AFL back-pedals on potential AFLM name change, floated by football boss Steve Hocking
Jeff Kennett says the AFL is “answerable to no one” and should be embarrassed by its handling of the suggestion it would consider changing the name of the men’s competition to AFLM.
AFL
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Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett says the AFL is “embarrassing” and “unprofessional” after being forced to backtrack on its suggestion it was open to changing the name of the men’s competition.
Kennett said football boss Steve Hocking and the league were “answerable to no one”.
Hocking said on Saturday the AFL would be “all ears” to a switch to AFLM if a supporter groundswell emerged.
But, after online backlash, the AFL has released a statement declaring it had “no plans to change the name of the AFL competition”.
AFL's Steve Hocking has got to be answerable to someone in the AFL before making thoughtless comments, that then have to be reversed. Embarrassing and unprofessional for the AFL. An organisation with little administrative discipline. Answerable to no one.
— Jeff Kennett (@jeff_kennett) February 11, 2020
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It followed a bizarre AFL backflip last week on plans to reduce the length of the halftime break.
Asked on The Outer Sanctum podcast when the league would commit to “formally renaming the men’s competition AFLM”, Hocking said: “ I don’t think we need to necessarily be looking over the fence at one another and saying whether we need to add another initial to something, but if in time it’s something that emerges, we’re all ears at the AFL.”
Floating the “ AFLM “ is a joke right?
— Lindsay Gilbee (@LindsayGilbee) February 11, 2020
AFLW boss Nicole Livingstone added: “It’s actually a really interesting thought process because when I am internal, I do take the time to say AFL men’s competition when I speak and I say AFLW because I know that the AFL is the NSO or the national sporting organisation.”
Women’s footy trailblazer Susan Alberti backed Hocking’s initial position, saying a change to AFLM to match the AFLW competition name was a “no-brainer”.
“We’ve got the men and the women. So why not?” Alberti said.
“It’s important to distinguish between the two competitions.
“I would support it happening. There could be some confusion out there with AFL and AFLW.
“What I’m also noticing is that those club’s that have female teams, their memberships are going up.
“I knew that was going to happen.
“Having the men with their own title and the women with their title, I’ve got no problems with it.”
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Originally published as AFL back-pedals on potential AFLM name change, floated by football boss Steve Hocking