THE AFL’s push to dominate western Sydney will be built on the code’s next TV deal, which is tipped to top $1 billion.
AFL broadcasting boss Gillon McLachlan believes the league can no longer simply rely on Sydney Swans in Australia’s biggest and toughest sporting market.
"It’s a huge market and a market in itself," McLachlan said.
"We have the infrastructure, we are spending a lot of money in the grassroots in facilities and game development programs. Ultimately to own and dominate that market our view is that they need to have a team for themselves. We have put a plan in place and we are comfortable with how that has been tracking."
The AFL’s current $780 million TV deal will be renegotiated in 2011, with all of the code’s broadcast partners hungry for the content that increasing the competition to 18 teams would bring.
Swans matches have traditionally struggled when it comes to ratings in Sydney, including once famously being beaten by SBS cult show Iron Chef.
But the AFL and TV experts believe the proposed move to give western Sydney genuine ownership of a team could make them a ratings favourite.
NSW/ACT AFL boss Dale Holmes believes the proposed second Sydney team must belong to the community if it is to succeed.
"It has to be a team that the people of western Sydney build and we need to make sure we have to keep connecting with the western Sydney community," he said.
As part of their "Next Generation Strategy", the AFL is spending close to $120 million over five years to grow and develop Australian football in New South Wales and South-East Queensland.
A $30 million package is in place to target the Gold Coast and western Sydney, where the AFL plans to add two new teams by 2011 and 2012, respectively.
Blacktown has become the frontline in the battle of the codes, with a new $30 million facility being built as a training base for a second Sydney team. The 1500-seat stadium next door to the Sydney Olympic Baseball centre will also host pre-season competition matches while all regular season home games will be played out of ANZ Stadium at Homebush.
The rapidly growing Blacktown region is Sydney’s sporting black hole because there are no professional sports based in the area.
The establishment of an AFL club in Blacktown will drive a significant wedge through the middle of rugby league’s heartland bordered by Campbelltown, Penrith and Parramatta.
ANZ Stadium boss Ken Edwards has held discussions with the AFL over the expansion plans.
"We have been briefed on the AFL’s long-term ambitions for a second Sydney team and we certainly welcome the plans for a western Sydney team playing home games at the Stadium from 2012," Edwards said.
Source: TV cash to drive AFL push
