2018 could well be our year. Damn.

We are going to struggle to entertain fitting any of our existing Aussie fans into any of these sattelite venues let alone any guests. Most TV going out , unlike the Olympics will be purely Socer games into suitable timeslots for their receptive countries...they arent going to give a toss about AFL

In all likelyhood most inbound visitors will be here simply to attend the various games and maybe some local scenery etc . They are soocer mad...you seriously think theres anything to gain from a few watching a game at a dinky little venue. You going to allocate them to cars and teach them goal honking technique too

Do I think the 'qwuirky game" would rate a moments notice to an international audience dedicated to the World Cup....not one bit !!....and would I want it showcased in that manner anyway ? No

a few weeks =12

Still I'll wait...breath-holding not withstanding ...for any compromises

To be honest I just dont see the need for it here. if youre a soccer fan you might...Im not

We are going to struggle to entertain fitting any of our existing Aussie fans into any of these sattelite venues let alone any guests. Most TV going out , unlike the Olympics will be purely Socer games into suitable timeslots for their receptive countries...they arent going to give a toss about AFL

In all likelyhood most inbound visitors will be here simply to attend the various games and maybe some local scenery etc . They are soocer mad...you seriously think theres anything to gain from a few watching a game at a dinky little venue. You going to allocate them to cars and teach them goal honking technique too

Do I think the 'qwuirky game" would rate a moments notice to an international audience dedicated to the World Cup....not one bit !!....and would I want it showcased in that manner anyway ? No

a few weeks =12

Still I'll wait...breath-holding not withstanding ...for any compromises

To be honest I just dont see the need for it here. if youre a soccer fan you might...Im not

Sorry, my mistake. I wasn't aware you can speak for not only the tourists but also the global television audience.

The AFL is not run by idiots. There is nothing to be gained from frothing at the mouth at this early stage. As I said earlier, if it makes a proper season untenable the majority of fans will be against it, myself included. I don't think a bid could get up with out the support of the other codes. A lot of fans follow both sports and the AFL doesn't like alienating people. They will try to negotiate first and it's the correct thing to do. It's not being held tomorrow, the bid is in the embyonic stages. A lot more should be known by the time next season starts.

How about the european leauges postpone their seasons and play the cup in late October? :D

hate to break it to you but soccer is the most participated in sport in this country.

its 1 season. 3 months..... start in feb, have 2 months of training, a few practice games, and then see the 2nd half of the season explode into early november with everyone FIT having had time to get over their injuries etc!

it would be epic. and wed all be dying for footy to start again. in the mean time we would have the biggest event in the world in our back yard, and the party that comes with it!

That would be ideal a little boutique stadium which MFC could rule with an iron fist make complete profit on the gate and

services delivery contractors paying MFC for the privelage, signage sponsers our own Kardinia Park.

As an aside i was reading that the difference in profit for Collingwood if it's home game is ANZAC day is between 500,000 and 1 million

extraordinary considering I believe MFC has as much right to play in an ANZAC game.

If were going to bag a club about too much revenue, bag Essendon. Collingwood give us all gate revenue for QB, even when its their [censored] Home game! I may not like them as a whole but I like 'em for that! And considering footy only just caught up to soccer in terms of interest for me (funny it does that in one of our worst ever years), I'm all for the WC. Maybe some of the tourists can stick around and watch some AFL too!?

Does anybody Possess the "Storm in a Teacup" Avatar Please

Insert Here.....

Don't know about storm in a teacup - but I'm still picturing Bub storming around in circles in his play pen. BUT THE WORLD DOESN'T CARE ABOUT AFL WAH

hate to break it to you but soccer is the most participated in sport in this country.

Hate to break it to you ...but that doesn't make it the best sport. It makes it a sport that is easy to play in a confined space... with less chance of injury!

well that being players registered with the governing body.

and since we are struggling for space so badly in this country...

well that being players registered with the governing body.

and since we are struggling for space so badly in this country...

Well most Mums find it easier to lock their kids into the path towards soccer's governing body than they do to allow them to learn to play physically demanding games involving full on body contact.....

The space is in the desert - and the Yuendumu for one has made its choice!!

I don't have a problem with games being played in Geelong, Canberra, Darwin, Bendigo, Shepparton, Warrnambool or whereever for a few weeks.

How about 12 weeks?

How about 12 weeks?

Oh, noes!! 3 months?

More than that - it's about 90 days...

The AFL will never recover.

And 12 weeks is a misnomer. The Cup runs for a month and the grounds have to be prepared for a month. That would be 8 weeks.

How about 12 weeks?

Love My Dees

BUT

Bring on the World Game any time and Boost Melbourne

I still don't understand why we couldn't just start the season early and then have a break - the country will be soccer mad, we get to enjoy the world cup and then we get to have footy again.

As I've previously said, of course with no response, is that as recently as '06 we went without the G for at least 4 weeks and gee, AFL never quite recovered did it.

Other leagues have a month off EVERY season for winter, 1 disrupted footy season in 10 years is hardly something to sulk about. Anyone remember our last Grand Final? Good old first Saturday in September, you say

They haven't even decided on a submission to put to FIFA as yet, so how do you reach the conclusion that FIFA isn't willing to compromise? It reached a compromise with major sports in the US which is probably the only country to host a world cup where soccer isn't the #1 code. There is a precedent. It's way to early to get this upset. I'd rather an AFL season to a World Cup if it came to that, but I don't think it will.

The only thing regarding the US stadiums is that the World Cup doesn't conflict with the NFL season, and the World Cup doesn't need to use baseball stadiums, so the World Cup essentially fitted in perfectly with the US sporting calendar as it does for the rest of the northern hemisphere.

The World Cup presents a potentially large pain in the date for AFL fans, but there are ways to make it work. The stadium quarantining period is an absolute crock and I'd be looking to negotiate that, while utilising smaller grounds and byes throughout the cup in the event we did get the event.

As much as I love my footy, I can't imagine anyone not wanting the World Cup here. I think people underestimate how much of an event it is. It's a million times bigger than the Olympics and to get it would be a massive boost for the country, Melbourne and sport in general.

If for every 120 years of footy we get 1 World Cup, then hell yeah!

I just realised...

It's nearly 8 weeks since an AFL game was last played...

We're effing doomed, man.

I'm freaking out!!

And what sport is being played in England at the moment rp? Bloomen foo...soccer. Get the boys back out! Two seasons a year from now on, 22 rounds 4 finals and now breaks!

I quite enjoy watching most sports...when I have the opportunity. Some sports are better live than on telly..Baseball comes to mind. I have only the mildest of passing interests in Soccer and really only if OZ is in a game...but I could still give it a big miss. Im quite happy to say Im not a soccer fan. There are many people like myself who couldnt give two razoos whether it was here or not.

As explained elsewhere the US got it through its lobbying and money. It also had no real conflict for the most part and FIFA own-centric paranoia was easily catered to because of the spread of American venues.

There are certainly some decent spinoffs that could be had...emphasis on could be had. what clout will the AFL have in any of this. Upgrade to regional grounds look more likely than Casey getting a leg up. Watchout for any infighting amongst our own clubs if unfair advantages are perceived. Soccer doesnt need our size of ground.. just the capacity for those matches for the WC. Soccer and Rugby will in all likely hood come out smiling.. I dont see it so for AFL.

There will be NO byes..or breaks throughout the CUP from their perspective. They will not allow any other sport on those pitches quarantined for their games.

Without a preseason cup there is some room to move... and have said from the outset I have no qualms with compromise . Just FIFA dont...show me where they have.

So much crap is espoused about standing aside for some apparent greater cause in allowing the 'game' to be held here. Voice dissent and your labeled a ranting pariah. Not everyone cares for that game.. Not everyone buys into the rolled out recycled myth that there are always benefits from these events. Half a Billion bums on seats around the world does nothing for me personally.

I also dont understand why holding it here would take as long as is being reported as nearly all recent ones have only take a month. If you could reduce the pre cup exclusion to two weeks for venue then 6 weeks becomes tenable. we seem to be able to caretake our grounds and host every other sport in this country ..I dont see why soccer is anything special...its boots on grass.. after all.!!.... maybe they like comfy grass for all their diving !!

If FIFA is unwilling to compromise i dont see why anyo else ought to

I still don't understand why we couldn't just start the season early and then have a break - the country will be soccer mad, we get to enjoy the world cup and then we get to have footy again.

As I've previously said, of course with no response, is that as recently as '06 we went without the G for at least 4 weeks and gee, AFL never quite recovered did it.

Other leagues have a month off EVERY season for winter, 1 disrupted footy season in 10 years is hardly something to sulk about. Anyone remember our last Grand Final? Good old first Saturday in September, you say

...and I suppose all the sponsors who operate under a budget would ignore the soccer hype and maintain their support of the local code through this disrupted season?

Just like when they all jumped off for the Olympics and we never recovered...

(Meanwhile, Spurs win 9-1.

Details on the sports board.)

The Olympics ( nor for that matter the C Games ) disrupted the footy season by dividing it or excluding it.

That's completely beside the sponsorship question.

That's completely beside the sponsorship question.

hardly beside it.. it might be part of it. ...and you raised the Olympics after the sponsorhip was put there(post)..lol

I think teh idea of a potential world cup here and some watering down of AFL team sponsors might well happen. Easily percieved as more bang for WC especially if the sponsor has money invested in both...Might rob Peter ( AFL ) to bump up Paul ( WC )