With the A-League set to expand to Auckland and Canberra, attention will soon turn to the next teams who will come in after that.
When it comes to the 15th and 16th teams the top contenders being talked about have been a second Queensland side and a side in Tasmania, although there are issues with both and neither is certain.
In regards to Brisbane, the issue of stadiums is still a big one, but looking better. Any team playing at Lang Park will face both its high fees and also have to compete with Roar, so I can’t see a new team working there. Redcliffe has a stadium but no bid. Then there was Ipswich, who were hoping to host an A-League side to prop up its NRL bid which failed, so that seems unlikely. No stadium there either.
Perry Park is always the popular choice, but also always problematic due to the PCYC. The best option might be Ballymore, which is being renovated into a modern 15000 capacity design, with seating for 10000 fans. Ballymore will also have upgraded transport links with a pedestrian bridge allowing a short walk from Wilston Station. With Brisbane City just a stone’s throw away, their bid looks like the best placed option in Brisbane if you’re looking for a Brisbane derby.
Western United lift the A-League Men trophy. (Photo by Dave Hewison/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Outside of Brisbane you have only the Gold Coast with an active bid, with plans for a boutique stadium at either Bundall or Pizzey Park. Considering that the Gold Coast has a population of 730,000 which will grow to a million within a generation, it’s pretty much impossible to look past.
As for the speculative Sunshine Coast, they will be building a boutique stadium for the Olympics that would be perfect for Sunshine Coast FC, located in a fast-growing region without a professional team in any football code. The new stadium is a real game changer for their chances.
Tasmania is a strong contender based on participation with four times that of Gold Coast, but the lack of a rectangular stadium is a major problem. However, their plans actually involve building a new “football hub” with a 7-10,000 seat “show pitch” for most matches at an unspecified green field location, with only big games set to be played on an oval.
As for other major cities, Perth and Adelaide are large enough for two teams but I doubt the interest is really there. They’d be better off starting in the second tier. That just leaves Melbourne.
With South Melbourne set to be the marquee club in the second tier, they’re out. This just leaves Dandenong as the only real option here. They still have a lot going for them, but with Melbourne City now claiming the area as home, a Dandenong side seems unlikely.
This finally brings us to Wollongong Wolves. With history, a fan base in place and ready-made derbies with three Sydney teams as well as Newcastle, Central Coast and Canberra, they have good reason to be included. The only things holding them back are some uncertainties around long term investment and the fact that they’re from New South Wales.
So, who should be next in?
Starting with the major cities. Probably none. While a new team in a major city will create derbies, they’ll just be a small team like Macarthur or Western United. A bit of interest locally, but not much interest from anyone else.
Regional teams might not be much different, but at least they mean more to locals in tight knit communities which you can build a strong culture around, like Central Coast. This leaves you with Gold Coast, Tasmania, Sunshine Coast and Wollongong.
The clear stand out has to be Gold Coast. As long as they can come through on a boutique stadium in a good location, they should be in. To ignore a market of this size would be a farce. The final choice though is less clear.
Could Wollongong Wolves fans soon be celebrating an A-League berth? (Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
For Tasmania, I’d have to see more detail about their stadium plans. But based on their participation and clear identity, they’d be a solid choice. They’d bring plenty of character which is an x-factor, but I’d like to know more about the “football hub” first.
Wollongong would be an excellent choice, but having seven teams from New South Wales and Canberra might be a bit of an overload. Although this also has a clear upside.
But the dark horse is Sunshine Coast. It has a decent sized population and by having both teams in the competition alongside Brisbane, you’d have six derbies each season. That might help all three sides and help bring more media interest to the sport in the state.
The new stadium would suit a team perfectly and changes the conversation around them, while it also goes well with the new boutique stadium on the Gold Coast and the upgrade to Ballymore. There’s no current active bid from here though, so you would have to call for expressions of interest. But since that seems to be the current method for expansion, why not Sunshine Coast?
Out of Tasmania, Wollongong and Sunshine Coast it’s a hard choice. Wollongong is easily the best option, but Sunshine Coast could be more important strategically in Queensland. Tasmania is the outsider here and they will have work to do to really convince the suits.
This is a hard one. But I’m going to go out on a limb and pick Sunshine Coast. If a bid can be put together, then I think that building the game with three closely located clubs in Queensland, all with boutique stadiums, will do more for the league than adding Wollongong.
Although you could still add Tasmania and Wollongong by going to 18 teams…
But that’s another story.
Garry
Roar Rookie
"The expansion of the A-Leagues into Auckland has taken a significant step forward with the owner of Premier League side AFC Bournemouth made “preferred bidder” to add a new club for next season."
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
There is no other market in Australia that could attract forging investment like the Gold Coast could.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
4 Bids for Auckland with Bill Foley the American that owns Bournemouth and Vegas Golden Knights the preferred bidder. The other 3 being New Zealand Breakers Minority Owner Marc Mitchel another American, Former All Black Ali Williams, his wife and her brothers Ali is currently a Property Developer I think Ali's Missus and Brothers own a successful toy company and Auckland City/Central United Chairman Ivan Vuksich and an Auckland Property Developer
Timmuh
Roar Guru
You need to cut your Tas figures in half, it would have to be essentially a Hobart team, which basically means 50% of the population. Although, more importantly, perhaps 70% of the economy. State figures don't cut it with Tasmania's demographic divide.
AJ73
Roar Rookie
Really? Tell me where the FFA spends their money? Little on development, way behind the AFL and NRL. They may get tax payer money for their stadiums and bot contribute as much as you would like, yet they invest in the grassroots and other areas more than football. The AFL alone will spend $360mil over 10 years in Tasmania. The fees do go to pay the 1st grade teams. They don't pay any registration or fees, it all comes from the youth. The FFA and clubs contribute nothing substantial. For football to gain any real traction they need to do something more than they are. As for M*FIA, just need to look at football in this country and holding the game back.
Football Fan
Roar Rookie
Except they have no rectangular stadium and the Tasmanian state government refuses to commit any money to build one as they're only interested in throwing money at the AFL.
Football Fan
Roar Rookie
Neither of them have the money for starters. That's why SM never applied when the Aleague started, they were almost bankrupt. Wollongong were eliminated from the previous expansion windows because they had and still have no money. Also, we don't need another team in Melbourne. All SM will do is cannibalise the support of the existing Melbourne based Aleague clubs' supporter base.
Kitwally
Roar Rookie
Agree Ten Tribes, but someone in Tasmania has to come up with the money, and I’m also not sure Tasmanians would really get behind an A-League club. They seem to like their AFL. Happy to be proved wrong of course.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
nice article
TenTribesOfTexas
Roar Rookie
with a tasmanian united side you get a clear identity, a whole state in solidarity with the team and revenue from broadcast rights
Kitwally
Roar Rookie
I’m no fan of old sokkah or the NSL, but the other two expansion teams should be Wollongong Wolves and South Melbourne. I know they are supposed to start in the NSD, but they are existing clubs that have everything ready to go. New franchises are going to have to start from scratch including stadia, look at Western United, with no stadium and almost no fans.
AR
Roar Rookie
"This AFL contribution to stadiums and training centers is the biggest con in the country." And yet the $2B spent on stadiums in NSW is money well spent. Got it. Give us more so we can fill these 40k stadiums with 15k people every fortnight.
Garry
Roar Rookie
oops forgot to watch ..
45 0 btw we are thrashing the Phillipines in the Cup who for some strange reason have 2 participants versus our 2..looks like the ASEAN zone stuffed up! ps their AFC Champions league team has also lost both games in a top groupGrem
Roar Rookie
I don’t want to jinx Macarthur who are 2-0 up, but have we ever won all three Asian Club Championship games in a round before? I realise it’s a bit easier now.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
Agree Sunshine Coast would be the perfect place for a expansion team.
Garry
Roar Rookie
On another note I watched the City game and they escaped with probably a deserved win last night BUT where were the subs?? Zhejiang started to make subs regularly after the 60th minute..City made one sub after 85mins when there were clear signs they were flagging and being overrun. I was wondering if maybe there was an illness issue or he didnt trust the young ones. Then I saw Antonis on the bench. BTW Sydney membership guy on todays Chase!! :happy:
Football Fan
Roar Rookie
$750m for a 23k stadium in Tassie where the AFL contribute a miniscule $15m (2% of the cost), when there's 2 existing compliant stadia anyway, lol, what a waste of money. The high NPL rego fees are used by NPL clubs to bankroll the wages of the their first team. They're living beyond their means. Agree they shouldn't but it's not like it's all going to the FA as you imply. The FA get a very small levy, something like $20 or so but this is a separate issue and has nothing to do with the facilities discussion.
Saffi
Roar Rookie
Good analysis Guru. I think what the short history of the A League has shown is that new frontiers (Gold coast, Townsville, Western United) are dangerous exercises. Owners of new clubs must have deep pockets, passion for the sport and nerves of steel. That, to me counts out Tasmania and Dandenong. So, presuming such wealthy owners are still around, Wollongong being an NSL premier which has a fan base, great pitch and is a logical contender. Queensland needs a derby so Sunshine Coast, with a stadium and with a population that is less “retired and tired” than those Gold Coast retirees, has real potential.
Football Fan
Roar Rookie
I doubt there would be a single league NSD anyway, it'll probably be a champions league format. Highly unlikely any of the NPL clubs can afford to bankroll a fully pro club in an NSD.
Football Fan
Roar Rookie
"Why not?" because the licence will be ISSUED to them, therefore their entry will be approved. The onus will then be on them to build a rectangular stadium and once that's done they started playing in the comp. They can't have a club playing in some shitty unsuitable stadium for who knows how long. They need to come to the party first with an agreement to build so the licence can be issued conditionally.