVER promote the international cup as it would potentially expose them to accusations of delusions of grandeur. It more seems that the international growth is mostly out of their hands - - but that they are obliged to either do nothing or show some support. The IC in Australia with the burden of travel expenses on the competiting nations is cost effective for the AFL. Colin Carter was an advocate - who knows how the individuals on the commission sit on this issue. Does anyone have any ideas?

We'll know more about the broader sentiment should we see AFL begin really spruiking the tournament - this year showed signs of a greater sense of pride - no doubt the improving standard of some countries, the expansion of competing nations and local rather than expat players in those nations - - the AFL might be on the brink of really running with it. Perhaps that requires the first IC 'graduate' to AFL ranks to become the international 'figurehead'.........(Liam Ackland?, Scotty Fleming?.....come on GC17, pick on in your development squad!!). We'll know then how serious the AFL are about showing off the international dimension. However, for now - - as with the NRL issues with losing players to Europe and England to both RL AND RU - - it's not so bad being a single country professional code. If the NSW scholarship scheme (which began slowly but now is going quite nicely) is a sign, within a couple of years, the international scheme might be working more smoothly and perhaps 10 kids a year might be getting listed from 3 or 4 countries of origin.

2011 confirmed for next IC, location up for tender

Authored by: Brett Northey
on Friday, January 16 2009 @ 01:16 pm ACDT

It's funny Mudgee because I kind of have the opposite view. I think the AFL have been slow to throw too much public promotion into the IC because of the reasons Munro Mick refers to, in terms of standard being too low and so not standing up to comparison with other international sports.

What is now getting the attention, slowly, of AFL clubs, and encouraged by the AFL development department, is that there really could be AFL draft picks coming soon. That's what excites AFL clubs and what makes them happier for the AFL to spend money on international footy overall.

Certainly it's a balancing act - promote the international dimension internationally and domestically, but try to avoid comparisons with other sports at this early stage, meanwhile try to promote the real potential of draftees, but again, without raising expectations that the IC players will be those draftees - none have so far and it's really only starting to emerge as a real possibility now as we start to see players developed as juniors move their way into the senior squads - like Fleming and Ackland as mentioned, PNG players like Susuve and James, and hopefully a host of South Africans in 2011.

As the IC gets better, then I think you'll see the AFL cite it more against other sporting codes, and so they should, but I don't think they're getting carried away just yet.

As to whether the US would maximise attendance, I think Australia still does that, perhaps with the US second, just because I doubt many of the Oceania countries would go to Europe as others have stated, but even the US will be a big stretch for some of them.

In terms of the AFL covering travel costs, I just don't think it's something that would win support for their overall international program. It would add AUD $1 million to the tournament cost, and I just don't think the struggling AFL clubs would be too happy about it. The last thing we want is them curtailing the international program. Again, it's all a realpolitik balancing act.

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Brett Northey - Co-founder and Chief Editor of WFN

2011 confirmed for next IC, location up for tender

Authored by: Cam Homes
on Monday, November 01 2010 @ 12:13 am ACDT

My 2c's worth.
It would be great for the IC's to end up elsewhere other than Australia but at this stage probably there is no other country that could hold it(lack of umpires etc.length of the tornament being the main problems). Although the recent European Championships (a week long tournament) held jointly in Denmark and southern Sweden seems to have been very successful(some fair attendances as well apparently) maybe similar tournaments could be the focus of the various regions at this stage of development of international footy. The upcoming Oceania Champs that were proposed for later in the year is an option for these countries(more manageable numbers).
Possibly another Atlantic Alliance type comp every three years(could have up to 10 or so nations competing now). Any of the USA, Canada, Britain and Denmark/Sweden would be capable of staging a regional comp like that.
The Asian champs held in China(mainly expat comp tho I believe) recently in tandem with the Brisbane/Melbourne game could be expanded to an 16-a-side effort(with a bit of financial support from AFL maybe a comp with Japan, China, Indonesia, and India would be a great first step).
I believe that sort of comp is what the various regions should be aiming for at the present and into the near future. Countries in the regions could start to hold them in rotation with all the countries supplying Ump's and other officials to each comp. Much more manageable tournaments to stage than attempting an IC.

Any estimates of numbers of family and friends who attended the EU10 champs (+ players of course) that could be used to gather sponsorship for such regional comps ( know Croatia camped out,) but hotel accommodation numbers etc. are all valuable ammunition to help promote these types of competitions?
Cam

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Brett Northey - Co-founder and Chief Editor of WFN

2011 confirmed for next IC, location up for tender

Authored by: Brett Northey
on Monday, November 01 2010 @ 12:25 am ACDT

It should be noted that this is a very old thread, getting close to 2 years, and since then IC2011 has been confirmed for Australia:

AFL targets Queensland and Sydney for next International Cup

IC2011 set for divisions and Women's comp

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Brett Northey - Co-founder and Chief Editor of WFN

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Brett Northey - Co-founder and Chief Editor of WFN

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