The AFL has announced it is seeking Expressions of Interest for a new scandal to run throughout the 2015 season.
It’s believed the league is looking for a new scandal to replace its ageing ‘Essendon Supplements saga’, now well into its second season.
“The Essendon scandal has been a fantastic provider of content but it’s past it used by date,” a senior AFL source said.
“The people involved are too familiar and the writers have struggled to develop new characters or plotlines this year.
“The whole thing has probably involved the AFL a bit too much for the Commission’s liking too.”
The league is keen to secure a scandal for next year to continue challenging the NRL as the country’s most popular scandal provider, something thought impossible before the Essendon scandal.
There is a big push amongst clubs to give the next scandal to a club that needs a profile boost, however a large minority are keen for it to go to ‘a safe pair of hands.’
“St Kilda have the organisational expertise to host a big scandal and Carlton have both a strong history of managing them and have also hired Stephen Trigg,” said a club source.
The tender documents rule out a scandal involving drugs, due to the league believing the public are sick of it after the Bombers case and West Coast in previous years.
“Something involving social media could work, sex sells papers and betting is a growth opportunity, but the league really wants to see some innovation in the scandal space,” said sporting scandal consultant Abigail Barton.
“It’s time to think outside the box for AFL clubs and players. It could be arms dealing, international piracy, a counterfeit money operation or downloading Game of Thrones illegally.”
“The public need something fresh and new.”
It’s believed AFL executives have met with the NFL to learn from experiences in the US.
However, AFL executives don’t believe Australia is ready yet for organised dog fighting or murder scandals like the NFL have been experimenting with in recent years.
COMMENTS
Bob Slydell
Aug 26, 2014
Match fixing. I don't know how you would specify it in the RFT but if someone could pull it off; what with a game that involves 44 players, 20 officials, scores of coaches and seemingly unlimited playing time; well, 'scandal' just wouldn't describe it!
PS: Has St Kilda been approached to throw a dwarf? The kiddies wouldn't have seen that before.
Dennis Freedman
Aug 26, 2014
Where can one download the tender documents?
Steven Williamson
Aug 26, 2014
Match fixing is easily done, you only have to bribe the guys giving Selwood free kicks.
Fertile Soiled
Aug 26, 2014
There's a lot of base material to work with.
- Rules of the Game twiddling is ready to blow up. We just need the 'play on from backwards kicks' or 'restricted zones' rules to be delivered.
- Several clubs have substantial non-football business interests. A quick $15m implosion and somebody fleeing to Venezuela would liven things up.
- Arsenic found in the soil/food at Dockland's Stadium (we all know it is true)
- The introduction of mid-season, and mid-game, trading and free agency
- Entire 2014 draft group fails to make a single debut in first year, except for one guy who was overlooked by everyone until the fourth round, who wins the brownlow
- Dustin Fletcher reveals he has been consuming the souls of Gelflings, using a mysterious purple crystal
Fellow Demon
Aug 28, 2014
Take Wayne Carey off his meds (no drugs involved) and see where that goes. Could be special!
Gyfox
Aug 29, 2014
I suggest any number of Sydney NRL clubs could apply for this tender. Where do I start? Cronulla, of course.....but that's just another drugs saga! Well there's the Bulldogs, Sea Eagles & Sth Sydney - all have great credentials with rape, defecating & porno. But wait, there's also the Storm salary cap - oh, so yesterday. But here's a new one: Gold Coast Centre of Excellence (sic)
William Porter
Dec 17, 2014
Now Danny is in charge why not ring the ovals with a twenty foot fence made of barb wire and play cage ball. At half time let the Lions lose to attack those non Christian umpires who cheat by not giving Collingwood 100 free kicks at goal each half. No harm done the Lions would be finished playing by half time most weeks any way. If Carlton lose the game they could send Mick into battle against the press as an en core but don't tell anyone it's a secret.
Rory Oldman
Jun 30, 2015
Surely Adam Goodes is to blame for the Suns drug scandal.....he's to blame for everything else these days !
Scott J Rothwell
Jun 30, 2015
The AFL is floundering a little I believe in allowing drugs to be at the forefront of the latest scandal when with a little foresight the Greek debt crisis and Carlton had far more potential on a international scale.
Peter Wraight
Jun 30, 2015
Well they probably had issues after he touched them inappropriately. Lol
Joanne Everett
Jun 30, 2015
Sundown soon!