The Game Future NRL Stadiums part II

[Steel Saints]

The AFL's next broadcast deal starts in 2025 and finishes in 2031, and is reported to have a clause in it for expansion to a 19th team. The broadcast rights and GWS's deal with Canberra ending at about the same time seems to have been planned by the AFL so that one can lead seamlessly into the other.

It's unlikely that the Tasmanian side will join the league until roughly 2028, and the expansion to a 20th team will be included as part of the next broadcast deal, meaning that the 20th team almost certainly won't enter the comp until some time in the early 2030s. That leaves Tasmania a few years to get established, then the GWS deal runs out just in time for Canberra to enter a standalone team in the early 2030s if the AFL chooses to expand to Canberra.

Broadcasters would probably have a say of where team 20 is located too.

 

[Colk]

Hahahaha, geez its pretty easy to get a ticket to watch and AFL game (GWS) in canberra or western sydney, not so much in the state of WA
They'll pull from that well again

I personally think Canberra.

Not like there would be a lot of resistance to it either from the political class

 

[The Great Dane]

Broadcasters would probably have a say of where team 20 is located too.

Sure, but historically the AFL hasn't been like the e.g. NRL or A-league where broadcasters have been allowed to dictate expansion plans in the past.

The AFL will undoubtably consider their broadcast partners and other stakeholders input, but they'll make the final decision on expansion and anybody who doesn't like it can lump it.

 

[The Great Dane]

I personally think Canberra.

Not like there would be a lot of resistance to it either from the political class

Andrew Barr will be supportive, but even in his position he'll have a lot of trouble pushing through an AFL standard stadium.

He's basically spent the last decade telling the electorate that building a new stadium would be fiscal insanity, and the way he's acted throughout the discussions about the new rectangular stadium, arena upgrades, new ice rink, etc, etc, has burned so many bridges with people whom would/should be his biggest supporters in building an oval stadium and attempting to get an AFL license that he's heavily undermined his position. Anything he does needs the Greens support on top of all that, and I can't see Rattenbury and the Greens agreeing to delaying construction of the light rail to fund an oval stadium any more than a rectangular one.

His best chance of pulling it off would be if he convinces the federal government to fund a knockdown rebuild of Bruce as part of the renewal of the AIS to somewhat placate the rectangular sports, then, with the AFL's support, try and get more federal funding for a new oval stadium somewhere else. But even then there'll be a lot of discontent and he'd be running a high risk of spelling the end of his career in ACT politics.

It'll be a massive shit fight if he tries to get the plans for the new stadium at Bruce turned into a "multipurpose", but I wouldn't put it past him. It'd honestly be pretty fascinating to see how that senario plays out as well.
If he tries that on the first thing the Raiders and Brumbies should do is solemnly announce plans to relocate if the stadium is built as an oval. Don't make any demands about the stadium, just each hold a press conference where they calmly lay out that their businesses won't be feasible if they're forced to play out of an oval, and thus will have no choice but to move.

 

[The Great Dane]

There're lots of whispers and reports locally that multiple groups are looking to make submissions for federal funding for a stadium in Canberra before the deadline next week.

Most of it's connected to the renewal of the AIS, where predictably the big stumbling block is over whether the Sports Commission or the ACT will own the stadium, but there're rumours that the NRL is involved in some capacity as well. The Canberra Times has suggested that the NRL may even be making their own submission.

That could just mean that the Raiders are involved in some capacity, which wouldn't be surprising, or it could mean that the NRL themselves are getting involved. The NRL getting involved would be surprising given their track record, but it's better late than never.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

No one cares where the 20th klan is going to be. Or the 19th for that matter.

 

[Wb1234]

There're lots of whispers and reports locally that multiple groups are looking to make submissions for federal funding for a stadium in Canberra before the deadline next week.

Most of it's connected to the renewal of the AIS, where predictably the big stumbling block is over whether the Sports Commission or the ACT will own the stadium, but there're rumours that the NRL is involved in some capacity as well. The Canberra Times has suggested that the NRL may even be making their own submission.

That could just mean that the Raiders are involved in some capacity, which wouldn't be surprising, or it could mean that the NRL themselves are getting involved. The NRL getting involved would be surprising given their track record, but it's better late than never.

Geez I wonder which genius on here said the nrl should get involved itself and talk to the federal govt about putting money into a new stadium at Canberra

if this is correct then as i expected vlandys really is the leader the game has needed for approx 30 years

 

[greenBV4]

Geez I wonder which genius on here said the nrl should get involved itself and talk to the federal govt about putting money into a new stadium at Canberra

Wowee you love to toot your own horn..
I think everyone on here has said that's what they should do

But yeah, great news if true, even better if it works

 

[The Great Dane]

Geez I wonder which genius on here said the nrl should get involved itself and talk to the federal govt about putting money into a new stadium at Canberra

if this is correct then as i expected vlandys really is the leader the game has needed for approx 30 years

Pretty much everybody has been saying that the NRL should do something about the new stadium for a decade or more.

We also don’t know for sure if they’re actually involving themselves or what their involvement would pertain. Their support is pretty bloody useless if they’re backing a Sports Commission owned rebuild of Bruce stadium for example.

 

[Pneuma]

The options for team 20 that get discussed in Aussie Rules circles are Canberra, NT/NT and Cairns in a "Northern Australia team", Perth, Adelaide, Auckland, and Brisbane as a possible smokey.

You can basically rule the NT, NZ, and Brisbane out. Despite the popular media support for it, the NT/Northern Australia stuff is a pipedream. If Auckland/NZ is explored as an option it will almost certainly fall apart in the early stages of business planning unless there's significantly more broadcaster interest for AFL content in NZ than anyone reasonable suspects. And though the AFL wants a second Brisbane side to happen, and will almost certainly look at it behind the scenes, a second Brisbane side would be even more expensive and less stable than GWS and the Suns at the moment, and there just isn't any will for another project like at the moment.

That leaves Canberra, Perth, and Adelaide as the only realistic options.

The GWS deal isn't a major concern or road block to Canberra getting it's own side as pretty much everyone who pays attention can see that Canberra's situation with GWS is becoming increasingly toxic. Both sides of the fanbase are becoming increasingly resentful of the other, and as a result this current deal will almost certainly be the last no matter what happens.
The real road blocks to Canberra getting it's own side is the lack of an AFL standard stadium in Canberra, and the fact that it'd almost certainly be another expensive expansion project that would need to be heavily underwritten to survive just like GWS, the Suns, Lions, and now Tasmania.

Adelaide and Perth, especially Perth, are seen as markets where you could plonk a team down tomorrow and it'd more or less support it's self from day dot without the need for much interference or support from the AFL, and that's a very attractive prospect to a lot of the AFL's stakeholders, especially the other clubs.

Anyway, that's basically the lowdown of the current AFL expansion debate, and currently I'd put my money on Perth getting the 20th team if I was a betting man.

That’s pretty bloody excellent analysis.

 

[Stormy weather]

The reason the AFL was able to get the money was Tasmania wanted the AFL and the AFL didn’t want Tasmania. Realistically they should have had a team 30 years ago but got knocked back time and time again.

They wanted to make the offer to good to turn down

 

[Wb1234]

Pretty much everybody has been saying that the NRL should do something about the new stadium for a decade or more.

We also don’t know for sure if they’re actually involving themselves or what their involvement would pertain. Their support is pretty bloody useless if they’re backing a Sports Commission owned rebuild of Bruce stadium for example.

iF vlandys gave it priority it will get done

if the only solution the act govt accept is a full knock down and rebuild at Bruce with a roof then so be it (comm bank with a roof)

30k 2 tiers then it’s a win even if it isn’t in the centre of town

 

[Stormy weather]

iF vlandys gave it priority it will get done

if the only solution the act govt accept is a full knock down and rebuild at Bruce with a roof then so be it (comm bank with a roof)

30k 2 tiers then it’s a win even if it isn’t in the centre of town

You have a lot of love for V’landys

 

[The Great Dane]

iF vlandys gave it priority it will get done

if the only solution the act govt accept is a full knock down and rebuild at Bruce with a roof then so be it (comm bank with a roof)

30k 2 tiers then it’s a win even if it isn’t in the centre of town

At this point what the ACT government will accept is largely irrelevant when the submission is being made to the federal government.
Barr and ACT Labour have painted themselves into a corner and are in no position to turn down federal funding for a stadium, even if they’re not supportive of the plans.

It won’t be a win if it’s a Sports Commission owned rebuild of Bruce either. We’d basically just be setting ourselves up to face all the same problems we’ve faced with Bruce all over again if we go that route.

The biggest nonnegotiable should be that the ACT taxpayers get to own the stadium, and expensive asset, that they will be expected to maintain. No less would be accepted anywhere else, and it shouldn’t be acceptable here.

This is a hill I and all other ACT ratepayers should be willing to die on.

 

[Wb1234]

At this point what the ACT government will accept is largely irrelevant when the submission is being made to the federal government.
Barr and ACT Labour have painted themselves into a corner and are in no position to turn down federal funding for a stadium, even if they’re not supportive of the plans.

It won’t be a win if it’s a Sports Commission owned rebuild of Bruce either. We’d basically just be setting ourselves up to face all the same problems we’ve faced with Bruce all over again if we go that route.

The biggest nonnegotiable should be that the ACT taxpayers get to own the stadium, and expensive asset, that they will be expected to maintain. No less would be accepted anywhere else, and it shouldn’t be acceptable here.

This is a hill I and all other ACT ratepayers should be willing to die on.

I’m assuming the feds are only part funding it

Bruce has had great crowds in the past

the location isn’t the biggest issue about the ground

what the issue if the act govt don’t own it

 

[Wb1234]

I

You have a lot of love for V’landys

ive given every leader a chance till they been shown to be flops

 

[Stormy weather]

I

ive given every leader a chance till they been shown to be flops

Fair call. I always think things aren’t as good as they seem but also on the flip side aren’t as bad as they seem

 

[Wb1234]

Fair call. I always think things aren’t as good as they seem but also on the flip side aren’t as bad as they seem

Remember the old benefit of the doubt rule ?

I always give rugby league the benefit of the doubt lol

after all the crap it’s got from union and afl they can ead

 

[Vibing]

No one cares where the 20th klan is going to be. Or the 19th for that matter.

A fumbleball dweeb at work ( white skinny four eyed & unpopular) much like the sport here
is adamant the 20th team will be Perth 3
They have the stadium & the market with Perths population tipped to hit 2.5 million in 10 years time

Canberra is not big enough & there isn't enough corporate support for another elite sports team here.
The Raiders realised this 20 years ago & diversified its income streams to cover this issue.

 

[The Great Dane]

what the issue if the act govt don’t own it

It’s pretty self explanatory isn’t it?

Historically the Sports Commission has been loath to maintain their infrastructure to standards that the ACT needs for its community and sports teams to benefit from them. That has lead to a situation where it’s become expected that the ACT ratepayer will fund upgrades and maintenance of the stadium and arena that are federally owned.

In other words the ACT ratepayer has been forced to sink 100s of millions of dollars into stadiums and arenas they don’t own to keep them functional, but don’t actually get any of the benefits of ownership of those assets as a result.

Where the revenue from the stadium should go is constantly up for debate, we don’t own them so we don’t have the right to sell them, and every time something needs repairing or upgrading there’s a big bureaucratic debate as to who’s job it is to pay for it.

The ACT not owning the stadium and arena has also been the single biggest hurdle in getting them replaced. If the ACT owned them the land they are on would have been sold to developers to fund construction of new ones a decade or more ago, and you and I wouldn’t be having this discussion at all.