Someone recently posted on the Roar what I have believed to be true for a fair while now: football in Australia operates within the environment that we have in Australia, meaning a final series with a grand final.
But what is incredibly obvious to me, anyway, is the structure of the AFL and NRL, which nobody even tries to copy. Both the NRL and AFL have set areas where they have a large number of teams.
This has created, within itself, a water-cooler talk as everyone can have a local team.
It also helps fill the media pages, and assists secondary divisions with wannabes trying to make the big time.
Perhaps most important is the reduction in costs in not having every team having to fly every second weekend, meaning that travel and accommodation costs are reduced.
Also, stadium-hire in those key centres is normally reduced.
So the Australian model for sporting success is built with a very strong base, not a far-flung single city/regional centre team base.
In my opinion, this is the model the FFA should have always adopted.
If we need 14 teams, as I think we do, to become a truly credible league, then the following is where I think FFA should go.
The next four teams should be two Sydney teams, along with one from Wollongong, and another from Canberra.
This will mean that half the teams are within half a day’s bus trip.
Teams in these areas have a deep football tradition (except the Mariners) and a recent history of wanting to get involved, with rich local NSL histories without doubt, reducing costs for all teams.
Other benefits are the increased Asian spots and the building of an infrastructure capable of supporting two regional teams in the future.
Given Melbourne and Brisbane also have two teams, the New South Wales-based teams also need only have a short flight.
So expansion is still on the cards, but with the Australian model of success.
Benchwarmer
Guest
Thanks for the reply. btw your opinions/blogs are a very good read.
jamesb
Guest
............and further to my above post I would have a 6 team finals series that goes for a month in April.
jamesb
Guest
I like a 15 team A-league which there will be 30 rounds The season would start second week of September and finish the last week of April. Each Weekend there will be 7 matches Friday Night 8pm Saturday Night 5pm Saturday Night 7pm Saturday Night 9pm (Qld games) Sunday 3pm (NZ games) Sunday 5pm Sunday 7pm (perth games, QLD games) Each team plays 28 games with 2 byes. The 2 byes would be beneficial, particularly A-League teams that are involved in the ACL. I would also have 2 midweek rounds (14 matches) played either tuesday or Wednesday in the holiday period of december and January My teams would be Adelaide U Perth G Melbourne V Melbourne H Sydney West Sydney ? MIGHTY South Coast ? Central Coast M Newcastle J Canberra ? Brisbane R Wellington P Christchurch ? Gold Coast 1 team out of Nth QLd, Tasmania or Geelong. I like to have all those three areas in, but I'm not sure. Then again Melbourne Heart could play some home matches in Geelong. Or Brisbane and Gold Coast merge. Or South Caost and Canberra could form a merger. I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was a combined side or a merger somewhere.
Midfielder
Guest
Benchwarmer No I said FFA when they expand should try and put a number of sides in NSW ... so 7 teams will be only a bus ride away... my reasons being as stated before ... help cut down costs ... and should create media in a small area... I support and always have supported the orginal 8 teams and thie location ... and the second Melbourne team...
Benchwarmer
Guest
Care to point out my errors? If you have nothing useful to add why do you even reply?
Benchwarmer
Guest
You said the FFA should have always adopted an Australian model with a strong base. NRL which you are pumping up has that base of 5+ clubs in Sydney. I could say the same about AFL and Melbourne. What you wish the A-league looked like from the beginning is pointless because you have to deal with what we have at the moment. A base I consider to be quite strong. And I still do not see how your approach to expansion is any different to what the FFA seems to be doing. Can you point out any of the differences for me?
Fez's are cool
Guest
lols. I am from Coffs and I'm telling you now the crowd would be lucky to be 2000. I have attended NRL matches and Cricket matches in Coffs - you won't get a crowd or interest enough to sustain a football club. (I played for Coffs United, hated the evil Westlawn) Please think before posting.
Elifanti
Guest
A clash between Pacific Islands Unitied and Coffs Harbour City FC would attract such interest that the travel costs are a trifling detail.
Nathan
Guest
No Perth SC, go Balcatta FC for A2-League! :D
PeterK
Guest
Auckland, but no Wellington? (Or can't I read?) "Fez's are cool" has a point, much as I like your general thinking, Ned. The bigger travel costs will best be borne by the A1 bunch, rather than by the A2 bunch.
PeterK
Guest
Oh No! Not a team north of Brisbane's latitude! We can't have that! Mind you, I do think we need a consolidation. I'm a Fury Fan Forever, but I believe that the expansion into NQ was done way before NQ was ready. Now, of course, it will be difficult to get A-League (or its successor) back into there. The needed consolidation does require a serious plan about money. Surely we can't "live off" rich people's largesse forever. We need "Community Ownership" plans such as NQ were in the process of implementing from the end of season 11/12. It was going well, but the money from FFA ran out, and I do understand that. I hope NQ Fury will be accepted into the Youth League immediately, and I'd love to see Brisbane bring to us one of their home games, just as Adelaide should take at least one of their games to Darwin. Those of you in populous Sydney and Melbourne should be doing similar things nearby to yourselves and much more often -- Wollongong and Canberra, and Geelong and Tassie. Meanwhile can we have the Youth League on Free-to-Air TV please? I love watching the W-League on ABC, and I don't intend to get Pay-TV (ever).
Fez's are cool
Guest
Coffs harbour vs Pacific Islands? Tasmania vs Central NSW Utd? Who will fund that travel?
Jon
Guest
the media is extremely important in public perception. but while Fox holds the reigns why would they do anything to promote the sport - they would then have to pay more for telecast rights. Cost could be cut by playing in stadiums that dont charge an arm and leg to get into. You find my comment silly as you dont agree but considering Football is the most participated football code in Australia why is it then not promoted on FTA and huge sums paid for televising it? My comment is about the power of the advertising dollar - that is not silly.
Midfielder
Guest
Jon That is a silly comment .... the issue is about many things of which the media is part of the overall package... The central issue concerning the media is by playing 7 teams with a reasonably close distance there should be more media overall ..... and as mentioned it would cut down cost hugely for clubs... Also just as an aside ... do you think the media is unimportant in the growth of football ...
Jon
Guest
If football is going to copy the other codes then why not just pander to the advertisers dollar and play football in twenty-minute quarters. Those who know the media, know the reason Football does not get the coverage it deserves is because FTA have difficulty in selling advertising. Unlike the stop-start of NRL or a goal a minute AFL that allows adverts to be inserted into the coverage, Football has limited opportunity to insert advertising - hence the reason FTA dont want to touch it. NQ Fury had one of the best sponsorships in the A-League as it's regional branding gave it a large regional coverage and exposure on a national stage for its sponsors. The AFL/ NRL rely on their leagues' advertising deals to prop up their clubs. Football can not rely on FTA so needs to focus on regional centres with regional sponsorship deals.
Ned
Guest
A-League Clubs should be: Nth Qld Fury Brisbane Roar GCU Newcastle Jets CCM Sydney FC Western Sydney Utd Melbourne V Melbourne H Adelaide Utd Perth Glory Canberra Utd The A2-League Sunshine Coast FC Coffs Harbour City FC Wollongong FC Geelong FC Tasmania Utd Auckland FC Pacific Islands Utd Brisbane Utd Adelaide FC Darwin FC Perth City FC Central NSW Utd
Ned
Guest
We should also look at Darwin FC, this would make the A-League the first truelly national comp
Ned
Guest
yeah he should already be out the door but what p&sses me off is that he's stuffed up that much in WS that he is contemplating a partnership with an NRL club!!! he's gone bonkers!
Fez's are cool
Guest
He seems to not understand geography.
Midfielder
Guest
Benchwarmer I said the expansion needs to be as I see it with a different approach... not that we should have started with five teams in Sydney ... and its 7 teams in NSW with 3 in Sydney ... the others in Newcastle, Central Coast, Woolongong & Canberra.