SANFL Future

[old blue]

I'd like to kick off a fresh topic on this issue, so we don't keep getting bogged down in the specific issues of Unley Oval and the incompetence of Sturt's management 20 years ago - which I freely concede. The issues go beyond any one club and connect with another thread about how the SANFL competition can improve its position. Just a couple of statistics to start
Total Membership of the 9 SANFL clubs -approx 22000 which equals about 2% of the total population of Adelaide
Average weekly attendances 2005 (including finals) - approx 11000 which is about 1% of the total pop. of Adelaide
Now we ask ourselves why the Advertiser gives us poor coverage, why we are struggling to get radio broadcasts and TV ignores us almost totally.The reality is that we're just not important for the majority of people.
To the best of my knowledge, but I could be wrong, no SANFL club owns the oval it occupies. The tenure arrangements vary but the bottom line is that the councils control them and councils are answerable to the whole community, not just the 1 or 2 percent who support football clubs. Recreational space is a valuable asset in urban areas and there are a great many people (not just in Unley) who resent the virtual monoply of football clubs on prime areas of it. Influential pressure groups are pushing councils all the time for greater access. Many would happily kick us off the ovals altogether and turn them into parks and we ignore these forces at our peril. We need to make friends like never before. The great differnces between the 1940's that Wedgie mentioned and the present are firstly that a far greater proportion of people cared about local football back then and secondly there was not the shortage of open space and the density of population that we see today in cities. I was actually around in the 1940's but far from trying to relive the past, I'm facing what I see as the challenges of the present and immediate future. So that's my view and I can see that many will disagree strongly. But that's fine, I hope that we can generate some serious discussion here because we all agree that SANFL footy faces major challenges.

[Wedgie]

Excellent post old blue and it ties in quite niceley with my Playing for the love of the guernsey thread, I do agree the SANFL deserves much more coverage than it gets in the paper.
I think Westies own Richmond but I could be wrong.

[Ian]

I think Westies own Richmond but I could be wrong.

I'm pretty sure they do.

[Punk Rooster]

Perhaps another SANFL club will be owning their oval in the future- not short term, perhaps a bit beyond.

[Wedgie]

Perhaps another SANFL club will be owning their oval in the future- not short term, perhaps a bit beyond.

Christ Punky, I know we're making some good $$ at the moment but real estate in Prossie would be pretty damn expensive, and that's not even taking into account the politics involved with the Cricket Club, etc mind you, every council would have its price, not out of the realms of possibility.

[Punk Rooster]

Perhaps another SANFL club will be owning their oval in the future- not short term, perhaps a bit beyond.

Christ Punky, I know we're making some good $$ at the moment but real estate in Prossie would be pretty damn expensive, and that's not even taking into account the politics involved with the Cricket Club, etc mind you, every council would have its price, not out of the realms of possibility.

I guess when clubs become debt free, their options open up. You never know what might happen, as I said, this won't happen in the short term. As for the CC, do they have Pokies income to compete with a potential bid? Anyway, I'm not saying this is a goer, but we must keep our minds open to possibilities in the future.

[oldfella]

I am sure Council owns Richmond - we own stand? - Clubrooms are on West Adelaide property.

SANFL is now thought off by majority as same as local football clubs were in past when SANFL was no.1. -- at times I feel that the SANFL bosses know this but do not want to admit it.

AFL wants the VFL to be the no2 league and act as main feeder -- why else did they force the salary cap on the SANFL (held back junior development monay)

If SANFL wants to get press coverage then they are going to have to buy/pay for paper space -- I accept a cost but why could they not pay for a 2 page spread on SANFL once a week ------ similarly the SANFL is going to have to put up maney to get radio coverage.

How often do you hear or read about amature league - hills league -- Great Southern Football leage ------ Sadly SANFL is now the same as these leagues.

Things to try ---- free admission or dollar days ---- are night games finacialy justifiable -- no 17/19 only u18 (I do not want this) --- shorter season

[oldfella]

Punk Rooster -- while I feel your idea about clubs owning thier own oval has some merit I feel given the massive costs associated then it is unlikely that a SANFL club would take it on ---- examples.

The average oval would consist of say 100 housing allotments therefore seems fair to suggest purchase cost would be 10 mil +.

If purchased then football club would be responsible for all maintenance costs which in most cases is presently picked up by Council (200 - 500k per annum) guess any one know.

Finally, the good council having sold the property would then want rates & taxes -- again based on 100 housing allotments how much would this be every year

[Wedgie]

I think (through no effort of the SANFL so far) that a huge part of the SANFL's future lies on the internet.
This is an area where clubs and the SANFL can capitilise on technology to use something that wasn't there before to help promot the league.
Could you imagine if we had footy forums back in the hey day of the SANFL, they would have been out of control.

I've had many emails from supporters of many clubs saying how they'd lost interest in the SANFL for a while and especially people I/S and O/S can only keep in touch now through the internet.

A great eg is a good friend of mine called Wessie who stopped going to North games in 1995 because of several disabilities but when we organised the rally in 2003 he came back out as he felt he had to and since he's been to just about every Prospect game and all the finals and games at Adelaide and Alberton. Beware if you see a bloke dressed up in North gear on his scooter hooting down the roads after SANFL games as that's me mate Wessie!

Luckily I think most clubs are realising that these days and seeing that the SANFL filled a job prior to Xmas which had duties including website duties perhaps we're going to keep improving in this area. Also the SANFL have been handing out media passes to people involved in websites such as the Footysa lads who have done a great job so that's a step in the right direction.

[oldfella]

Wedgie --- good call -- thought one of the clubs was sending out a weekly e-mail to members who want it -- e-mail updates how training is going - injuries - recruits - anything informational but ensuring members feel they are in the loop.

[am Bays]

Wedgie --- good call -- thought one of the clubs was sending out a weekly e-mail to members who want it -- e-mail updates how training is going - injuries - recruits - anything informational but ensuring members feel they are in the loop.

Yep our club sends them out, and yeah I remember in 1990 the Football Times doing an expose on each oval for a week, westies were the only club to own the land of their oval, every other club it is council property.

[XXXXRooster]

Of course having a bigger salary cap than the VFL and WAFL is something we should always keep and as clubs get back into better positions $ wise ramp it up a little every year. Like to see it get to the stage where one day a kid will decide "I'm better off staying here than going on an AFL rookie list"

[Blacky]

Wedgie --- good call -- thought one of the clubs was sending out a weekly e-mail to members who want it -- e-mail updates how training is going - injuries - recruits - anything informational but ensuring members feel they are in the loop.

Yep our club sends them out, and yeah I remember in 1990 the Football Times doing an expose on each oval for a week, westies were the only club to own the land of their oval, every other club it is council property.

we don't own our oval it is owned by the council
we own our footballers club

[Coorong]

And "just a little" adjacent land.

[am Bays]

Wedgie --- good call -- thought one of the clubs was sending out a weekly e-mail to members who want it -- e-mail updates how training is going - injuries - recruits - anything informational but ensuring members feel they are in the loop.

Yep our club sends them out, and yeah I remember in 1990 the Football Times doing an expose on each oval for a week, westies were the only club to own the land of their oval, every other club it is council property.

we don't own our oval it is owned by the council
we own our footballers club

medalist wrong AGAIN!!!

[Pseudo]

I had believed that Port Adelaide council sold Alberton to the Magpies for a token price in the lead up to the second AFL bid - and that Port Power paid out the Magpies for it later.

I am quite happy to be told I am wrong, though...

[doggies4eva]

As far as I am aware the only non-council owned oval is Footy Park - due to a cosy deal with the govt many years ago.

Most clubs own their facilities on those grounds and these are shown as assets on their annual accounts.

But why would a club want to own their own grounds when a friendly council will provide the facilities, pick up most of the grounds maintenance and public liability insurance? The current arrangements beenfit the clubs.

[Pseudo]

But why would a club want to own their own grounds when a friendly council will provide the facilities, pick up most of the grounds maintenance and public liability insurance?

Perhaps so the club could build functional toilets and a bar without having to cut through council beauracracy?

(welcome to my pet peeve...)

[doggies4eva]

But why would a club want to own their own grounds when a friendly council will provide the facilities, pick up most of the grounds maintenance and public liability insurance?

Perhaps so the club could build functional toilets and a bar without having to cut through council beauracracy?

(welcome to my pet peeve...)

Most clubs seem to have no problems arranging a bar - they pay for them as they will make money. But toilets cost so no-one really wants to know about it.

[therisingblues]

Maybe we need a way to make toilets profitable. I knew a guy who had an idea about the "compost crapper". Take a dump, then six months later it is available in a bag at your local nursery, ready to throw on mum's roses or those strawberries you've been nursing through the winter.
Not only that, but the methane, if one could harnass it, could provide enough energy to blow the siren for quarter breaks.
Toilets aren't profitable...my ass!