At a time when COVID-19 has left Tasmania's health and tourism sectors on their knees, seeking investment for sporting facilities may be as hard a sell as making Donald Trump re-electable.
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However, underestimating the power of political persuasion could prove as wayward in Northern Tasmania as North America.
As sports gradually return to competition across Launceston, there has been much discussion about the state of the venues being used.
The cricket, football and soccer potential of UTAS Stadium plus the need for improved basketball and netball courts have dominated the debate.
Narelle Cameron started the ball rolling in hilarious style.
Asked for her sporting dream for 2020, the Cavaliers stalwart, Generation Netball Club founder and former president, treasurer, secretary, and umpire convenor of the Northern Tasmanian Netball Association replied: "It'd be getting an indoor facility for Northern Tasmanian netball."
Urging netball and basketball to work together to achieve the dream, Cameron hoped it could happen before she was behind a Zimmer frame.
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Basketball was quick to pick up the baton. Tornadoes coach Sarah Veale highlighted how the city's major team has to train at 6am, such are the demands on Elphin Sports Centre.
Torns chairman Neil Gross further mixed metaphors by stepping up to the plate with calls for a centre of excellence multi-purpose training facility catering for basketball, netball and football.
Around the same time, soccer went on the attack.
Football Tasmania is hoping the state can play a key role in the 2023 Women's World Cup, which is to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
FT has confirmed that, if Tasmania does secure matches, they will be at UTAS Stadium.
And while Devonport Strikers' Valley Road headquarters and South Hobart's Wellesley Street training ground are being looked at as possible base camps for a competing nation ahead of the tournament, three Launceston venues have been earmarked as potential training sites.
Birch Avenue, the NTCA Ground and Churchill Park (respectively the homes of Launceston United, Northern Rangers and the Northern Tasmanian Junior Soccer Association) would all require investment to make the grade.
FT chief executive Matt Bulkeley described the 2023 World Cup as "a once in a lifetime opportunity for the sport in this country and this state".
Like a substitute champing at the bit to come off the bench and join the action, City of Launceston appears ready to play its role in the great Northern sporting infrastructure carnival.
Mayor Albert Van Zetten told The Examiner this week that the council "is aware of the shortfall in the number of indoor courts for sports in Launceston".
He added: "There hasn't been a new indoor sports complex developed in Launceston in more than 35 years and during this time, the demand for indoor recreation facilities has continued to grow."
We will have more to say on this soon.
- Launceston Mayor Albert Van Zetten
Like most establishments dating back to 1964, Elphin Sports Centre is starting to show its age.
Not wanting to offend the old fella, Van Zetten tactfully observed that "it does not have the capacity to service the Northern Tasmanian community to the level that is required".
The Silverdome may be two decades younger, but is also past its prime.
Both facilities are owned by the State Government who have been working with the council on potential solutions.
"We will have more to say on this soon," added Van Zetten who admitted that Launceston "has a very limited ability to attract and host large-scale sporting events" when compared with comparable mainland cities such as Ballarat and Bendigo - both of which have recently developed sports complexes that provide in excess of 12 courts.
It should be made clear from the top that, for a regional city, Launceston is actually fairly well served for sporting opportunity.
It is possible to play a huge gamut of sports including basketball, footy, cricket, soccer, netball, hockey, athletics, tennis, croquet, table tennis and badminton.
In addition, all four Olympic aspects of cycling (track, road, bmx and mountain biking) are extremely well catered for in Northern Tasmania. The Silverdome is one of only a handful of velodromes in Australia, the St Leonards bmx complex was set to host national championships before COVID intervened, local roads have been hosting Oceania championships in recent years as well as the jewel in the crown of the National Road Series and when it comes to mountain biking, Derby is fast becoming a regular stop on the Enduro World Series.
However, many venues are a bit like Shaun Burgoyne - proud of their previous achievements, still capable of performing a serviceable role but clearly on their last legs.
Rob Shaw
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
