Cash driving Hawks and Roos push for Tassie games, says former deal architect

The chase for the all-mighty dollar is the motivation for Hawthorn and North Melbourne’s push to play home games in Tasmania, not for the good of the state, says one of the drivers behind the Roos’ deal.

North Melbourne AFL (Australian Football League) football deal for games at Bellerive Oval officially signed off, with representatives from the AFL, North Melbourne, AFL Tasmania, the Hobart Chamber of Commerce and the Hobart City Council (HCC) at a meeting at the Hobart Town Hall, alderman Marti Zucco speaks to the media

NORTH Melbourne and Hawthorn’s push to play AFL games in Tasmania without crowds was all about collecting cash rather than serving the state says one of the architects of the Roos-Hobart deal.

Both North Melbourne and Hawthorn have declared their intent on fulfilling their contract with Tasmania to play four games each in Hobart and Launceston respectively that costs the state more than $8 million.

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said this week he was in “no rush” to see AFL games played in the state in front of empty stadiums due to social gathering constraints.

His view has been backed by Hobart City Councilor Marti Zucco who was instrumental in the initial deal to bring North south.

“I fully support Premier Gutwein’s stance,” Mr Zucco said.

“What’s the point of having games in Tasmania without crowds.

“A (AFL quarantine involving multiple clubs) hub would have economic benefit — fly in fly out will not.

“The very purpose to play the games in Tasmania was for supporters from Tasmania and across the country to come to spend up (which they do) and help the Tasmanian economy during the winter period (which happened).”

Roos’ chief executive Ben Amarfio said hosting games in Tasmania without games would still benefit the state by giving sponsors national exposure via television broadcasts.

CEO, Ben Amarfio, during a North Melbourne Kangaroos AFL media opportunity. Picture: ROBERT CIANFLONE/GETTY IMAGES

But Mr Zucco said the push by both clubs was all about money, not Tasmania.

He said the original intent of bringing games to the state was for tourism.

“This was the primary reason not simply a vision of Hobart being broadcast out,” he said.

“This is absurd and coupled with Hawthorn President Jeff Kennett in which both of these have a ‘self interest’ dollar factor in their minds, rather than the ‘best interest’ of Tasmanians where the funding for these games comes from.

“Yes the dollar ‘elephant’ being the most likely reason why both would like to fulfill their respective ‘contracts”.’

Mr Zucco said both Mr Amarfio and Mr Kennett had failed to grasp that AFL games in Tasmania was not about their clubs.

“Its about us, Tasmanians,” Mr Zucco said.

“I am right behind the Premier, there is no point at all whatsoever playing games in Tasmania simply to broadcast them out.

“Stick to your guns Premier this is about Tasmanians and not for an easy buck for two AFL clubs.”