On the eve of the men’s semi-finals and after the culmination of the women’s season last Saturday afternoon, interest in the A-Leagues and the quality product that has been on show in season 2023/24 is at fever pitch.
It is that pleasing reality and the Australian Professional League’s rumoured financial problems that demand the fans know the absolute truth in regards to where football at the highest level in Australia currently stands.
The passion shown and energy expelled by fans of the A-Leagues cannot be expected and relied upon blindly, without the body that now governs the competitions coming out and explaining precisely where they stand financially, especially given some of the challenges that have been faced over the last 12 months.
Since the return to pitches during the COVID-19 pandemic, the opportunities presented to young domestic footballers in both leagues have seen a remarkable awakening to the depth of local talent available.
That necessity made for some incredible football and a host of young names being granted minutes locally and subsequently abroad. The associated realisation was that the number of foreigners traditionally brought into the leagues might actually have been producing a negative rather than positive effect on the talent being developed at home.
To round out season 2023/24, AFC Cup winners Central Coast Mariners will attempt to ride their current wave of success even further back on home shores and eliminate Sydney FC before claiming a second consecutive title.
Wellington Phoenix seeks the first-ever A-League success of a non-Australian team and needs to get past Melbourne Victory over the next fortnight in order to do so.
Yet in the background, a series of concerning events build a serious platform that A-League fans could use to demand some definitive answers in terms of exactly where the competition they embrace is heading in the short-term future.
Dylan Pierias of the Wanderers celebrates a goal with fans. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The embarrassing situation that saw broadcast partner Global Advance enter administration in March was unexpected and alarming in isolation. Whilst certainly not entirely a reflection of APL and its financial position, the simple fact that a corporate partner was not receiving the benefit it hoped to from the leagues was concerning.
Off the back of former APL boss Danny Townsend’s decision to sell off A-League grand finals to NSW tourism, and all the absolute rhetorical nonsense used to justify it, the broadcast insecurity looked a little fishy.
Since then, the decision to shelve the Warren/Dolan Awards has brought much outrage and query. Many wonder whether a presentation of the game’s best male and female players during half-time of grand finals is anywhere near fitting.
The spin produced by APL and the claim that such a move would “bring the awards closer to fans” now appears almost certain to have been nothing but a smokescreen attempting to hide the fact that the APL coffers are near running on empty.
With fresh news that Network 10 is in serious trouble and engaged in rather tense talks with its US-based parent company, where the A-League’s stand in terms of the ongoing agreements with the network and Paramount+ is anyone’s guess at best and precarious at worst.
The rise of streaming and the dwindling total advertising spend in Australian commercial networks has many seeing a shrinking of the market to a situation where only one or perhaps two networks remain in the fallout.
Ten appears to be in the least advantageous position compared to Seven and Nine and with Australian football having tied itself to them, APL could well be feeling somewhat compromised in terms of knowing exactly where the game will be broadcast in the medium-term future.
With rumours now circulating that APL is about to announce a significant slash in funding to clubs for season 2024/25, fans like you and me are more than entitled to ask for a rudimentary print-out of the state of play and exactly where the money is, has gone and is coming from.
Should the rumours prove to be true and the central distribution fund be unable to feed the same amount to the clubs next season, the salary cap could be significantly compromised and the clubs could be placed under increasing financial strain.
Newcastle Jets are reportedly moments away from new ownership and there is some potential light in that announcement for the clubs forced to financially support what has looked a dying carcass at times.
However, even an invigorated Jets will not provide the cash injection that the Silver Lake money was meant to provide; cash that Townsend and co. claimed would have long-term beneficial impacts on the top-tier domestic leagues.
The A-Leagues will be back next season, but it would be nice to know exactly how the APL is administering the competitions and whether there might in fact be a better way to do so.
At the moment, all is in secrecy and card-carrying A-League members and fans deserve better than that.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
There seems to be talks about the APL breaking off the W-league into a new entity I would assume to get rid of the cost to the APL. The expansion of the W-league to 22 rounds expansion to so many teams, was foolhardy, Has anyone asked why they have 22 rounds. The AFL and NRL have only 10 rounds in the womens with multi billion dollar Tv deals. To take on responsibility for the womens was foolish enough to oversee both a massive increase in rounds and minimum salary at the same time. Then you have the other issue the womens teams used to be run and paid for by the states especially for the pov clubs. City and Sydney used to be the exception. There well be a rationalisation with fewer womens teams and the poverty clubs dumping them.
chris1
Roar Rookie
LH, parasites are good at hiding
chris1
Roar Rookie
I'm talking about all sports that rely so heavily on FTA money. Football in this country is in a very healthy state and competes on the world stage. Your daily contributions about your provincial little sport is just embarrassing at times.
chris1
Roar Rookie
I've visited every state and only Victoria has this maniacal obsession with AFL. Like I said it suffocates all around it. The fact you keep coming on here with your zealot like protection of your beloved AFL is a case in point.
Nobby
Roar Rookie
To my knowledge City asked its membership base in an email round July/August for nominations for membership of its FRG. At this stage no-one knows how many members were appointed by City, or their name and a summary of their details to justify their selection. The two members you mention are those that appear in the minutes of the APL FRG, but I would be astonished if an FRG would consist of just two people plus club representative(s). At present the club is hiding behind "privacy concerns" as the reason why their names and qualifications for selection are not being released. Several other clubs don't seem to have the same reservations about their FRG members (Perth, Mariners, Sydney) and Sydney goes as far as to publish minutes. No-one is asking for detail such that FRG members can be contacted directly - all that is required is a name and contact information for whoever at theclub can receive questions, and then evidence that the City FRG actually discusses such questions and which if any have been raised at the APL FRG meetings. It's not rocket science. Typical City- smug and arrogant - and I say that as a Heart Foundation and continuing member.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Agreed. Very unsatisfactory from the club but maybe in keeping with the way Simon Pearce conducts himself - out of view and seemingly behind closed doors. Does he even exist? Reaching out to others here on this forum, how does your club handle the FRG? Does the membership vote for your club's representatives? Do you get feedback from your reps? Can you submit questions to your reps?
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
but they do that when they buy their licence
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Would like to look at ASM Global's books
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
they hide government grants in their assets and don't list them separately.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Stu, for starters, football is not football without the fans. The administrators should, in this country, cherish and respect the supporter base as much if not more than other nations. Other nations don't have to compete with Cross-Country Volleyball and the World's Highest Paying Probation Scheme. The hope is that one day, the Rocket Scientists at the APL who purport to know football will have that "penny dropping" moment when they realise the "the fans, Elwood, the fans!!", a the base stone for any successful football league. Football is the people's game globally, and without engagement and respect for your fan base, I would suggest you are one a hiding to nothing. You are right, the League will be back next season, and as such, the APL has been given a reprive. They had best use the opportunity to the best of their advantage. There is so much at stake, so many kids with dreams, talent and they're the ones who will be the future ticket paying members who support football. Not Cross-Country volleyball, Not the World's Highest Paying Probation scheme, but football. Look after your supporter base now, and it will only grow in the future. Support Australian football lads, Come on You Nix!!! I hope the Yellow Fever are respesented heavily this weekend and have a great weekend lads. Cheers FIL
AR
Roar Rookie
"It’ll be interesting to see what will happen when the FTA money starts to dry up and the taps are turned off." Are you talking about the ALeague or the AFL?
AR
Roar Rookie
"Thankfully that obsession is contained in one city in the south of the country where it will stay for the next 160 years." I pray you never visit WA, SA, Tassie, the NT, the NSW south coast, of anywhere north of Cairns. It'd be traumatic for you.
Tigerinthetank
Roar Rookie
I am also disappointed, their is some very knowledgeable and passionate members I know from the forum who would do a very good job on the FRG and be most transparent with members. It's as though these two don't want to engage with other members for the views of City supporters as a collective. Surely as a FRG you would need to be canvassing supporter views, not just your own agenda and how can you canvass supporter views if you remain unidentified to supporters and don't reach out to the supporters yourselves. Also a concern is how long there reign is for, is this a yearly nomination or a life dictatorship. This FRG should be elected by members, i.e you nominate or get nominated, background and reason for joining FRG sent to members, then goes to vote, first two past the post win (members not compulsory to vote). That's how democracy works, not appointed by City as 'typical' members
Grem
Roar Rookie
I guess the Melbourne Victory brought down BONZA as well! That means the A Leagues and our clubs are more influential than we imagined.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
But I made it clear above that on-field, the game is delivering. It's the off-field antics/shambles that's created a sense of malaise.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
The problem with 777 deal with Victory is after 5 years they can demand their money back plus a massive amount of interest. so instead of 777 partners doing it possibly its now going to be the creditors doing it for sure. Well given Victory track record they will waste that money in the meantime like Townsend did . In the end what is they can try and sell the club for money, well that worked for Sage didnt it. So in the end they will have to accept whatever money they can get for it if they dont then it could be a stalemate and the club has to go. The irony about all this is they had managed to keep the financial trouble quiet they could have at least sold Newcastle Jets. The Jets may well be as good as gone now. THis would also be the end of Canberra as well.
Ferno
Roar Rookie
Melbourne Victory fans should also be interested in knowing the real situation of 777 partners, their main shareholder. 777 Parterns is being accused in US courts of fraud worth US$351 million by a creditor company. In the process there is also an accusation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations against 777. This is a civil and not a criminal case. 777 declined to comment on the matter. The case was revealed by Bloomberg and the action documents were obtained by Rodrigo Mattos brazilian jorno, from whose blog I picked these informations. The process began on March 5, 2024. The English company Leandehhall Capital Investment, linked to the insurance industry, lent money to 777 Partners in 2021. In total, the company says it is creditor of a total of US$609 million in loans made to 777. In the action, there is a demand for immediate payment of this amount due to non-compliance with the loan agreement between the parties The case begins on September 19, 2022 when the English insurance company receives an anonymous email with accusations that the assets used by companies in the 777 Parterns (Suttonpart) group did not exist. According to this email, Josh Wander either did not purchase the assets or had already committed them to other loans. From then on, Leandehall begins an investigation into the case to find out about the guarantees given to your loan. In November 2023, a collection company on behalf of Leandehall sends a letter to Steve Pasko, Wander's partner at 777, stating that there was a breach of the May 2021 loan contract. "Based on our current investigation, the borrowers (777) materially breached the agreements by dually using collateral for two companies that made loans and for a third party that also lent money, posting collateral for the companies that were never purchased by the borrowers. loans (777) (and which therefore they did not own), and selling and removing collateral given to lenders without reducing the loan." There is a hole of US$310 million in guarantees given by the company SPLCSS, and another of US$41 million for Dorchester. Both firms are part of the 777 Partners group. In other words, in total, invalid guarantees worth US$351 million (R$1.8 billion) were given. In early March 2024, Leandhall filed the lawsuit against 777 Partners, its partners Josh Wander and Steve Pasko and group companies. On March 15, 2024, the English company sent a letter demanding immediate payment for "Default", that is, non-compliance with the contract. “Pursuant to sections 7.01 and 7.02 of the master loan agreement, Leandhall now accelerates and declares all obligations under the agreement immediately due and payable,” it reads. And it cites the value of US$609 million. In addition to this action, 777 Partners is also being charged by a former partner, Bruno Venanzi, owner of the Standard Liége stadium, a club belonging to 777. According to Josimar magazine, he filed actions to collect 8 million euros in debt. Minoritarians in Vasco, a brazilian club under 777's control, has launched and investigation on whether the control of the club has been offered by 777 as guarantee for loans, which would a breach of their agreement and, in the case it is confirmed, the deal (Vasco's acquisition by 777) can be abrogated. These billion-dollar charges and the blocking of the purchase of Everton by British dog watchers place 777 Partners' financial capacity under question.
Garry
Roar Rookie
"If Premiers Central Coast Mariners win through in the two-legged Semi-Final against Sydney FC, the Mariners will host the 2024 Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final at Industree Group Stadium, Gosford at 7:45pm AEST (9:45pm NZT) against either Wellington Phoenix or Melbourne Victory. Should Wellington Phoenix win through to their first-ever Grand Final they will host the showpiece event at Sky Stadium, Wellington. Kick off is set to be at 8.00pm NZT (6:00pm AEST) with Sydney FC the possible opponent. The third possible scenario for the 2024 Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final is Melbourne Victory hosting Sydney FC which would take place at AAMI Park, Melbourne with kick off set for 7:45pm AEST (9:45pm NZT)."
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Thanks for the background. I’m even more disappointed reading this :crying:
Grem
Roar Rookie
Good news - If CCM get to the grand final it WILL be at Gosford. Bad news - Sydney will knock them out!