AFL & NRL Asked to take mid season break during World Cup

[Foordy]

The AFL and NRL will have to take mid-season breaks of up to eight weeks should Australia host the football World Cup in 2018 or 2022.

Football chiefs are in advanced discussions with the AFL, NRL and rugby union about having first use of the nation's best multi-purpose stadia leading up to and during any Australian-hosted World Cup.

The rival codes would have to agree to at least a four-week mid-season shutdown while the tournament is underway in June and July, because of FIFA regulations locking out other major sports in each host city.

And FIFA also demands a four-week lead-in period at each host venue prior to the World Cup.

That means AFL and NRL matches during that period could not be played at stadiums being used for the tournament.

Football Federation Australia chief executive Ben Buckley admitted his sport would have to convince the AFL and NRL to rejig their seasons in some way during an Australian World Cup.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 15,00.html

That is asking for a lot of good will from your competitors. especially when they don't really receive a benefit for stopping their competitions for 8 weeks. once competitions resumed it would be like starting the season over again. and for the NRL in particular, that is when they hold the Origin which is a big money earner for them.

 

[Coxy]

They can GFT as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Charmamba]

wow thats a huge huge ask. will the NRL say yes thou

 

[Clintos]

Sod that.

 

[Fozz]

Play the matches at the same time on the same field. Let's see how those nancys like Carl Webb, Dave Taylor, etc etc running at them.

 

[Flutterby]

Could be a good opportunity to have a full Kangaroos tour (trying to find a positve outcome)

 

[Je$ter]

On an even more positive note:

$$$$$$$$$ for league, otherwise they can shove it?

 

[Foordy]

On an even more positive note:

$$$$$$$$$ for league, otherwise they can shove it?

If the NRL are smart they will be able to really cash in on the money a world cup will make... they will have all the power. because if any one of the codes decides not to take a mid season break, then the FFA won't be able to get the cup... however there may be some political pressure put on the codes by the Australian government.

 

[ningnangnong]

I don't think the NRL would have much say, considering the possible benefits for the Australian nation if we won the rights to the World Cup, the government would come in and tell them to go away for eight weeks.

No idea if they can even do that, just speculating. :mrgreen:

 

[ningnangnong]

Oh, just saw Foordy pretty much said what i did!

 

[Foordy]

the problem for the NRL is that FIFA require that no other major sports are played in world cup cities for 4 weeks before and during the event. so for example: if a World cup game was played at Lang Park, then there couldn't even be an NRL game at QE2, the Gabba or Ballymore etc. even if there are not cup games at those venues

 

[Nashy]

Tell them to **** off.

 

[Jeba]

Great idea and as mentioned above a good chance for the NRL and AFL to cash in. The Government would surely at least compensate for losses that the codes might incur.

Surely there can be some sort of compromise though - such as playing Origin in these 8 weeks so that the League season isn't so crammed in before and after the World Cup. Surely FIFA will be OK with 3 games of League being played in Sydney and Brisbane in those 8 weeks.

 

[Nashy]

**** FIFA. What decent excuse could they possibly have to shut down every domesitic football code for 8 weeks?

 

[dukey]

Screw that. Eight weeks of nothing but soccer? There will want to be a lot of good DVD releases over those 8 weeks.

 

[Coxy]

**** FIFA. What decent excuse could they possibly have to shut down every domesitic football code for 8 weeks?

Because it'll probably be the biggest sporting event that Australia has ever hosted. Ever.

Wrong. We had the Olympics.

If Australia is desperate for this, play it in September and have the domestic footy seasons finish in August. Just as they did in 2000.

 

[ningnangnong]

**** FIFA. What decent excuse could they possibly have to shut down every domesitic football code for 8 weeks?

Because it'll probably be the biggest sporting event that Australia has ever hosted. Ever.

Wrong. We had the Olympics.

If Australia is desperate for this, play it in September and have the domestic footy seasons finish in August. Just as they did in 2000.

You can't have it in September, every domestic league in Europe is scheduled to start late August/early September.

 

[Fozz]

So we have to shift and they can't for their own sport? Dear oh dear.