Fans urged keep ‘open mind’ on Tassie team

THE chief of the only AFL club to fully relocate has urged the league and Tasmanians to “keep an open mind” to the possibility as a decision on the state’s football future looms.

Sydney Swans chief Andrew Pridham said at this stage he was not sold on the expansion of a 19th licence.

As negotiations come close to being finalised, the pressure is rising with some clubs pushing their own agendas.

The original Taskforce business case included an annual investment of $7 to $11 million from the Tasmanian Government, but it has been reported the league is now seeking an ongoing yearly $20 million taxpayer commitment to take to the presidents.

However, it is understood this is more of a figure coming from some club presidents as opposed to any official number being put in front of the Taskforce.

Relocation, a joint venture and a stand-alone team were all models canvassed in the AFL’s Carter Report, with the league and the Tasmanian AFL Taskforce now working through final negotiations before putting a submission to the commission and the club presidents by August.

South Melbourne relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney Swans and has become a success story. However, the Tasmanian Government is vehemently opposed to any relocation and is only backing the state’s entry as a completely new entity.

Pridham told the Mercury he could not make a final decision until the AFL presented its final report into a Tasmanian team.

“The 19th team – I will take a fair bit of convincing that is the best approach but I’ll wait and see,” Pridham said.

“I think there is a general support for Tasmania getting a better outcome than what it has now, clearly what they have now is not what Tasmania wants and I get that.

“There is a lot of focus on how a 19th team actually works for everybody financially and talent wise. Is there a better model covered in the Carter report that can deliver maybe not exactly what everybody wants, including Tasmania, but maybe it is better starting point for a long term outcome?

“I can tell you from my own experience with the Sydney Swans ... if that hadn’t happened South Melbourne would not exist today. Even those supporters at the time who were horrified at moving to Sydney and people in Sydney who said, ‘it is not our team, it is South Melbourne’s’, everyone over the decades has embraced it and it is a huge success.

“I’ve certainly got an open mind so let’s see what is presented and hopefully we can come up with something.’’

According to the AFL’s constitution, if recommended by the commission, the club presidents can only overturn a new club with a two-thirds majority, however league chief executive Gillon McLachlan has stated expansion would only occur with the majority of the clubs’ support.

It is believed it is the biggest clubs — such as West Coast and Collingwood — that will provide the biggest obstacle to a Tasmanian team as they fear having to support another small team through the equalisation scheme if it is not financially viable.

The AFL is currently negotiating the next broadcast rights deal, which would kick in about the same time should a Tasmanian AFL team be accepted of about 2026-27.

A 19th team would not add another game each round, but would add 11 games during the season, with a bye for one club each round also giving greater flexibility to scheduling on Thursday or even Monday nights which could add significant revenue to any new deal.

Pridham said the AFL remained fully supportive of a Tasmanian solution in August.

“I think emotionally and in terms of being the custodians of Australian football, they clearly see the merits of Tasmania having a team, they are very genuine about that,” he said. “They are probably inclined to support it but if it is seen to be a financially weak case, or seen to be a disadvantageous to the existing 18 clubs then it is going to be pretty hard to pursue a model.

“They hope they can come up with something that works and I hope they can too.”