Like most A-League fans, I am eagerly anticipating expansion and what it will bring to the domestic game. Will the league look to new horizons and create clubs from scratch or will they re-write history and bring in clubs from the NSL’s heydays?
In October we will all know.
One of the biggest obstacles is diluting the existing fan-bases of current clubs. While most new bidders say they won’t do this, the reality is they will, with how much so the key question.
I’m a Wanderers fan with Melbourne City being my second team, however, with potential new teams in Campbelltown (where I grew up) and Geelong (where I lived for five years) provokes thought.
If the ‘United for Macarthur’ Campbelltown bid gets up, would I ditch the Wanderers? What about Geelong? A region I spent five of the best years of my life of which the soccer community was a major part.
No, I could never ditch my Wanderers! Heck, I have been a member since inception, even though I lived interstate, and have been to every away ground the Wanderers have just to show my commitment. I even planned a trip to Japan and South Korea in 2014 based around the successful ACL campaign.
Melbourne City will always be owned by Manchester City – my Premier League team – so that won’t change either. I guess Campbelltown or Geelong will be teams I simply have a passing interest in and a bit of a soft spot.
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What about other fans? Many Geelong football fans follow Victory or City, will they abandon them if a home team comes in? In a recent survey conducted by The Wanderful Game (60 votes), 34 per cent of fans said they will stick to City or Victory, whereas the majority said they would jump ship and support their local club. When the time comes though, will that really be possible? Emotions are a powerful thing.
What about Southern Expansion? Sydney FC claim 30-35 per cent of their members are based in southern Sydney. Southern Expansion seem like a shoe-in for one of the two available licences, the club has an impressive bid with a huge catchment area, and plenty of financial clout. Sydney FC struggle for loyal fans at the best of times, so it will be interesting to see how many will leave and join Southern if they come into the competition.
‘Team 11’ or South East Melbourne will be based in a region of 1.2 million people, with dozens of local clubs in their catchment area. Importantly, they plan to play in Dandenong, rather than AAMI Park, indicating a bit of differentiation to City and Victory. They will have geographic identity, something Melbourne City have lacked since they came into the competition in 2010.
The question is how many fans in the Dandenong-Casey region already follow Victory or City? City for sure cannot afford to lose fans. Will Team 11 have more members than City when they come in? It’s a high chance.
As for South Melbourne, they have a storied history. The Oceania team of the 20th Century have a solid financial base, a home ground, and a great football pedigree. The problem is they represent a bygone era, something the A-League was supposed to move Australian football away from.
However their case is compelling. The club have a strong youth and female program, two vital criterion for obtaining a licence. But a large number of South Melbourne people are Victory fans, so is it a good move to take members away from one of the most powerful clubs?
No doubt South will create a strong rivalry with Victory right away, even more significant than the Victory-City derby. The confusion among these Victory-South fans must be mind boggling, considering they are Victorian and struggle in that capacity anyway.
It is both exciting and confusing, but ultimately our beautiful game will benefit.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
I think the most confusing thing is this "article" The FFA have made it abundantly clear what the expansion criterium are and will follow that up this year. The Wanders have not diluted SFC support, the membership numbers have steadily increased every year. The memberships and attendances for both Sydney teams combined is far greater than if we had only one team. The fact that we have already over a dozen bids in the pipeline for the additional 2 A-League licenses, they don't think it'll be a problem either. Derbies traditionally get higher attendances, especially when you look at the enormous distances between most A-League teams' home grounds.
punter
Guest
In 3 states, yes I agree, the rest of the world, haha.
Janakan
Guest
@punter hahaha love your maturity, everyone you disagree with is an AFL fan haahaha AFL is more successful than soccer, accept it
chris
Guest
Relax Bilbo. You won't be going to any games so whether there are a 100 teams in the A-League or 2 it means diddly squat to people like you.
Fadida
Guest
Those pesky teenager causing trouble
Barca4life
Guest
If the iron strikes white hot make the most of it and expand the league up to 14 teams, 2 teams as usual in 2019/2020 and 2 more in the following season. If there are more than 2 good bids then we cant allow them to disappear.
Timber Tim
Guest
"One of the biggest obstacles is diluting the existing fan-bases of current clubs" Well when a 2nd tier comes in with more clubs from Sydney, Melbourne etc its going to happen eventually but it could be the reverse and enhance the number of football fans we have who do have the option of choice if they are unsure.
Bilbo
Guest
Looking at the drop off in crowds this year it is mind boggling to me that chatter about expansion is occurring. I won't speak for Sydney, but in Melbourne the crowds for Victory and City have dropped off. A third team in Melbourne would cannibalise support for Victory as (apologies for racial profiling), but when I go to a Victory home game I do see a lot of Greeks. Holding games at Lakeside seems romantic, except there is no train line and parking can be a pain. Dandenong, forget it, seriously that won't happen and would be an absolute mess. Having previously lived near there the last thing you want to attract is local teenagers to an event. Asking for trouble.
Angry Kossie
Guest
You're right MfC about being able to go to a game and just watch and enjoy without having to identify with or support a team. There is nothing wrong with going to an "event" game or even enjoying watching multiple codes. There is nothing wrong if you cannot get to a single game in a season! There are way too many people who take team support too seriously, with some thinking they can hold clubs to ransom because their poor behaviour is addressed or criticise others on social media forums.
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
Another participation survey, and another result that puts AFL well behind football. Waiting to hear from the usual AFL fanboys on how this isn't right, AFL is number 1 etc etc. They never disappoint
Post_hoc
Roar Rookie
Janakana I don't know, but I suspect not many of those pets attend games, so what's the point of them? Then again you could say the same thing about GWS and Gold Coast, what's the point of them.
punter
Guest
The big J, the A-League is a small football competition on the other side of the world to the bigger competitions, however, it's bigger then any other Aussies rules competition outside of the AFL anywhere in the world by a fairly long way.
Janakan
Guest
@post hoc so are you saying that there are more pet members in the afl than human members of the A league hahahaha that is just embarrassing lol maybe the A league
punter
Guest
That's because every 2nd poster is an AFL poster on the football tab feeling insecure.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
every second poster on this site appears to be this mythical pippinu
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Pippinu, that's who. Talk it up son.
bryan
Guest
Damn,I stuttered- read that as "Sydney FC" :)
Redondo
Guest
Enough for you to be reading the article and commenting.
Redondo
Guest
Tee hee - I guess the drivel at least provokes some wit and a few laughs.
Redondo
Guest
The Gong is so not Sydney it has to be a standalone team. All my family are from the Gong and it’s a wonderfully different world down there. I’ll go to Wollongong games (as well as Sydney’s) if their bid gets up.