- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Ever since the introduction of the Western Sydney Wanderers back in 2012, expansion has been a hot topic among football fans.
The A-League has gone from strength to strength since it’s inaugural season, with overall increases in attendances, sponsorship and revenue.
However, we have since drawn to the conclusion that a ten-team national competition is simply not ideal and expansion is necessary in order to further expand our beautiful game.
With the 2017 A-League broadcast deal approaching, questions have been raised as to which areas are capable of sustaining an A-League team. David Gallop has insisted that we should “fish where the fishes are” and has further alluded that areas with a population greater than 500,000 are suitable for an A-League licence.
Brisbane, most certainly, meets these criteria and from a general perspective, you would genuinely believe that the city is capable of two A-League teams. But is it really?
The Brisbane Roar have recently had financial woes and stability is currently a major concern for the club. With a $2.25 million loss this financial year, stability will be a concern for the short-medium term and the club’s long-term survival should be addressed first before a second Brisbane A-League club is even considered.
Brisbane had an average home attendance of 15,255 during the 2014-15 season. While this is reasonably good in comparison to other A-League clubs, there is still room for improvement before Brisbane can be a genuine contender for a second A-League club.
A second A-League Brisbane club could potentially dilute the support and in order for a second team to be truly successful, it would have to target an area which is somewhat uncovered by the Roar, something the Brisbane Roar haven’t completely achieved within their own catchment area.
Despite the growth of football in Queensland and Australia overall, the state still remains a rugby league heartland and it will take some time for the Roar to significantly make an impact on the Brisbane, and to a certain extent, Queensland market.
The Brisbane Broncos had an average attendance of 33,354 in 2014 and while it can be considered somewhat premature to be comparing the crowds of a well-established rugby league side to a relatively new A-League side, it is still worth noting the notable interest and support of rugby league in Brisbane.
While Sydney FC experienced a significant growth on-field and off-field with the introduction of the Western Sydney Wanderers, Brisbane simply does not have a geographical distinction or market differential in order for a second team to be sustainable. A team from Ipswich could be a possible option, however it would more than likely lack major corporate backing or sustainable crowd attendances.
Ultimately, a second Brisbane A-League team would not be sustainable or successful in the short-medium term and the addition of such a team should be reconsidered. Queensland most certainly needs more than one A-League team, however other areas within the state should be considered first.
Perhaps once the Brisbane Roar’s long-term future is secured and the team has made significant in-roads into the Brisbane market should a second team be considered, but for now, other areas such as Wollongong, Canberra, Tasmania, Gold Coast or even Far North Queensland are considerably more worthy of an A-League licence.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.