Australian Football & Cricket
There are strong historical links between cricket and Australian football, going back to 1858.
Like the ICC, the AFL should be keen to expand into other countries. As a consequence it is argued that a formal association between the ICC and the AFL would be mutually beneficial to both bodies.
Obviously, having grounds big enough to play cricket or football on is one of the major obstacles to introducing both sports into new countries. Such a problem is heavily reduced if either sport can get access to grounds where the other sport is played worldwide.
A good example is the USA. The ICC is keen to have a cricket stadium built in the USA to promote cricket. If a cricket stadium were built in the USA, it would obviously be ideal for Australian football. Cracking the American market holds rewards for both sports.
It is submitted that a formal association between the AFL and ICC could be held up as a model to clubs worldwide. For example, a footy club in the USA forms an association with a cricket club in the USA. Not only is access to a ground secured, but potential players and supporters as well. Come the commencement of the cricket season, the cricket club will have access to new members and supporters, the lifeblood of development.
A good example of the enormous potential that awaits us is India. The Indian Amateur Australian Football Association (IAAFA) was formed in 2001 by locals in New Delhi. They are aiming to send a national team to the 2008 International Cup.
India has a population of one billion people and a proliferation of cricket grounds. And it's also the place where many of our cheap footballs are made. India represents an enormous market and is one that we should definitely have a crack at.
"If we're going to England because they speak English and play cricket like us, why aren't we also looking to India? That nation loves cricket with a passion, embraces Don Bradman as a national hero with as much fervour as we do, has the largest English-speaking population in the world and is emerging as one of the great sporting markets."
Source: Kevin Sheedy, Follow Your Dreams
