Canberra's ABC's Tim Gavel: Football Can Only Grow

Canberra's ABC's Tim Gavel: Football Can Only Grow

Canberra's number one sports commentator ABC Radio's Tim Gavel has thrown his support behind the Canberra A-League bid.

Tim, known as tireless Tim, for his work within the ABC and across the community, is a keen observer of local sports and trends emerging in the city.

Tim writes a weekly piece in the Canberra Times. This weeks article focused on professional sports teams in Canberra and their sustainability.

Tim said:

Canberra's A-League bid team met with Football Federation Australia this week to gauge where it fits into the bidding process with three syndicates from Sydney.
The impression I gained from speaking to Football Federation Australia this week is that they are impressed by the grass roots nature and the professionalism of the Canberra bid.
The popularity of the code can only grow on the back of qualification for next year's World Cup.
Tim Gavel, Tim Gavel is a long-time sports commentator for ABC Radio in Canberra Thanks to the Canberra Times for their kind permission to reprint.

Is Canberra big enough for the possible influx of national sporting teams?
It's a question I have been asked a number of times this week as negotiations for an A-League team appeared to accelerate and a significant increase in the number of AFL games to be played in Canberra from 2012 seems likely.

Then, of course, there was the news that Canberra would have a team in the National Women's Cricket League. There is also the ACT's role in the World Cup football bids for 2018 and 2022. There is a feeling that we, as a community, need to take a step back and determine whether proposals will be successful.

Canberra hasn't the greatest of track records when it comes to national league teams with the Cosmos, the Cannons, the Bushrangers and the Comets all biting the dust in the past two decades.

More often than not it came down to finances, although in the case of the Comets there was an element of politics with other states reacting to Canberra's push to host international matches.
Is there enough money in Canberra to keep the proposed teams afloat once they are established?
My view is that there is but is it up to the government to bankroll national league teams forever?

In Canberra, with limited corporate sponsorship, there needs to be an element of government support.
Canberra's A-League bid team met with Football Federation Australia this week to gauge where it fits into the bidding process with three syndicates from Sydney.
The impression I gained from speaking to Football Federation Australia this week is that they are impressed by the grass roots nature and the professionalism of the Canberra bid.
The positive feature about the ACT bid is that it has community support. While the money to start a team seems to be almost there, the obvious issue is with ongoing financial support once the club is up and running.
You would think that once the team is accepted there will be funding from television revenue and an increase in sponsorship, plus gate takings. There is also potential sponsorship from companies in Asia keen to do business with the Federal Government, which gives the Canberra bid a unique quality.
In terms of chasing the same sponsorship dollar as the Raiders and the Brumbies, I don't think it's a major issue because the A-League is played in summer and there are plenty of business people who have little to no interest in rugby league, union or AFL but do have a passion for football.

The popularity of the code can only grow on the back of qualification for next year's World Cup.
The Canberra United team in the national W-League has helped provide a platform for the A-League bid. The women's team doesn't need anywhere near the money to put a side on the field as the men.
The women operate on a budget of less than $200,000. Capital Football is still seeking another $60,000 in sponsorship. It's not as if it overspends on players with a sliding scale of payments ranging from $2000 to $500.
The AFL appears to be supportive of Canberra's role in the western Sydney franchise expected to be operational by 2012.
It was initially thought there would be four or five games at Manuka Oval under any ACT Government agreement, there is now talk of playing six games a year in Canberra.
If Canberra was to gain an A-League team and a stake in the western Sydney AFL team there would be increased pressure on the ACT Government to revamp Manuka Oval and Canberra Stadium. If Canberra hosts World Cup football matches there will be a push to build a new facility alongside Canberra Stadium.
I believe there is no reason why the A-League bid and Canberra's role in the AFL can't be successful but they require long-term commitment.

http://www.a-league4canberra.com.au/site/news.php?id=87

Tim Gavel wrote:
Canberra hasn't the greatest of track records when it comes to national league teams with the Cosmos, the Cannons, the Bushrangers and the Comets all biting the dust in the past two decades.

I am really tired of the Cosmos, Cannons, Bushrangers and Comets arguement.

Canberra Cosmos- was never planned well. Australian "Soccer" was in its dark days and the name of the association says it all.

Canberra Cannons- a basketball team and Australian Basketball has and will never be that strong.

Canberra Bushrangers- a BASEBALL TEAM :lol:. You could not use this as a strong arguement. It is an american spot and WILL NEVER be strong in Australia.

ACT Comets- of course this won't be strong. It is a cricket team and not many people really cared about them.

Yeah i think longterm finances is still a problem for our team though...

Yea, I wish some Canberran would win that 60 mil lottery and put half of it to the Canberra A-League bid. :lol:

there's more to football in canberra than the bloody cosmos etc...
let's talk about the super league in rugby and all their failed ventures shall we?

Agree, no one talks about the failures of Western Sydney's NSL clubs or the TWO Sydney basketball teams that have folded in two years.

This type of journalism= fail.