A-League Grand Finals To Be Played In Sydney Has Been Revoked! Replaced By 'Unite Round'

[RPCB]

I started watching the A-League again on the weekend after many years of not watching it. I didn’t know that decision would start a chain reaction that will eventually end the A-League.

 

[AJ_2000]

I started watching the A-League again on the weekend after many years of watching it. I didn’t know that decision would start a chain reaction that will eventually end the A-League.

It's a real shame, the quality of the league had been growing each season and the additional exposure with the Socceroo performances from current or recent A league players were a boom for the game.... Now it's pretty much done

 

[Dixie Flatline]

According to Rugari, the deal with Paramount+/Network 10 has cost the APL money, because there was a clause in the contract that required certain number of subscriptions to Paramount+ to be achieved which was not met, so the APL received less money from Paramount than anticipated, which means that the clubs received less money from the broadcast deal than was promised to them. The deal was renegotiated earlier this year, resulting in no A-League Women's matches being broadcast on FTA (only on 10Play) and the A-League Men's matches being broadcast on 10 Bold rather than the main 10 channels.

Broadcast budget hole prompted A-League’s $12m grand final firesale

As the backlash to the APL’s deal to hold grand finals in Sydney until 2025 continues, A-League clubs have begun pointing to “commercial realities” as the primary reason why the deciders had to be sold.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Dixie Flatline]

 

[Andonis1997]

According to Rugari, the deal with Paramount+/Network 10 has cost the APL money, because there was a clause in the contract that required certain number of subscriptions to Paramount+ to be achieved which was not met, so the APL received less money from Paramount than anticipated, which means that the clubs received less money from the broadcast deal than was promised to them. The deal was renegotiated earlier this year, resulting in no A-League Women's matches being broadcast on FTA (only on 10Play) and the A-League Men's matches being broadcast on 10 Bold rather than the main 10 channels.

Broadcast budget hole prompted A-League’s $12m grand final firesale

As the backlash to the APL’s deal to hold grand finals in Sydney until 2025 continues, A-League clubs have begun pointing to “commercial realities” as the primary reason why the deciders had to be sold.

www.theage.com.au

So because of their poor decision in getting Paramount+, they're punishing fans by making an equally poor decision?

Also - how many more stories are they going to create to justify this decision?

I believe nothing.

 

[Munga]

According to Rugari, the deal with Paramount+/Network 10 has cost the APL money, because there was a clause in the contract that required certain number of subscriptions to Paramount+ to be achieved which was not met, so the APL received less money from Paramount than anticipated, which means that the clubs received less money from the broadcast deal than was promised to them. The deal was renegotiated earlier this year, resulting in no A-League Women's matches being broadcast on FTA (only on 10Play) and the A-League Men's matches being broadcast on 10 Bold rather than the main 10 channels.

Broadcast budget hole prompted A-League’s $12m grand final firesale

As the backlash to the APL’s deal to hold grand finals in Sydney until 2025 continues, A-League clubs have begun pointing to “commercial realities” as the primary reason why the deciders had to be sold.

www.theage.com.au

Didn't they release something earlier this year that they were smashing the metrics?? Man, they are really struggling for competence here.

 

[nobbyiscool]

The new excuse every day - some days they’ve tried 2 excuses - is quite a testament to how bad they f**ked this.

I expect that trying to blame the broadcaster will go very well for them.

 

[Zidane98]

Samson Siasia didnt return our calls

Eugene Dadi also screening your calls?

 

[CakeEater]

Eugene Dadi also screening your calls?

He answered, said Who's your and hung up.

 

[Aucklander]

Did I read right that this was done for 20 million bucks?

 

[Visions]

According to Rugari, the deal with Paramount+/Network 10 has cost the APL money, because there was a clause in the contract that required certain number of subscriptions to Paramount+ to be achieved which was not met, so the APL received less money from Paramount than anticipated, which means that the clubs received less money from the broadcast deal than was promised to them. The deal was renegotiated earlier this year, resulting in no A-League Women's matches being broadcast on FTA (only on 10Play) and the A-League Men's matches being broadcast on 10 Bold rather than the main 10 channels.

Broadcast budget hole prompted A-League’s $12m grand final firesale

As the backlash to the APL’s deal to hold grand finals in Sydney until 2025 continues, A-League clubs have begun pointing to “commercial realities” as the primary reason why the deciders had to be sold.

www.theage.com.au

So by not taking up subscriptions it must mean that fans are dropping off the A-League.

So in their wisdom they want more fans to drop off the radar by making the wise decision to hold the GF in Sydney for 3 years.

These guys make FIFA look competent.

A-League will be lucky to last those 3 years.

 

[Munga]

Did I read right that this was done for 20 million bucks?

Under 12, apparently. For three years, not per annum. About $300k per club per season.

 

[mcgarnacle]

I started watching the A-League again on the weekend after many years of not watching it. I didn’t know that decision would start a chain reaction that will eventually end the A-League.

The chain reaction to end the A-League began when they introduced 3rd teams in both Sydney and Melbourne metros.

This obsession with more teams and more games for broadcasters in Australian sport has got to end. It makes these comps shitter to watch and follow.

The A-league has been in a death spiral for a few seasons now. BBL wounded it, Covid was a strike it has struggled to get up from, and now the reaction to this decision is the death knell for the comp

 

[peternorth]

Turn off the lights on the a league.

 

[mcgarnacle]

Yet Qatar have also produced the most interesting/even and fascinating series of results at a World Cup in probably decades

Depends what you are looking for at a World Cup Host I suppose.

The last day of group matches were great because multiple outcomes were possible, and those outcomes were so transient during the final matches, not necessarily because the results were a surprise.

There are surprises in every tournament though. It’s a facet of tournament competition of performing on the day. With 7 matches on short turnarounds, and four sudden death matches to get through, the cream will generally rise to the top.

Another argument is we want to see the big nations playing each other in the big tournaments. We get powerhouses vs minnows in qualifying. There haven’t been many big dog matches in this WC. Off top of my head, ESP v GER, BEL v CRO, ARG v NED, BRA v CRO, ENG v FRA has been it really. And now the final.

 

[Aucklander]

Under 12, apparently. For three years, not per annum. About $300k per club per season.

Even at 20, it wasn't worth the shitstorm it caused.

 

[Visions]

Under 12, apparently. For three years, not per annum. About $300k per club per season.

Would be interesting to see how many memberships they will lose as a result of this move. At current membership prices, lose 1,000 members and that $300K the club has made from this is gone!

 

[craigos]

I really hope the first 20 minutes of the derby tonight is chanting of "* the APL" then everyone goes completely silent and walks out. I hope there isn't any destruction or the like but I'd understand if things got wild.

The world cup served the A League up an underarm in terms of marketing the last week and this is the only thing they could come up with.

campaigners.

 

[giggler99]

CommBank will host the Women's Grand Final!

A-League Launches Ticket Sales for Women's Grand Final

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has unveiled CommBank Stadium in Sydney as the hosting venue for the Liberty A-League Women Grand Final on

www.miragenews.com

 

[AJ_2000]

CommBank will host the Women's Grand Final!

A-League Launches Ticket Sales for Women's Grand Final

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has unveiled CommBank Stadium in Sydney as the hosting venue for the Liberty A-League Women Grand Final on

www.miragenews.com

"Ticket sales" aka freebies for Sydneysiders.

 

[JD-Roo]

A-Leagues reverse controversial grand final deal with Destination NSW​

A-Leagues reverse controversial grand final deal with Destination NSW

 

[giggler99]

A-Leagues reverse controversial grand final deal with Destination NSW​

A-Leagues reverse controversial grand final deal with Destination NSW

Good Riddance!!

 

[giggler99]

Unite Round will replace the Grand Finals and will be an addition round added to the current season meaning the season will now be 27 rounds.

A-Leagues announce first ever Unite Round to take place this season​

The A-Leagues has announced it will host its first ever Unite Round this season, with every team – men’s and women’s – playing a special round across Sydney from January 12-14.
The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has announced its inaugural ‘Unite Round’ in partnership with the NSW Government and Destination NSW (DNSW).

Between Friday, January 12 and Sunday, January 14, Sydney will play host to all 12 Isuzu UTE A-League Men and Liberty A-League Women matches, as the A-Leagues become the first leagues to celebrate a full men’s and women’s round in a single city. The weekend will also host a series of grassroots competitions and activities for children and teens.
Click here to register your interest for Unite Round
The ‘Unite Round’ is being introduced for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, as the APL’s partnership with DNSW enters its second year. As part of the updated partnership, the hosting rights for the Grand Finals will revert to the traditional format with hosting rights awarded to the highest placed qualifier from the Semi Finals, starting from season 2023-24.

During ‘Unite Round’, the double header matches will be hosted at Allianz Stadium, CommBank Stadium and Leichhardt Oval, and grassroots tournaments for junior boys and girls will take place at venues across Sydney. A live site at Moore Park will also feature a fan park and viewing party for the AFC Asian Cup match in Qatar between Australia and India’s men’s teams on Saturday 13 January at 10:30pm AEDT.
KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED: What is Unite Round? How does it work?
CONFIRMED: 2023-24 A-League Finals structure & dates
The Hon Stephen Conroy, Chair of APL, said: “We saw record crowds in the men’s and women’s finals series last season, and we again saw the appetite for professional football in NSW during the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Having all of our teams play in one place, over one weekend, is a fantastic way to serve up the best of the A-Leagues for our fans.

“We are one of the only leagues in the world where almost every club has both men’s and women’s teams, so we are uniquely positioned to create an event like this.

“We thank Premier Minns and the NSW Government for this fundamentally important partnership and for their continuing support for the development of football in Australia.”

Take a look at the round one fixtures for the 2023-24 Isuzu UTE A-League season which begins on Friday 20th October.
Play Video
Danny Townsend, CEO of APL said: “The Unite Round is a brand new experience which brings together all A-Leagues clubs, fans and grassroots players together for the very first time in Sydney in an unprecedented celebration of football. With the women’s domestic attendance record already broken twice on the first day of this season, we are looking forward to welcoming A-Leagues fans, old and new, to experience our leagues.”
“We have worked closely with our clubs and fans to ensure that there are suitable constructive mechanisms for the voices of fans to be heard. Many of the resulting conversations have included the hosting of the Grand Finals, and the strong sentiments around that, and we thank DNSW and Premier Minns for their partnership in creating a truly inclusive experience for our game.”
Premier Chris Minns said: “Unite Round is great news for the football community, and for NSW. This will bring fans and players from around the country together in Sydney. I encourage fans to get involved in this festival of football.”
Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said: “This is a chance for fans and players from right around Australia to come together, be united and be part of something special right here in Sydney.
“The Unite Round is a win-win for fans, the game and NSW as it will provide more opportunity for all players and fans to be part of an inclusive football celebration in Sydney.
“Unite Round will also deliver strong economic and community benefits for the people of NSW – it is estimated Unite Round will attract more than 42,000 people to Sydney for the event and generate more than $10.2 million in visitor expenditure for the state’s economy.
Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said: “Sydney has more football fans and players than any other state and our culture of celebrating major sporting milestones is second-to-none.
“We can’t wait to welcome Australia’s football family to Sydney for the debut A-Leagues Unite Round next January and to see this tradition grow.
“This will be the first sporting code to celebrate a full men’s and women’s round in a single city in Australia.”
For the Isuzu UTE A-League Men, ‘Unite Round’ will be an additional round – making it a 27-game regular season. The existing Round 12 fixtures are being moved to new dates and times. For the Liberty A-League Women, ‘Unite Round’ will use the existing Round 12 fixtures, keeping the season as a 22-game regular season.
This A-Leagues event is supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
Tickets for A-Leagues ‘Unite Round’ will go on sale from Monday, 6 November.

A-Leagues announce first ever Unite Round to take place this season

Tickets to go on sale from November 6 for celebration of football that will include a fan site to watch the Socceroos play in the Asian Cup.

aleagues.com.au

 

[AJ_2000]

Unite Round will replace the Grand Final and will be an addition round added to the current season meaning the season will now be 27 rounds.

A-Leagues announce first ever Unite Round to take place this season​

The A-Leagues has announced it will host its first ever Unite Round this season, with every team – men’s and women’s – playing a special round across Sydney from January 12-14.
The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has announced its inaugural ‘Unite Round’ in partnership with the NSW Government and Destination NSW (DNSW).

Between Friday, January 12 and Sunday, January 14, Sydney will play host to all 12 Isuzu UTE A-League Men and Liberty A-League Women matches, as the A-Leagues become the first leagues to celebrate a full men’s and women’s round in a single city. The weekend will also host a series of grassroots competitions and activities for children and teens.
Click here to register your interest for Unite Round
The ‘Unite Round’ is being introduced for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, as the APL’s partnership with DNSW enters its second year. As part of the updated partnership, the hosting rights for the Grand Finals will revert to the traditional format with hosting rights awarded to the highest placed qualifier from the Semi Finals, starting from season 2023-24.

During ‘Unite Round’, the double header matches will be hosted at Allianz Stadium, CommBank Stadium and Leichhardt Oval, and grassroots tournaments for junior boys and girls will take place at venues across Sydney. A live site at Moore Park will also feature a fan park and viewing party for the AFC Asian Cup match in Qatar between Australia and India’s men’s teams on Saturday 13 January at 10:30pm AEDT.
KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED: What is Unite Round? How does it work?
CONFIRMED: 2023-24 A-League Finals structure & dates
The Hon Stephen Conroy, Chair of APL, said: “We saw record crowds in the men’s and women’s finals series last season, and we again saw the appetite for professional football in NSW during the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Having all of our teams play in one place, over one weekend, is a fantastic way to serve up the best of the A-Leagues for our fans.

“We thank Premier Minns and the NSW Government for this fundamentally important partnership and for their continuing support for the development of football in Australia.”

Take a look at the round one fixtures for the 2023-24 Isuzu UTE A-League season which begins on Friday 20th October.
Play Video
Danny Townsend, CEO of APL said: “The Unite Round is a brand new experience which brings together all A-Leagues clubs, fans and grassroots players together for the very first time in Sydney in an unprecedented celebration of football. With the women’s domestic attendance record already broken twice on the first day of this season, we are looking forward to welcoming A-Leagues fans, old and new, to experience our leagues.”
“We have worked closely with our clubs and fans to ensure that there are suitable constructive mechanisms for the voices of fans to be heard. Many of the resulting conversations have included the hosting of the Grand Finals, and the strong sentiments around that, and we thank DNSW and Premier Minns for their partnership in creating a truly inclusive experience for our game.”
Premier Chris Minns said: “Unite Round is great news for the football community, and for NSW. This will bring fans and players from around the country together in Sydney. I encourage fans to get involved in this festival of football.”
Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said: “This is a chance for fans and players from right around Australia to come together, be united and be part of something special right here in Sydney.
“The Unite Round is a win-win for fans, the game and NSW as it will provide more opportunity for all players and fans to be part of an inclusive football celebration in Sydney.
“Unite Round will also deliver strong economic and community benefits for the people of NSW – it is estimated Unite Round will attract more than 42,000 people to Sydney for the event and generate more than $10.2 million in visitor expenditure for the state’s economy.
Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said: “Sydney has more football fans and players than any other state and our culture of celebrating major sporting milestones is second-to-none.
“We can’t wait to welcome Australia’s football family to Sydney for the debut A-Leagues Unite Round next January and to see this tradition grow.
“This will be the first sporting code to celebrate a full men’s and women’s round in a single city in Australia.”
For the Isuzu UTE A-League Men, ‘Unite Round’ will be an additional round – making it a 27-game regular season. The existing Round 12 fixtures are being moved to new dates and times. For the Liberty A-League Women, ‘Unite Round’ will use the existing Round 12 fixtures, keeping the season as a 22-game regular season.
This A-Leagues event is supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
Tickets for A-Leagues ‘Unite Round’ will go on sale from Monday, 6 November.

A-Leagues announce first ever Unite Round to take place this season

Tickets to go on sale from November 6 for celebration of football that will include a fan site to watch the Socceroos play in the Asian Cup.

aleagues.com.au

Great job Sydney

 

[Zidane98]

Good Riddance!!

I was the first to call this happening ages ago.


I also emailed APL suggesting this very outcome back in Feb of this year.

You can all thank me!