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Re: AFO 2010 Dates
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
To all State bodies, Associations, players, parents, sponsors and general public
Over the last 4 months the committee of NSWFA has worked hard to secure a venue for AFO 2010. We have faced many challenges and many knock backs from venue's whom have promised verbally only to fall way when we went to secure in writing, despite offering any venue a 30% upfront payment.Please note that NSWFA's main objective was to secure a venue and date which will be in the best interest of floorball to develop and grow the game for all participants. The preferred venue was to be Sydney Olympic Park, but at $8000 per day (main arena because all other court time is booked),plus on costs, it just was not viable. Additionally we wish to get exposure to schools, media, sponsors and local press. School holidays, travel, juniors, women's, overseas players, marketability, promotion, etc were all a main focus to the above. Unfortunately the main objective was clouded with the inability to secure a venue unconditionally and therefore we just needed to secure a venue.
At some point we needed to lock in a date and secure the location for everyone to have plenty of time to sort out their team and club requirements. The venue we secured was not the preferred venue but was the venue that did not stipulate any conditions, such as having to pack up on Thursday night because of prior bookings, etc.
Note that we have had much difficulty getting regular venue time in any Sydney venue as the venues have bookings rolling over every 12 months every year. Even when I was in Melbourne I never experienced the demand as in Sydney. The reason Wollongong was chosen was due to the opportunity to develop the sport in regional NSW, Newcastle have done a great job in their area and as such Wollongong was selected.
Rather than write a 10 page response to concerns on the dates, I will say this. Whatever your thoughts, concerns, queries, ideas, etc I can guarantee that we have thought of all of them and I offer this to anyone.
We will not consider any date or venue change unless one individual can secure in writing by December 19 with a contract to use a venue within Sydney or greater Sydney unconditionally. Unconditionally meaning that the venue is solely ours for the entire duration of the AFO and we do not need to pack up, move or relocate anything for another booking. Also the location must be of sound quality for floorball and the ability to use canteen facilities, parking, etc.
Finally can I add, over the last 3 AFO's I have participated in no matter what location, venue, date, time, etc NSW teams have made up more than 50% of the team entries and we have all the same concerns as everyone else each year.
We look forward to seeing you all at AFO 2010.
Kind regards
Jason Cowland
President NSWFA
 AFO 2010 Date Response Letter
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