Mini League Scrapped!

[Dutchy]

Phil H - I know you read this, theres a Messenger article here!

I reckon he already did one - advocating kick & catch on half the ground, mini league on the other half ?

Yep your right...maybe South can lead the way here and do this at Noarlunga?

[n-redlegs]

SANFL marketing = absolute disgrace

[Jimmy]

This is pure crap.

I remember playing 2 weeks in a row for the dogs back in 92, once for school, then next week for my club. (at NAP and Footy Park).

I have also umpired a few games of ML, even a cows/collingwood blockbuster at footy park several years back, i think the pies got up by 5 points?? The kids playing for the crows, were from the school i went to and i knew some of them, i would bet them money to see if they could kick a drop kick goal and do a hand stand...they were doing it and the crowd loved it

I have great memories from playing and no doubt every kid has a dream of playing on the field at half time for their team.

This is poor form.

Wedgie, I am deadly serious mate, if its sponsorship the SANFL need for the ML, then lets do it, Ill certainly chip in.

[zipzap]

Wedgie, I am deadly serious mate, if its sponsorship the SANFL need for the ML, then lets do it, Ill certainly chip in.

This is the sort of thing the revenue from our AFL Franchises (I prefer that word to 'team') should be paying for, not us. Honestly, the Crows in Schools programme is a laughing stock (The Power Youth Community service is actually pretty good). It should be scrapped and money put into initiatives like mini-league and at-game promotions to win over the next generation of supporters/players.

[BPBRB]

A couple of thoughts:

Disgraceful decision to do away with a iconic SANFL tradition.

How hard would it be for the SANFL to get another corporate sponsor? For example did someone like Rob Gerard and his Gerard Crop get approached?

How hard did the SANFL really try to keep it?

Some of the financial returns from the Crows and the Power that go back to each SANFL club via the League should be designated to run the mini league program and legislated as such.

Most clubs now have healthy financial platforms to fund the mini league and most Club Co-ordinators are volunteers in any case so in reality how much would it cost?

How much more do we allow things to slide at SANFL level? One issue facing the league is trying to garnish support and crowd numbers in the next decade or two and who do we need to keep interested if we can in the face of the AFL "monster"? the kids!. One postive thing to keep kids interested and identifying with SANFL clubs is the mini-league.

A very sad day indeed.

[Willo]

Agree with all comments, STAGGERING DECISION!! They should go back to playing across the field like we did when we all had the privledge of playing, then people can still kick the footy at half time. WIN-WIN situation. How bloody hard is that! Has this been confirmed by the SANFL or is it just a rumour? Thought April Fools had come early!

[JK]

A couple of thoughts:

Disgraceful decision to do away with a iconic SANFL tradition.

How hard would it be for the SANFL to get another corporate sponsor? For example did someone like Rob Gerard and his Gerard Crop get approached?

How hard did the SANFL really try to keep it?

Some of the financial returns from the Crows and the Power that go back to each SANFL club via the League should be designated to run the mini league program and legislated as such.

Most clubs now have healthy financial platforms to fund the mini league and most Club Co-ordinators are volunteers in any case so in reality how much would it cost?

How much more do we allow things to slide at SANFL level? One issue facing the league is trying to garnish support and crowd numbers in the next decade or two and who do we need to keep interested if we can in the face of the AFL "monster"? the kids!. One postive thing to keep kids interested and identifying with SANFL clubs is the mini-league.

A very sad day indeed.

Spot effing on mate, I can't believe this decision

[MightyEagles]

BOO.
This is one of the few times that kids play on the ground that their heroes have played on.
Maybe the SANFL have forgotten this.

[sus]

Disgraceful decision if its true. What do you need a sponsor for anyway? Surely the clubs can maintain a couple of sets of jumpers and organise a couple of teams each home game? What other cost is there?

[Aerie]

Agree with the sentiments on here. First mistake was having the home side play Coca-Cola and now nothing at all. A few years ago teams from within the club area were involved in home and away games. That's likely to be 20 different kids each week in 20 rounds of footy, which translates to 400 young kids getting a chance to wear the jumper of their local club and hopefully in turn, taking an interest in that SANFL club in the future and the very least being made aware of it.

The smart clubs will still have some sort of mini-league game at half time and make use of half the oval. i.e. the Eagles could have a game between the blue and gold jumpers each home game. On that rainy 70's round game between the Eagles and West at Woodville this year, pretty much the only atmosphere before the game was coming from the group of mini-league kids in the stand doing an Eagles chant. What a waste it would be if there was no organised game on a league oval at half time on a Saturday afternoon.

[Dutchy]

Has this been confirmed by the SANFL or is it just a rumour?

it was on Channel 9 news last night and definately said is was not continuing, not "thought to" or "may not"...jusy hope and pray that they have got their story wrong and maybe its only a discussion point at the moment...

[mighty_tiger_79]

MEMO SANFL CLUBS

if you want to market your club and get 20 kids every week wearing your guernsey then do something about getting the mini-league back on track.

those kids could be future players, members or admin for your club in years to come!!!!!!!!!!

[FlyingHigh]

Agree with everything on here - absolutely staggering - to think it used to even get on telly on the old Sunday sports shows.

The AFL will continue to have their Auskick at 1/2 time, so that will be what the kids will "aim" for/ talk about/get excited about.

Hopefully this is just one of those things that happens, and we all get worried and over-react, but somehow a way is found for it to keep continuing.

[Ecky]

This is one of the most stupid decisions in a long time.

The mini-league is the only way that many kids and their parents are exposed to the SANFL. Dropping it will make it much harder to capture the next generation of SANFL fans.

It would even be worthwhile for the AFL to throw some dollars at it to promote their game. So much for supporting "grass roots" footy... There is no better way to get kids excited about playing footy than playing in front of reasonable crowds on Saturday afternoons, for the teams which their parents grew up idolising.

[Macca19]

What a pathetic decision. Thats all that needs to be said.

[Blacky]

my understanding is that 3 clubs don't want to do it anymore
1 north
2 central
3norwood

[spell_check]

:D my understanding is that 3 clubs don't want to do it anymore
1 north
2 central
3norwood

Do you know this?

If so, why?

[giffo]

I have recieved a reply from the SANFL regarding thier position. I would post it in it's entirety but I'm not sure of the legal implications. The basic gist is that Coke don't sponsor anything for kids (because of obesity worries), no-one could be bothered and they think it's better to just have the kids who go regularly have a kick rather than bring in a possible 40 kids & their families along who probably have never been to a game.

[bayman]

I have recieved a reply from the SANFL regarding thier position. I would post it in it's entirety but I'm not sure of the legal implications. The basic gist is that Coke don't sponsor anything for kids (because of obesity worries), no-one could be bothered and they think it's better to just have the kids who go regularly have a kick rather than bring in a possible 40 kids & their families along who probably have never been to a game.

well surely we could have the 'diet coke ml' or the 'coke zero ml'

[heater31]

I have recieved a reply from the SANFL regarding thier position. I would post it in it's entirety but I'm not sure of the legal implications. The basic gist is that Coke don't sponsor anything for kids (because of obesity worries), no-one could be bothered and they think it's better to just have the kids who go regularly have a kick rather than bring in a possible 40 kids & their families along who probably have never been to a game.

coke wont sponsor anything for obesity issues oh FFS now Ive seen it all how bout we head hunt playstaitons and similar devices these are the real problem why kids are getting fat, not kids drinking coke