Melbourne Victory’s Sebastian Ryall holds up the trophy after their penalty shoot out win over the Wellington Phoenix in the Hyundai football A-League pre season final at Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand, Wednesday, August 06, 2008. (AAP Images/NZPA, Ross Setford)
As the A-League swings back into gear, expansion is still the buzz word. But it didn’t stop Football Federation Australia putting a halt to Melbourne Victory’s plan to become a super brand last week.
The Victory, and chairman Geoff Lord in particular, had expressed a ready interest in branching the brand out to basketball and rugby union franchises.
Lord perhaps had dreamed of emulating the likes of FC Porto and CSKA Moscow, which boast champion teams across a host of sports.
But FFA last week appeared to have scuppered any such moves, stating in no uncertain terms that it held the rights to the Melbourne Victory name.
A new licensing agreement, which all clubs are required to sign, will be ratified at the end of the 2009/10 season to support the stance.
“We believe it is important that focus and resources are directed at leveraging the investment FFA and clubs have made in football and specifically the Hyundai A-League,” an FFA spokeswoman told The Age’s Michael Lynch.
FFA constantly cops criticism from fans over scheduling, the disciplinary system, the salary cap, coaching appointments … let’s face it, pretty much everything.
Like many of the governing body’s decisions, it is one born from an autocratic governance intent on avoiding the financial issues of the National Soccer League that can sometimes be viewed as over the top.
But it is one stance that – this time – perhaps a majority fans will agree with.
A-League clubs are hardly a byword for financial stability, with both Adelaide United and Brisbane Roar under the auspices of FFA as they go through so tough financial times.
And as one Victory supporter said, with glazed dreams of an academy straight out of the English game in his eyes: “I’d rather the money be spent on our youth.”
And it’s not hard to believe that the bulk of A-League club members would much rather see their club work towards a facility like the Central Coast Mariners’ much-vaunted centre of excellence than branch out into different sports.
It’s also hard to see a large number of fans following the brand’s other sides simply because they share a badge and team colours.
It’s also feasible that such forays into basketball and rugby union would take considerable outlays.
And while it’s doubtful Lord would have raided the football coffers to establish teams in rival codes, his current members – like any others in the competition – would no doubt be keen for him to utilise his fundraising expertise to help set the team up as a domestic giant.
As they and FFA would perhaps argue, there are plenty of other, footballing ways, in which money could be spent.
Nick
Guest
I would've loved to have had a Victory basketball side to follow in a different time of the year (rugby i don't really care for, but may have gone) but the only worry for me would not be that the basketball arm of the club itself wouldn't be successful - i think enough fans would jump on board to make the venture financially viable and even profitable - it would be that the likely ultimate failure of the new basketball competition as a whole would damage the MVFC as a club and that would mean funds that could be invested in football would really just have been temporarily diverted. Would still have loved for it to happen. And also thought that with a bit of influence over fixtureing it could've been aranged very favorably for MVFC and its fans, eg; all away b-ball games for MV played while the football side is away and any over lapping home games played one after the other (maybe with a special price for a double ticket/membership) to take advantage of our cities brilliant sporting precinct. I still think the FFA really need to ease up on the dictatorship and let their clubs (especially its most successful one) make some decisions for themselves. It would be interesting to see what happens if Lord simply refused to sign any such agreement as that proposed, as Palmer and Bleiberg at GC and Sage at Perth have proved recently that the FFA are not beyond challenging. Lord doesn't seem to have the stomach for the fight though.
albe
Guest
get an academy structure in place Victory. Then i reckon a super club is a good option, particularly with basketball. But too early, there's plentyn of work they can be doing on the football set-up
Mushi
Guest
I agree whole heartedly, firstly the HAL is not in a position to effectively cross subsidise other codes in its most successful market. Soccer fans may believe they have this professional power house but realistically it is still a fledgling sport that need sound management to flourish. Secondly I think the current NBL model is hideously flawed and not a good use of a new businesses capital.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Personally, I was disappointed, that: 1. the Victory was stopped in its attempts to create a viable long term successful commercial entity; 2. the Victory was stopped in pursuing obvious synergies in relation to the new stadium; 3. the FFA thought it owned the intellectual property of the white V on dark blue. Such things as women's, regional and indigenous football may well need investment - but that's not the sole province of a individual club attempting to become a successful commercial entity - that's the province of the governing body.
Phutbol
Guest
Good move FFA. What a disaster it would be if the strongest A-league franchise was crippled by a failed attempt to expand into other sports.
jaymz
Roar Rookie
FFA got this one right, i still dont know why melbourne havent improved their scouting networks or player development with the money they would have outlayed
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
It is hard to comment at this stage as I am not privy to the business models however , Paddy, the room for investment in areas of regional, indigenous and women's football would suggest that further consideration needs to be given to the longer term development of the domestic football framework.