The Australian Football League (AFL) has determined that the Hawthorn Football Club must conclude its residency in Tasmania by the end of 2027 to facilitate the entry of the Tasmania Devils into the league.

澳洲足球聯賽 (AFL) 已決定，霍桑足球俱樂部必須在 2027 年底前結束在塔斯馬尼亞的駐場，以利塔斯馬尼亞惡魔隊進入聯賽。

The decision follows a period of institutional friction regarding market exclusivity in northern Tasmania. The Tasmania Devils have asserted that the continued presence of a Melbourne-based entity in Launceston would compromise their commercial viability and fan-base acquisition, citing a 2019 business model that did not account for shared regional occupancy. This position was reinforced by the Tasmanian government's reluctance to maintain subsidies for Hawthorn while simultaneously funding the Devils' infrastructure and operational costs.

此決定源於一段時間以來關於塔斯馬尼亞北部市場獨佔權的機構摩擦。塔斯馬尼亞惡魔隊主張，一支總部位於墨爾本的實體持續存在於羅肯斯頓，將損害其商業生存能力及球迷基礎的擴張，並引用 2019 年的一項未考慮到區域共用情況的商業模式。由於塔斯馬尼亞政府不願在資助惡魔隊基礎設施和營運成本的同時，繼續為霍桑提供補貼，進一步強化了這一立場。

Historically, Hawthorn's engagement with Launceston since 2001 has yielded significant economic dividends. Data provided by PriceWaterhouseCoopers indicates that in 2022, Hawthorn's fixtures generated a total economic impact of $23.6 million. Consequently, local stakeholders, including the Launceston City Council and regional business leaders, expressed apprehension regarding the potential loss of this stimulus. Mayor Matthew Garwood indicated that the transition plan lacked sufficient clarity to justify the severance of ties with the Hawks, suggesting that a dual-club presence was a viable alternative.

從歷史上看，霍桑自 2001 年起與羅肯斯頓的合作帶來了顯著的經濟紅利。普華永道（PriceWaterhouseCoopers）提供的數據顯示，2022 年霍桑的賽事產生了總計 2,360 萬美元的經濟影響。因此，包括羅肯斯頓市議會和地區商業領袖在內的本地利害關係人，對可能失去此刺激方案表示憂慮。市長 Matthew Garwood 指出，過渡計劃缺乏足夠的透明度，不足以證明與「老鷹」切斷聯繫是合理的，並建議雙俱樂部共存是一個可行的替代方案。

Conversely, the AFL and the Tasmanian government have countered these concerns by pledging an increase in the volume of fixtures in Launceston—proposing at least six games per season—and the inclusion of AFLW and VFL competitions. They contend that this strategy will elevate the annual economic impact to approximately $40 million. Despite these assurances, the transition is complicated by the fiscal escalation of the Macquarie Point stadium, the cost of which has risen to $1.13 billion and will not be operational until 2031.

相反地，AFL 與塔斯馬尼亞政府透過承諾增加羅肯斯頓的賽事數量（建議每季至少六場比賽），以及納入 AFLW 和 VFL 賽事來回應這些擔憂。他們認為此策略將使年度經濟影響提升至約 4,000 萬美元。儘管有這些保證，但由於 Macquarie Point 體育場的財政成本攀升，使過渡過程複雜化，其成本已升至 11.3 億美元，且直到 2031 年前不會投入使用。

Hawthorn will continue its Tasmanian fixtures through 2027, after which the Tasmania Devils will assume exclusive operational focus within the state.

霍桑將繼續在塔斯馬尼亞舉行賽事直到 2027 年，之後塔斯馬尼亞惡魔隊將承接該州內唯一的營運焦點。