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This weekend, Melbourne Victory will play host to league leaders Central Coast Mariners in Tasmania.
The highly anticipated fixture – which pits two of the competition’s title favourites – will be played at Launceston’s Aurora Stadium as part of the Victory’s and Football Federation Australia’s push to widen the A-League’s reach and appeal beyond the current limits.
The Victory’s new found relationship with Football Federation Tasmania will see the Apple Isle’s revamped State League renamed as the Victory League from the 2013 season, with the club committed to being the league’s major sponsor.
In addition, the club will seek to produce the next generation of stars in the state, with an eye at bringing the brightest talent through the club’s youth system.
With all this put into consideration, it only makes sense for the Victory, in tandem with the A-League, to grow its brand outside the current geographic locations and raise more support for Australia’s premier football competition.
The Victory, since its inauguration in 2005 has been an avid supporter of Tasmanian football. For at least the next two years the club will play one game in Launceston, further illustrating its commitment to the state.
A healthy crowd is expected to be present for Saturday’s game. FFT chairman John Boulous is excited about the Victory’s presence in Tasmania, and also yearns to see the A-League showcased in Hobart once a season.
Boulous admitted the ambition was still to have an A-League team situated in Tasmania. Currently, a working title recognised as Tasmania United FC is hopeful of gaining entry into the A-League.
The proposed club has its own website, along with a presence on social media.
While xpansion may not be on FFA’s mind at the moment, Boulous is confident the Tasmanian public would get behind its very own club.
“That’s the aspiration [to have a Tasmanian team],” Boulous said.
“But it’s certainly a way off. In talking to the FFA, the league is embedded for a while, but the Tasmanian Government are of a similar opinion to us in that we want to get the local game strong, get a strong relationship with an A-League club – which we have now with the Victory – and get a program of games down here so we can help create hype.
“Who knows then where we can go from there.”
With the A-League’s calamitous expansion history – which has already seen North Queensland Fury and Gold Coast United go under in quick succession – FFA is understandably hesitant to expand the competition in the short-term, without the due research, resources, and sound financial support.
The governing body’s primary objective is to have a financially stable competition, which includes a strong 10-team league.
With the new media deal in place from next season – a four-year, $160 million deal – the landscape of Australian football has never looked healthier.
Expansion may not be in FFA’s mind-set at present, although there’s reason to feel a sense of optimism at what is transpiring down in Tasmania. With the right government, corporate and financial support, there’s no reason why a Tasmanian A-League team wouldn’t be feasible in the medium to long-term future.
With no other major sporting competitors in the state – with the exception of cricket’s six-week Big Bash League – there’s reason to believe the Tasmanian public would get behind their very own football team.
The obvious dilemma – where to base the team, in Launceston or Hobart? It’s no easy answer, although a possible alternative could be to split a number of games between the two cities, truly embracing the term ‘United’ in its name.
While there’s no A-League team based in Tasmania, the Victory is certainly leaving a lasting legacy in a state starved of professional football.
This weekend’s clash between the Victory and Mariners is set to be an exciting encounter, let’s hope the local football community turns up in great numbers.
Courtesy of Goal Weekly
Follow Robbie on Twitter @RobertDiFabio
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