Sport in Tasmania

Sport is an important part of Tasmanian culture. The only Tasmanian team in a major national sport is the Tasmanian cricket team which play in Australian domestic competitions. Australian rules is also a significant sport in Tasmania where Launceston regularly hosts home games of Hawthorn in the AFL. However, in 2008 the Tasmanian Government submitted a proposal to the AFL for a Tasmanian AFL Team to be admitted into the competition.

Association football (soccer)

The Football Federation Tasmania is the governing body for associational football (soccer) in Tasmania. The equal highest levels of competition are the Southern Premier League and the Northern Premier League which compete in a playoff match at the end of each season to decide the Tasmanian Champion.

Aurora Stadium has hosted two A-League pre-season games, attracting over 8000 spectators at the 2007-08 match. [cite news|url=http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=hal_newsdisplay&id=18482&pageid=2055|title=Victory, United share spoils in cup opener|publisher=A-League|date=2007-07-16|accessdate=2007-12-29] FFT is actively pursuing the possibility of an A-League club based in the state. [cite news|url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/65860,tasmania-wants-aleague-bid.aspx|title=Tasmania wants A-League bid|publisher=FourFourTwo|date=2007-11-27|accessdate=2007-12-29]

Australian rules football

Tasmania was the first place outside of Victoria to play Australian football, in the 1860s. The Tasmanian Football League existed from 1879 until 2000.

The main leagues now are the Southern Football League and the Northern Tasmanian Football League.

Tasmania has a team, the Tasmanian Devils, in the Victorian Football League which has in the past attracted home game crowds of over 10,000 paying spectators.

The Hawthorn Hawks have a deal with the Tasmanian government to play Australian Football League home games at Aurora Stadium in Launceston. As a result of the commercial arrangement, the team have been branded the "Tassie Hawks". Hawthorn has been involved in record crowds of over 20,000 people at the stadium.

There is no Tasmanian team in the AFL. However in March 2008, The Mercury newspaper launched the campaign for Tasmania to have its own team in the Australian Football League. This was supported by the Tasmanian Government, who submitted a proposal to the AFL in August 2008 for a Tasmanian AFL Team to be admitted into the competition. Currently, the AFL are planning to give licences for new teams to the Gold Coast and western Sydney.

Basketball

The Hobart Devils existed in the National Basketball League from 1983 to 1996. Launceston also had a team in the NBL from 1980 - 1982 called Launceston City Casino.

Cricket

The Tasmanian Cricket Association administers the Tasmanian Grade Cricket competitions of cricket in Tasmania. The Tasmanian Tigers are the state's first class cricket team. They are based at Bellerive Oval and represent the state in domestic competitions such as the Ford Ranger One Day Cup, the Pura Cup, and the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash. Bellerive Oval also hosts international matches (Tests and One Day matches) of the Australian cricket team and touring sides.

Motorsport

Tasmania hosts a round of the V8 Supercars championship each year at Symmons Plains Raceway, in the Northern Midlands of the state.

Targa Tasmania is a six-day tarmac-based rally championship that has been held annually since 1992.

Tennis

Tasmania hosts the Moorilla International tennis tournament as part of the lead up to the Australian Open. The tournament is a professional tournament involving women's singles and doubles competitions played at the Hobart International Tennis Centre on the Domain in Hobart.

Yachting

The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race has taken place between Boxing Day and New Year every year since 1945. The race finishes at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania in Hobart.

References