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As we all know, the Hyundai A-League works on a franchise system, similar to the one used in the MLS, and more locally, the NRL. There has been no real questioning to this system of club management.
However, is it the best option for the clubs, fans and, more importantly, the growth of Football.
As it currently stands, each club is a franchise, a license to play.
To enter the league, they need a required amount of capital before they are awarded a license. This view is one of the biggest selling points of the system. Financially, the franchise system is the best for the A-League, in such financial uncertainty and such competitive competition from other codes.
Each club has a salary cap enforced, as well as three marquee players (Under 21, Australian, and non-restricted) that fall outside of the salary cap.
Once again, this model prevents clubs from overspending.
An entity bid that tries to change this model is usually always rejected. One big example is Sydney Rovers’ more highly advanced rival bid, Sydney Wanderers, headed by Chris Tanner, Peter Begley, Richie Williams, and Joe Pinto. With the Wanderers’ bid having presented a one year plan, with several revolutionary ideas, including Singaporean sister club, strong ties with the community, outreach plans, returning Socceroos, and financials and stadiums all sorted out.
This bid was rejected for one that was only one month in the making, with no reasoning.
According to Mr Tanner however, the reason for the rejection, was, of course, football politics. He stated that previously the FFA had asked for a 30 per cent stake in another bid, and 4 out of 7 seats on the board.
Is this the way to go for football? I believe it is not.
Chris Tanner’s bid had a slogan on the bottom of its paper “The People’s Bid”. All of these A-League bids should be “people’s bids”. They should be run by the community, for the community. The FFA should still have control over finance such as the salary cap, but give the clubs some freedom.
Even the simplest things such as club websites need to be non-linear. At the moment, all the clubs have the same website, with different articles and pictures.
These small things all contribute to a club’s identity. Its own match day feeling, posters, and advertisements let the clubs call the shots. Still, credit to the FFA, they are starting to let that happen ever since season 3.
However, they are still rigorously regulating the way they are run. The clubs are all generic, bringing back the debate of “Old Soccer vs New Football”. Those clubs had identities.
Despite the obvious ethnic ties that some had, they still had that thing that you could recognise as being truly “Pan Hellenic”, or a real “Melbourne Knights” supporter.
Still on the topic of identity, the same old ‘Reebok’ standard jersey is slowly tiring out. Teams in the EPL have their own jersey. Each year the unveiling of the new jerseys is such a large thing. Sometimes it defines the team’s future, or season to come. It leads to some amazing looking jerseys, as well as some shockers, and companies work long and hard to create new looking jerseys for the clubs.
It becomes a competition.
You often hear “Have you seen the new Manchester United Away strip?”, “Have you seen Chelsea’s new third kit?” Rarely do you see “I love Central Coast’s new jersey,” because they are all the same theme.
Either plain coloured, or striped.
The only real breakaways were North Queensland Fury’s inaugural kit, and Melbourne Victory, who began the V style strip. It’s a part of identity, more or less.
The A-League is a growing young league, with a large amount of promise, however depending on the decisions the FFA make, will define its future.
Until the association gives clubs their own true identity, the A-League will have its growth stunted.
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