afl

[goalieboy82]

why did the bears and lions merge?

thanks

[scooter13]

You can read up some of it here ...........

http://lions.com.au/default.asp?pg=fitzroy...ry&spg=overview

I just wondered that myself a few weeks ago and found the link.

[plattopus]

Basically it was because of money. Fitzroy were constantly down the lower end of the standings, and for that reason were one of the poorest clubs in the league (if not THE poorest) due to lack of membership and sponsorship. Brisbane were not quite as bad financially, but they were on the path to bankruptcy if their poor on-field performances kept going the way they were. In fact they'd already moved once (from Brisbane to the Gold Coast) because of their bad finances, so they were really heading for bad things if nothing was done.

At the time the AFL was encouraging the poorer clubs (another three being Melbourne, North Melbourne and Hawthorn) to merge, an opinion which met stiff opposition from pretty much every footy fan in the country. Melbourne and Hawthorn managed to fight off merging thanks to the Hawk members who voted against it in the club's voting process, but Fitzroy were in no position to do so... it was either merge or cease to exist. It sucked for their supporters of course... Fitzroy were a foundation club and even though their membership numbers were low, the fans they did have were absolutely die hard. So to move to another city they must have been in quite a desperate situation, which shows you why they did end up merging.

Anyway, Brisbane was chosen not only because it was struggling financially... but also, being situated in Brisbane meant that they had no competition when it came to local sponsorship dollars. Fitzroy were in Melbourne which at the time had 11 teams all fighting for the corporate dollar, a problem which would disappear in the north. It was thought that if the merger went ahead, and with the right management, the team might be able to gain the popularity which had elluded the Bears. It was worth a shot anyway... it was either that or nothing.

It took them a few years to find their feet, but once Leigh Matthews jumped on board they've really gone from strength to strength (and I'm not just talking on-field success).

But even though the Lions merger ended up paying off, the AFL learned their lesson and I really can't see another merger happening again in the near future. The pain that Fitzroy supporters and Melbourne as a city went through as a result of the merger really put the league off ever doing it again, regardless of how poor the clubs in question might be. In the future I think all we're going to see is relocation, not mergers.

[scooter13]

Thanks for the additional inside info Plat.

[goalieboy82]

thanks

[Alphabet Man]

they were going to merge with the Kangaroos (then NM) but then Brisbane wanted them....it was at end of 1996 season, start of 1997 season...

And St Kilda were going to merge with Carlton but people like my dad raised enough money to keep the club alive in 1995....(it was when my old Pe teacher was on the list)

[plattopus]

Yeah at one time or another just about every club came up in merger discussions. It was a bad time to be a football supporter.

[jr79]

Don't forget the Fitzroy-Footscray merger that the AFL almost bulldozed through to kickstart the process.

The other more sinister reason if I recall correctly for the Fitzroy-Brisbane merger was to make room for Port Adelaide which had been promised the next expansion spot in the AFL but they refused to go beyond 16 teams.

Am I remembering that right?

[Alphabet Man]

yes you are... Oakley (the then CEO-equivilent to commissioner) said something along the lines of 'No merger = no Port Adelaide'

[goalieboy82]

what were the saints and blue merger team going to be called, the roos and lions merger or the saints and tigers going to be? also what was going to happen to footscary with they didn't get the money? also was there going to be other mergers beside those i listed.

thanks

[Alphabet Man]

i don't think they got that far to naming them (except the Melbourne-Hawthorn merger was going to be called 'Melbourne Hawks' which i think would have been good because we could have gotten another AFL team somewhere else in Australia, like Hobart, Gold Coast, Western Sydney or another Perth team)

[goalieboy82]

will there be any more mergers, moves, or new teams in the near future?

thanks

[Alphabet Man]

not till at least 2007....maybe the Bulldogs will go

[rmered]

They go from TV agreement to TV agreement.

Basically the 16 teams exist because TV pays for it.

If the TV deal is ever reduced, some of the clubs will have to relocate.

The existing clubs at secondary level do not have the support or infrastructure to support an AFL team.

Should the TV deal be reduced (which is highly unlikely) one of the teams will move to either Tasmania, which would struggle to raise revenues to compete, or the Gold Coast south of Brisbane, where they have a club with infrastructure, and would gain support for a relocated club.

[Alphabet Man]

whilst Tassie wont get a team, i think they should cos they are the only Aussie Rules state without a team... and QLD and NSW have a team ad they are Rugby states

[goalieboy82]

not till at least 2007....maybe the Bulldogs will go

where will they go? will they disband them?

[Alphabet Man]

Darwin or Western Sydney is where everyone thinks they'll go but maybe they'll merge or just die

[goalieboy82]

who will they merge with and would the afl let in a new team, maybe from the sanfl or wafl.

[Alphabet Man]

Bulldogs to merge with Carlton to be called 'The Blue Sheilas'

[Alphabet Man]

it's virtually set in stone that the next team will be Southposrt Sharks on the Gold Coast, QLD but they'll have to change their name to Gold Coast Sharks imo...