Future clouded for Suns in China
GOLD Coast’s future in the AFL Shanghai match is up in the air as the club weighs the economic benefits against the extra travel and as rival clubs show their interest.
The West Coast Eagles are interested in Shanghai and are here on a fact finding mission this week.
The talk in footy circles is Shanghai’s future is as an AFLX venue but the league’s head of expansion into China and India David Stevenson insists Jiangwan Stadium will continue to host premiership matches for the “foreseeable future.’’
Stevenson said Gold Coast and Port Adelaide would be given first option on continuing their international rivalry.
Gold Coast chief executive Mark Evans said the AFL wanted the Suns involved because the region was the number one destination for Chinese tourists, however, the club would review the success of this week before deciding on another visit.
It is understood the club makes between $300,000 and $400,000 on the game, well short of the $600,000 they made playing a home game at Perth’s new Optus Stadium.
“The decision was easier this year because the stadium wasn’t available because of the Commonwealth Games,’’ Evans said.
“We would need to make sure all of our partners were well serviced and they saw value in it and if we were going to do it again I’d love to be able to entice a contingent of Gold Coasters to come to the game as well.”
Evans said the sides’ performance on Saturday would also be a factor after the first game here was a blowout loss and the footy department would be a part of the decision making process.
“You wouldn’t put your team through all of the logistics of this unless it was quite important for your club,’’ he said.
“This becomes an enormous thing for you to try to combat if you are young and inexperienced.’’
Stevenson said the Shanghai match continued to receive the full support of the AFL Commission and was part of the league’s long term plans.
“We are not making commitment of only being three years or five years, we see this going for the foreseeable future,’’ he said.