Media release – Hawthorn FC, 31 January 2023
Hawks strengthen ties with Tasmania until 2025
Hawthorn has strengthened ties to its ‘home away from home’ after the club extended its agreement with the Tasmanian Government.
The further two-year extension will see the Hawks continue to play in front of their loyal Tasmanian members and fans until least the end of 2025, after this season’s deal was announced last month.
The agreement ensures Hawthorn will host four home matches at UTAS Stadium each season for at least the next three years, building upon the club’s long-standing partnership with the Tasmanian Government since 2001.
The Hawks have brought several marquee matches to Tasmania in the past few seasons, including ANZAC Day, Sir Doug Nicholls Round and the state’s Emergency Services Match and in particular, have embedded themselves into the community for 22 years across various community and school programs.
The club has shown commitment and heart to its Tasmanian family through many years of developing and delivering meaningful community programs that aim to help Tasmanians to be the best that they can be. Mental health, literacy, food education, physical education and mentoring programs have reached the breadth and depth of the island. Investment in junior football, curriculum-aligned school programs and efforts to make the club’s big match days accessible to those experiencing social disadvantage are hallmarks of Hawthorn’s Tassie’s footprint.
Hawthorn President Andy Gowers said this deal further solidifies the club’s standing with the Tasmanian community.
“As a club, we are incredibly proud to be extending this partnership and continue to play in front of our passionate Tasmanian members and fans,” Gowers said.
“Hawthorn’s partnership with Tasmania remains among the longest standing in the AFL, and we can’t wait to return to Launceston. We highly value our long-standing relationship with the Tasmanian Government and community and continue to ensure Hawthorn matches in Tasmania generate significant direct and indirect economic impacts to the State, particularly in the transport, tourism and hospitality sectors.”
Hawthorn CEO Justin Reeves shared Gowers’ sentiment, saying the extended deal will benefit the club enormously.
“To continue this partnership with the Tasmanian Government until at least the end of 2025 is fantastic for our loyal 10,000 strong Tasmanian members and fans and the thousands of Hawthorn members and fans that travel from around the country to Launceston for our matches” Reeves said.
“Having this commitment provides certainty for the club while the state continues to provide the highest AFL content and continue its pursuit of its own AFL team, which we have long said we are in support of.”
The Hawks would like to thank the Tasmanian Government and the ongoing support of the City of Launceston.
Media release – Josh Willie MLC, Shadow Minister for Sport, 31 January 2023
Stadium debacle means we’re further away from an AFL Team
The extension of the Hawthorn deal reflects how far we are away from our own AFL team thanks to the state government’s debacle over the proposed stadium for Hobart.
In February 2021, then Premier Peter Gutwein wrote to the AFL saying the State Government wouldn’t negotiate with Hawthorn or North Melbourne for new deals until they received a guarantee on our own team.
The AFL said that we would have a decision on our team by August 2022 but we’re still waiting and the whole AFL Team has become mired in the stadium issue.
It should not have been this way.
The AFL Team for Tasmania was not contingent on building a taxpayer funded stadium in Hobart and Premier Rockliff is on the record stating that.
Now the Tasmanian taxpayer is on the hook for $460 million and the state government has ensured that’s the case.
The stadium has got in the way of creating the team; of appointing key office bearers for the team, putting in place a board and starting our push for membership all because Premiers Gutwein and Rockliff have refused to stand up to the AFL.
