Zero Digital Sports To Launch Series Detailing History Of AFL Expansion

Zero Digital Sports’ ZeroHanger.com has launched its AFL Team Builders video and podcast series, examining the in-depth stories of how the then-VFL spread beyond Victoria to form a truly national competition.

Hosted by former ESPN editor Niall Seewang, the debut episode launches on YouTube today. It starts with South Melbourne’s emotional, trailblazing move to Sydney in 1982. New episodes will drop weekly, exploring the builds of the Brisbane Bears, West Coast Eagles, Adelaide Crows, Fremantle Dockers, Port Adelaide Power, Gold Coast Suns, and GWS Giants.

Seewang, who has helped launch two of Australia’s leading online sports platforms – AFL Media in 2011 and ESPN Australia in 2016 – said the AFL Team Builders series unearthed many interesting stories about the early days of AFL expansion.

“When Grant O’Brien was appointed as the inaugural Chair of the Tasmanian AFL Team in mid-2023, it made me curious about the pressures faced by initial employees of sporting franchises. I realised there must have been a handful of employees tasked with building every AFL club from scratch, and I wanted to know more,” said Seewang.

“Talking to the people involved with building these new VFL/AFL clubs, I was shocked at the extreme difficulties, absurd realities and controversial moments all these teams faced when they joined the national competition”.

“Footy fans will be able to discover a slice of the sport’s little-known history with AFL Team Builders — a ground-breaking video podcast exploring the formation of all non-Victorian expansion clubs,” said Seewang.

The eight-part series, featuring inaugural CEOs, presidents, coaches, board members, and star players, goes behind the scenes with the people tasked with building clubs from scratch.

AFL Team Builders is a journey into the historical foundations on which every expansion club was built. Who knew, for example, that Fremantle’s nickname was such a closely guarded secret that military intelligence helped keep the Dockers’ moniker under wraps?

Highlights of AFL Team Builders include:

Weekly episodes focusing on each club: Every episode concentrates on one specific club, taking listeners on an engaging and informative journey as visions became realities for the league’s eight non-Victorian teams.
Diverse range of guests: Host Niall Seewang talks with those who brought these clubs to life, including inaugural captains (including West Coast’s Ross Glendinning), coaches (including Peter Knights, Brisbane), presidents (including Greg Boulton, Port Adelaide), players (including Dennis Carrol, Sydney) as well as the board members and administrators.
Engaging format: AFL Team Builders is designed to be both entertaining and informative, with a perfect blend of storytelling, interviews, and expert insights.

Key Episode Dates: