Bordeaux Bombers prepare for take off

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Bordeaux Bombers prepare for take off

Friday, December 21 2007 @ 09:48 am ACDT
Contributed by: Aaron Richard
Views: 16,092

Footy is coming to France's Atlantic coast with the creation of the Bordeaux Bombers. The Bombers bring the number of clubs in France to three, joining the Strasbourg Kangaroos and the Paris Cockerels.

The Bombardiers de Bordeaux had their first run on Saturday November 3rd, with plans to send players to a planned France-Germany match scheduled for March 15 next year in Strasbourg. They are then hoping to have their first against outside competition when they host Barcelona in April, followed by a triangular tournament between the French clubs later in July.

Clubs have come and gone in France, with the St Esteve Saints in Perpignan and clubs in the towns of Cergy and Senlis near Paris being launched a few years back only to disappear again. With people interested in starting new clubs around the country, hopefully the current crop can build towards some new growth in the French footy scene.

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Bordeaux Bombers prepare for take off

Authored by: Troy Thompson
on Friday, December 21 2007 @ 10:48 am ACDT

Great stuff. Wondering people's thoughts on whether they believe the AFL should look at a basic support package for new clubs? Or do you think it is a waste of money - particularly if a new team is to start up and then quickly disappear?

Bordeaux Bombers prepare for take off

Authored by: Aaron Richard
on Friday, December 21 2007 @ 11:50 am ACDT

It wouldn't hurt.

Bordeaux Bombers prepare for take off

Authored by: Brett Northey
on Friday, December 21 2007 @ 12:53 pm ACDT

The AFL support some bigger programs but their assistance at club level tends to be fairly minor and ad hoc. It certainly wouldn't hurt them in the PR area to contribute a few footies and some umpiring gear (whistles, rules in the local language). I would've thought Essendon, being the Bombers, would chip in for Bordeaux.

Yep, let's hope the French can get some stability in their clubs and one day get a France league going - there's been so many club attempts but not much sustainability. But hopefully Bordeaux can focus on something like a 9-a-side local league first to get their numbers up. Internationally Australian Football seems to keep starting with city sides and national sides (and there are some good reasons for that), whereas historically in Australia it has grown as local leagues (in fact 18-a-side), with the Australian national league only occurring after 130 years of local footy.

I'd suggest aim for 2 Bordeaux sides, grow it locally, then look for 3 sides, 4 sides. The target should be that inter-city travel for matches should be occasional rather than the norm. If you have 4 local teams playing 9-a-side, with say 40 regular players, then you can get 20 players to travel on a more regular basis.