Moving the A-League to winter and introducing a second division with promotion-relegation would provide many benefits.
These include that games are played in the best temperatures. End-of-season games occur during the relatively free sporting period of October, November and December.
There is an alignment with the NPL and Asia, along with more intensity in games between lower-placed teams battling relegation. In addition, there would be more players to develop and more fans to engage in more regions.
The biggest (non-financial or health) challenge is the availability of stadiums and quality of pitches. This is an analysis of the stadium situation in each region of Australia and New Zealand, over two parts (today and tomorrow).
If the A-League begins at the start of March, at least one of the other three football codes will also be playing on 28 weekends from then until the start of September (their finals series in June and September could add weekends, but are unknown quantities).
Remove the international football windows in March, June and early September, and the A-League will play on 25 weekends.
It would likely be less than 25, because otherwise the season would not go beyond early November, and there could be mid-season breaks for international tournaments and FFA Cup games at mostly suburban venues. However, for argument’s sake, let’s analyse the worst case scenario where each club hosts 12 games over the 28 weekends.
Melbourne
Victory and City share AAMI Park with the Storm (11-12 games) and the Rebels (7-8 games). In 2020, there was due to be at least one form of rugby on 15 of 28 weekends; although six weekends involved a sole Saturday game, meaning Friday was free before rugby affected the pitch. Scheduling 24 Victory and City games around this would be the most complex fixture juggling for the A-League, but it is possible.
Victory could also play some games at Marvel Stadium. In 2020, it was due to host an AFL game on 23 weekends, but only five times on Friday night.
Western United’s stadium in Tarneit will be available all year when (if?) it is built. If they continue to play a few games in Geelong and Ballarat, they could easily work around the nine AFL games at GMHBA Stadium and two games at Mars Stadium.
If South Melbourne and Melbourne Knights enter a second division, they come with their own stadiums. The “Team 11” bid requires a new stadium in Dandenong, but they would be the main tenant. Any other new team would also likely need a new stadium.
Perth
In 2019, the Glory shared HBF Park with Western Force, who competed in the new Global Rapid Rugby after their exit from Super Rugby. The future of Global Rapid Rugby and the Force is unclear, but if they do continue to play at HBF Park, Perth will want to avoid those 5-8 games. Regardless, the stadium has room for a second Perth/Fremantle-based team.
Adelaide: All hail Hindmarsh – the sole, major football-only stadium in Australia and New Zealand! There is room for a second Adelaide-based team, too.
Hindmarsh Stadium. (Photo: Morne de Klerk/Getty Images)
Tasmania
A new team would face little competition for stadiums, with only two AFL games in Hobart each year and four in Launceston. An appropriate stadium is the greater issue, with a new rectangular stadium or modification to an oval required.
Auckland
A new team has a few options which ensure sufficient availability. In 2020, the Blues were due to play five games in 28 weekends at Eden Park; while the domestic rugby union team Auckland hosts five games there each year from around July to October.
In 2020, the Warriors were due to play ten games at Mount Smart Stadium. There is also North Harbour Stadium, where the domestic rugby union team North Harbour hosts five games from July to October.
Wellington
The Phoenix could easily avoid co-tenants the Hurricanes, who in 2020 were due to play six games in 28 weekends at Sky Stadium, and the Warriors, who were due to play a single game. From July to October, they could also avoid the domestic rugby union team Wellington playing five games there.
Christchurch
A new team could work around co-tenants the Crusaders at the 18,000-capacity Orangetheory Stadium, who in 2020 were due to play six games there in 28 weekends. From July to October, they could also avoid the domestic rugby union team Canterbury playing five games there.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
AFC West
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Micko In the early years of moving to the AFC, there were noises from some West Asian nations questioning Australia being part of Asia, but I haven't heard anything on that front for a good decade now. BD With 8 nations getting spots in the each WC, Australia's spot is guaranteed in perpetuity. Once you get down to the 7th or 8th best Asian nation, you are talking about very weak footballing nations. If we can't get past them, we should pack it in.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Who is the "half of AFC" who is "wanting to kick Australia out"? :shocked:
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
independence all but assures that the phoenix will stay in the league for the foreseeable future as unless the club goes broke which is unlikely under the current ownership or the other clubs vote them out which again is unlikely as the club and its ownership are quite popular with half of AFC wanting to kick Australia out and if the new world cup format for 2026 stays for the foreseeable Australia would at least consider going back to OFC if it meant guaranteed qualification for future world cups
lesterlike
Roar Rookie
Yes yes it would make so much sense to lose the $1m+ fee FFA receives from the AFC per WCQ and leave when Asia just got its number of spots doubled. Going back to playing 4 years of pointless OFC games against NZ and the Solomon Islands for 1 spot sounds great. When it comes to Football, NZ and the OFC offer nothing of value. It was the right decision to ditch them internationally and it'll be the right decision to ditch them from our competition.
adriandon
Roar Rookie
Yep, that's right. It's only used by Sth Melb and no one else is likely to want it, so it works as Sth Melb's home ground if they came in. Although it might need some touching up.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
well and truly past the point of kicking out teams purely on where they are located alone, would not be shocked if NZ get a 2nd side and if Australia try to push back into OFC after the 2026 would cup if the format from that world cup is kept
Micko
Roar Rookie
Why do the corners need filling in?
lesterlike
Roar Rookie
"areas such as Albury, the gold square of Ballarrat & Bendigo." The main argument for the 2nd tier has always been consolidating the strongest NPL teams, and thus the best talent, into a single comp below the A-League. You don't get that if you start throwing in random towns just because it looks good on a map. Teams from those towns can barely handle playing in the NPLV without constantly folding. Ballarat, Bendigo, Goulburn Valley and Murray United all got gifted spots in the top two tiers when the NPLV was formed. Ballarat and Bendigo both collapsed within two years and all of them have only moved down the pyramid from where they started. Elevating these teams even further up to a national league is just going to be more resources put into teams that can barely support themselves or shown that they can justify yet another undeserved promotion. The clubs that go up will need to be the ones that have shown they have the quality to step up and have the resources and hunger to stay there. At the moment, that list is mostly former NSL clubs like South Melbourne, Brisbane Strikers and Wollongong.
Ten Tribes Of Texas
Guest
Isn't the national second tier a bit of a pipe dream given the parlous state of the game's finances atm? Surely any sides brought into the second tier should be drawn from areas with a strong regional population base and regional television network available. Sure this could mean Sth Melb, the Knights & Tassy, Gold Coast, Wollongong and Canberra sides come in but also sides from areas such as Albury, the gold square of Ballarrat & Bendigo are also valid propositions because there isn't any competition from other sports in these regions and they align with regional TV broadcasting zones. In my view the second tier should be built for regional TV with some big city team representation to extend its market and appeal. These regional sides have grounds and stadiums available at any time.
Ten Tribes of Texas
Guest
Seth Melb don't own Albert park stadium. It's owned by the Vic gov so anyone can lease it. Games can be played there regardless of whether Stu come into any national comp.
Samuel Power
Roar Rookie
Yes mate, looks heaps better! But I do remember that there was a proposed 12,000 seat arena back in 2016 in Petone but locals hated it.
Micko
Roar Rookie
That was old talk wasn't it? Don't think there was anything new. (P.S. you changed your avatar...slightly :silly: )
lesterlike
Roar Rookie
I'd hope that by the time we move to winter, we would also have told NZ that they are out. All the talk of further aligning with the AFC can't be taken seriously if we continue to live in the past and acomadate these useless New Zealand teams.
Samuel Power
Roar Rookie
Without taking costs in consideration: - Wellington Phoenix need a little 10-16,000 seat rectangular stadium. - Central Coast Mariners need to try and convince the local council to let them buy CC Stadium. - Coopers Stadium needs to fill in the corners and put a roof on the camera side and update the video screens. - Brisbane Roar need a 20,000 seat stadium, could link with the QLD Reds and push for one. - Hopefully Western United's stadium and Sydney FC's stadium are built soon. At the moment, only these clubs will be able to play easily during a winter season: - Adelaide United - Central Coast Mariners - Macarthur FC - Newcastle Jets - Perth Glory - Western United
Samuel Power
Roar Rookie
Where did you see the Wellington stadium talks?
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Interesting analysis!
NoMates
Guest
Roar need a smaller stadium fact, they always overinflate crowd numbers for reasons i have no idea but putting them in a better stadium would be cheaper and could turn a profit for renting it out to the REDs. Wellington also need there own smaller stadium with talks of a plan to make that happen next year.