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With the North Queensland Fury’s demise at the business end of last season, and the tattered glamour expansion entity that is Gold Coast apparently following the same route, doubts have to be raised over the expansion policy that the FFA are still grasping heavily to.
Only six seasons in, and the FFA’s aggressive expansion approach is in damage control, and yet a defiant administration is pointing no fingers and asking no questions.
When the question of expansion is raised, the defend their credibility with the short term success of the Melbourne Heart franchise. Full credit must be granted of course, but it is not hard to crack a sporting mad market of over two million people yearning for a second side.
The FFA’s failure to heed the word of the public has been to their own demise. The FFA have undertaken several questionable actions (or failures to act). These include:
The botched management of the North Queensland entity in its final hours, the embarrassing failure to implement a team in Western Sydney (one of the sport’s heartlands, with over 2 million people and no A-League team) and now the downfall of Gold Coast United all raise serious questions.
A new strategy is required.
Football is not the biggest code in Australia, not by a longshot. As a result we need to stop marching into regions with a marketless side demanding support and sponsors. A sporting franchise is not built in a year, and as with Western Sydney, not in a month either.
A term we use a lot in football is “grassroots”, and this by no means is any less important in establishing a club than establishing the players.
Build the club in the community and mould it to suit. It is futile to expect a community to mould to a club. Advice like this falls on deaf ears at the FFA, who should take a leaf out of the AFL’s books.
The Gold Coast Suns and Greater Western Sydney Giants weren’t built in a day, infrastructure was built, a brand was slowly established and a team was formed.
When the FFA looks to next form a new side they must build it in the community. They need to slow down the process, for example they could begin by entering a team into the NYL.
I have a message for the FFA. Fix the current clubs, build their brand, and stop the banter and fascination with glamorous kick-start teams that will not catch on like wildfire.
Build on Adelaide’s ACL success, work the Victory into a continental force, and turn Brisbane’s success into fans. Should you even think about expansion, forget all your farfetched plans, and listen to your fans.
Look at Canberra, yearning for a team, established base, foundation members already firmly set. Look at Tasmania, untapped with a team already working in the grassroots.
Its not rocket science, its called listening to your fans and listening to the community.
I’d come down to your offices with my desk and start ordering you guys around, telling you what to do, demanding respect and attention, but it would be hypocritical: that is exactly what your expansion policy is doing.
FFA, get it right, or lose it all.
Support your local bid teams!
Western Sydney – http://www.facebook.com/westernsydneyfootball
Tasmania – http://www.tasmaniaunited.com.au/
Canberra – http://capitalpunishment.forumotion.net/
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