The Northern Territory will launch a bold bid to establish an AFL team when the league grants its next licence. The team would be based in Darwin with plans already drawn up for a new stadium to be built in the city’s CBD. Games would also be played in Alice Springs, with options for matches in Townsville and Cairns also being considered.
In 2018, the NT Government announced funding for a feasibility study, contributing $100,000 towards it. The study would look at various things, such as the challenges an AFL team would face in the NT, sponsorship opportunities, local talent pathways and facility upgrades. AFL Northern Territory (AFLNT) engaged Bastion EBA to lead the scoping study into having a Northern Territory (NT) based AFL team.
While consultants Bastion EBA concluded the NT’s small population and subsequent lack of football-related revenues meant a team could not be established under a traditional model, it has put forward the case for an “unconventional model”.
AFLNT release Bastians Scoping report into an NT AFL team, estimating it would run at a $15m annual loss – with max AFL funding at 22m. Report here – https://t.co/Sq6M3eMRh4 pic.twitter.com/LNRVJp5nEF
— sportsindustry (@footyindustryAU) June 4, 2021
While consultants Bastion EBA concluded the NT’s small population and subsequent lack of football-related revenues meant a team could not be established under a traditional model, it has put forward the case for an “unconventional model”.
The Northern Territory bid comes three months after an AFL taskforce delivered a report backing a bid for Tasmania to be granted the next AFL team licence.
But where the Tasmanian document implored the AFL to consider financial factors, such as the “substantial” possibility the code would lose ground to other sports elbowing their way into the market, the Northern Territory’s argument is largely based on the positive social impacts that would trickle down from a local team.
References
- 06.10.18 – Territory explores potential bid for AFL team
- 20.03.19 – Bastion EBA to lead the scoping study into having a Northern Territory (NT) based AFL team
- 03.06.21 – Northern Territory joins race for new team licence to be based out of Darwin
- 04.06.21 – AFLNT releases report into the viability of an AFL team in the NT following Tasmania bid
