The ailing A-League is set to undergo a facelift, with a later start to the season and less midweek games to be scheduled in a bid to ‘refresh and reignite’ the competition.
While FFA chairman Frank Lowy and chief executive Ben Buckley fielded numerous questions about Australia’s unsuccessful 2022 World Cup bid on Tuesday, the pair emphasised the need to address the challenges facing the local league.
The FFA board will later this week discuss a strategic review paper containing feedback from the game’s stakeholders aimed at boosting the A-league.
“That will make a series of recommendations about some changes we need to make within the A-League to reignite it and to refresh it and to kick-start it and to build attendances, so that’s an absolute priority for us,” Buckley said.
“I think there’s a strong view from all quarters of football that we need to start the season later, whether that is the middle of September or the middle of October.
“We’re still working through some final models but most likely it will be the start of October going through to April.”
Buckley wouldn’t rule out a reduction of the amount of rounds and hinted the quantity of midweek games would definitely be cut.
” I think what we’re seeing at the moment, is probably too many midweek games in particular, they work in some cities, they don’t work in others,” Buckley said.
“The ultimate number of games hasn’t been determined, but our first priority is to make sure that whatever we do improves the financial performance of the clubs.”
Lowy said there was a tremendous future for the code in Australia, but admitted a number of issues needed to be addressed, including the worrying attendances.
“The football is very good, the competition is very strong. We are in need of more spectators, bums on seats and I think we’ll get them,” Lowy said.
“We are in the sixth season and if you consider what happened in America, they started in 1994 and it took them a long time to get where they are today and in Japan it’s the same thing.”
Lowy delivered a stark message to the supporters of struggling North Queensland Fury, warning them it was up to the Townsville community rather than his organisation to provide the majority of finance for the cash strapped club.
Buckley said the FFA supported North Queensland’s proposal of a community-based model, but they needed a decision to be made before the end of the year.
“This job is for the people of Townsville to do. We will assist them but we will not carry the Townsville team on our books,” Lowy said.
“This is not what we’re supposed to do and we don’t have any resources for that, so if there is to be a club in Townsville, the Townsville people have got to want it, and have got to pay for it.”
Buckley said meetings over the next few days would be critical in determining whether a Western Sydney franchise would compete in next season’s competition or the following season.
Betty B
Guest
yeah right - so FFA should copy NRL and concentrate everything on Sydney. Doesn't work for them, won't work for FFA. But ok 4 teams for 5mil is not a concentration, so I concede Chris. But QLD population is approaching 5mil (4.6 I believe). On your logic, that's 3, maybe 4 teams. I've never believed that Gold Coast is a supporters city. They'd much prefer to go to the beach, or their pools than to a game. I'll be surprised if their AFL teams draws crowds (though I guess a lot of Victorians live/visit there). 3 hrs drive is nothing for rural QLD, some drive for a day to see events in Townsville. Their V8 event is one of the best (if not best) supported in Australia. As are their other national teams. Their record says they deserve a fair go. Ultimately, some outstanding indigineous players could come from this region - a source untapped by FFA.
Futbanous
Guest
The fixturing is pathetic. Have a look at the leading club Brisbane Roar:- http://www.brisbaneroar.com.au/default.aspx?s=aleague_fixtures Fixtures jammed together at home,fixtures showing 4 away matches etc. Expansion Clubs placed in areas with no history of the game being supported at professional level, a club placed in Melbourne with its base a football ideology rather than a geographical location. Can these clubs become well supported professional football clubs? Can SFC ever do the same ,because if it cant the A-League will never acheive its potential. The "Bums on seats" philosophy by Frank Lowy is admirable,but as Australias biggest Football city proves BOS is not as easy as providing a winning team. You have to maintain it & provide something extra. Why does Sydney fail. Because their a provincial team in a major world renowned cosmopolitian city. The team is not up to scratch in the eyes of its football citizens. How do you fix that? Simple you allow Sydney to reach its potential to match the expectations of its status as a major city. Then it may stand a chance of winning the ACL instead of making up the numbers. Does that mean doing away with the salary cap, or are their ways of still keeping a balance between the Clubs? No wonder Frank & Ben went for the easy option of concentrating on the World Cup bid over the last 2 years or so.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
It has nothing to do with the World Cup. What the AFC says about anything affects football in Australia. If the AFC told us to get rid of the Nix or lose our ACL spots ... we would have to get rid of the Nix. Let's hope it never comes to that.
Darwin Stubbie
Guest
Now that the world cup bid is buried - what the AFC say re Wgtn has no meaning ... the NZ market is vital to the success ofthe A league and the Phoenix are becoming one of the few success stories of the league - they won't be dumped in hurry
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
NZ will never get another team into the A-League. In fact the AFC is not happy with even 1 NZ team in the A-League.
Michael
Guest
So it's going to be a home and away season (with 11 teams, thats a 22 round year with byes) and a Cup as well? I've always wondered why the weighted additional 'rivalry' matches actually work in favour or not.
Robbie Di Fabio
Roar Guru
So let's get this right, the FFA want to run the season from October-April with less mid-week fixtures. In short, they want the season to be reduced by one month (currently August-March), however have less mid-week games...how does this work if we still have a 30 game competition? Conspiracy theory: FFA killing off the Fury?
Chris
Guest
"If central NSW/Sydney can support four teams, surely NQ can support one?" When you consider that the population of Newcastle/Sydney/Central Coast is more than 5 million and the population with 3 hours drive of Townsville is a touch under 0.2 million it isn't too hard to see why the Fury aren't working.
MagpieFlag
Guest
So the heart can go cos they the attendances mean they don't deserve a team? A) its the first season B) they are the ONLY a-League team that did not enter into a vacuum where there was no existing A-League club C) they have averaged 8,000 anyway (albeit boosted by the derby) The suggestion that Heart, who have made impressive community engagement endeavours should go, but the abortion of a club - GCU - should stay apparently on account of the main reason it has become an abortion, demonstrates a pretty shallow grasp of the importance of substance in sustainability This what I'd do (assuming a twelth team comes in): Premiership: 22 round premiership season which determines the premiership. "Fa Cup Style" competition with top state level teams. Not sure how this is structured but has a group stage and than knockout. This might be played mid week, particularly during holiday season. A-League Cup: top 8 teams from the end of the premiership play a knockout cup. Just throwing it out there but ultimately: -the nature of the game means it is fairer awarding the premiership to the team that finished top after a symetric season. Missfortune on one day shouldn;t determine the premier -reintroduction of the "traditional" clubs to national participation -3 national titles of value, rather than the current 1.5 (essentially a "minor premier" and than a finals series to determine the champion)
Betty B
Guest
Maybe you're right Chris. I just don't get the Fury. Townsville is one of the best sporting communities in Australia, cite the Crocs who, at least until disruption in NBL, led home crowds nationwide. Every game was a sellout. Cowboys up there can be similar, but people only go if they think the club's serious. The community really got behind Fury with funding - they have great local business's who'll do everything they can to sponsor/help. Whenever the Sunbirds (or whatever they're called now) play there - sellout. I don't have a problem with west Sydney - but NQ deserves a team in HAL. If central NSW/Sydney can support four teams, surely NQ can support one? That's national - there's much more to national than NSW and VIC. I'd like to know why NQ lack crowds - I doubt it's due lack of interest. Lack of knowledge maybe, and what's being done about it?
sydboz
Guest
Sydney FC are the most hated footballing side in Australia. They are not only hated in Victoria but also in the west of Sydney. I'm a big football supporter from the west and I hate Sydney FC, so do pretty much everyone else here. It's time for the FFA to step up and give Western Sydney a proper team. A team that's well and truly over due.
Chris
Guest
11 teams: Sydney FC Western Sydney FC Newcastle Jets Central Coast Mariners Melbourne Victory Brisbane Roar Gold Coast United Wellington Phoenix Christchurch FC Adelaide United Heart and Fury have shown through their attendances they don't deserve a team. Western Sydney is so big it needs a team for the A-League to be serious about representing Australia. Christchurch got fantastic crowds for their two Phoenix games. GCU can stay as long as Palmer is willing to underwrite them. Home and Away calender: 10 games at home, ten away. That's the only fair way to do it really. It might be a bit of a cut in games - but quality over quantity rules the roost. Wollongong should be seriously considered in the future as well - either Sydney or Western Sydney should play a few games there to see what kind of crowds can be achieved. Perhaps a team along the lines of "Southern FC" could play out of Canberra and Wollongong. Can't really see either city supporting a team alone.
Betty B
Guest
Standard seems pretty good to me, but I'm no expert. Plenty of drama. It seems to me that the A-League tries to copy England and others, with mid week games, four games in ten days and that sort of stuff. Maybe they could look closer to home. Cricket suffers badly from crowd support - look at any Sheffield Shield or ODI inter-state game - no one goes (far less than HAL). But cricket has a few trumps - internationals and the T20 series, where the crowds boom. FFA has internationals, and they boom (attendance equals any other code), but what about a domestic trump? They don't have one yet - maybe the Cup idea I'm hearing might be it. Surely there must be something - it's obvious people love the game, they just need a good reason to go.
Midfielder
Guest
Jets V Farts streaming http://www.a-league-fancentral.com.au/page/live-stream
Les
Guest
Nothing, but excuses Sydney. You could stick Man U or Real in Sin City and people would still find a reason not to attend. Unfortunately they are the cold, hard facts.
Jay
Guest
I thought the WC bid was funded by the taxpayers and not the FFA...
Titus
Guest
Thats because Sydney has such a football culture that you can't just stick a team in to represent all the diverse areas of Sydney, get them to play poor football, have an incompetent board, and expect everyone to turn up. Trust me, football has a huge future in Sydney, it just needs to be done right.
whiskeymac
Guest
midweek reserved for the ffa cup maybe? quiet tv time= good chance for coverage
whiskeymac
Guest
the stuff on the pitch is good; the ffa appears to have slipped however re administration and marketing. hopefully now the pesky wc is behind us lowy et al can get back to basics and work on the hal, asian cup etc the ffa cup shld also be an interesting inclusion into the landscape - hopefully it gets the coverage it will need to prosper.
whiskeymac
Guest
agreed - when there were 8 it quickly became stale - the league needs the variety. plus we have more teams now and a higher standard than ever before. i dont think its the standard of play thats the issue.