After David Gallop’s confirmation that a cup competition for Australian football is finally to begin from 2014 onwards, the focus of the football fraternity turns to questions such as the format it should take and the time frame in which it should be played.
Firstly, the narrative of what the FFA Cup is actually needs to be defined.
This is an important issue as it should detail just how David Gallop and co go about dotting the ‘I’s and crossing the ‘T’s in ironing out the corporate sponsorship and broadcasting agreements for the competition.
As part of defining this narrative, it is important to emphasise that the FFA Cup is a form of counter-balance to the A-League.
Where the A League has a franchise structure and the experience of the games come with a strong ‘event management’ emphasis and a quasi-appeal for mainstream sporting fans, the FFA Cup needs to be rather more organic and the aimed quite specifically at the dedicated football fraternity.
So, no giant sauce bottles or annoyingly loud theme songs drowning out the masses whenever Melbourne win a home game please.
Firstly we need to address the name. Like the English FA Cup, the name shouldn’t be subject to the latest sponsor, unlike the A-League for example.
Some have suggested the ‘Australia Cup’ as a name but personally I like FFA Cup as to adopt the name of the governing body serves to emphasise the fact this is a competition for the entire football fraternity.
The FFA Cup needs to be about ending the tension within the so-called ‘new football’ and ‘old soccer’ paradigm which, while serving a purpose, has run its course and needs to be brought full circle.
Additionally, the second ‘F’ which stands for ‘Federation’ leads nicely into my second point, which concerns the format structure.
This is a tricky question, as Australia is a large country and it isn’t as easy as several European countries where all possible opponents are within practical bus and train distance.
Thankfully the ‘Federation’ theme gives the football fraternity a way around this and allows a federal structure to be adopted, so the earlier rounds can be state-based.
As for when the A-League teams come in and finding the ‘romantic’ mix of A league teams playing lower-tier clubs, my idea has always been that a solution can perhaps be found in adopting the structure of the old UEFA Cup.
In short this would be along the lines of where there are preliminary state-based knockout stages, followed by a main group stage which is where the main coverage would begin and then the national-based final knockout stages.
To expand further, after a series of knockout-stages, the higher-seeded teams are introduced.
In this context we could for example have about four five-team groups which are broadly state-based with two A-League teams each.
Each group can guarantee that three out of five teams progress.
Rather than home and away legs like the current AFC and UEFA Champions League, for example, it would be interesting to to have each teams play each other merely once.
This way there are enough games for the main part of the competition to feel substantive, while at the same time there isn’t too many games to clog up the calendar.
Each game would also have an edge to it, as an upset result can mean a lot more with there being less chance for the bigger team to make up for the result over the course of a full home and away group as is the case in the AFC and UEFA Champions League.
The reason these games should be state based is to allow for the practicality of sizeable away contingents from the relevant A-League teams to flood into reasonably nearby grassroots venues, thus making for a vibrant spectacle but also bringing their cash with them.
This way the top end of the football pyramid can economically benefit the lower tiers instead of the other way round.
Not to mention the fact that the type of revenue that a single A-League sized crowd can bring to even an elite NPL level club can go a long way to facilities upgrades etc.
It needs to be mentioned that in order to allow these benefits, the FFA need to be a bit more relaxed in their ‘ground standards’ criteria along with pourage rights issues amongst other things.
That is to say the romantic appeal of the FFA Cup to many fans is to be able to go to some obscure and uncomfortable ground to watch my A-League team play with something meaningful on the line, and to sample the food I’ve never even heard of while I’m there in contrast to the A-League experience.
The format should be engineered as to allow more teams to progress than there are A-League teams in a group – for example, have three out of five teams progressing where there are two A-League teams or alternatively have the third-placed teams playoff against each other.
There will be a guarantee of non A-League teams progressing to the point where they can travel to play interstate teams.
This will serve give a romantic flavour to the competition during the latter stages, the novelty of a VPL team playing a NSW-based A-League team for example.
On the other side of the coin the numbers of non A-League teams who couldn’t otherwise afford the trip are sufficiently small enough to ensure that travel expenses can be subsidised to the point where the overall costs to the FFA aren’t too troublesome.
Thirdly, there is the matter of broadcasting. My personal preference is that it is highly important that the competition gains traction.
This is difficult on pay-TV unless the competition in question is the elite level of the sport in this country.
In this case the FFA Cup is not, therefore it is better to use the competition to supplement the token FTA coverage given on SBS and give the rights to the FFA Cup in its entirety to an FTA broadcaster such as SBS to broadcast.
Perhaps these can take place on FIFA International dates so as to allow the football to continue while minimising the impact of absentees on a club’s league fortunes due to national team commitments?
Given the competition is only set to concurrently run for part of the A-League season, this would do nothing to undermine the value of Fox Sports coverage of the A-League season.
Plus, such an outcome would serve to further magnify the positive impact of the FTA exposure that A-League clubs are finally garnering.
WSW
Guest
100% agree. Whittle it down within the state structures and then enter the HAL clubs at the round of 32. After that leave it open and knockout. Out of the 6 NSW teams you said i would save at least 2 spots for the Northern NSW federation.
paul
Guest
Split between ABC and SBS. ABC can localise broadcasts for the lower tier fixtures.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
The cup formats we got in Europe could be exported here I reckon: first few rounds involving amateur teams should take place in mini geographical zones, not states though considering the size of our states here. For example, teams from Sydney north shore up to say Gosford. As you go further in the comp, sure the distances would increase but I think we can limit it to a couple of rounds involving a Newcastle team vs possibly a team based in Wollongong. Neutral grounds in states capital cities could be decided if relevant. Later rounds where semi pro and then A league teams are involved should be played at the home venue of the smaller team ( obviously at the closest bigger stadium if necessary ) and/or all travel costs should be paid for by the FFA or the pro club. For what's worth, at every French cup we have pro teams (even in lower pro divisions) playing against amateur teams based in our West Indies or even in some cases, Reunion (near Madagascar ) and if I remember well, Tahiti and other French PI. Not talking about ten games or more but a couple maybe every year. And it works ok (no idea if the FFF pays the bills but I would think so).
Brian
Guest
There should be no groups. This isn't just about NPL clubs beating an HAL one it should be about Amateur clubs beating NPL ones. Each game should be stand alone knockout with penalties. Practically there should not be interstate travel until the final 32 when the HAL clubs join. Than it should be all in so I would aim for a Round of 32 with 10 HAL clubs 6 NSW 6 VIC 2 SA 2 WA 2 Metro Qld 1 Far Nth Qld 1 ACT 1 Tas 1 NT Prior to the round of 32 all games should be local to limit travel costs and maximise the number of participating teams. As a former amateur player it would be great for the club to have a shot at glory and a shot at paying NPL clubs. In the very early rounds the games could be localised further within states e.g. Southern NSW & Northern NSW. Again main thing is to limit costs and maximise the number of competing teams.
Midfielder
Guest
Ben On what I have seen so far DG has been excellent in his role and I have hope that in DG we have a CEO capable of getting the AC funded and broadcast...
Midfielder
Guest
NUFCMVFC Excellent article and you raise many interesting questions... My reading of the tea leafs is we have a Australia Cup... the format 700 teams... at some stage as Working Class Rugger has posted there will be some costs especially as NZ is now included whereas before the Nix where excluded... I think DG has to get sponsors and a broadcast deal... from these agreements will come many of the answers... Could it become the Macca's Cup if McDonalds become the sponsor ... who will broadcast I hope SBS and Fox ... SBS would be a dream but do they have the money... My guess we need over 12 million to run it ... As an aside we are starting to get some real money in football today... just guessing but look at this... Media Deal .... 40 million Crowds say 2 million at $ 20.00 is another 40 million Say each club has 1 million in sponsorship say 10 million FFA sponsorships ... say 20 million AFC - Socceroos at 1 million per WCQ ... say 5 million Home Socceroo matches .. gate + city sponsorships ..say 25 million... Thats about 135 million ..... compared to other codes maybe small but its heaps more than we have ever had...
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
You have to take into account the cost of running a cup competition with teams flying interstate. The FFA would struggle to fund that side of it, we have to remember in terms of financing its not the AFL. A state based set up is the best means to start. It keeps costs low while allowing teams the maximum number of teams to participate. Oh, and forget pools. Make it a knockout Cup. That way it will allow for it to fit in more suitably with the seasons already.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
The approach has merit for the travel costs simply cannot be ignored. One thing that may be considered is the sale of TV rights at the earlier stages on a state by state basis. Casuarina FC vs Palmerston FC may have little appeal in Melbourne, but I bet it does in Darwin!
Premy
Guest
Please no group stages, knockout all the way.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Looking from "outside the tent" I would imagine the A-League teams would come in at the round of 16, at least initially. As finances improve, and if NPL teams prove competitive regularly enough, that could be changed to the round of 32. The national phase would probably start with the introduction of A-League teams, but could begin earlier if finances permit. Prior to that there may be some interestate games. With fewer clubs and a generally much lower standard, Tasmania's last four clubs or so might join into Victorian qualifying a few rounds before the first national round. If teams from outside the major centres are to be included the early phases might be more regional still, with at least Qld and WA (and probably NT, SA and NSW) split into regions before going statewide. For example a team from Weipa drawing an away game in Toowoomba in the first round of qualifying would be quite a lengthy and expensive trek, or an Albany side playing away in Port Hedland. In Vic, ACT (if not joined with a NSW region) and Tas further intrastate regionalisation would not be necessary as travel within those states is reasonable even at amateur levels.
Jack
Guest
It should be random selection not state to state . So if Brisbane roar draw frmantle fc first round so be it. Then when glory draw them it will be much more unique. The travel costs won be high. If its roar vs western Sydney irst round so be it