Danny Armstrong, a Vietnam Swan, shares his email to the Australian Network which was submitted prior to the “return to normal transmission” announcement. Danny describes the special place footy has when you’re in Asia.

Dear Senior Management of Australia Network, I write to you with considerable displeasure at your ill-conceived, ill-informed decision to cut down the number of games available for viewing and reschedule the viewing times of AFL football coverage into Vietnam.I moved to Vietnam 19 months ago and was delighted to find a Vietnam team who I now play and train with regularly. Our team is made up of a mix of ex-Australian football players, rugby players and soccer players, but they are all attracted by the skill required to play the game and the games unique characteristics. It is also a terrific form of social interaction and has many spectator followers – both live and on Australia Network.As you are no doubt aware, there is also a flourishing competition of 10 Australian Football clubs with many members and supporters right across Asia, and a growing band of ‘locals’ playing and watching the game.

The game is uniquely Australian and many people in Asia are connecting with it. Many young people are also connecting with it, in part due to the ability to watch it on television.

Your decision to show games at 1am in the morning in Vietnam is extremely disappointing and will preclude many people from watching. It is almost as ill-conceived as the AFL itself who upon announcing their intention to take the game ‘truly national’ in Australia, then proceeded to show blockbuster Friday night games into Sydney at 10 and 11pm at night.

I strongly urge you to reconsider this decision. There is a groundswell of support in Asia and this decision will disenfranchise many of them and lose your network many supporters.