Rob's Thoughts

Exhibition Match in LA - Redux

Late January came and went without the rumored exhibition being so much as officially announced, never mind played.   It also came and went without a courteous response from the AFL to the concerns we raised either by mail or to our Melbourne representative.   It even passed without the proponents of that event coming forth to defend their efforts against our criticisms.

I'd like to say that all of that is surprising, but it isn't.   The idea is far from dead however as a recent article in the Melbourne Age strongly suggests.  

That's both good news and bad news.  Good news because AFANA wants to see an exhibition in the US or Canada.  Bad because the proponents of this event continue to hide in anonymity (AFANA has some pretty good clues who they are but because we don't have incontrovertible proof I won't publish their names).   Bad because the AFL should have more courtesy and respond to reasonable inquiries from AFANA on such issues.   Bad because none of the concerns we raised have been addressed by the promoters or the AFL.  

As a fan, if you want to see an exhibition here in the US then you need to let the AFL know that.  But I would also add that we need to make sure the AFL  understands it's not an issue of promoting a local footy club or league or AFANA or an issue of promoting Australian trade and culture to footy fans here.   To 99% of footy fans here it's an issue of promoting (and watching live) Australian Football and nothing else.  

This last point is clearly going to be problematical to some in the footy community over here.  I enjoy Australian culture, too.  I feel very much at home when I am in Melbourne.   I have business reasons to see trade grow between the countries (witness the recent blog on the Free Trade Agreement).   However, the cost and complexity of staging the first exhibition here in over 15 seasons requires that footy gain the maximum benefit possible from such an event.  

It also requires that the promoters anticipate what is going to happen when the exhibition is announced and confirmed.  Even allowing for my concerns expressed in the earlier blog on this subject, it's safe to say that thousands of fans are going to travel from all across the continent to attend.   Even in late January.   Are they prepared?  What venue is going to be used?  The questions go on and on.  

The time for answers is drawing nigh.  If the AFL intends to go forward with this event between the 2004 and 2005 seasons, the decision needs to be made ASAP and we need answers to our concerns.  

-Rob (who wonders if anybody at the AFL is listening?)