AFL 2022: Latest news on push for a Tasmanian team
The AFL says a stadium is the last hurdle for a Tasmanian team to clear — and we’re finally clearer about the list concessions the league’s 19th team would likely be afforded.
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The AFL will seek to fill in a $375 million black hole in stadium funding before it approves a 19th licence as the Tasmanian government increased its commitment by $44 million on Monday.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said on Monday the league believed there should be a 19th team in the competition, having delivered a compelling briefing to the league’s chief executives and presidents.
A decision on the new team is now months away, but the Tasmanian government lifted its $10 million a year commitment over a decade to $12 million over 12 years, with an increased $60 million for a high performance complex.
McLachlan’s message was that the AFL can afford a Tasmanian team and had proved beyond doubt every one of the 11 workstreams that constitute the bid – except for the stadium deal.
But the league says it must fully resolve the stadium issue, including its design and feasibility, before the AFL and clubs make a definitive decision on approving a new franchise.
McLachlan committed to remaining as AFL chief executive until that deal was brokered, but with the Tasmanian state government contributing only $375 million of an expected $750 million build for a Macquarie Point covered-roof stadium, there is no solution yet for the extra money.
The league confirmed it had yet to approach the federal government about funding the rest of the stadium and would not do so until it had a stadium plan that worked.
So, while Monday’s announcement is another step forward for Tasmania on many fronts, the league wants to land the 19th licence with all 11 workstreams fully guaranteed.
Asked whether the AFL would only grant a licence once the stadium deal was fully funded, McLachlan replied: “My articulation is we need a stadium to make it work, and we will work with the state government to get this done.
“We won’t do this until everyone believes it is the right deal for football. We have presented the case we think it is,” he said.
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“The final piece is the stadium, and those discussions are ongoing, and we are confident we can resolve that issue to the satisfaction of all parties.
“(The AFL) and Tasmania agree a new stadium is important to the success of a new club and the Tasmanian economy. The federal government has made no commitment at this time and we haven’t asked them to make a commitment.
“We won’t seek their support until we have worked on the stadium’s design and feasibility. We have agreed to work together with the state government to solve the issue.”
AFL clubs will be given two or three weeks to go back to their boards with a full financial package before coming back with further questions.
Power clubs including Collingwood on Monday asked the league if they would fully fund any uptick in the total player payments as a condition of the new 19th licence, with strong questioning from the Pies and Sydney in the 90-minute meeting.
Under the AFL’s plan the Tasmanian team would have access to priority picks it could trade for players as well as a Tasmanian football academy which would provide a pipeline for local players.
The league has proposed to hand players sign-on bonuses to attract mature-age talent rather than giving the team an increased salary cap in its early years.
McLachlan said the proposal was for a Tasmanian team to come into operation by 2027, but it could be pushed back in line with the opening of a new stadium.
Asked if the AFL was closer to a 19th licence, McLachlan made clear the briefing was a positive step.
“I think we are closer because we have put a position to the presidents with pretty definitive stuff. Funding arrangements, a vision for the stadium, economics. This is a significant step forward that is encouraging for Tasmanians.”
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Originally published as AFL 2022: Latest news on push for a Tasmanian team
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