Aussie Rules Football

[Shootmaster_44]

Does any follow Aussie Rules Football on here? With the right tv deal and proper marketing I think the USAFL and CAFA could conceivable become a niche minor league in the vein of single A baseball or low level arena football. What does everyone else think?

[Pounder]

Um, facilities?

An explosion of cricket in America, perhaps?

I know there was once an exhibition in now PGE Park in Portland. The teams who played held two players off the pitch because the park (which has a lot more field surface than most parks in America) was too small.

The next crazy economic boom is 35 years away, in all likelihood. That's the only point where I can see people trying to make capital expenditures just to have fields available so kids can learn the sport and a league can be developed. Even then, yikes, I'm not betting on it.

[Shootmaster_44]

I didn't know about that when it was played in Portland. I do know that there are thriving amateur leagues in Ontario and the Pacific Northwest in the US and I believe Colorado. If the Aussie Football League were to play more Wizard Cup games here would that possibly increase interest? I do know Toronto has two first class cricket facilities that were used for the Cricket World Cup qualifying tournament in 2001, the Toronto Cricket and Curling Club and one other, who's name escapes me at the moment. Does anyone think that greater Aussie Football League coverage could happen in North America at the very least?

[Houston Caldwell]

There is an excellent website devoted to Aussie Rules Football in the U.S. The website address is www.usfooty.com.

[Pounder]

I know someone has trotted out a rumor (based on a copyright request and a website reservation) that the Fox Sports World channel is due to be replaced by the Fox Soccer Channel. If that's the case, and Fox follows through on the title, there may well be less Aussie on TV than the scant coverage already available.

If the new ESPN and Fox college ventures take programming OFF their current staples, then anything can happen... but I wouldn't hold my breath.

[wncsport.com]

That would be an incredibly stupid thing to do. I needs me rugby... :evil:

[Pounder]

Fox Soccer Channel it will be... but ya still gets yo rugby.

http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20050111&content_id=20855&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp

I'm guessing that, if rugby continues, the footy possibly does, too.

Well, I hate to go all Ty Keough on everyone and call it "interesting" that Fox is making this name change, but honesty starts with thyself.