quentinProposal: AFL Supporters Association
August 15th 2010 03:16
Over the past couple of weeks, there has been a lot of disillusion from football fans directed at the likes of Andrew Demetriou, Adrian Anderson and of course the rules committee which last week came up with a survey looking at 7 proposed rule changes.
These rules changes were as follows:
- Capping Interchanges (80 or substitutes)
- Reducing the length of quarters
- Player deciding the advantage rule
- Boundary umpires paying free kicks
- Free kick against player who drags the ball under opponent
- Rough conduct (shepherding) - player guilty if shepherd makes head-high contact
- If the ball hits the post and goes through the goal, it's a goal
This has sadly resulted in major disillusion with the head honchos in charge at AFLHQ and of course the despised Rules Committee.
The major discussion on internet forums (notoriously http://www.bigfooty.com) is that the supporters should start taking action against the morons that currently reside at HQ by forming an AFL Supporters Association (see this thread at Really Long Link where supporters discuss the very idea).
So the big question here is how would such an association work and what mandate work this association have?
My proposal on how such an association would work is as follows
To have a membership-based structure which enables some money to come in to finance protests, banners etc (memberships would cost around $5-$10 a year)
There would be a person/people in each state who would be responsible for rallying the supporters against those at AFLHQ
The person/people in each state responsible for rallying the supporters would also be required to organise events (pub outings, meetings, fundraising, protests, banners etc)
Every 3 months or so, there would be a survey go out discussing all the issues and allowing supporters a real say (this would then be presented to AFLHQ)
For there to be a hotline for supporters to raise concerns and also a website where supporters can express unimpeded views without any fear of defamation.
What this would lead to is a genuine belief that the supporters are being listened to and that they know that their concerns would be acted on.
In terms of such an association though, the mandate (i.e. what the association stands for) would be the most important thing as this would clearly define what the organisation is about.
From constant reading of supporters views, the mandate would include the following
- Keeping ticket prices affordable
- Lowering food prices at games (therefore keeping it affordable for families)
- More Grand Final tickets for competing clubs
- No tax on financially strong clubs to sustain those who are financially not as stable
- To have a fans rep on the rules committee and enable the voice of the fans (re: rule changes) is clearly heard (not sham surveys)
- For the fans to have a voice that is taken seriously
- To see a better tribunal system implemented
- To see those responsible for bizarre changes over the past few years censured or sacked
- To see those at AFLHQ held accountable by the fans so if there's dissatisfaction, we can express those views and potentially force change
- To remove the microphones from umpires and get them back to umpiring and not being the center of attention
- To ensure that the necessary dollars are being put in to ensure the umpires become professional
These are just some brief ideas on what the supporters should be standing for
In terms of such an association, it would take a very long time to unite a large group of supporters for the simple reason that each supporter has a different view on how the game is going, the rule changes and how those at AFLHQ are performing. I accept that this is a really big challenge but I'm betting it's one that quite a few supporters would relish (I know I'd be there for sure).
These rules changes were as follows:
- Capping Interchanges (80 or substitutes)
- Reducing the length of quarters
- Player deciding the advantage rule
- Boundary umpires paying free kicks
- Free kick against player who drags the ball under opponent
- Rough conduct (shepherding) - player guilty if shepherd makes head-high contact
This has sadly resulted in major disillusion with the head honchos in charge at AFLHQ and of course the despised Rules Committee.
The major discussion on internet forums (notoriously http://www.bigfooty.com) is that the supporters should start taking action against the morons that currently reside at HQ by forming an AFL Supporters Association (see this thread at Really Long Link where supporters discuss the very idea).
So the big question here is how would such an association work and what mandate work this association have?
My proposal on how such an association would work is as follows
To have a membership-based structure which enables some money to come in to finance protests, banners etc (memberships would cost around $5-$10 a year)
There would be a person/people in each state who would be responsible for rallying the supporters against those at AFLHQ
The person/people in each state responsible for rallying the supporters would also be required to organise events (pub outings, meetings, fundraising, protests, banners etc)
Every 3 months or so, there would be a survey go out discussing all the issues and allowing supporters a real say (this would then be presented to AFLHQ)
For there to be a hotline for supporters to raise concerns and also a website where supporters can express unimpeded views without any fear of defamation.
What this would lead to is a genuine belief that the supporters are being listened to and that they know that their concerns would be acted on.
In terms of such an association though, the mandate (i.e. what the association stands for) would be the most important thing as this would clearly define what the organisation is about.
From constant reading of supporters views, the mandate would include the following
- Keeping ticket prices affordable
- Lowering food prices at games (therefore keeping it affordable for families)
- More Grand Final tickets for competing clubs
- No tax on financially strong clubs to sustain those who are financially not as stable
- To have a fans rep on the rules committee and enable the voice of the fans (re: rule changes) is clearly heard (not sham surveys)
- For the fans to have a voice that is taken seriously
- To see a better tribunal system implemented
- To see those responsible for bizarre changes over the past few years censured or sacked
- To see those at AFLHQ held accountable by the fans so if there's dissatisfaction, we can express those views and potentially force change
- To remove the microphones from umpires and get them back to umpiring and not being the center of attention
- To ensure that the necessary dollars are being put in to ensure the umpires become professional
These are just some brief ideas on what the supporters should be standing for
In terms of such an association, it would take a very long time to unite a large group of supporters for the simple reason that each supporter has a different view on how the game is going, the rule changes and how those at AFLHQ are performing. I accept that this is a really big challenge but I'm betting it's one that quite a few supporters would relish (I know I'd be there for sure).
| 71 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
