With the North Queensland Fury’s demise at the business end of last season, and the tattered glamour expansion entity that is Gold Coast apparently following the same route, doubts have to be raised over the expansion policy that the FFA are still grasping heavily to.
Only six seasons in, and the FFA’s aggressive expansion approach is in damage control, and yet a defiant administration is pointing no fingers and asking no questions.
When the question of expansion is raised, the defend their credibility with the short term success of the Melbourne Heart franchise. Full credit must be granted of course, but it is not hard to crack a sporting mad market of over two million people yearning for a second side.
The FFA’s failure to heed the word of the public has been to their own demise. The FFA have undertaken several questionable actions (or failures to act). These include:
The botched management of the North Queensland entity in its final hours, the embarrassing failure to implement a team in Western Sydney (one of the sport’s heartlands, with over 2 million people and no A-League team) and now the downfall of Gold Coast United all raise serious questions.
A new strategy is required.
Football is not the biggest code in Australia, not by a longshot. As a result we need to stop marching into regions with a marketless side demanding support and sponsors. A sporting franchise is not built in a year, and as with Western Sydney, not in a month either.
A term we use a lot in football is “grassroots”, and this by no means is any less important in establishing a club than establishing the players.
Build the club in the community and mould it to suit. It is futile to expect a community to mould to a club. Advice like this falls on deaf ears at the FFA, who should take a leaf out of the AFL’s books.
The Gold Coast Suns and Greater Western Sydney Giants weren’t built in a day, infrastructure was built, a brand was slowly established and a team was formed.
When the FFA looks to next form a new side they must build it in the community. They need to slow down the process, for example they could begin by entering a team into the NYL.
I have a message for the FFA. Fix the current clubs, build their brand, and stop the banter and fascination with glamorous kick-start teams that will not catch on like wildfire.
Build on Adelaide’s ACL success, work the Victory into a continental force, and turn Brisbane’s success into fans. Should you even think about expansion, forget all your farfetched plans, and listen to your fans.
Look at Canberra, yearning for a team, established base, foundation members already firmly set. Look at Tasmania, untapped with a team already working in the grassroots.
Its not rocket science, its called listening to your fans and listening to the community.
I’d come down to your offices with my desk and start ordering you guys around, telling you what to do, demanding respect and attention, but it would be hypocritical: that is exactly what your expansion policy is doing.
FFA, get it right, or lose it all.
Support your local bid teams!
Western Sydney – http://www.facebook.com/westernsydneyfootball
Tasmania – http://www.tasmaniaunited.com.au/
Canberra – http://capitalpunishment.forumotion.net/
Timmuh
Roar Guru
I would argue that the domestic structure over the long term is more important than pipe-dreams of hosting a one-off World Cup. The ACL spots are a concern, but if expansion is done in a way that diminishes (or stagnates) the standard of the A-League, the extra spots won´t be there if clubs can´t perform in Asia anyway. Decide whether to take the game to more people through regional teams, or whether to stick with city basded teams who can generally afford greater salary caps, transfer fees, etc to boost the standard. Its a stark choice, and that is the decision that must be made before deciding on Canberra, Tasmania, Darwin or anywhere else. How much will it cost to run a club in 20 years? Is the aim to have the standard of the A-League up there with Korea and Japan and the resuklting expense?If so, regional teams aren´t going to be a realistic option. If the aim is to get the league to more people, then the cost base can not get much higher than it is now. To some extent a better TV deal can allow for some crossover, but only to a limited extent. The finances of regionbal centres are greatly different to major cities, far more so than some people realise (and their importance to TV is also greater, a viewer in Sydney is worth far more to a network than a viewer in Hobart).
broadywolf
Guest
Wolves were offered the 8th franchise in the foundation of the league. the owners declined and the Mariners got the nod. the rest is history...
asanchez
Roar Guru
A agree with this article. Its how the FFA has handled expansion that has stuffed the whole thing up. Now thinking back, Nth Qld actually was getting half decent crowds, a good base to start from. Their investors all ran and left Matheson on his own. So it was a money issue, not because of a lack of fans. The Gold Coast is also a good region for expansion, and even as their situation stands today, I think they can still come out of it positively if they now start going about things the right way. Not sure Clive is the man for this, but its still possible. People said expansion into the Gold Coast was a mistake by the FFA, that there's not enough round ball supporters up there. I just dont buy that! There's no reason why the GC can't get at least 6k a game when the Titans get 15k and the Suns get 20k. Marketing, PR and advertising, getting out into the community, and forming good partnerships with the local Association are all things that need to be done well for them to succeed on the Coast, and I think it can be done. I think another 2 Sydney teams is reality, possibly another one in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne eventually is a possibility. Tasmania possibly, Canberra, Townsville, Wollongong and eventually Geelong maybe possible in the long term. Also, definitely a second team in NZ in the next 5 years for sure. They need a derby, and they've had cracking crowds in other cities. The clubs in smaller or country regions will always get smaller crowds in the A-league, that's reality! Expansion needs to be done slowly, setting up a Youth team first in the NYL, giving them a 2 year lead in time to attract members, sponsorships and supporters and a general buzz. It has been said to death, but the upcoming TV rights loom as the most important thing for the code in decades. They will make or break the sport for years to come.
Havanos
Guest
Have you ever left sydney there are fans of the game aus wide! if its done right they will come... Nsw and vic is not all of aus and besides only the victory have solid support but that took two titles. The problem is the top not the disillusioned fans...
Jason
Guest
I wouldn't say the Gold Coast is too much more culturally diverse than Tasmania, pretty aussie
Football United
Guest
totally agree with that, teams like South Coast Wolves, Sydney Olympic and even Auckland City could make life much easier when they went up but i would argue that before a P/R system starts there are a couple of markets where the a-league should be where either there isn't a local side that could make the step up like in Tasmania or Geelong or it would be beneficial for a new team to come in before the traditional clubs such as in west sydney. after that, you wouldn't need anymore of these start up franchises and you could eventually just let P/R take it's course.
Football United
Guest
it's not saying expansion is wrong, it's saying that expansion shouldn't have been done so carelessly
Football United
Guest
dead right on the afc requirements. i highly doubt the afc is going to care whether we can support more teams and relegation or not, they will expect it and will strip spots if we don't have it.
langou
Roar Guru
The article doesn't make sense as it starts by criticising the A-League for pursuing expansion and ends by saying that we should expand into Canberra and Tasmania. It’s an article written with the benefit of hindsight. Gold Coast expansion now seems like a mistake, however if you look at demographics you would have to say there is a much bigger market for football than there is in Tasmania. The city of Gold Coast has 3-5 times more people than Launceston and Hobart, has a younger population and a more culturally diverse population.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
I would argue this is one of the chief advantages of a P/R system, lots of cheap local sides start up and where there is a market, the cream rises to the top. Rather than, say, enormous work trying to go whole hog with expensive all or nothing franchise gambles.
Northerner
Guest
This is the only page you all need to know about: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Olympic-for-the-A-League-by-OU/303030986389292
Stevo
Guest
show me the money man !!!!!
apaway
Guest
So, Johnno, a model similar to the one that eventually killed the NSL?
futbanous
Guest
Agree wholeheartedly j binnie. That has been my mantra from day one of the A-League "Its success will rely on the quality of football on the park". I would have stuck this on the wall of FFA headquarters as their Mission statement. Expansion,marketing,retaining top young players,improved coaching, whatever it all relates to what you see before your eyes. Having watched the Roar season by season I've followed the mantra, I now see the real truth in it. Owners have come,owners have gone,administrators & coaches players also. Ticket prices rose ,ticket prices fell. One truth stood out amongst those changes,was I watching crap or what I considered watchable professional football. Only since Ange took over, could I convincingly say that the majority of time I am watching the latter.
Rangaraider
Guest
I agree with everything here but Olympic, that won't happen.
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
Sydney Olympic, West Adelaide, Hobart? Johnno move on from Olympic mate, they are not coming into the A-League anytime soon, especially not next season. Have you got any mail that there is the want for a second team in Adelaide and how this team is going to be financed? Have you got any mail that Hobart would have a team up and running in 8 months to compete in the league? Pure fantasy. Come back to reality mate...
j binnie
Guest
Expansion over Standard of football. The great debate that all seem to enjoy commenting on but few pay heed to the latter part of the equation yet in fact it is here where the HAL is at this point in time.There is no doubt in the minds of true believers in the sport that this was the original concept in the mind of the "father" of the league ,Frank Lowy, when he was first approached to salvage the wreck that the NSL,Soccer Australia,call it what you may,had become.What has happened???? When the original 8 teams were selected a gauntlet was thrown down to those 8 identities and the challenge given to them,get the best players and staff in your district together, build a supporting backroom and in doing so optimise the standard of football being played in that area.Did that happen????. The marquee system was no doubt included in the presented mix to encourage the 8 identities to budget for the player who,by his very presence ,would add to the glamour and junior attraction to younger followers in their district. Has this happened? Has the expansionist ideas emanating from headquarters worked? Unfortunately results are presenting a resounding no to the general public.One doesn't have to be an Einstein to work out why.For the sake of expansion and expansion only the original concept of raising the standard of this country's football to it's highest level has been totally ignored and the resulting flak emanating around the code is a direct result of this oversight.All the signs are there for the shrewd observer to see with an almost endless switching of players between clubs while the "real" talent continues to move to greener pastures overseas.Is this what the HAL was started for ?. Standard of football being played in the HAL. Despite what has been written here there is some strong evidence that this has taken place and it is in this area the FFA should be concentrating.How and why have CCM and Roar become such dominating teams over the last 2 seasons while not bothering to even consider the marquee system?. Roar are consistently playing in front of 14000 people while what could be describe as a provincial identity in the league, CCM, are drawing 10,000, again without a Kewell or Emerton to boost these figures.Roar have been proactive in their thinking,scouring the world for young Aussie players who had made the "trip" and were struggling,and bringing them back to a more professional environment than when they had left.Adding touches of class to the side has given them a edge which is still inside the limits set by the Asian body, ie maximum of 4 class "imports".CCM have done likewise with probably even more emphasis on local content. Other teams are getting the message and a tight "sub-league" is forming under the top 2, and one should hope that this improvement will continue and if Heart and GCU are to fall by the wayside like Fury then so be it.that is the challenge they have been offered and failure to accept it must only have dire consequence. Such is life and no amount of debate will change that. jb
Johnno
Guest
A-league new model 2012/13 Brisbane Fury but call them townsville gold coast united sydney city fc call it west sydney newcastle sydney olympic Heart victory adelaide united west adelaide perth canberra wellington hobart wollongong
Michael
Guest
Yeah, I think most football people have agreed with most of your points for some time now. FFA have ballsed up a few things, haven't they?
Michael Turner
Roar Pro
My apologies I completely forgot about South Coast - but yes they should have had a team from the start. God knows why the FFA didn't seek to include them at the beginning of the A-League era.