This week, the first part of an interview with A-League chief Damien de Bohun was put up on the A-League’s website, discussing a range of topics relevant to fans of football down under.
As a Wellington Phoenix fan, the topic that most interested me was the section on the future of my beloved ‘Nix. Having seen the vague and unenlightening comments De Bohun made, I shouldn’t have bothered.
Phoenix fans like myself have been feeling uneasy ever since it was announced over a year ago that the other nine teams had their licenses extended until 2034. This was not lifted at all by De Bohun’s comments.
Yet again, we’re hearing lots of talk about “working towards the right outcome”, and not a single concrete statement of intent to extend Wellington’s license.
I understand that Wellington’s place in the A-League is a unique one, with no other club in the world playing in a competition that is outside of their confederation. This brings specific challenges to the administration of the league, including the fact that Football Federation Australia (FFA) needs to obtain the sign-off of both FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to extend the Phoenix’s license.
However, it’s not without precedent, given that these are hurdles were jumped when Wellington joined the league.
At that time, AFC head Mohammed Bin Hammam announced that the Phoenix would need to move to Australia by 2011 or face expulsion from the league. Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA, said shortly afterwards that it is not a matter for the Confederation, but for the FIFA Executive Committee. As long as the league, club, and both national federations were happy for Wellington Phoenix to play in the A-League, the FIFA ExCo would give their blessing.
That pretty much settled it. FFA were happy, New Zealand Soccer (now New Zealand Football) were happy, so the Nix stayed on.
It’s not been the smoothest of rides these last seven or so years, with original owner Terry Serepisos going bust due to the property bubble bursting, but Wellington’s now in a good place, with a financially viable and committed ownership group and a well-structured backroom staff.
The club is still not profitable, but annual losses have been stemmed to a very manageable low-six figures, with every likelihood of becoming profitable in the next year or so.
In short, the Phoenix are in the best shape of their short existence. Which makes it all the more galling that this sword of Damocles is still being held above their heads.
The issues that are being mentioned as holding up the extension are largely out of the Wellington management team’s control: crowd sizes, and the TV deal with Sky Sports.
The crowds may be lower than anyone would like, but they’re pretty stable, and per-capita Wellington arguably outperforms any other club in the league. The problem in Wellington is that the home venue, Westpac Stadium, is too large, both in terms of the number of seats (34,500), and the physical size of pitch. Playing on a cricket field is not conducive to an amazing atmosphere, no matter how hard the Yellow Fever work at it (and they do).
The ultimate solution would be to go ahead with the boutique stadium that has been discussed over the past year or two, but the only way that agreement to do this would be gained from all the relevant parties would be if there was some assurance that there is a future in it.
The TV rights deal with Sky TV is not great, admittedly. But keep in mind it is negotiated by the FFA, not Wellington Phoenix. There may not be a lot of money in it, but that’s not Wellington’s fault – if the FFA wants more, they should demand more from Sky. Threaten to take it away from them and sell the rights to a free-to-air channel, or to someone like Coliseum (who own the rights to broadcast the English Premier League in New Zealand).
Wellington now have just 34 regular-season games left on their A-League license; surely it’s time to make a decision on their future? Dragging this out further hurts the fans, the club, and the league itself. Saying that you’re working towards a resolution is just not good enough anymore.
Waz
Guest
Premy - I can give you the QLD route to success (1) first outsource the running of your stadium to an organisation motivated solely by profit (2) invite 3 teams to play regularly at your stadium, ideally all on the same weekend on a regular basis (3) have any restrictions on non-sporting events at your stadium removed (4) invite as many rock bands as you can to play at your stadium, ideally during the soccer season as you wouldn't want to upset rugby (5) after the rock concert replace the grass with the cheap stuff remembering you're going to have to replace it again after the next concert (6) it's important you don't invest in the playing surface, see rule No. 5 (7) pick one tenant to p*ss off the most - ideally not one of your rugby codes or rock bands (8) if you ever hold an international sporting event then urinate on the field of play to give it that brown stripy look as seen on TV (after all, you don't want more international sporting events as it disrupts the rock concert season!). Simple. Editors note: I may have made that last one up!
Waz
Guest
Mid - I think that's an urban myth.
Lionheart
Guest
Thanks Midfielder, I was not aware of this agreement. That said however, surely NZ's agreement for Aust to join Asia was but a small part of that puzzle and can hardly be held against us forever. More international games between us would probably do more for the game in NZ than does the 'Nix participation in the HAL. Probably do more for us too, than the Nix do. Also Jeremy, I'd forgotten that the 'Nix played in the FFA Cup. I guess that says they really are an Aust team, based in NZ, but don't try to sell that to the NZ public. Remember the NQ Fury. After that, would be no surprise to see the Nix booted.
Jeremy
Guest
Are you being facetious Lionheart, or aren't you aware that Wellington already compete in the FFA Cup?
Midfielder
Guest
I remember Breaker stadium a great 12 to 14K stadium that was sold off as a race track in-between the NSL and Hal...
Midfielder
Guest
Lionheart When Australia was invited to join Asia we needed to get permission of Oceania to leave... NZ did not want Australia to leave... a promise was made by Frank Lowy to NZ football to keep a team in the new Australian competition and help NZ Football in every possible way we could... NZ said on that condition you can leave Oceania .. We agree to help NZ Football as much as we could as a cost of getting into the AFC ... what is at issue with some is how long that commitment must be carried out, given ten years to date ... twas also expected that NZ Football could grow Football in NZ and use a NZ team playing in a professional national domestic competition to do that. To me NZ Football has let the side down, the Nix and FFA have done a lot ... but NZ Football has struggled to lift the profile of Football in NZ ... So its complex a promise was made, and as a result of that promise Football in Australia has gone ahead leaps and bounds ... and is kinda frozen in time in NZ ... with the Capital P still not looking like being converted into ratings, revenue etc...
Waz
Guest
Carl - I agree with you re Oceana, it's had its day
Premy
Guest
I wish people would complain about Newcastle's Stadium and insist that they play at a smaller venue.
Lionheart
Guest
I think the Phoenix would have to demonstrate what they are bringing to the HAL, to get their franchise renewed. There's little in this for Australian football, which is what the A League is all about after all. Surely it's not up to the FFA and HAL to help build NZ football if there's no advantage in it for them? So far it's been a pretty good deal for NZ football, but what has it done for Australian football, that say couldn't be done in Canberra, Tassie or elsewhere? As for ACL representation, I can't support a NZ team taking an Australian spot, under any circumstance. Next they'll want to play in the FFA Cup.
asanchez
Roar Guru
I think the Nix will be fine! I think this is all one big game, they wouldn't have signed Merrick to a new 3-year deal if they didn't know they were gonna stick around. There's probably heavy negotiations in the background for a new TV deal in NZ. FFA is probably using this situation to get more cash out of NZ TV networks. Let's not forget, NZ isn't a huge country in terms of population. Any club that has crowds of up around 10k per game is a serious player in the marketplace. And they'll get more through the gates when they make the finals. I think this entire thing is all smoke & mirrors. I think it'll all be resolved with minimum of fuss very soon. They can't force the Nix out of the A-league, not if they didn't do this at the very start. The only thing FIFA or the AFC can do is not let them play in the Champions League, which is the case already. Domestically it is up to the FFA.
Carl
Roar Rookie
I do realise that the FFA is not a powerhouse in Asia SportsFan, however, with the backing of FIFA ExCo they don't need to be a powerhouse themselves as they would literally have the house of power behind them. I do not know that having a team operate out of New Zealand was imperative for the league, however, the potential of harnessing a fan base in Auckland would have been far greater than the potential of say the Gold Coast franchise. Granted things didn't turn out well for either club but that doesn't mean the FFA should be pulling the plug on Wellington. We need to be keeping the few clubs we have alive now.
Carl
Roar Rookie
I know England and Wales are both UEFA countries, I am aware there is discussion about whether Swansea, Cardiff etc should take an English spot or Welsh spot in Europe, however, I believe that there is no conflict. They play in the English league structure and therefore are eligible for England's European qualification spots. I believe the same for the Phoenix, they play in an Australian League and should therefore be eligible for Australia's Asian qualification spots. As I said I am aware I am probably in the minority with these views, but that doesn't change the fact that I believe them to be right. To your second point, it would be perfectly fair as both teams would have qualified legitimately, no problems there. As for NZ's joining the AFC or not, another belief I have held for some time is that the OFC is obsolete and that it should be merged with the AFC which would then be split into two "conferences," consisting of East Asia/Oceania and West Asia. Again I am probably in the minority here but I believe it would be a step forward for football in the region.
pete4
Guest
That's correct. The FFA had to lobby hard to for a long time that we could strengthen Asian football on the whole. Our standing will have improved since hosting the Asian Cup however we have some way to go Part of the deal with OFC nations to let us leave was funding $ over an unspecified period as well as continued development of OFC football ie. NZ spot in the A-League
Midfielder
Guest
Jeff The issues are around the AFC and TBH I don't know other than broad goals if anyone knows what they want... Australia is doing its best to keep NZ un as they don't want to find 3 teams for the next expansion... what is screaming out is what has NZ Football done and the answer after 10 years appears to be SFA ... this makes the FFA's job of arguing your case more difficult ... Let me be clear I worked in NZ for just under 5 years on the Marsden Point Pedro Chemical Refinery and I like the place and want a NZ team in the competition... and this is not the Nix I am talking about but NZ Football should be doing ,ore or achieving more ... IMO you will stay in but only be given a 5 year term to see if NZ Football can lift Football
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
Every year the top 3 Mexican clubs compete in the Copa Libertadores
Rossad
Guest
Correct. The Perth Kangaroos and Darwin Cubs both played in the Singapore Premier League in 1994. Perth won the league easily, undefeated.
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
Waz NZ FA can't simply resign from Oceania and join the AFC - they need to be invited to join the AFC. It amazes me on this Tab that people somehow think that AUS and to a lesser extent NZ have any sort of sway at the AFC at all. The AFC control the federation and while NZ does not have a professional league there is no chance they will join the AFC. They still have issues with AUS not having a second tier for promotion and relegation. The Phoenix can have as fantastic a season as possible and win both the Championship and Premiership but they wont be participating in the Asian Champions League next season.
Waz
Guest
Good summary Jeff, the issues are all there and in multiple layers from FIFA down to local issues so it's not surprising all this is taking time. I do feel for the poor Wellington supporters at the moment despite my own opinions on the topic not being supportive - it can't be easy with all this uncertainty. From the Phoenix's side you would hope the FFA are using this time wisely to address the issues and knock them down and maybe play hardball with some of the other stakeholders; what you've got to hope they're not doing is biding their time before announcing a negative decision. Personally , and despite my own opinions, I see too much support for the Nix for it to end any other way than in a licence extension.
Johnno
Guest
The AFC, must be very annoyed by the FFA. It's about the only sports confederation in the World that allows a team not in there confederation to field club sides. Isreal, is actually a member of UEFA they moved from the AFC. So even Isreal is a member of UEFA. NZ is in Oceania and won't be leaving them anytime soon. So a Canberra team or 2nd Brisbane, would be better than the nix for the integrity of the comp, and the integrity of the AFC.
Waz
Guest
Well said; its a touchy subject but things are not right at the moment and every commentator supporting a license renewal focusses on just that and not what's needed to change things.