Winners and losers in sport
A FANTASTIC week for Tasmania’s passionate NBL fans with a team guaranteed entry into the number one basketball competition from 2021-22 and upgrading of the DEC to accommodate the team and its fans, thanks to Mr Kestelman and Premier Gutwein’s announcements.
In the same week we fellow passionate AFL fans read how the AFL has injected just under $76 million into the Gold Coast Suns over three years and they only recently got their 13,649th member after eight years in the competition. On top of the draft concessions and the ability to sign 10 rookies from the top end, one can expect, in fact guarantee, the Suns will be part of the AFL forever and a day. If any company invests as much time, expertise and funds without a return after eight years why would they up the ante with those concessions and funds only to relocate to Tasmania or fold, thus allowing our entry into the AFL.
If we are going to have a team it will be the 19th, thus ensuring a team will have a bye every 18th week and this cannot occur in the present AFL climate. Do the AFL really believe in Tasmania, do they honestly think a side with under 14,000 members is more deserved than a side ensuring 40,000 to 50,000 members playing in the competition. The footballing public of Tasmania are tired of the promises. If the same due diligence we are doing from within was done by the AFL before the Suns’ entry, a Tasmanian team would be competing today instead of the Suns.
Christopher C. Garity Howrah