Football purists have been calling for a promotion and relegation format for the Australian game for decades.
But there are consequences for teams that do not perform according to these traditionalists – not only does promotion and relegation reward and punish performance but it also adds an element of excitement that can only be good for local football.
The biggest problem with this in Australia is the fact football at the national league level does not have the history or the prestige of European or Asian leagues. Furthermore, the financial burden for lower league teams may be far too much for them to survive if they were not in the top flight.
A-League clubs are struggling financially as it is – imagine how difficult it would be for a lower league club that wants to try to compete with the best. Putting all of that aside for a moment, the question is: how would promotion and relegation have a chance of working in Australia?
In reality we need to first accept that National Premier League clubs around the country should not be part of this concept. It is ridiculous to suggest, for example, that Bentleigh Greens from Victoria, or Bonnyrigg White Eagles from New South Wales or Campbelltown City from South Australia could compete in a second division and could potentially make the A-League.
These clubs simply would not be able to gather the financial muscle to compete with the likes of Melbourne City or Western Sydney Wanderers. It would just be a pointless exercise. These NPL clubs need to accept the fact they will just need to play their role as feeder clubs to the big guns, a sad but unavoidable reality.
(AAP Image/Will Russell)
To keep these clubs interested we can expand the FFA Cup to go for longer than it currently does. It is essentially now a pre-season competition that creeps into the start of the A-League season as it finishes around November. There is no reason why this competition can’t continue on until February the following year, but this is a different argument for another day.
So what can we do about promotion and relegation? Let’s work out the optimal number of football clubs in Australia. The AFL has 18 teams and the NRL has 16 teams. Both competitions have existed for over 100 years and both argue they have too many teams, so the round ball game needs to learn from this and realise that 16 teams is probably the most we can possibly have.
To make it work we can have two divisions of eight teams: The A-League and the B-League.
The A-League could work like this:
Top Four: These teams make the finals series and the grand final winner is declared champion. The champion and the winner of the premiers plate get spots in the Asian Champions League.
Seventh place: Plays off with the winner of the B-League play-off for a spot in the A-League.
Eighth place: Relegated
The B-League could work like this:
First place: Champions, promoted to the A-League
Places two to five: Play-off against each other with the winner to play the seventh-placed A-League team for a place in the A-League.
(AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Since each league has eight teams, we can have it that each club plays another club in its own league three times, which means 21 games. We can have a crossover, where each club from the A-League plays a club from the B-League once, which means we have 29 rounds in total. There will be arguments around what is fair and what isn’t due to home ground advantage and so on, but that is the luck of the draw.
The idea is to keep the league interesting and to make sure each game in both divisions has consequences. The trick is to convince owners and key stakeholders and investors, including TV stations, that this sort of competition would work and create excitement, which would make it an easier product to sell to the fans either via match tickets or TV subscriptions.
One thing is for sure: the A-League needs rejuvenation, and the idea of more meaningful games due to promotion and relegation can only be a good thing for the game in Australia. It will add more credibility to the local game and bring us into line with most of the big leagues around the world.
Kangajets
Guest
But Agee with u , the A league needs expansion to 16 teams not a reduction to 8 teams as suggested by the author
Kangajets
Guest
How many pet members do the giants have . With my 3 game gws pass for family , we also added memberships for our dogs too . Actual fact , afl clubs count pet memberships.
Peter
Guest
Minor sport in Brisbane and Sydney??? Your having a laugh. Brisbane Lions have 21,000 members and Gold Coast 11,000 despite being at the bottom for several years. The swans have 58,000 members and the giants around 20,000. You are kidding if you think the afl is only big in three states. The reason soccer hasn’t transferred 1.2M into a bigger a league is for a number of reasons: 1) a league doesn’t have the tradition of afl or nrl 2) the a league isn’t the elite soccer comp in the world 3) failed administration and marketing 4) staleness as you mentioned I have no doubt it will grow in time but right now there are opportunities being missed.
Rolly
Guest
Very simple the 1.2 million fans is a national figure there are only ten teams in the ALeague there lies your problem .in a nut shell we need to make the comp a truely national competition the league is in no more trouble than any of the rugby codes The A league with average crowds of 11,000 how does that compare with the two rugby codes rugby league crowds average around 15,000 for rugby average crowds are 10,000 so are these codes dead or dying tor in trouble too .so much crap spoken on these blogs .the A league is doing just fine nothing some good marketing can’t fix and expansion to fourteen teams plus a new governing body.the quality of football is very good it certainly is getting stale but that’s just because it’s only ten teams and the same teams paying each other over and over again and FFA marketing has been abysmal and their stubbornness not to consider expansion sooner rather than later.i am no expert just a fan of the round ball code .We have to accept this is Australia we are spoilt for choice good marketing is necessary and marque players big names need to be part and parcel of our games to fuel the interest.As for AFL it really is only successful in Victoria and SA and WA its a minor sport in Sydney and Brisbane .its not really a successful national league like soccer .AFL has the might of the seven network behind it .
JANAKAN
Guest
Not sure what you mean? If AFL was me preferred sport I shouldn’t write about football? Since when? Says who? I wasn’t talking about afl until others brought it up. It’s the standard response from soccer fans who don’t like someone’s article or view to accuse them of being an afl fan and spit the dummy, then when that person responds about afl they will say “don’t mention afl” hahaha it’s childish yet amusing. Once again I am allowed my opinion, this is an opinion blog. I don’t think I have said anything malicious. Also what’s the harm talking about other sports? I am sure soccer can learn from it:
Janakan Seemampillai
Roar Guru
Chris am well aware of the numbers for soccer football....i am well involved in it. Why then are the 1.2 million not transferring into a League fans? Bagging out the AFL, the most successful code is not a way to hide soccers problems...you hardcore soccer fans are the ones bringing up AFL all the time and accusing people you dont agree with of being afl fans??? which is again very immature.
chris
Guest
You are seriously clueless. Football has over 1.2 million players in this country. More than double the next football code. We can view football 24x7x365 across more leagues and countries than any other sport. And your comeback is along the lines of "Look at AFL you big sooks to see how to be successful". I really struggle to comprehend why "authors" with a bare knowledge of the game can write "articles" and then lash out with name calling when people question his motives. Do the editors allow such garbage on the rugby tab? The league tab? Give us a break from such horrendous "football" articles
c
Guest
you're first paragraph is false and unfounded if you'd like people to respond to your articles more favourably then you should respond to their comments if you're going to respond at all in a more professional manner than you have done thus far you may then attain a reasonable discussion
At work
Roar Rookie
Actually just realised those ideas were from yesterday’s article. Maybe space out your articles next time too.
At work
Roar Rookie
Janakan you’ve lost all credibility as an author by engaging in arguements with regular posters. Also you’re showing your true colours in your very strong defence of the AFL, it’s fine to support other sports but don’t write articles about improving the A League when it seems quite obvious AFL is your preferred sport/comp. Anyway I actually think your ideas in this article aren’t too bad, would be good to get some really technical (& affordable) Asian players, but the reality is they often get paid much more where they are. Giving registered juniors free membership, or at least a 5 game membership is a great idea.
Janakan Seemampillai
Roar Guru
@Chris saying i dont like A league or W league is just a lie and obviously very childish. Grow up. People are allowed to critique soccer and suggest ways to improve it. I have admitted i dont watch every A league or W league game and admit its boring. So what? Doesnt mean i hate it. I have a life unlike some hardcore fans who are obsessed with the game and think because they are they have more of a right to a say because they consider themselves custodians of the game...what a laugh that is. Everyone is entitled to their opinion not just you. You need to also be open to ways to grow the game.
Janakan Seemampillai
Roar Guru
He is also getting his clique of mates to comment on his behalf hahaha funny how you all think you're a "family" or something and are protective of each other lol Its sad you all think you know what's good for football whilst continually ignoring the games struggles. Saying someone doesnt like football cause you dont like their suggestions and making that up is completely childish and immature. My articles are putting forward suggestions which people are welcome to disagree with. I dont think any of my articles are malicious or negative to the game but rather realistic and suggestive of ways to make things better.
c
Guest
janka you need to get your facts right you have accused kanga jetts of posting as me I can assure you I am not kanga jetts you should double check your ISP addresses investigations and seriously your responses on this page are pitiful to say the least
chris
Guest
What do you expect? The editors allow someone who clearly does not like A-League or W-League and expects us to do what with his articles?
chris
Guest
Jank you need to stop. You are mind numbing
JANAKAN
Guest
Kangajets stop writing comments underneath different names and then patting yourself on the back hahaha that is bizarre behaviour...it shows a desperation and weakness that is very disturbing. Clearly you have issues and need some assistance. We can tell it’s the same person as we can see the ISP address (cause you aren’t smart I’ll explain the isp address shows what computer is linked to your internet and we can see it’s the same one despite the different names you use). Don’t worry I won’t waste time on you anymore as no one else needs to see it. So I’ll leave you with this. Get some help champ.
Kangajets
Guest
Rolly I agree with you , but I get called a sook by the author for disagreeing with him. I’m happy for Afl fans to give constructive advice , we can take it or leave it . His ideas stunk it up unfortunately imo. Unfortunately the author doesn’t like it if we don’t like his afl ideas . Tomorrow will undoubtedly bring another A league needs help article.
Rolly
Guest
The author is talking nonsense and clearly demonstrates a lack of understanding of our sport .
Rasty
Guest
Probably has a comfier bed at home then the chair on offer at the soccer.
Kangajets
Guest
B s again