I have been working on this for a few years. It holds special significance now that Richmond look like they will flounder down the bottom of the ladder for many many years. Maybe it would be better for them to play in division 2 and be in contention to win a premiership. They might even get bigger crowds, and it would allow young children to happily go to the football (to watch a side win).

THE FUTURE OF THE AFL

2 divisions, 24 teams

22 rounds, Each team plays each other twice

Division 2 pays 80% of salary cap

Final 5 in each division

Bottom 2 sides get relegated

Grandfinalists of div 2 get promoted

North Melbourne to move to Canberra

National draft starts at bottom of Div 2 or maybe an VFL affiliate feeder system going down to regional juniors.

Commercial TV to get Div 1

Pay TV to get Div 2

Develop Punt Rd oval as a Boutique stadium with capacity of 20,000

Teams and divisions an example;

Div 1

1. Geelong

2. StKilda

3. Bulldogs

4. Collingwood

5. Brisbane

6. Adelaide

7. Carlton

8. Essendon

9. Hawthorn

10 Sydney

11 Port Adelaide

12 Fremantle

Div 2

1. Melbourne

2. West Coast

3. Richmond

4. Canberra/Kangaroos

5. Gold Coast

6. Western Sydney

7. Tasmania

8. Perth

9. Darwin

10 Cairns

11 Bendigo

12 Ballarat

Having a divisional system, the bottom sides of Division 1 would battle it out all year so as not to get relegated. It would make for more exciting football all year round. Also, fans of rebuilding sides could watch young players getting wins instead of being comprehensively beaten.

What are your thoughts?

I lost interest as soon as I saw Melbourne in Div 2.

Thanks, but no thanks.

Please Do Not apply for Demetrio's job when he retires. Your idea Stinks-Pure and simple.

I'm sure Melbourne v Ballarat would pull a Bumper Crowd at the MCG!!

Next.... B)

  On 20/04/2010 at 06:02, globalturf said:

Burn.

id love one. B)

  On 20/04/2010 at 05:31, Trengove_is_God said:

Lay off the crack.

Why so rude?

Why not just say that the plan is ludicrous and completely unworkable? That there would be no way our supporters, nor any other clubs' supporters, would support a divisional system if it's going to mean we're playing Ballarat or Cairns instead of Collingwood or Geelong? That there is no chance in hell that the AFL will take on teams from rural towns.

It was a nice effort, but totally off the mark. But you don't have to insinuate that he's a drug addict just because you don't like it.

  Quote

What are your thoughts?

U have wasted countless hours thinking up a ludicrous idea. Well done

With all due respect BIH... No.

The conference system in the US works because A) they all have bucketloads of cash, and B) Because their rivalries exist with cities in their vicinity.

I like the idea of having all the West Coast teams (Freo, WC, Adelaide and Port) as well as 5 Vic-based clubs in one group, and then all the East Coast teams (Sydney, GWS, GC and Brisbane) and the other five sides in another conference... And I like the idea of 22 rounds, everyone plays everyone twice.... But that's as far as the idea goes with me. The logistics would be a nightmare, many club would not play other clubs outside their division or years on end, you'd get arguments about one division being better than another (eg National vs American league in MLB)...

It's a no. And as far as Relegation goes... that's just NEVER going to work. Can you imagine the Pies when they inevitably bottom out? They'd go apeshit!!!

As far as a national competition goes, I read an article once that suggested for AFL to survive and prosper, the team list should be as follows.

NSW - 7 teams.

Victoria, SA, WA, Queensland - 5 teams.

Tassie - 1-2 teams...

Or words to that effect. Maybe there was a Canberra team thrown in.

To me that's a BIG load of old garbage. Limiting the football teams in Victoria where the game CAME from to 2 less than NSW which is a Rugby League state smacks of naivetee. I'm all for the strong footy states like SA and WA having a lot more sides, but if they could afford them, they'd already have them.

For the overall health, we all know 2 less sides in Melbourne might make a bit more sense, but as far as I'm concerned, I'd prefer it to stay the way it is for a LONG time to come.

Wow, that was harsh all round. Some parts have merit, but some glaring holes exist. CBF exploring said holes further.

  On 20/04/2010 at 06:13, titan_uranus said:

It was a nice effort, but totally off the mark. But you don't have to insinuate that he's a drug addict just because you don't like it.

Never said he was a drug addict.

He may be a casual uset, or it may have even been his first time using.

  On 20/04/2010 at 06:29, 4jacks said:

Wow, that was harsh all round. Some parts have merit, but some glaring holes exist. CBF exploring said holes further.

Which Parts Have Merit? Going by that Model the MFC gets to play against Regional Australia...We Started the Competition FFS!!!

When I was 14 and bored with things i made up a game called marble football. i still have the record book of the seasons. (the coodabeens said i should offer it up to the museum of sport).

the teams:

clarinda

ballarat

mildura

shepparton

springvale

springvale north

dandenong

clarinda

westbridge

one missing can't remember

this was called the VFU (Victorian Football Union). i kept over 200 marbles in ten kool mint jars. every marble had a name. the game was played on the carpet behindthe couch. i used batteries for goals and a chinese checker for the football.

at the end of the season i threw all the marbles over neighbouring fences so i wouldn't be tempted to go into season '71 playing marble football. still, my brother like balloon football.

ps why relegate the dees into a divisional situatin when we are looking at ten years as a possibly top ranking club.

the lesser teams would draw minimal crowds, have no finance, no sponsors no tv, and players would use free agency to get away from them.

bush demon

  On 20/04/2010 at 06:13, titan_uranus said:

Why so rude?

Why not just say that the plan is ludicrous and completely unworkable? That there would be no way our supporters, nor any other clubs' supporters, would support a divisional system if it's going to mean we're playing Ballarat or Cairns instead of Collingwood or Geelong? That there is no chance in hell that the AFL will take on teams from rural towns.

It was a nice effort, but totally off the mark. But you don't have to insinuate that he's a drug addict just because you don't like it.

Excuse my fellow demons supporters mate they are often arrogant and rude!

I think ur plan is not really possible and could not work! Maybe it does in England but with th soccer but I don't like it's chances here. Keep in mind u get somthin like 100 million of cash boost for winning the division 1 in England

But I think there is some problems that the afl could and should address for the future!

like the current fixture is not really fair! And the idea of 32 week season is highly unlikely

next ideas please

Not a huge fan of your idea, but good on you for having a crack. I think we should at the very least return to a draft system where all teams play each other once before repeats. Won't completely remove tanking, but at least means that situations like last year for Melbourne wouldn't happen where Melbourne played Freo in the last 5 rounds having already played to power sides Collingwood and Geelong twice. It would seem to me that the Dees would have had less tank talk occur if we played Geelong, Collingwood, St Kilda, Port Adelaide, North Melbourne, Richmond in the last six rounds. Whilst its a small thing I personally believe if after round 16 all teams have played each other once then a more even view of the season will occur, rather than certain teams having played top or bottom teams twice.

  On 20/04/2010 at 06:56, globalturf said:

Dude, he didn't mean "lay off the crack" literally.

Not literally? So how did he mean it?

It didn't need to be said, regardless of what his intent was.

  On 20/04/2010 at 06:56, globalturf said:

He's on the [censored] internet, you clown. Who has the time to drum out prim and proper parlance similar to your elitist wordsmith bulltish? Get with the program.

If you feel it's more appropriate to insult than to take 2 extra seconds to write something slightly more meaningful then that says more about you than me.

you people take things to seriously, its been a great 2weeks,memberships booming, new facilites, great footy being played,enjoy the moment ladys.

LOL

  On 20/04/2010 at 07:14, titan_uranus said:

If you feel it's more appropriate to insult than to take 2 extra seconds to write something slightly more meaningful then that says more about you than me.

Sure does. Care to meet me in person?

Don't fall too hard from your high horse, cobber.

  On 20/04/2010 at 07:43, globalturf said:

Sure does. Care to meet me in person?

Don't fall too hard from your high horse, cobber.

sounds to me your the one on the high horse, no need for comments like "care to met in person" its a discussion board, no need for threats

  On 20/04/2010 at 07:43, globalturf said:

Sure does. Care to meet me in person?

Don't fall too hard from your high horse, cobber.

No I would not care to meet you in person. I would also not care to continue this ridiculous argument.

Let's leave it thus: you are intimidated by my (and others') ability to maintain a conversation without resorting to personal insults. And you're a bully.

Damn. I guess I'm a hypocrite now.

  On 20/04/2010 at 06:44, bush demon said:

When I was 14 and bored with things i made up a game called marble football. i still have the record book of the seasons. (the coodabeens said i should offer it up to the museum of sport).

the teams:

clarinda

ballarat

mildura

shepparton

springvale

springvale north

dandenong

clarinda

westbridge

one missing can't remember

this was called the VFU (Victorian Football Union). i kept over 200 marbles in ten kool mint jars. every marble had a name. the game was played on the carpet behindthe couch. i used batteries for goals and a chinese checker for the football.

at the end of the season i threw all the marbles over neighbouring fences so i wouldn't be tempted to go into season '71 playing marble football. still, my brother like balloon football.

ps why relegate the dees into a divisional situatin when we are looking at ten years as a possibly top ranking club.

the lesser teams would draw minimal crowds, have no finance, no sponsors no tv, and players would use free agency to get away from them.

bush demon

This is one of the funniest things I've read in years. I honestly was in tears of laughter. I think this puts the OP into the correct perspective.

I particularly love that Springvale and Springvale North got their own sides. Possibly they may have merged down the track if you didnt throw the marbles away. Gold.

I think poor old burn in hell won't be seen for a few weeks.

:D

  On 20/04/2010 at 05:28, burn in hell said:

THE FUTURE OF THE AFL

Div 2

1. Melbourne

2. West Coast

3. Richmond

4. Canberra/Kangaroos

5. Gold Coast

6. Western Sydney

7. Tasmania

8. Perth

9. Darwin

10 Cairns

11 Bendigo

12 Ballarat

Having a divisional system, the bottom sides of Division 1 would battle it out all year so as not to get relegated. It would make for more exciting football all year round. Also, fans of rebuilding sides could watch young players getting wins instead of being comprehensively beaten.

What are your thoughts?

Both towns have populations of around 90,000, so they're probably not big enough support a new AFL club at this stage. Having said that, Burnley came into the EPL last year so who knows -There are much probably bigger financial considerations that I'm ignorant of.

I know it's rich for a Melbourne supporter to talk about the relocatation of struggling clubs, but as Melbourne continues to expand there could be some real possibilties for clubs like the Bulldogs and Kangaroos to target these growth areas, while maintaining a greater part of their identity than they would in Queensland or Tasmania...

With Ballarat being west of Melbourne, the Bulldogs could remain the Western Bulldogs and the Kangaroos could become the Northern Kangaroos. It's probably decades away from being feasible, but both towns are close enough for Melbourne supporters to make the games, and would generate a whole new supporter base.

Living in Ballarat, I think the Ballarat/Geelong/Bendigo rivalry would be great to see and make the AFL seem much less Melbourne centric. Just an idea.

  On 21/04/2010 at 05:31, Dappa Dan said:

I think poor old burn in hell won't be seen for a few weeks.

:D

He should hang his head in shame.

There's a divisional system in the US? In which leagues, exactly? It's West vs. East typically but they aren't made up based on win/loss performance. And there is no relegation/promotion.