AFL block to World Cup bid

[Stone Cold]

i dunno - it's looks like soccer is playing silly buggers...constantly changing their mind. AFL offers up its premier ground (MCG) and says we will make do with Docklands even though it will cost them millions of dollars only to discover (by accident) that Soccer are secretly offering Docklands as well...

How pissed do you reckon RugbyWA would be if it were told that it couldn't host any games at Perth Oval or Subi for a season? It's all right because we could move the games to Adelaide (Ox may be happy with that option though) or Mukinbudin

[jargan83]

The AFL doesn't own the MCG so it's not "their" ground to offer up

[Stone Cold]

The AFL doesn't own the MCG so it's not "their" ground to offer up

pretty sure there is an agreement in effect

[jargan83]

Contracts/Agreements don't seem to mean much these days.

Example, The AFL is trying to get new stadium deals for some of it's clubs despite some of the current deals having years to run

Where else are they going to play? Stadium Management would do well to just sit on their hands.

It has just occured to me that last year and earlier this year the AFL was talking about a "boutique" 30,000 seat stadium to hold games that don't attract the big crowds. What happened with that?

[Burgs]

I think the underlying point (as I think it was Andy already pointed out) is that it doesn't matter if it's the MCG or Etihad, FIFA states that there isn't allowed to be any other national competition in the same city during the WC. I can't see how the AFL could possibly achieve that and still have a viable (financially and supporter interest) season.
Union is fairly immune as it may mean a couple of Tests gone but I can imagine the uproar here if the five Australian Super Rugby teams had to play all their fixtures in New Zealand and South Africa.

[AndyS]

The problem is more likely to be that no-one really knows what the various comps will look like in over ten years time. As it stands now, Union would probably have to skip the mid-year Tests, but they are major line items in the ARU budget - they'll want that money from somewhere. The effect on the Super matches would be much harder to swallow, and are more likely to cause trouble than either NRL or AFL.

As I understand it, the main issue for FIFA is the competition for beds, transport etc. If that is the case, they may well not give a rats about either NRL or AFL provided the matches are local (i.e no folk flying in/out, travelling fans etc). Would be a problem for the interstate clubs, but would ease a lot of NRL/AFL concerns if they can still play matches between suburban sides. The interstate matches might still then be possible, but in regional centres.

But I can't help but wonder - if the other codes decided a year out from the WC that they were going to play on, what could FIFA actually do about it if they don't have signed contracts from the codes guaranteeing they would stop?

[jargan83]

I think the underlying point (as I think it was Andy already pointed out) is that it doesn't matter if it's the MCG or Etihad, FIFA states that there isn't allowed to be any other national competition in the same city during the WC.

My understanding of that clause was that it only affected International Sports, so if the AFL could find somewhere for it's game they would be free to continue as AFL is not recognised beyond Australia.

Rugby Union and Rugby League (despite it's limited International calender, it is played Overseas) would have the hardest time comming to terms with the expectation, but I read an article on Foxsprts website that NRL has given provisional support for FFA at a price.

As Burgs said above, it would be easy for Super Rugby to get around this by scheduling the Australian sides to play their International legs at that time, but the June Tests would be a write off, not only putting the ARU at a disadvantage, but also the NH sides that come down as they sell the TV rights of the tours.

It is a good point from Andy that no one will really know what kind of set up the various comps in Australia will have in 12 years (apparently 2018 will be in a European country, most likely England). Odds are the AFL will be a minimum 18 team competition (Gold Coast and GWS) unless natural selection gets some of those struggling Melbourne Clubs, NRL possibly a 18 team competition as well.

I dare say that FIFA will require some form of written consent from AFL/NRL before giving the World Cup to Australia

[Lonzy]

I think its all too hard ... I'm just going to have to go to Rio for Mardi Gra ...