TV deal vital for WAFL future
New commissioner Grant Dorrington says WA football must find the money to secure a broadcasting deal for the WAFL next year at all costs.
Dorrington stepped down as WA Football Commission director last year but was elected to the authority's board for the next three years on Monday night.
The 66-year-old said it was vital for the future of the WAFL to have games broadcast.
The WAFC remains in discussions with preferred broadcast partner Channel 7 about televising the WAFL in 2015 following an end to the ABC's long-running coverage.
However, the commission is yet to secure sponsorship to underwrite the new broadcast agreement despite saying yesterday it remained confident of achieving a deal.
Each WAFL club contributing up to $50,000 to get the estimated $1 million-a-year deal over the line is one option floated.
Dorrington said WAFL clubs needed to work with the WAFC to make the broadcast deal happen.
"You get status and standing in a community from it," Dorrington said.
"Not many sports get live coverage on television Statewide. A lot of our people in the WAFL are country people and they don't get a chance like the good old days to get into a car and drive and watch East Perth and East Fremantle.
"I think it's a priority (to find the money) and that's an obligation for the football family.
"Times are tough, money's not just growing on trees. If they (WAFL clubs) believe in it, then seriously they've got an obligation. The commission can't go and spend money it hasn't got and leave it all in debt."
Negotiations over a broadcast deal come against the backdrop of recent funding cuts imposed by the football commission.
The WAFC slashed eight jobs, reduced draft fees from $35,000 to $25,000 and trimmed football district funding under its latest budget handed down earlier this month.
Dorrington described those making the decisions, including WAFC chief executive Gary Walton, as "smart financial people" operating in a tougher economic climate.
"When money is tight, you've got to make hard calls," he said.
"Unfortunately when you've got to make hard calls, sometimes it impacts on people that you've been friends with a long time."
