LA team on radar in 1988 scheme
RADICAL plan to relocate a Melbourne club to Los Angeles in 1988 is detailed in documents uncovered by News Corp.
The LA Crocodiles would have played home matches at the Rosebowl in Pasadena or the Los Angeles Coliseum.
The audacious proposal had the backing of powerful football administrator Allen Aylett, who was consulting for the league on potential club mergers and relocations.
A formal submission was presented to the VFL commission in September 1987, but it was rejected at a board meeting one month later.
Aylett – the VFL’s chairman from 1977-84 and a key player behind South Melbourne’s shift to Sydney in 1982 – approached a WA consortium about financing the relocation of a club to Canberra before the group presented the Californian counter-plan.
“It is proposed to relocate an existing Melbourne team to Los Angeles, preferably in time for the 1988 season,” the submission declared.
“The team would return to Melbourne four times a year, play three games within a twoweek period, and then return to Los Angeles.
“Eight teams would fly to Los Angeles once a year to play one away game.
“Most games would be played during the northern summer, and therefore, night games would be held during June, July and August.”
The submission said of the LA Crocodiles moniker: “The name would allow Americans to instantly identify with Australia ... and arouse their interest to enquire further.”
The WA consortium, led by developer Errol Marron, had established offices in the US and signed Continental Airlines as a sponsor and carrier.
Asked about his recollections of the LA Crocs concept, Oakley, 75, told News Corp: “We were at a stage in the development of the competition where we were prepared to look at anything – but I’ve got to say this was one of the more way-out concepts.
“We really didn’t have a focus outside of Australia, we were trying to save the game in Australia, and didn’t really see that going to LA was going to have a massive impact on that.
“In the end the thing that killed it were the distances.”
Aylett, 83, said: “I thought it was a bold idea and it’s still a bold idea. I supported and encouraged any concept that was going to grow Australian football.”