News Tasmania offered eight AFL games

[Changa10]

TASMANIA has been offered eight AFL games a season from 2012, but the State Government may have to give Hawthorn the boot and strike a deal with another Melbourne-based club.

Under the new offer from the AFL, it is believed the State Government has been given a choice take eight home-and-away games split between Launceston and Hobart, or continue the existing arrangement with Hawthorn of four games a year, all in Launceston.

Tasmania cannot have both and the Government must give the AFL an answer within months. The Government is negotiating with Hawthorn about a new five-year deal from 2012. The new deal would allow Tasmania to host four games at Aurora Stadium in Launceston and four at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.


Full article here - http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/11/11/185161_afl.html

Now, I'm Tasmanian, but if this is how we, Hawthorn, are going to be treated after all the work done down here, then move all games back to the G immediately!

There is no way known that the Hawks will agree to play 8 games in Tassie, so there must be a hidden agenda here between the AFL and AFL Tas?

The atmosphere at the G is far better than at Aurora anyhow. More excuses for us to travel to the G..

 

[Brant]

I may be reading too much into it (or not enough) but to me that seems like a HFC squeeze out in preparation of relocating another Melb club.

Just seems dumb by AFL & arrogant of Tas Govt - IF TRUE..

 

[Changa10]

That's how we are reading here at work too Brant.

Will we see the Tassie Kangaroos in 2012?

 

[Gunston19]

8 games in tassie for hawthorn no way, 4 is already to many.

 

[market]

If there is a remote chance the content of this "article" is true, then enjoy 2011 at Tassie, as it will be our last.

 

[spudmaster]

The club has done well in shoring up its finances with the Tassie deal in recent years. Should we lose the deal, hopefully a few strong years in 2011-2014 will see our membership base grow as a result of on-field performance to help offset any lost income from the Tassie deal.

From a purely selfish point of view, I'd love to have the games back in Victoria!

 

[Hawkinspired]

TASMANIA has been offered eight AFL games a season from 2012, but the State Government may have to give Hawthorn the boot and strike a deal with another Melbourne-based club.

Under the new offer from the AFL, it is believed the State Government has been given a choice take eight home-and-away games split between Launceston and Hobart, or continue the existing arrangement with Hawthorn of four games a year, all in Launceston.

Tasmania cannot have both and the Government must give the AFL an answer within months. The Government is negotiating with Hawthorn about a new five-year deal from 2012. The new deal would allow Tasmania to host four games at Aurora Stadium in Launceston and four at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.


Full article here - http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/11/11/185161_afl.html

Now, I'm Tasmanian, but if this is how we, Hawthorn, are going to be treated after all the work done down here, then move all games back to the G immediately!

There is no way known that the Hawks will agree to play 8 games in Tassie, so there must be a hidden agenda here between the AFL and AFL Tas?

The atmosphere at the G is far better than at Aurora anyhow. More excuses for us to travel to the G..

I think it's pretty clear. AFL don't give two hoots about the HFC. We are sustainable, and for good or bad don't enter their thoughts. NM clearly are no closer to getting in the black and would be silly to knock back another finanical offer from the AFL. 100 million last time? How much this time? Whatever the figure, it's a cheaper option for the AFL and it elimitates the inconvenience of a 19th team. For NM fans, Pride can only take you so far. Your better off in Tasmania than not at all. Just ask Fitzroy supporters. They'd take it in a heartbeat.

 

[Off The Couch]

Will the AFL be reimbursing the HFC for the money it has invested in Auora. Whilst I have always been torn about the Tassie deal this absolutely reeks - I expect to be hearing from JK very, very soon.

 

[hfc70]

The club has done well in shoring up its finances with the Tassie deal in recent years. Should we lose the deal, hopefully a few strong years in 2011-2014 will see our membership base grow as a result of on-field performance to help offset any lost income from the Tassie deal.

From a purely selfish point of view, I'd love to have the games back in Victoria!

Have always supported the Hawks venture into Tasmania but if it is true, walk away now. Shows a lack of support from the AFL & AFL Tasmania as the Hawks have created something special down there. Will come back to bite the AFL.

 

[Dragz]

Pity AFL Tasmania and Scott Wade are involved.

That's bad news for everyone. Be interesting to see if the Government say 4 games at York Park with Hawthorn is our preferred option. But then again, our government down here is so disfunctional that picking 1 option out of 2 might be a bit too difficult for them.

If they want 8 games, goodbye Hawthorn, i'll see you once a year in Melbourne

 

[Rioli magic]

As far as I can read it will be a 4/4 split between Hawthorn and North. The emotive language is embarrassing, obviously you can't have both options, ie the existing deal of 4 games and a new deal of 8 games, totalling 12 games. It doesn't say the new deal can only be with one club, although that's what they're trying to insinuate, most likely for the benefit of Tasmanian readers.

My only query is what the sponsorship arragement is? Are the AFL negotiating sponsorship of Victorian clubs on behalf of the Tasmanian government? Or is the new offer void of sponsorship and simply a fixturing offer?

Either way it's a kick in the teeth to Hawthorn and all the hard work we've put in down there. Another example of AFL 'democracy' at it's finest, almost certain to interfere and disallow the sponsorship arrangement of a club, or at best minimise the potential income and length of a clubs arrangement.

There is absolutely no point in Hawthorn taking the 8 games, they have made that clear enough. The Tasmanian venture is short term at best and should only be downsized from here on in, before we are literally moved out of the state by the AFL.

 

[Dewnior]

Where does it say that the 8 games have to be played by the one club?

If Norf turned down 11 games on the Gold Coast why would they now happily play 8 down in Tassie?

 

[Hungry Hawk]

As one door closes another will open.

 

[suedehead]

Time to give this Tassie thing the arse. Let North take the 8 game relocation deal.

 

[go hawks!!!]

Four games is enough any more and it is not in the interest of our supporter base.

I have a feeling there will be a middle point in renewing our contract and we will increase the home and away games to 5. We will see but that will cause a huge issue with the Melbourne based supporters

 

[worthy]

TASMANIA has been offered eight AFL games a season from 2012, but the State Government may have to give Hawthorn the boot and strike a deal with another Melbourne-based club.

Under the new offer from the AFL, it is believed the State Government has been given a choice take eight home-and-away games split between Launceston and Hobart, or continue the existing arrangement with Hawthorn of four games a year, all in Launceston.

Tasmania cannot have both and the Government must give the AFL an answer within months. The Government is negotiating with Hawthorn about a new five-year deal from 2012. The new deal would allow Tasmania to host four games at Aurora Stadium in Launceston and four at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.


Full article here - http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/11/11/185161_afl.html

Now, I'm Tasmanian, but if this is how we, Hawthorn, are going to be treated after all the work done down here, then move all games back to the G immediately!

There is no way known that the Hawks will agree to play 8 games in Tassie, so there must be a hidden agenda here between the AFL and AFL Tas?
The atmosphere at the G is far better than at Aurora anyhow. More excuses for us to travel to the G..

I'm Tasmanian also and completely agree with the bolded.

 

[RustyHawk]

Where does it say that the 8 games have to be played by the one club?

If Norf turned down 11 games on the Gold Coast why would they now happily play 8 down in Tassie?

North aren't a party to the negotations. They will go where the AFL puts them and right at the moment the AFL is putting them fair square in Tassie, like it or not.

 

[BaliHawk]

Reliable as can be.

The AFL deal is driven by AFL Tasmania and the AFL with North, does not involve the Hawks at all.

The financial commitment required by the Tasmanian Government for the AFL-North deal to occur is 3 times that of what they currently commit to the Hawks.

The AFL-North deal includes AFL Tasmania, possibly the worst run sporting organisation in Australia running the AFL games in Tasmania where their CEO, former Hawks player Scott Wade is 'hated' by many of the Clubs and their Presidents across Tassie.

So the Tasmanian Government has a decision to make, and it has a significant dollar factor.

Finally the only way the Hawks would increase its number of games in Tasmania is if the AFL increased home games from 11 to 12, we would probably play that extra game at Aurora.

Will the Government 'pay the price'....I doubt it.

 

[HawksILove]

Give Tassie the flick, if 8 games still stands and build a new base at New Zealand

 

[Pessimistic]

No New Zealand.

It will be hard hard hard and if you are successful, the AFL take it off you ?

 

[Brown Blood]

Give Tassie the flick, if 8 games still stands and build a new base at New Zealand

I don't think it shows this at all - all the afl are doing is showing they are prepared to schedule up to 8 games a year in tasmania.

And this doesn't mean involving just 1 team.

As we know the afl are propping up melb, port and the dogs by playing a couple of games in darwin each year - if they can encourage the tasmanian govt to start propping up north with games, a club who is in even worse shape, it reduces their own costs.

And it can also be seen as further proof the afl is actively supporting a national comp - without costing them anything.

win win win situation for the afl.

Things to note are:
- it is unlikely north would commit to play 8 games in tasmania in 2012.
- no way HFC will play additional games there in 2012 (there won't be a 24 game season) unless kennett want a member revolt
- does the tasmanian government have the inclination to double the cost for funding afl games? (Unlikely)
- Is there any other sponsor in tasmania (No)
- Does this help our current negotiations (No)

Therefore best to treat this as the afl are willing to schedule up to 8 games in tasmania & look like a hero if terms by all parties can be reached.

 

[Hawker_Ant]

Looks like pretty poor journalism to me. All it really says is that Hawks play 4 games next year at Aurora and are negotiating to continue that, and another team (can't imagine who) might be playing another four in Hobart.

Nothing new in that.

 

[Tas]

I think it's pretty clear. AFL don't give two hoots about the HFC. We are sustainable, and for good or bad don't enter their thoughts. NM clearly are no closer to getting in the black and would be silly to knock back another finanical offer from the AFL. 100 million last time? How much this time? Whatever the figure, it's a cheaper option for the AFL and it elimitates the inconvenience of a 19th team. For NM fans, Pride can only take you so far. Your better off in Tasmania than not at all. Just ask Fitzroy supporters. They'd take it in a heartbeat.

Well, we have continually turned a profit, even during the tougher GFC times. We have paid off some of our debt, put another $2m into the new facilities, increased football department spending by some $3m since JB came and we are not deriving any income from pokies, which can be a significant cash cow for clubs.

I think we have turned things around off-field quite well, but we have diluted our supporter base in Melbourne over the last decade or so playing games in various markets and harmed our ability to compete in Melbourne thanks to our previous administration. We also cop a shizen draw year after year which doesn't give us a remote chance of making a decent return or encouraging more money from sponsorship or corporate side of things.

One way or another we have to find a happy medium where we can support our existing members and secure the future without butting heads with the AFL constantly.

The Tasmanian deal would only work if they guaranteed a lot of away games in Melbourne, if they do put that in writing we would be silly not to seriously consider it.

I think the AFL do not want to lose the power of the broadcasting rights in Melbourne, losing a club in Melbourne would harm broadcasting rights, having a club co-locate would with 8 Tassie games, 11 melbourne games and 3 interstate games would for the AFL tick all the boxes.

But, would Tassie be happy with co-location? I think that is the best offer you could possibly get from a Victorian club, the only way I can realistically see Tassie having proper representation for the foreseeable future. I wouldn't be surprised if GC and GWS remain a significant financial drain long-term which would make it unlikely the AFL would consider more expansion for 15 years until Colonial returned to AFL hands and Melbourne clubs in general would become less reliant on AFL distributions.

 

[hawker5]

I think that the AFL are pushing the Tassie government around. Lets stroll back in time. The Tasmania Gov commences negotiations with Hawthorn for a contract extension. In step the AFL and suggest that a team play 4 games in Hobart. The Tassie government tells the AFL thats fine do what you want but you will get no sponsorship from us. The AFL says we dont need your help AFL Tasmania and Bellreive Oval will help with the redevelopment costs and sponsoship. Tasmania Gov continue to negotiate with Hawthorn in good faith.

Roll forward and the AFL realise they need the help of the Tasmania Government to play the 4 games in Hobart so the AFL tell the Government if you want 8 games in the future then you must abandon the exclusive deal with Hawthorn and make a deal for 4 games in Launceston and 4 games in Hobart with 1 or more clubs.

Now I dont want to be an alarmist but since when do the AFL tell any government body what to do. Here we have a sporting body telling a government how they should spend their money and who they should deal with. I am sorry and I know that this will be to the detriment to the people of Tasmania but it is about time that all political parties in the state to unite and tell the AFL to "knick" off and that they will not be blackmailed.

By taking a stand against Demitriou and his cronies, at worse they could loose the Hawthorn deal and have to wait longer for a semi permanent side to be based in Tasmania - at best the deal with Hawthorn can be extended and the AFL will be forced to pay for the costs of having a side in Hobart as the AFL have committed to this in the future.

 

[Dewnior]

North aren't a party to the negotations. They will go where the AFL puts them and right at the moment the AFL is putting them fair square in Tassie, like it or not.

But didnt they already try and do that and Norf refused to relocate to the Gold Coast ? Whats changed since then to make you think Norf "will go where the AFL puts them... like it or not"?