The challenge of accommodating the eleventh franchise in the 2019-20 A-League season was always going to prove a difficult one.
With Western United FC just four months away from stamping their brand on the domestic competition the complexities around restructuring the season can never be underestimated.
Eleven was always going to be something of an awkward number for the powers at be and it necessitates a bye in each and every round.
For true and fair home-and-away play to occur, an 11-club league would require a 33-week season – if the FFA were keen to continue having teams meet on three separate occasions.
Contractually this is impractical, as is a potential shortening of the season.
To maintain equity, that shortening would require an alternate strategy where teams would meet each other just twice with an additional two bye weekends for each club. It would result in a 22-week season and remove more than a month of football from the schedule.
Diluting A-League play is a frightfully dangerous step to take, even if for just one season.
As it stands, the FFA have taken neither of the above approaches. In fairness to them, broadcast deals, Asian Champions League play and the AFC Under-23 Championships in January made their task unenviable.
Saturday saw the announcement of the Competition Calendar for the upcoming season. It lays out the key features of the restructured format. The more difficult task of collating the draw is to follow, yet the FFA have been quick to announce the changes.
Will the A-League season change dramatically? (Photo by James Elsby/Getty Images)
The season will feature 29 Rounds of home-and-away play with each franchise granted three byes. The finals remain intact, with six of the eleven teams qualifying, with the same procedures in place in terms of who meets who in week one.
Where it starts to get interesting is in the detail. Initially, and to accommodate the addition of Western United FC, clubs will face their ten rivals on just two occasions.
That fills 20 weeks of play; supplemented by an additional six, where each club will face a currently undisclosed opponents.
With the byes included, it all adds up to 29 and a competition that has now unfortunately joined other codes by administering a fraudulent draw.
It is those six additional matches that could potentially make all the difference. It is realistic that Club A could draw four of the bottom six in those games and also feasible to see Club B struggling against four of the top six.
Personally, I fear potential A-League discussions around ‘soft draws’ and unfair advantage based on the guesswork of FFA draw creators.
With such a fluctuation in form experienced by many clubs from year to year and another off-season of wholesale roster changes having already begun, how a draw constructed in June 2019 will guarantee equity is beyond me.
It is, however, not beyond Greg O’Rourke.
His explanation was as follows.
“In collaboration with our stakeholders, we will be focussed on developing a schedule which will amplify broadcast and attendance metrics, support club growth initiatives while providing a fair and equitable fixture schedule for all clubs that also meets key player welfare principles.”
The FFA has even designed a methodology for the decision making process behind the additional six matches.
It has three prioritised layers.
Priority one is to “maximise A-League broadcast metrics”. It therefore appears safe to assume that season 2019-20 will feature three Sydney derbies and nine Victorian derbies and is unlikely to see the Mariners and Wellington do battle twice in Gosford.
Of course, we all want to see big crowds and solid ratings, however, should “Priority 2 – Fairness and competition integrity for all clubs” perhaps have been number one?
The FFA’s admission that the lust for ratings outweighs the integrity of the competition is somewhat stunning.
Priority three, which is to “maximise A-League attendance metrics and other commercial priorities”, marries in well with number one and should always be a fundamental goal in the domestic game.
However, as clubs eagerly anticipate who their opponents will be in the additional six matches, the true nature of the crap shoot is clear.
FFA CEO David Gallop (left) and FFA Chairman Chris Nikou (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Logically, and if true to the FFA’s claim that broadcast metrics are indeed their number one priority, Melbourne Victory will play a key role for them.
It would seem likely that of their six additional opponents, Sydney FC, Western United FC, Adelaide United and Melbourne City will be locks.
If you want metrics, they have to be.
Should all be humming along swimmingly, I’m not quite sure how that is remotely equitable.
Of course, they could be struggling near the foot of the ladder yet would that scenario only prove beyond any doubt that fortune will play too great a role in the FFA’s new Competition Calendar?
Perhaps a shortened season that maintained true competition integrity would have been the sage move.
What we have now could rob mid-table teams of semi-final positions, impact the winner of the Premier’s Plate and/or place serious doubt over the validity of the final standings.
Arto
Guest
Good article, Stuart! ???????? One of the strongest concerns FFA has regarding the draw (in addition to their contractual obligations to Fox Sports) is meeting the requirements of ACL qualification. ie: a club playing min. of 27 domestic games in the season. That’s why we’ve arrived at the magical number of 29 Rnds (26 games + 3 byes + min. 1 Finals game). Personally, I would’ve liked FFA to have an expanded Finals series instead of this mishmash we’re gonna get in a couple of weeks. As a once-off, the Finals could be opened up to 10 teams with Home & Away ties in the 1st Rnd with seeding arranged according to ladder positions (1v10, 2v9, 3v8, 4v7 & 5v6). The 2 lowest placed ‘losers’ are knocked out, with the 2nd Rnd seedings again arranged according to ladder positions, but from now on the ties are 1-game only played at the home of the higher seed. Regardless of who ends up winning this Finals series, the Grand Finalists will have played 26 games in the League so adding the minimum 1 FFA Cup game would then meet the ACL qualification criteria. The only potential problem is if Wellington Phoenix is a Grand Finalist as the highest seeded Semi Finalist would’ve only played 25 games. This could be alleviated perhaps by a playoff against either the losing Grand Finalist (if Nix win) or the other Semi Finalist (if Nix lose). It’s just my opinion, but I reckon everyone would win with this system and the fact it would be a one-off event (given Macarthur FC are entering the comp the year after) it’s novelty could be celebrated (if successful) or dismissed as a once-off quirk (if not the money-spinning, fan-loved, tradition-true attempt it was meant to be). Over to everyone else to give feedback on this idea! ????
Beni Iniesta
Guest
You're right of course. The EPL made this mistake in the 1990s when they let Sky Sports dictate exactly when games would be played, what time, staggering matches at different times on the First & Sunday - and even playing games on Monday nights etc!! La Liga in Spain made the same mistake letting TV companies dictate when clubs like Real Madrid & Barcelona would play just too make done more money! Disgusting. Both the EPL & La Liga have made this mistake in the past and now the A-League is making the same mistake and selling their soul to TV companies for a few extra dollars just like the EPL& La Liga!! You're 100% right. Disgusting!!
Barca4life
Guest
When you let a TV company dictate how to run your premier football league at the top of the pyramid( which it's flawed in the structure anyway) then you asking for trouble for the determent of the best interests for the development for the sport when competing in an international scale. This is what happens when you follow the mantra with the NRL/AFL and cricket the problem is they don't have anywhere the global competitiveness which football has to experience all the time! And then we question why the Socceroos don't have anywhere near the same quality as it had in since the 2006 golden days, or the struggles of our youth developments which are a mess or the simple fact of our A-league clubs struggling to register a win in the latest ACL campaign. Well, there lies your answer when you don't follow the rest of the world is doing you get mediocre results internationally. When will Australian football wake up from its inferiority complex?
chris
Guest
Yes they do
Tyke
Roar Rookie
I wonder if Foxtel count recorded ratings? I almost never watch most sports live, or anything live on TV for that matter.
Tyke
Roar Rookie
You would think when MacArthur comes in there will be 36 rounds?
chris
Guest
Nem you obviously get under these ppls skins. Keep it up
Nemesis
Guest
Anyone who is not totally dull would understand the meaning of: "my engagement with A-League will fall further next season". Football, the sport played in Australia by more Aussies than any other team sport, will continue to thrive. The gaps created by an inept A-League management team, will create opportunities for more savvy football management teams. The football product is the No.1 sporting product in Australia & across the world. But, the A-League brand is being mismanaged.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
There was a poster a while back called Fear the Smell. That might be a better reflection of where we are at currently.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Because of lobbying from the big city clubs. Tarneit is there because the Victory lobbied for it and lobbied agsinst SE Melb. Macarthur is there because SFC lobbied against the other Sydney bid. Wanderers also lobbied against Macarthur, and to appease them, the FFA delayed their entry by one year. Both decisions had the big city clubs' fingerprints all over it.
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
Thats not what most people tell me.
chris
Guest
Are you making that up? Are you anywhere near Campbelltown? They're westies.
AR
Guest
“...A-League will fall further next season, and I won’t bother turning up, or tuning in...” Hang on, I’m confused. Are we still meant to be smelling the fear? Or is it something else now?
Waz
Roar Rookie
Of course it is
Waz
Roar Rookie
No one said you were miserable ...
Onside
Guest
The problem arises from FFA introducing just one team, not two. Ten teams has limitations ( yeah we know) But eleven ? , amplifies a problem. Seems like there were several potential investors. So why did FFA settle on eleven and not twelve.
Sam
Guest
A League is not elite
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
You say WSW fans aren't interested in a Macarthur vs West Sydney derby. I reckon there are a few people in Campbelltown who hate to be called Westies.
Paul
Guest
It's obvious that there's a disconnect between Foxtel management and the realities for football in Australia and Asia in general. Foxtel sounds like one of THOSE companies where the top execs played rugby union and cricket and think every sporting code should do what those codes do. I won't be surprised if the HAL does eventually end up on Optus, albeit with a lesser windfall for the game.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Spot on Rohan. I must admit to launching a fountain pen across my office when I read the announcement some days back. Someone will win big and someone else will be punished severely.