What is happening with the new Australian Premier League?

[W's Machines]

I have heard that it will be starting next year in August. Personaly I don't have much faith in Australian soccer and wonder whether they will ever get around to it! Shouldn't they be advertising now to get the anticipation and sponsorship up? Will there ever be a descent soccer league in Australia?

 

[Roonaldo!]

Not to mention, shouldn't they be announcing who's in and who's out?

 

[wellsy]

Heard on SBS tonight that Harry Kewell is giving Sydney Blues his backing as he wants to give something back to Australia and wants to help develop youngsters in Aust.

Would this certainly give all the other teams a dead set no chance of getting a gig in the one team per state policy of the ASA?

 

[Bomaz_Magic]

ASA will definately work, no doubts about it.

 

[David Votoupal]

I have no doubt the new APL can succeed if it's done right. As maligned as the NSL was (in some respects rightly so), it wasn't as bad a league as a lot of people made out, and last season's Perth Glory and Parramatta Power teams were as good as it got for the league. If it was so bad, then why do we have so many players abroad who cut their teeth at home before moving??? They certainly didn't spring out of the Nationwide League or European clubs' youth academies, did they?

 

[jezza]

I'm sure one of their key goals will be to retain our top youth players for longer and to lure players at the end of their careers back, both steps will help sigficantly with popularity.

God I hope they choose decent club names though, I was a Spirit fan but god that name gave me the trots.

 

[David Votoupal]

I'm sure one of their key goals will be to retain our top youth players for longer and to lure players at the end of their careers back, both steps will help sigficantly with popularity.

I'm sure a lot of people would like to think so, but the way the world game is it doesn't work that way because the European leagues are to soccer what the AFL is to Aussie Rules or the NBA is to basketball.

God I hope they choose decent club names though, I was a Spirit fan but god that name gave me the trots.

Yeah true, and Sydney Blues is certainly sounds like a good start.

For me, the perfect league would be:
Perth Glory
Adelaide United
Sydney team
Melbourne team
Brisbane team
Newcastle team
Canberra team
Wollongong team

IMHO that would be a good base to work on, especially with the potential junior bases and support that Newcastle, Canberra and Wollongong teams can muster- they shouldn't be counted out.

 

[Supermercado]

Well as long as all the evil ethnic teams have been weeded out all the stereotypical Aussie bogans will be sure to go along now won't they? For about three weeks anyway before they realise that looking up the results in the Monday paper like they do for the Premier League is much easier.

Personally I'm looking forward to the next Victorian Premier League season with South Melbourne and the national league can pi$$ off.

 

[thrylos7]

agreed there supermac.

its our club and ill follow them no matter what league we play in.

c'mon south

 

[raboyle]

Current bids for APL...

SA
Adelaide United FC, Pickard Group

NZ
Auckland, Football Kingz

QLD
Brisbane Strikers SC
Queensland Lions SC

VIC
Melbourne United Pty Ltd
Melbourne Victory
Victorian Soccer Federation

WA
Perth Glory SC

NSW
Newcastle United
Sydney Blues, Nick Politis & other stakeholders
Sydney FC, Soccer NSW

 

[Supermercado]

agreed there supermac.

its our club and ill follow them no matter what league we play in.

c'mon south

I miss the South forum. 3/4 of my posts on here have come since it died.

 

[thrylos7]

haha

its bad, now im stuck on here when im bored instead of fighting on there.

vpl starts in jan yeh?

 

[raboyle]

I think some mini-competition is going to be scheduled in January so that a team can be selected to represent Australia at the World Club Championships.

 

[thrylos7]

im talking about vpl (victorian premier league) not apl

 

[W's Machines]

If the APL does eventuate where will they play the melbourne games? Bob Jane stadium? Telstra Dome? Where would be the ideal spot? Personaly I think that August is a great time to start! Just before the footy season ends and all those sports freaks (including me), will want to continue seeing sport.

 

[thrylos7]

Bob Jane is south's home ground and if they want to play there they need to fork out some $$$ to us.

 

[GeordieRoo]

Personally I'm looking forward to the next Victorian Premier League season with South Melbourne and the national league can pi$$ off.

South will draw bigger crowds than the Melb based APL side. And probably more than a number of other APL clubs becuase they are a real club and have tradition, pride and a supporter base.

APL doesn't realise that in Australia's already over-saturated sporting market you can't just create clubs and expect them to draw the crowds and sponsorships that will make the league an attactive proposition for overseas players.

Fans and sponsors will stick to what they know, which means in Melbourne, at least, the people that actually go to soccer matches (Knights and South fans), will continue to go to watch their clubs and the VPL will enjoy a golden era of better crowds and as a result the standard and prestige of the league will grow.

Meanwhile, the APL franchise will languish as it tries to attract fans and sponsors from a market that already supports 9 AFL clubs, an NRL club and possibly even a new Super 12 team. Melbourne's sporting market also supports the Spring Racing Carnival (Big $$$ from sponsors there), also the Grand Prix, as well as international cricket, the Australian Open tennis, the NBL teams, Commonwealth Games coming up, and the list goes on.

Cramming a started from scratch APL team in there = dumb.

 

[raboyle]

Bob Jane is south's home ground and if they want to play there they need to fork out some $$$ to us.

Well I don't think people will be caught dead trying to get to the other NSL ground in Melbourne.

If Bob Jane is used for an APL ground of course they'll pay the SMSC.

As much as I'm looking forward to national soccer re-commencing... I really think that the ASA didn't really have to go to the extent it has gone to just to bring in the name 'Australian Premier League'.

And going up against the AFL and NRL in the business end of their respective seasons is a big mistake.

 

[Supermercado]

South will draw bigger crowds than the Melb based APL side. And probably more than a number of other APL clubs becuase they are a real club and have tradition, pride and a supporter base.

APL doesn't realise that in Australia's already over-saturated sporting market you can't just create clubs and expect them to draw the crowds and sponsorships that will make the league an attactive proposition for overseas players.

Fans and sponsors will stick to what they know, which means in Melbourne, at least, the people that actually go to soccer matches (Knights and South fans), will continue to go to watch their clubs and the VPL will enjoy a golden era of better crowds and as a result the standard and prestige of the league will grow.

Meanwhile, the APL franchise will languish as it tries to attract fans and sponsors from a market that already supports 9 AFL clubs, an NRL club and possibly even a new Super 12 team. Melbourne's sporting market also supports the Spring Racing Carnival (Big $$$ from sponsors there), also the Grand Prix, as well as international cricket, the Australian Open tennis, the NBL teams, Commonwealth Games coming up, and the list goes on.

Cramming a started from scratch APL team in there = dumb.

100% true that is. I forsee a two or three week period where the APL is on everyone's lips and then 15 weeks where nobody gives a toss.

 

[W's Machines]

And going up against the AFL and NRL in the business end of their respective seasons is a big mistake.

Maybe they should move it to the end of september/start of October then. One week after the NRL grand final and two weeks after the AFL grandfinal. That way people come straight out of the football grove and into the soccer grove.

Meanwhile, the APL franchise will languish as it tries to attract fans and sponsors from a market that already supports 9 AFL clubs, an NRL club and possibly even a new Super 12 team. Melbourne's sporting market also supports the Spring Racing Carnival (Big $$$ from sponsors there), also the Grand Prix, as well as international cricket, the Australian Open tennis, the NBL teams, Commonwealth Games coming up, and the list goes on.

Cramming a started from scratch APL team in there = dumb.

If they start the APL after the end of the NRL and AFL seasons then they have already cut out to big contenders. If this one state one club policy continues will there be a Tasmanian team? With the success that the VFL Tasmanian team is having and the crowds that it is pulling in. I think that a Tasmanian Soccer Team in the APL would be a huge success. On the other hand, would the ACT team get enough people to the game?

 

[Supermercado]

People won't go. It's all very easy to look up the Premier League results in the monday paper or read them on the internet. It's far more effort to actually get off your arse and go to the games.

VPL = Superior competition

 

[raboyle]

I'm sure that Adelaide and Perth crowds will continue to be high.

Melbourne... it seems the picket lines have been erected. Sydney metro... we shall see. Central Coast and Newcastle... hope they get some patronage, and Brisbane... probably better off with the Lions bid.

But the ASA has made a bad move not taking in South Melbourne.

 

[Weaver]

But the ASA has made a bad move not taking in South Melbourne.

The problem with South Melbourne is that even if they could attract 8,000 that is the maximum. The potential support is basically capped at that number for ever more. South Melbourne might be the most supported club but that doesn't change the fact that more than 90% of Melbourne fans DON'T support them.

Even if the new club fails and can only get 2,000, there is at least the potential for it to grow to 20,000 or so. It would be Melbourne's team, everyone would be able to support it. VPL fans could follow their local teams and once a fortnight go and match an APL match and all follow the one Vic / Melbourne team and have an interstate rivalry.

 

[thrylos7]

but hasn't that been the story of soccer in this country.

basically no-one gives 2 ********s except for the die hards who have been supporting the national league for how many years.

 

[raboyle]

I understand the loyalty of South Melbourne's faithful... but wouldn't it be in the best interest of the ongoing moniker of Victoria being the sporting hub of the nation that all cultural groups get behing their state and not be limited to one club because of a clash of interests?