It’s been an improved and refreshing season for New Zealand’s only candidate in the A-League – well, apart from the last few shambolic days in the land of the long white cloud.
Imagine perplexed Yellow Fever supporters discovering the Nix have been fined nearly $1 million by Football Federation Australia. Most would be asking themselves what their team had done to deserve such punishment.
Aussies probably aren’t too concerned with news from across the ditch, but the FFA’s judgement that the Phoenix failed to hit required off-field metrics could affect the rest of the competition playing under the Southern Cross.
No team is safe, especially when there’s a lack of transparency from the governing body in this regard.
(Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
Does any punter know the actual ‘metrics’ the FFA are referring to? We need specifics, please. Because, frankly, the 23,648 Wellington supporters who saw their team draw with Melbourne Victory in Round 19 would like to know.
At the moment things sound a lot like Aussie cult movie The Castle, with the FFA is playing the part of fumbling lawyer Denis Denuto.
Ask them, go on: how does Wellington get fined a million dollars when they successfully made the top six and dramatically increased their overall crowd numbers?
The FFA’s answer to this is presumably, “It’s the constitution, it’s Mabo, it’s justice, it’s the law, it’s the vibe”.
The vibe? That sounds like metrics, Your Honour.
This huffing and puffing gives the impression the FFA is looking for an excuse to punish the code of football in New Zealand as the nation’s sole A-League representative approaches its licence renewal.
Or does it suggest the cash-strapped FFA is becoming desperate, having recently paid former Matildas coach Alen Stajcic a severance package? Still, at least the new Central Coast Mariners coach received a written apology.
You know, we really should be celebrating Mark Rudan’s managerial heroics instead. Nix fans ought to be toasting Roy Krishna’s Golden Boot award, not worrying if their team will exist in the near future.
Recently Foxtel decided to cut spending on “non-marquee sporting content”. It was a hasty comment meant to induce fear into other smaller codes – in other words, those that aren’t the AFL and NRL.
Here’s a controversial theory: is it overly brash to suggest an entire country is non-marquee too?
It happened in 2016 with Super Netball. The Trans-Tasman league was abolished, creating a nationally exclusive competition in 2017 within Australia.
Football is obsessed with derbies. It’s understandable that introducing more Sydney and Melbourne teams will grow crowd numbers, but at what cost? You risk shutting out 4.7 million New Zealanders by tarnishing their only A-League club.
If Foxtel continues to cry poor, what kind of vulnerable leader is the FFA bowing to? It’s sport’s version of the Stockholm syndrome, a condition whereby a hostage develops an affiliation with their captor.
Even the bamboozled Australian government rolled out the red carpet last year, giving the pay-TV provider a hefty $30 million handout.
Maybe Wellington’s suspicious million-dollar fine should be split three ways between the Australian government, Foxtel and the FFA?
Those same 23,648 Nix supporters at Eden Park would mostly agree.
Don’t pay. Call their bluff. Ride out the dark storm. Soon will dawn an independent A-League, and football fans will rise on the horizon of the South Pacific.
The Nix are here to stay.
hog
Roar Rookie
Bloody hope the Pheonix stay, the league has bigger issues than just punting the Pheonix, they do need a few years of sustained success to quieten the detractors though and that's not guaranteed. But long term a more suitable venue than the cavernous Westpac Stadium is required.
oldpsyco
Guest
Surely you cannot be surprised that the rules are not set out clearly! This is yet another example of the secrecy of the FFA! They won't explain themselves, because they don't have to! That's the set-up, they report to no-one! They have the power and telling people what is happening, smacks of giving some of that power away! Apart from that, we the Football public are too stupid to understand anyway! Lets look at the current regimes record? The Stajcic affair! They are still silent on Heather Reids future, hoping it will fade away with the News cycle! Independant A-League - Still waiting 2nd Division Still Waiting Some kind of long term plan for the games ????? you guessed it, Still coming. Some kind of long term plan for management succession, yeah well..... Now add in the NIX... sounds like persecution.... just looking for excuses.... not a good look for the game.... If I were an investor it would make me think twice.. but then again so would the presence of Gallop & Co. It has been so long since we have heard from the board, I have forgotten most of their names..... Doing a great job Boys & Girls, such leadership must have been hard to find.
johnnoo
Roar Pro
AFC/FFA want the Nix out and rightly so.. Big deal if there is 4.5 million kiwis who cares they are not AFC members it's farcical they are playing in an AFC sanctioned competition.. And AFC are very annoyed with FFA and made there feelings clear on this to FFA.. Just be gone Nix, and re-apply in Auckland or Welly if NZ joined AFC... I don't think NZ will join AFC anytime soon, and why would they.. With the world cup likely to almost certainly expand the number of places at 2026 WC, and Oceania guaranteed a spot , it's a dream run for NZ rather than have to be in the expensive pitfalls of Asia and the AFC where qualifying is gonna get very tough for the socceroos despite more asian places.. Plus an almost certain guaranteed olympic spot to(big deal if fiji occasionally gets into olympics).. So yep, the Nix should be booted, hurry up AFC/FFA get on with it you don't want kiwi teams in your comps and rightly so just get on with it, enough with excuses..
nicks
Guest
Good article. Firstly th FFA want Wellington out and will find any means to do it. Secondly it's seems an odd coincidence they fine Wellington at the time they need to pay Stajgic a 6 figure settlement. And third this more derbies thing can be a bad thing. People can vet derby fatigue and they lose their wow factor.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
My understanding was the Nix management drove a hard bargain as the metrics where higher… the Nix management signed off on the current metrics .. All that aside, an aspect of the Nix’s membership is what is the assumed rights, Nix’s fans and management have of there position. First is why “””US””” and no one else… cough cough cough, The Gold Coast & North Queensland where kicked out on metrics, and the Mariners are under warning to lift, and Mariner fans have excepted this and apply pressure to club management to lift their game. Another assumption is paying the bills is all you need to do…. all clubs have a responsibility to grow the game… Finally the assumption there is no issue with AFC when there is … I don’t want the Nix’s kicked out, most don’t if the truth be know… that is if you are seen as trying to grow the game and be competitive … and last year was the first year for a while you where competitive… AS for the Mariners we understand if we continue to take the view there is no P & R so it does not matter as long as we pay the bills we are also gone…
blood
Guest
even if the nix were cut Wollongong is not gonna happen in the top divsion thanks to the addition of the bulls otherwise the whole Sydney and surrounding area would have to many teams in the top division, only 3 ways Wollongong happens now, bulls fail, mariners cut or a second division
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Whether you want the Nix in the A League or not is irrelevant in this discussion. Their crowds improved this season, while others fell as JB points out, so why are they singled out? Apparently the other clubs want the Nix to stay btw.
josh
Guest
Wellington are squatters. Squatting on Wollongong's spot in the A League.
Brendan
Roar Pro
Handy information, cheers JB. The whole “metric” issue, although fascinating, can be complex to follow at times. I too am eager to discover why the Nix’s penalty was incredibly high.
lesterlike
Roar Rookie
New Zealand is it's own country and is always free to get its own damn league and stop leaching on ours. Every dollar that is currently being wasted in NZ would be better spent on literally anything else for the game in Australia. Of course that would mean NZF would have to do something for once and build it's own competition instead of just lazily squatting on a place in ours like a parasite.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Yeah, I think the conversation might have gone something like this: FFA: look, we don’t really want you in the league because you don’t pull your financial weight. Nix: don’t throw us out, give us a chance to show what we can do! FFA: okay then. But we’re going to have to put some KPIs in place. If you meet them all good, if not you’ll have to cough up some cash? Nix: Sure, well happily do that, where do we sign? FFA. here, here and here. But before you sign, remember if you dont make your targets you’ll owe us some money - maybe as much as 10% of the money we give you each year? Nix: Sure, we’ll happily play along.
Nemesis
Guest
"What are they gonna do? Throw them out?" Nope. They probably just deduct $1m from 2019/20 distribution (approx. $3m normal distribution paid) that will be paid to the NIX. Simplicity.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Not paying the $1 mill fine is actually the correct strategy for the Nix. What are they gonna do? Throw them out? Well, if you're gonna get thrown out anyway, may as well hold onto the $1 mill!!
jbinnie
Guest
Brendan - Hers is some info that may help your case. Wellington's "metric" rose from 5.700 to 8,530 or 48%. WSW's "metric fell from 11,900 to 9,300 or 22%. Perth's "metric" rose from 9,200 to 10,370 or 13% Melb City's"metric" fell from 9,750 to 8,140 or 16% So if you can work out how the fines are arrived at I'm sure there are many who would like to know. jb
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Phoenix are the ones who are taking millions every year from the Foxtel deal. The irony of wanting to charge the Japanese 20 million to stay in Super Rugby. Phoenix will be the first to be jettisoned if things go sour, like what happens if Foxtel goes bankrupt , are their owners going to be willing to put in the millions to keep it going.
Adz
Guest
Metrics only for the Phoenix. No other team has the same metrics to abide by. If FFA want them gobe just dobit already or maybe hurry up and make the A-league independent.
Waz
Roar Rookie
“managerial heroics” = 6th place?