While a national second-division seems an increasing certainty, the question of when and how to implement A-League promotion and relegation remains frustratingly unanswered.
With club owners gunning hard for an independent league, state federations looking to flex their muscle in any way, shape or form following their role in the overthrow of Steve Lowy’s board, and the ongoing work of the New Leagues Working Group (NLWG), there’s a lot to unpack.
The reality is that the manner in which the independence of the A-League pans out is going to have a huge impact on how promotion and relegation are introduced.
In the meantime, stakeholders, such as the Association of Australian Football Clubs, are keen to push forward with the creation of a national second division as soon as humanly possible.
I get it.
We need to walk before we can run, meaning a functioning second division needs to be established.
And with FIFA and the AFC watching on, as well as the attention of the FFA well and truly captured – with board member Remo Nogarotto heavily involved in the National Second Division Working Group (which works inexplicably separate from the NLWG) – there is seemingly no better time to get this done.
As General Patton said: “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.”
If the plan for a second division is not violently executed now, then it may be years before the discussion takes place again.
But without any real understanding of how promotion and relegation will tie into the A-League, the question has to be asked – will a national second division accomplish anything?
How long will a national second division maintain interest and investment from prospective owners, sponsors, supporters and broadcasters if the shining lights of the A-League remain a pipe dream?
I am a rusted-on supporter of a national second division for Australia, but without a firm timeline for the implementation of promotion to the A-League and, eventually, relegation from it, it’s hard to see the long-term benefits that will come from what will essentially be a truly nationalised National Premier Leagues.
Teams would play more games, mostly against stronger opposition, but with the competition shaping up to initially be semi-professional, it will do nothing to increase the number of professional opportunities.
But would a club invest heavily in its infrastructure and training facilities if there remains no hope of playing in the top flight? Would supporters – other than those directly involved – care about who wins? Would the current situation of miserly compensation for player poached from NPL clubs be improved?
The problem is that any solution will require the buy-in of the existing A-League clubs.
This is akin to someone earning a million dollars every year just for rocking up being asked if they’d prefer to earn their seat at the table and, if they fail to do so, cut their wage by half while also trying to earn their spot back.
(Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)
Of course, the existing clubs must surely know that hopes of growing their own revenue streams rely on revitalising the top level and inspiring fans to take their local game seriously.
There are a lot of eggs in the basket to get this done, but the lukewarm response to the latest expansion announcement should not inspire a whole lot of confidence.
The A-League clubs – and indeed all stakeholders, from state federations to the FFA – need to take the position of what will benefit the game as a whole.
A unified footballing pyramid is vital to that.
According to the latest league reports, the details around the creation of the Australian Professional League Company (APLCO) – of which all existing and new A-League clubs will be shareholders – would allow the FFA significant veto powers, ensuring the clubs themselves don’t hold all the cards.
Nevertheless, the jump to promotion and relegation is a big commitment for the current top-flight clubs. However, without that buy-in, even the most ardent supporters of a second division will fear that it would suffocate in its own irrelevance.
If that happens, and if interest in the A-League continues to decline, then perhaps there won’t even be enough food at the table to sustain the top flight.
Alez Valez
Roar Rookie
Marconi are one off the top of my head.
Alez Valez
Roar Rookie
To get the current A-League clubs a little more into the idea, i suggest that at first only one A-League club is potentially relegated. The team coming last will playoff against the winner of the 2nd division (Table winner no finals) and if the A-League team wins they stay up but if the 2nd Division team wins they go up and the A-League team goes down. It gives the existing A-League clubs a little breathing room for the first few years of promotion / relegation until the idea expands further in time.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
that's why I mentioned it in my little story, that Inter-Monaro didn't play their home games in their beautiful tree-lined boutique stadium alongside the Queanbeyan River, but had to play them in Bruce, which was not quite the same thing, in fact, a few hundred people in Bruce was pretty horrible (Winter season back then too), not sure why that would make me an ex-Canberran, there was a reason why I followed Inter-Monaro, don't forget that an actual Canberra team was in the comp at the same time (these were the days of a 24 team NSL)
Redondo
Roar Rookie
But Bruce is
Beni Iniesta
Guest
Not sure about that. I'd personally line to see a professional gridiron league in Australia. If we just put in 8 teams around Australia and got some good players out of the NFL I'm sure fans would flock to the sport. It would be one of the highest quality gridiron leagues in the world immediately. No doubt this will attract the fans in droves. Let's do it - and see what happens!! I'm excited, are you?
Nemesis
Guest
I think anyone with basic observational skills would be confident the National 2nd Div will average crowds of 1,000.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Coincidentally, only the other day I said to Redondo that I was confident that the B League clubs could get average attendances of 1,000.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Queanbeyan is not Canberra.
Nemesis
Guest
"My team plays in the Serie C (Girone C). I also have a bit of a soft spot for Helmond Sport in the Eerstedivisie and de Koninklijke Voetbal Club Westerlo in de Eerste klasse B" Can you please tell me how you follow these clubs? Is it via radio broadcast? Live blogging from the matches? Livestream? I'd be keen to have a look to understand the quality of football you find appealing. I know how much crowds & TV ratings excite you. I notice Helmond Sport's average crowds are 1,51 after 16 home matches this season. I'd confidently expect MelbKnights, SMFC to pull a few more people in 2nd Div Australia - esp when they play opponents who are all located within an area smaller than Tasmania.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
So you’re ex-Canberran?
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Hypothetically speaking, if Western United was relegated, you reckon the FFA has to pay it back $18 million? Within the next couple of years, that money will be long gone. Each of the current clubs will pocket a chunk of it. That money isn't going to be sitting around to give back. This is why the sale of licenses to be part of an exclusive closed shop is so tempting for both the FFA and clubs. You don't get to pocket money like that if all of a sudden Hicksville United can get promoted to the top tier for free merely for winning the B League.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
My team plays in the Serie C (Girone C) - making it a quadruple C if you like. I followed Inter-Monaro for the two seasons they played in the NSL and for a season or two either side of that run. They had a beautiful set up along the banks of the Queanbeyan River, although they played their home games while in the NSL at Bruce in front of a handful of diehard fans. Last time I dropped by, the club house had been taken over by someone and was being used as an office block, the ground was locked up, not sure if it's used for anything these days. I also have a bit of a soft spot for Helmond Sport in the Eerstedivisie and de Koninklijke Voetbal Club Westerlo in de Eerste klasse B.
Winnie the Pooh (Emperor of China)
Guest
The license fee paid by A-League teams will need to be repaid by the FFA to the respective clubs upon relegation and indexed for inflation if I was a club boss making this deal. Without the money poured in by the A-League clubs themselves there would be no pro soccer in Australia. The old NSL clubs never made their league pro, thats the bottom line. WE OWE THEM NOTHING!
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Which team is your team MF?
Punter
Roar Rookie
The most pressing question in football, what does Mister Football want? Clearly not a fan of the A-League, spends so much time on these boards especially since his Suburbia sport has commenced.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
It is a bit dangerous to try and compare the set up here to the uk. The ppulation there is around 66 million in a relatively small area. That population splits up between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland only has a population of around 5 million, Wales 3 and NI, 2 million. Scotland has the SPL, and 3 leagues below plus 2 feeder leagues with promotion and relegation from League 2. The fact that they manage it on such a small population base is partly due to the longevity - SFA founded in about 1873;combine that with the fact that football is the number 1 sport, nothing gets close to it and it is “ingrained into the soul”. However, it survives on tv revenue, goodwill, sponsorship and the willingness of philanthropists to pour money into their favourite clubs as gate money does not bring in the type of revenue needed to run a profitable business. The lowest attendances in SPL average at 3-4K and the championship is considerably lower with quite a few clubs drawing about 1-2k per game. From what I can see, our governing body - successive governing bodies do not want that kind of set up, preferring a top tier with something more sustainable and therefore it leans towards a franchise system that guarantees places in the top tier of football and is not really concerned with what sits underneath. Most football clubs in the uk do not make a profit and that includes most of the EPL teams. I see no evidence anywhere to suggest that this type of set up would be encouraged here in Australia. In the lower leagues, wages of first grade players are still being met by exhorbitant fees charged to 9-16 year olds. 2k-3k fees a season (you get a bag and a tracksuit though) and a qualified coach who knows how to shout, whinge and complain at everybody. The current “elite” structure in NSW is a total sham and yet parents of aspiring young players continue to fall for the old “three card trick” and end up forking out huge sums and travelling large distances in the belief that the en will justify the means and somehow their son will end up as a professional player in Europe one day.
Josh
Guest
The focus should be on establishing a strong women’s league first, then turn to the question of whether the sport can sustain a proper system of promotion and relegation (for men and/or women). Let’s grow the game properly, and not get caught up in fantasy land where relegated clubs will miraculously survive the drop or fans will magically appear in droves to support newly promoted teams.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
"‘On a different planet’ Bloody rude way to start a comment." Bloody rude way to start a comment.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Maybe - but what do you want?
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
get a grip Your comments were factually incorrect and had obviously not been considered, thought through or checked before posting. I don't think you can expect applause or a thumbs up tick for that TomC.