As Australia's sporting market continues to expand, Tasmania's JackJumpers and Devils know exactly what they need to thriveSporting success can be measured by winning or by improving over time but ultimately a professional franchise can only be viable if it is a financial success.
JackJumpers coach Scott Roth arrived in Tasmania in late 2020 to find almost nothing waiting for him."But the excitement was to build something from scratch using my experience." "I never heard about winning or losing. I heard about competing, about grit and grind, about tough-minded people who love this island and have always been punched down."And it resonated with the people who came out in droves to sell out all the club's home games."It's easy to go out and find the star, but does the star fit in Tasmania? I don't think a lot of people do, to be honest with you.
It's a success the Devils are looking to replicate when they enter the AFLW in 2027 and the men's competition the following year. It's taken 35 years of work by passionate Tasmanians for this proud footballing state to be granted entry into the AFL, and Riewoldt hopes to tap into that. Last year, both clubs did break their membership records, with the Gold Coast signing up 23,000 people and GWS 33,000.Tasmania started offering $10 "foundation memberships" in March, and at the time of writing has sold more than 180,000.