Money, influence and corruption -in our AFL????

[6621104]

Big money, TV rights deals, boys wanting to play in the big end of town, obligations and promises to keep. Who would want to be an AFL admisinstator? Yet it is these very people who are charged with preventing our competition from becoming just like the English Premier League. Forget the Essendope stoush, the real threat is perhaps already manifest. The disillusion with the integrity of the competition, the failure of any semblence of randomness in the fixture, the money clubs becoming more so and the crazy rule changes designed to remove the legitimate physical character that has been inherent in the game for over 100years. The game has survived on one generation passing on to the next the love of a team, the passion and hope that makes you get out on a Saturday (oops-sorry, a Thusday, Or Friday or Sunday or........)
My grandkids would rather play a computer game than watch a real one.
The crowds this season are down (masked by the Adelaide Oval success). It will be interesting to see what happens in the next few years.

[saintbrat]

I have been watching some games from 1980's and 1990's


and little things noted- game really hasn't changed that much- Alves was doing some things that are still bemoaned or applauded now

and Tv was' going whole hog--- started INTERVIEWING a coach prior to the game ....
I wonder if those same TV people feel now we are listening to players during action and interviewing players as they leave the ground...

[Jacks Back]

I posted this on another (THE other) thread before I saw this one.

That suburban, tribal, rivalry has gone out of the game, replaced by the big sanitized stadium, corporate dollars, FIXtures and athletes masquerading as "footballers".

[Bernard Shakey]

If you don't like AFL go watch your local footy club, you'll be surprised how good and enjoyable it is!

[Con Gorozidis]

To me it is simple (ish).

The AFL constitution describes the AFL Commission as the 'keeper of the code'.

But who decides whether this constitution has been kept? Who watches the gate keepers?

The reality is this constitutional cornerstone has long been sacrificed as the TV Broadcast rights optimisation has become the paramount cornerstone of the AFL commission.

The only people with the power to re-calibrate the AFL commission to re-connect as the 'keeper of the code' are the clubs.

This my friends is how corruption works. The clubs are the only ones to steady the ship = but they are too far down the gravy train trail.

Why do people think College football is so popular in the US?

The NFL is a TV sport and everyone treats it as such. And our AFL are headlong and desperate to be like the NFL.

I dare say NONE of the AFL Commission have ever lived in the US.

(And yes I have lived in the US. The NFL is good for sponsors, players and administrators - but not at all the same for fans - we will all be screwed)

[Megamaguire]

Con you are right in highlighting some of the questionable and money hungry motivations that are constantly swirling around the corridors of the AFL administration.
The big clubs are getting richer (and don't they need it?) while the poorer get the picture!

When I think about it it makes me worry about the survival of our Sainters.
As a club we could do with some financial wins. Reading a few posts on here lately I did agree with whoever it was that said we abandoned Tasmania on a whim and not in the best long-term interests of our club surviving & thriving. I guess decisions like that come down to the qualities of the administrators.

My old bandwagon ' BUY THE DOME BACK ALREADY ' just keeps coming back to haunt me.
If the AFL could just do one thing for our club (incl. dogs & north) it would be to buy back the stadium and allow us to operate on a level playing field. This leveled playing field would allow St.Kilda Football Club to operate more independently and securely.
Some day . . .

G O S A I N T S !

[WinnersOnly]

Three words = Collingwood Eddie Maguire!

[bigred]

Game has been rigged for years.

[Stephen Theodore]

If you don't like AFL go watch your local footy club, you'll be surprised how good and enjoyable it is!

+ 1

[matrix]

so we've only just figured out the game is run by big business for the sole reason of making profit and its run by rich fat cats who are all knuckle pressers and pat themselves on the back with one trouser leg rolled up?

seriously
only just figured that out now?
the day it went from VFL to AFL it died

[gringo]

Pretty much how the rest of the world is going too. Get used to it. Our governments sell out to big business and have no interest in the public any more and it's all major parties not just the Libs. Clive Palmer has just back flipped on two pieces of legislation that directly benefit him. He should be unable to vote as there is a conflict of interest.

[matrix]

cant argue with that gringo

"all the word is a stage....and the public are the puppets"

[plugger66]

Pretty much how the rest of the world is going too. Get used to it. Our governments sell out to big business and have no interest in the public any more and it's all major parties not just the Libs. Clive Palmer has just back flipped on two pieces of legislation that directly benefit him. He should be unable to vote as there is a conflict of interest.

Exactly. Living in fantasyland if people expect the AFL to be different to all other sports.

[ace]

Gee don't tell me the AFL is corrupt now.
I have been bagged for saying that since I joined this forum.
(16 December 2007)

[6621104]

Personally I dont give a stuff who makes money from the game, who scratches the back of the other etc- BUT I do care when the game is corrupted, and by that I mean that inequality increases, draws are manufactured, rules are massaged to pander to the latest random incident and what it means to play for a club and support a club become ever more distant as a relic of a bygone era.
We will see, but as many have commented elsewhere- our fixture does us no favours.

[gringo]

Personally I dont give a stuff who makes money from the game, who scratches the back of the other etc- BUT I do care when the game is corrupted, and by that I mean that inequality increases, draws are manufactured, rules are massaged to pander to the latest random incident and what it means to play for a club and support a club become ever more distant as a relic of a bygone era.
We will see, but as many have commented elsewhere- our fixture does us no favours.

We stuffed up majorly when we allowed gambling money to come in. We have exposed ourselves to more chance of the game being manipulated. Unfortunately there is no moral code for most major sports and success is seen as the money coming in during someones tenure. In the corporate and political world there is no incentive to make your country better in 10 or 20 years time. They sell the house to rent it back because the books look good on their watch. China will take over as the worlds dominant economy because their system is able to look long term. The western economies are all based around individuals getting richer with no common goal or agenda. The AFL is just a microcosm of general society.

[Megamaguire]

Pretty much how the rest of the world is going too. Get used to it. Our governments sell out to big business and have no interest in the public any more and it's all major parties not just the Libs. Clive Palmer has just back flipped on two pieces of legislation that directly benefit him. He should be unable to vote as there is a conflict of interest.

Governments that are more interested in telling than representing equal a dangerous brew indeed. Here in Victoria we have to pay inflated energy prices because of secret government deals guaranteeing energy providers profits!
Guaranteeing should not come into it in a transparent society. You have to shake your head when you realise the politicians that feel the need to lead and look tough bend over backwards to the big companies and financial interests. Fortunately not all news including political initiatives around our planet is bad. There is a lot of work going on making energy cheaper and cleaner -a win/win you would think. It would be encouraging if some politicians would get out of the way if they cant lend a hand...


G O S A I N T S !

[Wayne42]

Personally I dont give a stuff who makes money from the game, who scratches the back of the other etc- BUT I do care when the game is corrupted, and by that I mean that inequality increases, draws are manufactured, rules are massaged to pander to the latest random incident and what it means to play for a club and support a club become ever more distant as a relic of a bygone era.
We will see, but as many have commented elsewhere- our fixture does us no favours.

Some team has to cop the majority of the Sunday 4.40 pm games, and the winner is....StKilda

Finnis is then straight on the front foot spinning whatever positives come to mind. I knew there was a reason i pay so much for Foxtel Sport.

Crap time slot for a game of Footy

[Bernard Shakey]

Some team has to cop the majority of the Sunday 4.40 pm games, and the winner is....StKilda

Finnis is then straight on the front foot spinning whatever positives come to mind. I knew there was a reason i pay so much for Foxtel Sport.

Crap time slot for a game of Footy

Four home game I can't go to! Four home games a lot of Families with school kids can't go to. We are shafted again and the CEO says we'll bring to life the Sunday afternoon experience. What the hell does that mean? We accept that we're crap?

[plugger66]

Some team has to cop the majority of the Sunday 4.40 pm games, and the winner is....StKilda

Finnis is then straight on the front foot spinning whatever positives come to mind. I knew there was a reason i pay so much for Foxtel Sport.

Crap time slot for a game of Footy

Four home game I can't go to! Four home games a lot of Families with school kids can't go to. We are shafted again and the CEO says we'll bring to life the Sunday afternoon experience. What the hell does that mean? We accept that we're crap?

I cant go to Saturday games. Some cant go to sunday day games. Why cant kids go? What is wrong with getting home around 9pm for 4 days out of 365 days. Wont even slightly wreck their life. God we are friggin soft.

[gringo]

Some team has to cop the majority of the Sunday 4.40 pm games, and the winner is....StKilda

Finnis is then straight on the front foot spinning whatever positives come to mind. I knew there was a reason i pay so much for Foxtel Sport.

Crap time slot for a game of Footy

Four home game I can't go to! Four home games a lot of Families with school kids can't go to. We are shafted again and the CEO says we'll bring to life the Sunday afternoon experience. What the hell does that mean? We accept that we're crap?

I cant go to Saturday games. Some cant go to sunday day games. Why cant kids go? What is wrong with getting home around 9pm for 4 days out of 365 days. Wont even slightly wreck their life. God we are friggin soft.

Most parent won't take kids to 4.40 Sunday games as it is just too much on a school night. It is the punishment for being s*** though.

[Saints43]

...the CEO says we'll bring to life the Sunday afternoon experience. What the hell does that mean?

Someone screaming at us through the scoreboard?

[asiu]

in an american accent , just to accentuate the experience.

[plugger66]

Some team has to cop the majority of the Sunday 4.40 pm games, and the winner is....StKilda

Finnis is then straight on the front foot spinning whatever positives come to mind. I knew there was a reason i pay so much for Foxtel Sport.

Crap time slot for a game of Footy

Four home game I can't go to! Four home games a lot of Families with school kids can't go to. We are shafted again and the CEO says we'll bring to life the Sunday afternoon experience. What the hell does that mean? We accept that we're crap?

I cant go to Saturday games. Some cant go to sunday day games. Why cant kids go? What is wrong with getting home around 9pm for 4 days out of 365 days. Wont even slightly wreck their life. God we are friggin soft.

Most parent won't take kids to 4.40 Sunday games as it is just too much on a school night. It is the punishment for being s*** though.

Yep those 4 days out of 365 when you get home as late as 9pm will destroy the kids forever. Could we get anymore softer?

[gringo]

Some team has to cop the majority of the Sunday 4.40 pm games, and the winner is....StKilda

Finnis is then straight on the front foot spinning whatever positives come to mind. I knew there was a reason i pay so much for Foxtel Sport.

Crap time slot for a game of Footy

Four home game I can't go to! Four home games a lot of Families with school kids can't go to. We are shafted again and the CEO says we'll bring to life the Sunday afternoon experience. What the hell does that mean? We accept that we're crap?

I cant go to Saturday games. Some cant go to sunday day games. Why cant kids go? What is wrong with getting home around 9pm for 4 days out of 365 days. Wont even slightly wreck their life. God we are friggin soft.

Most parent won't take kids to 4.40 Sunday games as it is just too much on a school night. It is the punishment for being s*** though.

Yep those 4 days out of 365 when you get home as late as 9pm will destroy the kids forever. Could we get anymore softer?

Go tell my wife. She is a sleep Nazi she reads all kinds of crap about kids and pretty much cotton wools them. If I had my way they would be sculling stubbies and smoking while watching the footy at midnight on a school night but I'm scared of her half hour long rants about childrens' health.