PER471-Growing Australian Rules Football in the United States

Chapter 9

-

Case Study

Growing

Australian

Rules

Football

in

the

United

States

Australian Rules Football (Aussie Rules) is the number one spectator sport in Australia,

but only recently has it been seen on an international scale. In 1997, the United

States

Australian Football League (USAFL) was founded with the mission of growing Aussie

Rules in the United States. In particular, the USAFL’s stated mission is to develop

Australian Rules Football through “promoting awareness and knowledge of the

Austral

ian culture, by promoting a sense of community among USAFL clubs and club

members, and by fostering women’s and junior programs across the United States”

(USAFL, 2010).

In April 2007, when the USAFL Board met in Louisville, Kentucky, it was noted that in

1

0 years the league had expanded to the point where it had more than 35 teams,

located in nearly every major market in the United States, with over 2,000 players. At

the meeting, the board discussed the league’s goals for the next 10 years. It agreed on

thr

ee primary goals for the next decade: (1) to grow the league to more than 10,000

participants, (2) to have 1% of the U.S. population become aware of and interested in

Aussie Rules, and (3) to secure four new league sponsors.

A. J. Hudson, director of devel

opment, was put in charge of devising a plan to create

and foster awareness and increase participation in Australian Rules Football. Hudson

walked away from the meeting and started asking himself, “How will I generate interest

in a game that only a limited

number of people have heard of? How will I convince

Americans to participate in a sport that is relatively new to the country? How will I

position Aussie Rules to compete against baseball, American football, basketball, and

hockey? Which community stakeho

lders could I get involved to help me with this

project?”

Hudson knew that his budget was limited, because the USAFL is a nonprofit

organization. He had to find a way to spread the word about the USAFL with a very

limited budget.

Discussion Questions

1.

How could Hudson create awareness and interest in Aussie Rules?

2. What could Hudson do to inform the public of the league?

3. How should Hudson position Aussie Rules so that it is seen as an attractive

alternative to American football, baseball, basketb

all, and hockey?

4. Which community groups could Hudson target to become involved with Aussie

Rules?

5. Toward which target markets should Hudson focus his marketing campaign?

6. Which stakeholders (or sponsors) could Hudson approach to help to reach

the

USAFL’s goals?

Chapter 9 - Case Study

Growing Australian Rules Football in the United States

Australian Rules Football (Aussie Rules) is the number one spectator sport in Australia,

but only recently has it been seen on an international scale. In 1997, the United States

Australian Football League (USAFL) was founded with the mission of growing Aussie

Rules in the United States. In particular, the USAFL’s stated mission is to develop

Australian Rules Football through “promoting awareness and knowledge of the

Australian culture, by promoting a sense of community among USAFL clubs and club

members, and by fostering women’s and junior programs across the United States”

(USAFL, 2010).

In April 2007, when the USAFL Board met in Louisville, Kentucky, it was noted that in

10 years the league had expanded to the point where it had more than 35 teams,

located in nearly every major market in the United States, with over 2,000 players. At

the meeting, the board discussed the league’s goals for the next 10 years. It agreed on

three primary goals for the next decade: (1) to grow the league to more than 10,000

participants, (2) to have 1% of the U.S. population become aware of and interested in

Aussie Rules, and (3) to secure four new league sponsors.

A. J. Hudson, director of development, was put in charge of devising a plan to create

and foster awareness and increase participation in Australian Rules Football. Hudson

walked away from the meeting and started asking himself, “How will I generate interest

in a game that only a limited number of people have heard of? How will I convince

Americans to participate in a sport that is relatively new to the country? How will I

position Aussie Rules to compete against baseball, American football, basketball, and

hockey? Which community stakeholders could I get involved to help me with this

project?”

Hudson knew that his budget was limited, because the USAFL is a nonprofit

organization. He had to find a way to spread the word about the USAFL with a very

limited budget.

Discussion Questions

1. How could Hudson create awareness and interest in Aussie Rules?

2. What could Hudson do to inform the public of the league?

3. How should Hudson position Aussie Rules so that it is seen as an attractive

alternative to American football, baseball, basketball, and hockey?

4. Which community groups could Hudson target to become involved with Aussie

Rules?

5. Toward which target markets should Hudson focus his marketing campaign?

6. Which stakeholders (or sponsors) could Hudson approach to help to reach the

USAFL’s goals?