In theory there should only be about five teams in Victoria

[TalkingFootball]

"In theory there should only be about five teams in Victoria." - Carl Crumper

I read this comment on another thread and thought this to be worthy of a thread all by itself.

I would just like to ask two question ..

1/ Who's theory
2/ Which teams would you get rid of.

[RoosyRocks]

Population of Football playing states...
Vic (5million), WA (2mill), SA (1.5mill), Tassie (0.5mill)

Given there are 16 teams, two of which are Qld and NSW, we have 14 teams left, Vic can have 7-8 of them.

Now, which 2-3 to flick...
Carlton - Proven to be nothing but a bunch of cheaters, firstly with the salary cap, now with the tanking.
Richmond - Two finals campaigns in 25 years is poo-thetic. (3 spoons too)
Kangaroos - as the third, they cant make a profit, why should the other teams prop them up.

[Plugg3r]

I think me make a great point Roosey, but who'm would replace them?
I am one who loves the history of the game, I wouldn't like to see any go..
Merge is a posiability.
But to have the big flick for ever, I don't see is correct.

Now, for the states that dont have a team..

ACT- To small a state to support a football team to be quite frank.

TAS- I don't think they'd have that much support down there to have a fan base behind them

NT-Could work, but to hot up here for the teams that come. Hence why there's no teams up here already.
They could field a very good team just out of players that come out of here but the point being is that from going from 5 degree temperature to 31 degree temperature would start an uproar..

I've seen this mentioned before about some other teams, but I just don't see it!

[Yoyo]

Why don't the Hawks just move south?
They're already established there and you're not removing a team from the competition, but they are now no longer "Victorian".

Move the Kangaroos north and they become a Queensland team (I can't see longevity at Canberra's Manuka, low population in an almost exclusively rugby league state). Yes, I know Queensland is also a rugby state, but they have the history of the 3-peat Lions to support an another AFL team.

[Bird of Prey]

How bout the Hawks stay where they are? lol
As long as a club can survive in the business we know as the AFL, then there's no reason they shouldn't be there.
Why do people feel there's a need to have less clubs in Victoria?

[RoosyRocks]

Originally Posted by Bird of Prey

How bout the Hawks stay where they are? lol
As long as a club can survive in the business we know as the AFL, then there's no reason they shouldn't be there.
Why do people feel there's a need to have less clubs in Victoria?

Because that's just it, many many Victorian clubs are submitting losses to the AFL each year, and the AFL is having to help these teams out, year in, year out.
The financially stronger clubs are having to bail out the weak, who if moved would most likely require less funding.

The AFL should cut all handouts and instead offer the equivalent of three years handouts to move to a choice of a few pre-selected markets such as Gold Coast, Tassie and perhaps NT (but unlikely here).

The Gold Coast move is an interesting one. Southport Sharks are absolutely rolling in the coin, with millions just sitting in their bank accounts ready to be spent as soon as they enter. Teams like Port and Freo paid their $6 million entry fee over a 10 year period, Southport have the cash ready to go, and the AFL sure would like it. The problem is Southport have openly stated they want to enter as their own team, which would require the folding of one Victorian team, this is something the AFL frowns upon. On the other hand, relocation works well for the AFL, but then the AFL has to spend all the money on the ground upgrades etc, and doesn't get the licence fee they would with Southport.

[Yoyo]

The AFL's coffers are full enough for them not to get a licensing fee. If they can relocate an existing Victorian team, you would assume that it could at least maintain a small proportion of its members, which is probably better than starting out a brand new team. Fitzroy supporters still follow the Brisbane Lions, even South Melbourne supporters still follow Sydney.

Having said that, if the new team is started using a strong state team as its base then it should be successful as well. Freo pulled in all the South Fremantle and East Fremantle supporters who were sick of having to support a team that was based in Subiaco. And Port - it goes without saying.

I think I would prefer a team be relocated rather than wiped out. I don't know which is more financially viable. The feasibility is obviously a lot more complex than the information we can present in this forum.

[The Optimist]

The AFL should take over player payments and this will reduce the pressure on the clubs and place this pressure with the AFL as they determine the salary cap and not the individual clubs.

The salary cap is the issue of why clubs are potentially struggling.

All 11 clubs can be sustained in Victoria if this were to take place.

The AFL may even decide to reduce the salary cap if they can not sustain all 16 clubs salary caps.

Player marketing would also go to the AFL as well and this will diminish the salary cap rorting that is possible.

The clubs would therefore be responsible for their own revenues and expenditures and therefore the clubs would require no further handouts from the AFL.

The game can be further expanded in the future given that the AFL feels that it can cope with more salary from new clubs.

[Yoyo]

I don't understand how the AFL could possible handle player salaries.

How could they determine what players should or should not be paid by particular clubs and how this would affect draft picks and trades depending upon what the club required for development?

[Plugg3r]

Originally Posted by Yoyo

I don't understand how the AFL could possible handle player salaries.

How could they determine what players should or should not be paid by particular clubs and how this would affect draft picks and trades depending upon what the club required for development?

Agreed, especially with Mr.D at the helm.
Pays Matthew Pavlich $220,000 and pays Hird $490,000?

One suggestion i'm glad not see is the one where salary caps are taken of the clubs.
Imagine teams like Collingwood.

They'd be able to purchase to Victorian State of Origin team with comfortable ease.