Canberra A-League not $3 mill to Sydney AFL

Canberra Raiders CEO Don Furner said,

'It could be going to local sporting teams, it could be going to the new A-League team.''

The ACT Government are considering paying $3 million dollars per year to sponsor the Sydney Swans. Now the Canberra A-League team don't need more handouts but this is clearly ridiculous. Pouring money into a Sydney team!

And the Brumbies and Raiders CEO's are concerned. As they should be.

But with Andrew Fagan signing on as a Foundation Member and Raiders CEO Don Furner clearly supporting a Canberra A-League team, the Brumbies Raiders and Canberra A-League not only have a large number of common supporters, "TEAM CANBERRA" may yet unite the three.

In administration, promotion and sponsorship. Time will tell, but thanks Dave Furner we appreciate the support.

Go the Raiders, for that matter go the Brumbies as well.

Sydney Swans..don't we hate Sydney in Canberra?


http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/afl/raiders-brumbies-wary-of-afl-pledge/1324528.aspx

Canberra Raiders chief executive Don Furner has questioned the ACT Government's election promise to inject more money into an out-of-town AFL club.
ACT Sports Minister Andrew Barr this week guaranteed a re-elected Labor government would ensure the ACT continued to host AFL games beyond next year, when the territory's three-year deals with the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne expired.

He also floated the prospect of a semi-ownership deal with the new western Sydney club, similar to the $15 million agreement Tasmania has with Hawthorn.

Such a deal would cost significantly more than the $828,000 the Government outlayed in return for Melbourne and the Bulldogs to play one premiership game each at Manuka Oval until the end of next year.

Furner said the Government should focus more funding on Canberra-based clubs, rather than paying ''out-of-town teams'' to play in the territory.

''I'm just concerned that sometimes the teams that are based in the city can be overlooked for visiting teams,'' Furner said.

''I think it's much more beneficial for Canberra as a city to support the teams that are based here.

''They spend their money here, the players are employed here, they buy houses and cars here.''

Furner said the club was happy with the level of support the Government had given it.

''We've got a great rapport with the ACT Government and they support us a lot, there's no problems there.

''But a team based in a city is worth a lot more than a team that just visits and then goes away.

''It's not a league versus AFL thing for me, it's about a team based in a community rather than one that just visits and takes the money out of town.

''I'm not putting my hand out and saying the money should go to us and the Brumbies.

''It could be going to local sporting teams, it could be going to the new A-League team.''

Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan said there was room for the Government to finance out-of-town teams playing games in Canberra.

But he said the funding needed to be handled diligently.

''I'd love for Canberra to host teams across a range of sports playing in professional leagues,'' Fagan said. ''But only to the extent that we can afford to do so.

''I think it's important that we don't create competition to the extent that we begin to cannabalise the existing teams, whether it's the Raiders, Brumbies, Capitals or whatever