The A-League - how big can it get?

[NUFC Tiger]

Good god the last thing glory need is pardew!!

A Premier League Manager of the Season and LMA Manager of the Year winner - I don't know Oz, I reckon he'd be a great coup for the Glory! Of course, I'd be so incredibly sad to see him depart my beloved Toon though...

 

[giggler99]

Thought this is a good article to add here on how far the League has come the last ten years.

10 years of the A-League, and – profits aside – they're having a ball

Dominic Bossi
Published: September 12, 2014 - 10:00PM

Supporting Australian domestic football is no longer a dirty little secret. Wearing your local football team's jersey around town is no longer seen as a bold statement, rather part of a growing trend. It has been 10 years since the A-League was declared and as the club game approaches its first decade of full-time professionalism, the move into the mainstream of the Australian sporting consciousness has changed the way game is perceived.

Foreign investors have lined up to have their controlling say in clubs, all games are televised live and foreigners are jumping at the chance to now play in Australia. Our own players, coaches and administrators have enjoyed their share of success since the birth of Australia's first full-time professional football competition, but plenty of challenges remain.

The Players

Those on the field have experienced the most success. They are paid better and are benefiting from an unprecedented professional standard of coaching and care. Central Coast Mariners captain John Hutchinson has been at the club since day one and played in the National Soccer League. While the technical standard of the NSL was strong, the financial hardships were overbearing. The difference now? That's simple.

"The main thing is professionalism," Hutchinson said.

This has led to more time invested by coaches and player preparation. Hutchinson used to share a house with four players in Morwell while playing in the NSL and not knowing when and where they would train until the day. Players make a decent living playing in Australia now and the technical standard that followed the financial improvements produced a pace, style and standard of football not seen here before.

"The speed of the game is getting much faster due to the coaches, the amount of work they put in off the field in their analysis," he said. "You can see by the imports we're getting, the calibre is always rising."

The A-League is still a short season, 11 games less than most European leagues with half as many teams, which the players want changed.

"If we can have more games in the season, less time off and make sure players are playing 40 games a season then that will be great," Hutchinson said.

The Coaches

The coaches now enjoy access to sports science, improved facilities and funds for better players. Graham Arnold was in the dugout during the NSL and kept a vigilant eye on the A-League while with the national team during the early years. He praised the progress made but laments the youth development structures that have lapsed. The lack of a national youth league in the first three years of the competition hindered the development of young players caught between the transitions of competition, which affected Arnold's stint with the Olyroos.

"I was in charge of the 2008 Olympic team and there was no youth league for the first three or four years of the A-League. The Socceroos are still suffering from that now," Arnold said.

"We tried to build from the top down and hopefully now that's changing with us trying to build from the bottom up. We need to have youth academies going forward and make sure youngsters are coming through."

The Administrators.

Football Federation of Australia chief executive David Gallop was not part of the world game in 2004 but immediately acknowledged the threat professional football posed to the NRL.

"All the football codes have always recognised the massive grass roots base to the pyramid of football, its simplicity, the way it embraces all the multi-cultural facets of Australia, the high percentage of women participating and of course, as we've seen again in July, the massive global nature of the game," Gallop said. "For Australia to have a fully professional club competition was a huge step forward for the game."

Scott Barlow and his father in-law, David Traktovenko, signed on as directors of Sydney FC from season one. They invested tens of millions in a new league and club but are yet to receive a cent of profit.

"Investing in a professional football club is largely an investment of passion rather than one of financial return and all incoming investors to the A-League need to understand this," Barlow said.

A-League clubs are in better shape now than ever but are still constrained by high overheads, no prizemoney and centralised revenue streams such as merchandising which gives clubs as little as $6 from a jersey sale worth $120.

Peter Turnbull helped start Sydney FC before becoming chairman of the Mariners until last year. He can boast achievements in the club's foundations, but has little more than pride left as he's part of those who have lost a combined sum of more than $100 million.

"I've lost a fortune which I won't ever see back," Turnbull said. "If you look at it, there is no club that's actually survived in its original [ownership] form. If that's not a warning bell, then I don't know what is."

Yet, for all the gloom and losses of investors, there's a reason foreign investment has never been greater and those losing money continue to support the game. There is a genuine conviction the A-League is destined for bigger things. The cries for youth academies, expansion and financial independence have never been louder and the FFA is listening.

"We need to continue to look at our development systems. We've got academies in some places but not others, we're looking at moving clubs' NYL teams into the NPL systems. We've obviously been delighted with the way the FFA Cup has connected the various tiers of the games. It's really just making the connectivity of football work and I think that's what we're starting to see with the Socceroos and the Matildas," Gallop said. "We are starting to see the game moving in one direction."

For now, there is harmony between the owners and the governing body but the developments they call for are hinged largely on the next TV deal. A 12-team competition is being pitched to broadcasters for 2017 which could double fundings provided to clubs, giving them an annual cheque of more than $5 million. It will not just trim losses but provide profits for some while catering for extended talent production that will give the league even more legitimacy. Until then, everyone is hanging on.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/...211-theyre-having-a-ball-20140912-10g097.html

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Good read - surprising to see that some clubs only get $6 for a shirt sale though!

Feel sorry for those investors who've invested so much but yet to see any money back - important contributions to help build and develop the league without getting the limelight/accolades of players or managers.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/blog/2014/09/24/key-successful-league-expansion


Interesting comment from Gallop...

There was a vital clue in Gallop's speech alluding to where the next A-League clubs might come from.

"Not everyone has the same market and when it comes to expansion I have already said that you need to fish where the fish are and go where the biggest opportunities exist," he said.


"And the biggest opportunities are where millions of people live not hundreds of thousands."

Could that be a hint that the FFA will only consider expansion teams in capital cities? Would be pretty disappointing for places like Wollongong, North Queensland, Canberra, Geelong and even Gold Coast if that's the case.

Surely if there's a market where a club can get 10-15,000 to home games and get enough support/investment from the local community to be viable, that should be considered good enough to potentially gain entry?

 

[wally funk]

Seems a bit strange. I'd have thought a Wollongong or a North Queensland side would be a better option than inserting a second team in Bris/Adel/Perth or a bloody third one in Melbourne or Sydney.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Seems a bit strange. I'd have thought a Wollongong or a North Queensland side would be a better option than inserting a second team in Bris/Adel/Perth or a bloody third one in Melbourne or Sydney.

Yeah, that's what I would have thought - particularly when they want to grow the game domestically while also letting the likes of Melbourne City/Victory and WSW/Sydney FC build up their rivalries without canabalising each other in the market.

 

[giggler99]

I think Gallop may be hinting going back to Auckland and this time doing it right!

A Wollongong team will only be accepted if it incorporate the whole south coast and the south of Sydney. Will be difficult to establish an identity but can be done.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

Only room for one team in NZ you would think. They get good crowds in NZ when the Phoenix tour so it skews the figures. The Gong or FNQ next. Canberra is a graveyard for teams. Perth and Adelaide too small.

 

[giggler99]

Only room for one team in NZ you would think. They get good crowds in NZ when the Phoenix tour so it skews the figures. The Gong or FNQ next. Canberra is a graveyard for teams. Perth and Adelaide too small.

But if Gallop is thinking "And the biggest opportunities are where millions of people live not hundreds of thousands" then the only other City I can think of that has millions that doesn't already have a team is Auckland.

It may stretch the talent pool in New Zealand in the short term to have two teams but think of it in terms of business, sponsorship, marketing potential for support and not to mention an NZL derby to go with it I think it can work. The biggest hurdle will be to make sure to set the club up right this time and engage with the people of Auckland and its community, not play out of North Harbour like the NZL Knights did and alienate fans and actually name the club "Auckland".

probably won't happen in the next round of expansion may be still to early after the Knights disaster, but the one after that who knows.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

I remember reading earlier in the year that Auckland City were talking to investors and were looking into the possibility of trying to join the A League.

That might be the best bet for an Auckland based A League side given they already have an established fanbase of 2-3,000 I think.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2014/10/10/lowy-confirms-bigger-league-2017

Saw this over the weekend - particularly interesting was the bolded bit.

"However the league should increase by two teams in the next expansion phase.

"There are markets that could absorb new teams and prosper.

"I would not like to name them because we still have a bit of work to do on this.

"The expansion will happen but won't take place before the new broadcasting agreement in 2017."

"Markets that could absorb new teams and prosper" - is that a hint that they are markets that already have teams?

 

[wally funk]

Or teams that used to have a team - Gold Coast, Townsville, Auckland are probably all chances for another go around.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Or teams that used to have a team - Gold Coast, Townsville, Auckland are probably all chances for another go around.

Yeah, thought that as well - was very cryptic by Lowy but I guess they don't want to give too much away.

Would personally love it if ended up being Wollongong and North Queensland (Fury) - just hoping Melbourne or Sydney don't get third clubs first at the expense of other areas.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

The gong and sutherland shire in general is a lot like western Sydney in that it has been a fertile ground for the sport for a long time . Just don't have Scott chipperfield in any PR role.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CotchNCo]

The gong and sutherland shire in general is a lot like western Sydney in that it has been a fertile ground for the sport for a long time . Just don't have Scott chipperfield in any PR role.

Chippers can be team driver.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

The gong and sutherland shire in general is a lot like western Sydney in that it has been a fertile ground for the sport for a long time . Just don't have Scott chipperfield in any PR role.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Chippers can drive the team bus.

 

[Zidane98]

1 team from NSW and 1 team from QLD for the next expansion. Do it in 3 years time. Ideally I'd like to see Wollongong and Nth Qld (done properly). 10 years after that add Canberra & Auckland. 14 teams would be the absolute maximum I cam see the A League supporting.

 

[Dan Cooper]

This season is shaping as another big step in the right direction for the competition. More big name players into the competition. Memberships sound like they are up again. Crowds will hopefully reach new record levels. FTA and pay TV coverage in place.

 

[CotchNCo]

Chippers can drive the team bus.

Keep up mate.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Only room for one team in NZ you would think. They get good crowds in NZ when the Phoenix tour so it skews the figures. The Gong or FNQ next. Canberra is a graveyard for teams. Perth and Adelaide too small.

Wellington and Auckland are like 500km apart.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Keep up mate.

Haha posted it and then saw you basically said the same thing like 40 mins before I did. Just cbf'ed deleting it.

Fair point though so I'll be a bit more original and offer up a depiction of Chippers as the team's driver.

1st note: my MS paint skills are madcore!
2nd note: I'm sure he is an advocate for safe driving and wouldn't display road rage.

 

[Roobs321]

I think Gallop may be hinting going back to Auckland and this time doing it right!

A Wollongong team will only be accepted if it incorporate the whole south coast and the south of Sydney. Will be difficult to establish an identity but can be done.

Agreed. Wolves at their height were massive everywhere south of Sydney (everyone I know watched their GFs and was talking about them), and Soccer is close to the top sport in the south coast region (where I grew up).

That said, it's hard to see both a Canberra team and Wollongong/South Coast team happening in the top flight. It's either one or the other, and personally I like that Canberra United in the W-league is a standalone venture.

 

[treegreen]

1 team from NSW and 1 team from QLD for the next expansion. Do it in 3 years time. Ideally I'd like to see Wollongong and Nth Qld (done properly). 10 years after that add Canberra & Auckland. 14 teams would be the absolute maximum I cam see the A League supporting.

The problem with North Queensland is it's too small to support a team that can attract the sort of crowds required. Townsville only has ~150k people living there, so it's not really realistic to assume that 10% of the city is going to turn up to watch the A-league each week. (To put things in context, it would be like 400k going to watch Victory every match).

Sadly, I don't think there is room for a Townsville team. Fury were as successful as you could really expect any club to be, especially with the awful on field results. It clearly wasn't enough for FFA.

 

[CotchNCo]

Haha posted it and then saw you basically said the same thing like 40 mins before I did. Just cbf'ed deleting it.

Fair point though so I'll be a bit more original and offer up a depiction of Chippers as the team's driver.

1st note: my MS paint skills are madcore!
2nd note: I'm sure he is an advocate for safe driving and wouldn't display road rage.

Apology accepted.

 

[Flapjacks]

Cowboys average 14k to their games last few seasons so that could be just about the absolute best you could hope for. Fury did well all things considered