Which AFL club do you think will be the first club to host a home and away game in the Northern Hemisphere?

Question

and Where?


Given that St Kilda hosted the first ever international AFL game for premiership points in Wellington against Sydney this year, it has got me wondering which club will be the first to really extend their market on the other side of the Equator.

Richmond have ties with India and have seemed interested to play a pre-season game in Mumbai given their tiger mascot is a recognisable figure to the Indian public. However given the fact that in March, April and May are filled with hot and dry weather (with temperatures approaching 40C) and June, July and August are filled with days of excessive rain due to the monsoon season, playing a game there would be very harsh weatherwise.

Melbourne has had links with China in the past and has even played a post-season game against the Brisbane Lions in Shanghai in 2010. However they haven't improved their relationships with China much since then and given the administration/board crisis Melbourne has experienced since then, it seems unlikely Melbourne will continue to develop their relationship with China. Melbourne will attempt to head in a new direction with a new board to lead them out of trouble.

My best bet would be the Western Bulldogs playing up in the United Kingdom. They have already played Port Adelaide there in an exhibition game there last week. Melbourne have been attempting to take over the Darwin market with sponsorship from the Northern Territory government and a will to play more games a season there as well. This could leave the financially struggling Bulldogs without a secondary home and the poor deal it is confronted with at Docklands. The bulldog is a recognisable British icon and hence could give the Western Bulldogs a head start in starting a supporter base up there. In addition unlike India and China, UK springs/summers are very mild (around 5-25C) and are perfect for AFL conditions.

The only problem is the time zone difference (it must be played late in the morning to early in the afternoon in England to match up with an Australian night) and the period of time the English Cricket Board has rights to any Cricket oval that is compatible for an AFL game. For that I reckon The Western Bulldogs would be forced to play it at the start of the season in mid-March and have to contend with Australian Eastern Daylight-Savings time. The time difference also means they would most likely have to play it against a Western Australian team to ensure that there is still a portion of the Australian audience that will be willing to watch it at the right times and hence conserve TV ratings.

Therefore I would say the Western Bulldogs would host West Coast at the Oval in the first ever game in the Northern Hemisphere for premiership points. However the chances of this even occurring in the near future is extremely unlikely.

Answer 1

I'm surprised that nobody considered North America to draw USA & Canadian support considering we a successful convert in Pike & have been chasing American basketball players with a couple down under as international rookies.



Our code is played in 40 states + a few Canadian provinces so is more advanced than any of the other suggestions, has TV appeal and a big potential audience and $$$. I don't think it's that far away.



And the clubs, well I would suggest our media mens clubs, Pies V Port Power.

Answer 2

Pretty hard to do it with the Northern Hemisphere, other than perhaps India because of the travel times and jet lag.



Super Rugby is played in South Africa but they do send each team there for two weeks at a time. Perhaps they could set it up over the bye weeks though - maybe there would be the first useful thing about these ridiculous bye rounds.



The trouble with Mumbai could well be the heat. June to September is Monsoon season - average night time temperate around 29C! England would be more likely as their summer is more like a Sydney winter anyway

Answer 3

You will never have a game played in the Northern Hemisphere for premiership points. it's just not logistically feasible without going into to much detail.



North Queensland will have an AFL team in years to come. so if any teams that are willing to move a few games a year somewhere they should consider Townsville.



Games up in the Pilbara region of W.A. are probably not feasible yet. but you can be guaranteed that they will come. its just a question of when.



Cheers.

Answer 4

Maybe dogs v saints in China

Answer 5

If it does happen, i'd say it'l happen only in the Nab Cup. Not the real Season.

Answer 6

Can't see it happening except as a glorified exhibition match.