AFL BREAKS PROMISE TO CLUBS AND FANS

The Lion’s Roar, has uncovered a secret agreement signed by the AFL under which the Brisbane Lions were guaranteed 6 Home and Away games in Melbourne every year.

This previously unknown agreement was signed at the time of the Fitzroy/Brisbane merger by then AFL commissioner Graeme Samuel and CEO Ross Oakley. It committed the league to fixturing the Lions for a minimum of 6 regular season games in Melbourne each year.

This year the Lions play a record low 4 games in Melbourne. The AFL are sending them to Tasmania to play a Hawks home game and to Darwin for a Demons home game. GWS, meanwhile, have been fixtured to play 6 games in Melbourne.  The Eagles, Crows and Dockers all have more games in Melbourne than the Lions this year.

The Lions Roar spokesperson James Kliemt says “This document confirms what we’ve long suspected. It is time for the AFL to uphold their end of the merger deal every year - not just when they pick and choose.  We are simply asking for the AFL to uphold their end of the merger agreement and to give the Lions what is rightfully theirs.”

"Given the Lions' unique merged history, it is not unreasonable to expect priority for Melbourne games over other non-Victorian clubs. It is galling to see clubs like GWS without that heritage and fan base play more Melbourne games."

"Instead of sending us to play Melbourne-based teams in Darwin and Tasmania, the AFL should be helping the Lions focus on their two key markets."

"The Lions Roar calls on the AFL to honour their commitment to the Lions by scheduling them to play a minimum of 6 games in Melbourne and 11 games in Brisbane every home and away season henceforth.”

The AFL played a significant hand in forcing Fitzroy to merge with Brisbane. To help ease the pain of Fitzroy supporters seeing their team moved to Brisbane, the AFL committed to scheduling 'no less than 6 games in Melbourne' each year, giving local fans the opportunity to keep the connection with their team alive.

Immediately after the merger, the AFL fulfilled their promise. In each of the 4 years immediately after the merger, the Lions were fixtured for at least the 6 game minimum - hitting a high point of 8 games in '98. However in the 10 years since Andrew Demetriou was appointed CEO, the AFL have fallen short of their commitment 7 times.

Brisbane Lions supporters are furious at the AFL for what they describe as a series of broken promises by the game’s administrators.  Long-time Lions member Ben Smith says “When the AFL made the merger happen, they promised that Fitzroy fans would still get to see their team play. Now we have proof they’ve been breaking that promise for years. Last year I heard Andrew Demetriou confessing that the AFL needs to do more to help Brisbane. This year he was talking about how the AFL prides itself on having strong core values and acting with integrity and honesty.  I’m hearing lots of talk but not seeing any action.  The AFL can’t keep kicking The Lions in the teeth like this.”

Lions Announce New Co-Major Sponsor

The Brisbane Lions today announced a new co-major sponsor, Vero.

The Lion's Roar congratulates the club on a good get, especially in a challenging environment. 

May the relationship be a fruitful one.

Four Non-Victorian Teams to Play More Melbourne Games than Lions

Close examination of the 2013 fixture highlights the AFL’s lack of regard for Melbourne-based Lions fans, which comes as “a slap in the face”, according to Lions supporters advocacy group The Lion’s Roar.

West Coast, Adelaide, Fremantle and league newcomer GWS will play more games in Melbourne next year than the Lions. This comes despite the AFL-approved Brisbane Bears/Fitzroy Lions merger agreement guaranteeing a minimum of six games annually. 

The AFL has scheduled only four games in Melbourne for the Lions next year.

“Respectfully, those four other teams have no cultural link to Melbourne.  In contrast, it is proudly the Lions’ second home. We call on the AFL to explain why they have deprioritised our Melbourne-based fans.” says the Lion’s Roar spokesperson Adam Staines.

The AFL earlier cited two reasons for rejecting the Lions’ request for six Melbourne games according to Lions CEO Malcolm Holmes yesterday.

“Hawthorn and Melbourne have commercial deals which see them sell games interstate, which in our case, has resulted in games in Darwin and Launceston, instead of Melbourne.”

“And 2 - the introduction of GWS and the Gold Coast. The introduction of more teams into expansion markets mean ‘away’ games are somewhat more diluted away from Melbourne with these two expansion sides.”

The Lion’s Roar, on behalf of Melbourne-based fans, rejects these excuses.

“The League had 18 teams last year and yet the AFL managed to uphold their obligation to 6 games in Melbourne. As for the Melbourne teams’ interstate games, the AFL has 16 other teams they can send before us.” said Staines.

The Lion’s Roar believes the AFL is spreading the Lions too thin, at the expense of their Melbourne fans.

“With all due respect to Darwin and Tasmania, the Lions have enough on their plates trying to grow the game in Queensland and cater to their Victorian supporters, without being sent to the League’s frontiers.”

It is not just Melbourne-based fans disappointed by the AFL’s stance. Queensland-based Craig Nicol is one of many who have rallied in support of their southern colleagues:

"Originally a Bears fan, now a proud long-term Brisbane Lions member, I embrace the Fitzroy part of our heritage.”

“I get down to at least one Melbourne game each year and love joining the fans down there and seeing their passion.”

“Giving them 4 games is just plain wrong. The AFL approved the merger agreement guaranteeing 6 games down there, so they need to live up to that obligation. Next year, GWS has more games down there than we do!”

“The ‘Fitzroy’ chant going up at the pre-Hall of Fame match this year gave me goose bumps. It was such a special moment and a great initiative from the Club. Why would the AFL want to undo all of that work?"

The Lion’s Roar says fans have had enough.

“We demand the AFL honour their obligation to schedule six Lions games in Melbourne each year. With a League concerned about integrity, that should be a non-negotiable.”

Lions Fans Seething Over AFL’s Melbourne Fixture Snub

Lions fans are furious with the AFL today announcing that their club would play only four games in Melbourne in 2013, according to supporters advocacy group “The Lion’s Roar”.

The AFL has once again disregarded a long-standing arrangement guaranteeing a minimum of 6 Lions games in Melbourne each year, says The Lion’s Roar spokesperson Adam Staines.

“In 1996, the AFL approved a merger between the Fitzroy Lions and the Brisbane Bears which guaranteed ‘not less than 6’ home and away games to be scheduled in Melbourne each year.”

“This allowed Fitzroy supporters the opportunity to continue following their team.”
“This year's fixture is particularly galling for Lions supporters with their team’s four games in Melbourne marking an all-time low. To add salt to the wound they’re playing two Victorian teams interstate; the Hawks in Tasmania and the Demons in Darwin.”

The AFL has now failed to meet the 6 game minimum a total of nine times in the thirteen seasons since 2000, after initially honouring the agreement.

In supporting the Lions’ continued existence as a two town team, the AFL must ensure that Lions supporters in Melbourne have a reasonable opportunity to see their team play.  Having committed to 6 Lions games in Melbourne per year, the AFL is obligated to deliver on its commitment.

Joel Thompson, a Melbourne-based Lions member of 20 years, is dismayed by the AFL’s failure to honour that commitment.

“I come from a family of four generations of (Fitzroy and Brisbane) Lions supporters, so ensuring the Lions heritage continues in Melbourne means everything to me.”

“For this to happen, the AFL must guarantee the Lions at least 6 games in Melbourne each year. Unlike most supporters, we don't get to see our team play too often. We rely on the AFL doing the right thing by us, especially when it was such a key part of the merger.”

“Sadly though, they don't seem to care about those of us in Melbourne who love the Lions.”

The Brisbane Lions see virtually no financial benefit from Melbourne games. This goes some way to explaining why the Lions accept the continued poor treatment of its Melbourne based fans by the AFL, feeding perceptions that the club's annual request for 6 games in Melbourne is a window-dressing public relations exercise.

The Lion's Roar demands that the AFL correct its continued disregard for the thousands of Melbourne-based Brisbane Lions supporters.  We call on Andrew Demetriou to recognise the Lions' unique status as a two-town club by honouring the merger agreement guaranteeing a minimum of 6 home and away games in Melbourne annually.

Addendum:
Deed of Arrangement between Fitzroy Lions and Brisbane Bears, Clause 7.2(h).:

The Merged Club will play one half of the total number of home and away games per season at the Gabba and as many Melbourne based away premiership games as possible will be played at Optus Oval or the Melbourne Cricket Ground (but not less than 6) with any other away premiership games at any of Waverley, Optus Oval or the Melbourne Cricket Ground at which Melbourne based members of the Merged Club will have home ground status (in respect of which Brisbane Bears will make a contribution to gate receipts of an amount determined by AFL).