Tasmanian Government report outlines case for Tasmanian AFL team

A new report has outlined how Tasmania could fund a stand-alone AFL team and detailed where matches would be played and when the team could enter the competition.

Nick Riewoldt was part of the Tasmanian Government tasktorce.

A Tasmanian AFL team would be based in Hobart but initially play clashes against the big teams in Launceston.

A business case handed to the State Government, but yet to be made public, says a Tasmanian team would be economically feasible on a member base of 35,000 and an average home crowd of 14,000.

The Tasmanian Government’s AFL Taskforce recommended the team be based in the state capital as a vital weapon in player retention, but as compensation, the first infrastructure spend would be at University of Tasmania Stadium in Launceston to boost capacity from about 20,000 to 30,000.

Launceston would then host Tasmanian home matches against the likes of Collingwood, Richmond and Essendon while the club becomes established and become a truly statewide body.

It is understood the taskforce has even sounded out the University of Tasmania in regard to its Sandy Bay campus and its adjacent sports grounds as the team’s high-performance centre and administrative base as the education centre relocates to the city centre.

Player retention was a focus of taskforce member Nick Riewoldt, who witnessed the impact on culture as captain of St Kilda when the Saints left their traditional home at Moorabbin for Seaford.

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Nick Riewoldt was part of the Tasmanian taskforce.

The case also includes a Tasmanian taxpayer contribution of $8 million a year, with an emergency fund of $2 million.

With 11 home games a season, this public contribution would work out cheaper per game than the current deal of $8.5 million a season for eight AFL roster games shared between North Melbourne in Hobart and Hawthorn in Launceston.

The entire business case is built around the premise of a 19th AFL licence.

Tasmania wants its own team in the AFL.

Earlier this week, AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said it was unlikely a Tasmanian team would enter the competition within five years, but this time frame fits in the taskforce’s plan to build a successful team and club for post-2025.

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said he was keen to continue current deals with the Kangaroos and Hawks – set to expire at the end of the 2021 season – to continue post next year as the state transitions into its own AFL team.

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Eventually, the business case recommends a new stadium be built at Hobart’s Macquarie Point, but the report points out this would require federal funding.

With light rail to the northern suburbs, ferries from the eastern shore and the south and a short walk from the central Hobart, a Mac Point stadium would be ideal from transport perspective as well as following the success of Adelaide Oval and Perth’s Optus Stadium as venue’s close to the city centre.

However, after much speculation the State Government ruled out a new football stadium at Mac Point late last year.

Originally published as Tasmanian Government report outlines case for Tasmanian AFL team