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Demetriou damns World Cup

By Mr Dandalooa

AFL head honcho Andrew Demetriou has a message for those who want Aussie Rules to step aside if Australia wins the right to host the World Cup: Get nicked!

Demetriou, in a speech at Thursday night’s official season launch, warned that the league will not take a back step to soccer if Australia does host the World Cup and that the AFL will not let soccer dictate terms if the bid to host the cup is successful.

“Over the coming years we’ll also have to confront a changing sporting landscape in Australia, we have to be ready for the possibility of the World Cup,” the chief executive said.

“The AFL has always said we are happy to accommodate major sporting events, we have a track record to prove it. But we do not and will not accept second place for Australian football.

“We welcome other sports and major events, but we won’t allow seven million fans to be deprived of Australia’s indigenous game, nor put at risk the jobs of so many associated with our game.”

Earlier this week, Demetriou emphatically told other football codes and the Rudd government officials that Docklands would be off limits for the tilt at the World Cup.

The AFL is poised to reap at least $1 billion from the a five-year TV rights agreement, which will start in 2012.

Demetriou said the new agreement, when it’s finalised, would underpin the future of the competition and be invested back into the game and the generations to come.

He said it was a critical point that sometimes got overlooked by those “fascinated by dollar signs”.

As a community organisation, the AFL is not driven by the money generated by broadcast rights, he said.

“What drives us is the impact this revenue can have when re-invested in our clubs, supporters, facilities, volunteers and better career paths and opportunities to attract the best athletes.”