I've been reading this site frequently and thought it was about time I posted my opinions on a couple of issues people have been talking about.
Having a past connection with an AFL club which is aligned to a VFL club I have some insight into what happens in the VFL. I also have a young family and love taking the kids to a VFL game at our local community footy ground.
I've seen copies of what the VFL send to the media on a weekly basis.....I alos have been told by reliable sources that the VFL tried to get coverage for last weeks interstate game on the footy show but Eddie's mob simply see the AFL as the only footy game in town.
It would appear fairly obvious from looking at the Herald Sun and AGE and listening to 3AW and the ABC that the AFL comes 1st..2nd...and probably 99th before the VFL or any other footy gets publicity.
To me and many others I've talked to, Victoria's main metro media treats the AFL as if its still the State league with interstate visitors and virtually disregards the fact that there is not only a state league but many other leagues involved in footy each week
Buying space in the newspapers and on air is an option to Football Victoria but from my understanding even a smallish ad in the Sun costs in excess of $5000...and I doubt they have that sort of money.....if they have they should be using it more to promote the competition.
What would be more effective would be people such as us who frequently use this site ..as well as sending info here..send off a letter / email each week to the Sun and AGE or phone up 3AW or the ABC footy talk back shows promoting how great it is at the VFL ...how you can still watch quality footy at local suburban grounds...how its a place where you can take the kids..etc etc...
A couple of letters and phone calls each week will have a snowball effect and the media will be forced to sit up and take notice (and a little pride) in their own state's premier competion.
Sorry mate although what you say is good the mainstream media in Melbourne only look at the popularity of a sport and if they percieve that a sport is on the way down and wont make money for them by selling newspapers or lifting ratings they will ignore it.
All the bleating letters and money wasted on Ads will not make any difference as a competition has to be different to survive and flourish and sadly the VFL aint.
Just look at how Basketball has nosedived over the past few years as an example of a sport floundering and that is an Olympic and International game.
RL in Melbourne is also a disaster even with their owners the Herald Sun flogging them to death.
I think we all have to get used to the fact that the VFL/VFA is a second rate ( compared to AFL) and will never rise to any great heights again in the public's and media's eyes.
I am compiling a list of media links at the moment, which I hope to have posted up soon.
Billythekid may be right and the media may not do anything but they certainly aren't going to budge if we do nothing.
I've heard a caller to Rex Hunt on 3AW on their Saturday afternoon review program some time ago talk about the great time they had at a VFL match at Williamstown and it started a series of calls from others who attended VFL games...it does snowball.
Letters to the sports editor..complementary of the comp or otherwise can have the same snowballing effect.....however we will never know if we all sit on our hands and do nothing.