AFL's Bias is Exposed

[Neil Appleby]

As Eddie would say, 'What a week it's been in football.'
I'd suggest, what a year!
It all stems from the AFL/Channel7 new home, Colonial.
First the AFL wooed clubs with buckets of dollars and not surprisingly was successful....who could blame Footscray for accepting a deal that gives them a million a year?
Essendon was touted as receiving an extra 2-3 million, plus, no doubt, other sweeteners we still don't know about.
Meanwhile over at the MCG, AFL members were informed, in the media, that 5000 of its reserved seats would be given to channel 7 for its Medallion/Colonial members; this slap in the face to its members that cough up $300 each year. Oh yes, then AFL members are given an incredibly shabby deal to boot at Colnial.
I thought long and hard about giving up my membership after that.
Then Collingwood hit me for six also. Membership fees at Collingwood rose about 18%; whose idea was that in a year when Collingwood was trying to hit the 40000 members figure?
This all leads to the same question. Just who is advising our administrators? Who is advising Wayne Jackson...his cat?
Whoever it is should resign because Wayne's performing about as well as Pauline Hanson at present.
Now all this before you look at alarming declines in attendances and TV ratings,(has anyone bothered to ask the fans if they like the new advertisement policy(total bombardment!)?
No wonder David Smorgon is backing the AFL and Essendon too.
Meanwhile MCG tenant clubs are ignored. This is particularly galling when we consider who has pushed most dollars through the turnstiles for the AFL over the past 30 years.
Collingwood and Carlton help keep clubs like Footscray, Hawthorn, Melbourne and StKilda alive; without our money over the years these clubs would have disappeared long ago. It is sickening in the extreme to hear David Smorgon pontificating (sorry Bill)about these naughty MCG clubs in their grab for cash.
The AFL has been exposed as building it's new Colonial empire at the expense of just about everyone except Channel 7 and Essendon.
Carlton, Melbourne and Collingwood will make a very daunting triumvirate in any court case and the AFL would be on a hiding to nothing.
It's about time Wayne Jackson's advisors, good riddance Collo, got back to square one; ask the fans and members their opinions now and then....really ask, not some pathetic, slick PR nonsense;
and treat us with a bit of respect; when we stay away it looks mighty awful on tv, just watch any North, Bulldogs, Melbourne, Freeo, StKilda game.
The public is voting with its feet at the moment and the AFL seems not to care.
Over at Collingwod, membership is down 25%. How can this be explained? New coach, team playing exciting footy, top of the ladder, huge media exposure. It all goes back to perception doesn't it?
There is a perception that football is too expensive and with reserved seating and lock outs on top of blatant increases in membership fees, it is!
It's going to mighty interesting from here in, and I will be very upset if Collingwood doesn't get a deal from the AFL at least as sweet($1K)as Footscray's and StKilda's.

[Joel]

To sum all that up in a couple of words...The AFL needs to be transparent!
Stop you pathetic deals and be open ot the FANS.

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CARN THE PIES!!!!!
Collingwood is all about togetherness. "We live or die as a side," Buckley said. "Everything we do now is as a team."

[Joel]

We are FANS of Collingwood and our respective clubs, not football!

read
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/20000401/A43022-2000Apr1.html

[Magpie mick]

I agree with your 1st article Joel,however eventhough I hate the AFL I'm still a football fan

[Joel]

Your right, I am also a football fan. However foremost we are club fans, in our case Collingwood supporters. What I mean by this is that the General football public support their team foremost. I HATE what the AFL is doing to the game, and before too long i will HATE them.

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CARN THE PIES!!!!!
Collingwood is all about togetherness. "We live or die as a side," Buckley said. "Everything we do now is as a team."