Canberra must state its claim to become the next A-League expansion club following Football Federation Australia Chairman Frank Lowy’s announcement that the FFA will look to increase the competition to twelve teams from 2017 onwards.
With the new $160 million TV broadcast rights deal shared between Fox Sports and SBS, the A-League will become more commercially appealing than ever before. There is no doubt a twelve team competition is required to maintain interest and promote the codes’ growth throughout Australia.
With a population that far exceeds other potential candidates such as Wollongong, Hobart and North Queensland, Canberra should be given an opportunity to truly expand the game ahead of the proposed South Melbourne Club. Melbourne already contains two clubs within short distance of each other.
Canberra possesses the only W-League team not affiliated with an A-League club, a strong youth system at the Australian Institute of Sport and a strong grass roots participation in both men’s and women’s leagues that is unrivalled by any other sport in the area.
The FFA has finally developed the right formula and support for introducing and establishing a strong club and culture that fans can be proud of.
The Western Sydney Wanderers are a product of what can be achieved after just seven months of planning. Imagine what Canberra could achieve in four years.
The unsuccessful 2012/13 Canberra bid shows there is public support for a team there, as thousands of foundation members contributed $200 to the cause.
With the help of the ACT government and bid leader Ivan Slavich a $4 million bid was lodged.
However, the FFA decided the opportunity to set up a team in the two million strong population of Western Sydney was too attractive to ignore.
Many question Canberra’s supporters when the results aren’t going their team’s way.
However, the Canberra public have shown they are big supporters of sporting events in the capital, with the ANZAC rugby league Test and Australia’s One Day International against the West Indies both attracting sell-out crowds. As well as this there have been strong crowds recorded at the three designated Greater Western Sydney Giants AFL games.
The ACT Government spent $2.6 million to secure three Greater Western Sydney Giants AFL games this season. Wouldn’t this money be better spent on delivering Canberra its own team in a sport that dominates participation rates in the region?
The ACT Government has announced plans to construct a new 30,000 seat, undercover, multipurpose stadium in the heart of Canberra to be completed by 2020.
The stadium will cater for both the Brumbies and the Canberra Raiders, and will no doubt be a perfect venue for a new A-League club.
Robdog
Guest
There needs to be an A-League club in Canberra. There is such passion in Canberra, from state and premier league teams. From the FFA Cup last year, and witnessing Canberra football over the last 5 years, we could definitely support a club, and make it flourish.
Charles Goldstraw
Roar Rookie
The A-League expanding to Canberra could work easily. I can easily see the nations capital having a reasonably successful football team. I feel the best option for W-League side Canberra united to establish a mens side and have them compete locally for a few years before joining the A-league.
Nazza
Guest
The is no doubt football in Canberra is popular ACT Premier is growing and their is a massive population of European descendants in Canberra, this is what Canberra needs. I still never understood why there was a W-league team created, but not an A-league team. Canberra is close to Sydney and Newcastle which would attract a lot of Away fans. Canberra is also an hour flight from Melbourne and Brisbane. If people go down the coast then they can go to watch Canberra Away as well as at home.
darrin andersonm
Guest
u cannot include theais kids in your catchement as theyare fro all over Aus these kids are a product of other area's and their systems not canberra
Prosnecki
Guest
I don't know why Canberra was not included in Season 5.0 of the A-League instead of Gold Coast/North Queensland. Not only does Canberra have an established history of support, but there is a history of players coming out of Canberra (Josip Simunic, Ned Zelic, Ante Juric, Carl Valeri, Nikolai Topor-Stanley and more recently Tommy Rogic). Why the capital of New Zealand has a team in an Australian competition where Canberra is not currently represented boggles the mind.
Ian
Guest
do you live in canberra? i lived there for two years not so long ago and mostly every resident does not head to the south coast every weekend. how do these people get their shopping done, take kids to sporting events, participate in sports themselves, see a movie, have friends over bbqs, see family if they are never home on the weekend? nothing to do in summer? i'm surprised you didnt add 'or winter, autumn and spring'. most people in canberra do the same as residents of other cities. or nothing newsworthy ever coming out of canberra? yep i thought so, you're speaking rubbish about canberra. that's my anti - anti canberra rant. while the A-League doesn't need another team just yet, Canberra is one of my top choices for expansion. Canberra is ready for the A-League.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
2020 for a new stadium? sounds like a "pie in the sky when you die* type statement 7 years is a loolong time to wait for anything
Myles Stedman
Roar Guru
Interesting. I rate Canberra Stadium, I wonder what will become of that?
Football United
Roar Pro
A way a canberra team could be successful is if it was linked to the AIS system and become the preferred Professional club for 'graduating' AIS players. Call it Canberra Athletic to emphasise the link and you already have a academy system plus a local link straight up. Regarding the stadium while it's about time they replaced the current dump they have, 30k is too big for every team that plays in Canberra. 22k would be much more appropriate.
Charles
Guest
"following Football Federation Australia Chairman Frank Lowy’s announcement that the FFA will look to increase the competition to twelve teams from 2017 onwards." - sorry - when did he say this?
Justin Cormick
Roar Guru
A few A-league and Socceroos matches in Canberra have had poor crowd attendance, but I think that is due to poor planning and lack of advertising by the FFA. If the team is handled properly then the people of Canberra will no doubt turn up to support them.
Titus
Guest
Thank god they're not planning a multi-purpose stadium.
pete4
Guest
Looks like the new Canberra stadium going to be a great venue eventually... http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/stadium-urban-beach-convention-centre-on-cards-for-canberra-cbd-20130326-2gqua.html
Chris
Guest
There is something of a lack of things to do here during the summer months. So that could work in their favor. On the other hand, pretty much every resident of Canberra leaves town and heads to the South Coast on Summer weekends. Don't get too excited about the plans for a CBD stadium. The ACT Government announces the same thing every 2 years and the Canberra Times runs it unquestioningly (mainly because there is absolutely nothing else in this town that is remotely newsworthy).