South Australia’s high-profile bid to host the AFL’s proposed “Magic Round” has them edging ahead of NSW as the preferred host state in 2023 however the league is still grappling with the logistics of jamming the extra round into the fixture.
The AFL is attracted to the idea of launching the concept within a football state such as South Australia where higher crowds are more likely to increase the chances of the idea being showcased positively in its first season.
However, they are also conscious that one of the objectives of introducing a round where all nine games are played in the one state, including double-headers or triple-headers, was to lift the profile of the game in a non-traditional state such as NSW where the Giants are attempting to gain a foothold in a tough market.
The league is also considering whether it gives a multi-year deal to the winning bid or locks in the concept in two different states in the next two years, with, for example the round being held in South Australia in 2023 and then in NSW in 2024.
Industry sources said despite enthusiasm for the idea there were still so many variables to be considered that there was not yet a guarantee it would go ahead in 2023 with players, clubs, broadcasters, venues, accommodation, travel and ticketing all matters to be resolved.
South Australians love attending the footballCredit:Getty
Clubs have been told to expect a windfall of close to $500,000, with 40 per cent of that income to be added to each club’s tight, football department soft caps. The players, who are in the middle of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with the AFL, are also hoping for a boost as a result of the extra game while there also issues to be resolved with broadcasters.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas spruiked the idea on SEN on Friday saying that his government would dip into a $40 million pool allocated through the budget to attract major events to the state.
“There’s a fair bit (of money) involved, I won’t lie about it. Those numbers are commercial in confidence,” Malinauskas said.
“In the state budget we handed down in June … we’ve got a pool of funds to attract new major events, so we’re tapping into that pool as part of our bid. If we miss out, we’ll bid for something else.”
The AFL hopse to hold the round near the start of the season with Malinauskas saying he hoped to know whether their bid had been successful within a fortnight.
