- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Over the past few weeks, I have read with interest about the dramas concerning the future direction (i.e. existence) of North Queensland Fury in the A-League.
To the FFA’s credit, they have stepped in to ‘top up’ funds required for the club after the North Queensland community raised just under $2 million to keep the keep operating into next season (and hopefully beyond).
This is not the first time that club ownership in the A-League has come under review.
Which brings me to my question – is the current private ownership model of A-League clubs the right way to go? In fact, is private ownership the right way to go for all major Australian sporting clubs?
The Godfather of private A-League club ownership was current ARU boss (and former FFA CEO), John O’Neill.
I read with interest that the new Super 15 team the Melbourne Rebels will have ‘private equity’ supplied to finance the start up on the club. Is O’Neill taking his (then) private ownership model from the A-League across to Super 15 rugby?
Should sporting clubs, where the purpose is to serve the COMMUNUITY, and largely funded by the COMMUNITY, be left to private operators, whose main concern ultimately is the bottom line?
Should sports fans of certain teams (or certain LEAGUES, in the case of the A-League) be held to ransom because a ‘sugar daddy’ private investor has fallen on hard times and needs to sell all his or her assets?
The recent farce involving private investors in the NBL is a classic example of this, also. Brisbane is still left without an NBL team for the next season, at least.
I think it’s high time that the FFA, and other sporting codes (read: the ARU) look into the future of private ownership of Australian professional sporting teams.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.