The A-League, Football in Australia and the CoronaVirus Crisis Thread

Remove this Banner Ad

Log in to remove this ad.

Jul 5, 2011
14,830
23,706
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Victory,Napoli,Liverpool,Penguins
Plans for private ownership of A-League still on table after FFA talks with US firm
Dominic Bossi

Plans for private ownership of A-League still on table after FFA talks with US firm.
The A-League could fall under the private ownership of a global sports management firm with Football Federation Australia not ruling out selling off a stake in the competition to bring investment into the game.
The A-League is braced for a major financial blow should broadcaster Fox Sports walk away from the final three years of its TV deal and is already looking for alternative revenue streams. The Sydney Morning Herald can reveal a third-party private ownership model will be seriously considered as a means to draw much-needed investment into the league. FFA has already laid significant groundwork to sell a stake in the competition.

An evaluation was conducted last year that deemed the A-League worth between $100 million and $120 million. After that evaluation, FFA held talks with two overseas-based firms about selling between 30 per cent and 51 per cent of the A-League. The identity of one of those firms remains unknown but, according to sources close to the negotiations, the other was American sports marketing firm IMG. The New York-based company has a history of buying into sports competitions, having launched the Indian Super League in 2013. IMG part-owned the ISL until 2018.
Discussions cooled in the months before the COVID-19 pandemic struck but had not died. There is a strong chance those talks will be revisited if Fox Sports pulls the plug on its 15-year partnership with FFA by terminating its $57 million a year broadcast deal.
FFA declined to comment on negotiations with Fox Sports when contacted by the Herald but senior sources at the organisation did not rule out selling A-League equity if the TV deal was cut short. A-League clubs, FFA and the players union remain in the dark about Fox Sports' intentions. The pay TV provider did not make its final quarterly payment of this season's deal, which was due last week.
The A-League is suspended indefinitely due to the pandemic with FFA vowing to resume the season only when it gets the green light from federal and state governments.
Meanwhile, private investors are also circling A-League clubs in the hope of a finding a bargain. Park Lane, a US investment bank which specialises in helping cashed-up clients buy sporting teams, is keeping an eye on all major Australian sports, including football, and has already made an informal approach to one A-League club.

Newcastle Jets chief executive Lawrie McKinna confirmed he had received a call from Park Lane to discuss the club's ownership situation.
"We just had a chat, which is fine - I'm always open for a chat. You never know what will happen," McKinna said.
The Jets are owned by Chinese lighting magnate Martin Lee but the club has been seeking additional investment for some time, with Lee unable to cover increased financial losses on his own.


Interesting.. I wonder how much pencentage the FFA will sell off
 
Apr 12, 2012
45,863
41,466
AFL Club
GWS
Plans for private ownership of A-League still on table after FFA talks with US firm
Dominic Bossi

Plans for private ownership of A-League still on table after FFA talks with US firm.
The A-League could fall under the private ownership of a global sports management firm with Football Federation Australia not ruling out selling off a stake in the competition to bring investment into the game.
The A-League is braced for a major financial blow should broadcaster Fox Sports walk away from the final three years of its TV deal and is already looking for alternative revenue streams. The Sydney Morning Herald can reveal a third-party private ownership model will be seriously considered as a means to draw much-needed investment into the league. FFA has already laid significant groundwork to sell a stake in the competition.

An evaluation was conducted last year that deemed the A-League worth between $100 million and $120 million. After that evaluation, FFA held talks with two overseas-based firms about selling between 30 per cent and 51 per cent of the A-League. The identity of one of those firms remains unknown but, according to sources close to the negotiations, the other was American sports marketing firm IMG. The New York-based company has a history of buying into sports competitions, having launched the Indian Super League in 2013. IMG part-owned the ISL until 2018.
Discussions cooled in the months before the COVID-19 pandemic struck but had not died. There is a strong chance those talks will be revisited if Fox Sports pulls the plug on its 15-year partnership with FFA by terminating its $57 million a year broadcast deal.
FFA declined to comment on negotiations with Fox Sports when contacted by the Herald but senior sources at the organisation did not rule out selling A-League equity if the TV deal was cut short. A-League clubs, FFA and the players union remain in the dark about Fox Sports' intentions. The pay TV provider did not make its final quarterly payment of this season's deal, which was due last week.
The A-League is suspended indefinitely due to the pandemic with FFA vowing to resume the season only when it gets the green light from federal and state governments.
Meanwhile, private investors are also circling A-League clubs in the hope of a finding a bargain. Park Lane, a US investment bank which specialises in helping cashed-up clients buy sporting teams, is keeping an eye on all major Australian sports, including football, and has already made an informal approach to one A-League club.

Newcastle Jets chief executive Lawrie McKinna confirmed he had received a call from Park Lane to discuss the club's ownership situation.
"We just had a chat, which is fine - I'm always open for a chat. You never know what will happen," McKinna said.
The Jets are owned by Chinese lighting magnate Martin Lee but the club has been seeking additional investment for some time, with Lee unable to cover increased financial losses on his own.


Interesting.. I wonder how much pencentage the FFA will sell off

It’s a crazy time for all Australian sport.

Football might be ahead of the game as they are already privately owned clubs compared to other sports looking at it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

acm21

Club Legend
May 7, 2019
2,681
1,375
AFL Club
Essendon
It’s a crazy time for all Australian sport.

Football might be ahead of the game as they are already privately owned clubs compared to other sports looking at it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

All four major codes have had private ownership to varying successes. Obviously all aleague clubs are currently owned by private individuals/groups, while afl is member owned (with heavy investment from private donors, which would assist in individuals gaining power of the clubs. North were asx listed), league is obviously more specifically owned by the leagues clubs (but some like easts are powerfully run by specific individuals or storm/souths with actual private ownership). On the rugby side the rebels were privately owned, but were sold by to the vru when they were cutting the australian sides back to 4.
Further investment in the aleague, as clubs or the league itself, will be interesting and, as a whole of league investment, could be a very good move as it has been the nbl, but the individual would need to know what to do (or know the people to do it).


Sent from my iPad using BigFooty.com
 
Jul 5, 2011
14,830
23,706
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Victory,Napoli,Liverpool,Penguins
A-League set for August 1 restart - sources

A-League players will be back in training on July 1, with the remainder of the season to commence on Aug. 1, sources have told ESPN.

Clubs were informed of the plans late on Friday afternoon (AEST), with five rounds of matches plus a finals series remaining to complete the 2019-20 Hyundai A-League season.

Details are yet to be confirmed, but the hub model is thought to the preferred option, with Sydney the front-runner to host the remaining fixtures. All teams will observe the ongoing health and safety regulations.

Overseas players who did not remain in Australia will be required to observe two weeks of quarantine upon their arrival back in the country.

Conversations continue with Fox Sports as to broadcast arrangements for the remainder of this season and beyond.

An official announcement by FFA is expected in the coming days.

The A-League was the final Australian sporting domino to fall due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the competition postponed on Mar. 24.

FFA chief executive James Johnson announced that decision less than 24 hours after Newcastle Jets had defeated Melbourne City 2-1 at McDonald Jones Stadium.

 

burge13

Brownlow Medallist
Jan 25, 2019
11,434
21,782
AFL Club
Adelaide
Starting again August 1 is brain dead beyond any comprehension. Scrap this season, look at next year and finally with some planning offer up a product people want to see.

Lower ticket prices to get people through the gates for a start. Have any of these incompetent suits notice non existent crowds?!

No atmosphere at games, no one watches on tv. I know, lets resume the season when afl and nrl are getting to the pointy end of their seasons. Genius...
 

acm21

Club Legend
May 7, 2019
2,681
1,375
AFL Club
Essendon
Starting again August 1 is brain dead beyond any comprehension. Scrap this season, look at next year and finally with some planning offer up a product people want to see.

Lower ticket prices to get people through the gates for a start. Have any of these incompetent suits notice non existent crowds?!

No atmosphere at games, no one watches on tv. I know, lets resume the season when afl and nrl are getting to the pointy end of their seasons. Genius...
There is no reason from what you have given, or any other reason i can think of as to why they should just pull the pin now and start again with next year being better planned and executed. Really both can, and possibly will, happen.

There are monetary reasons on the leagues behalf to finish the league, as has been well documented. If we were really early on in the season or the covid pandemic had no real signs of slowing down I would understand, but that isn't the case. It isnt the beat time to finish the season (with the nrl and afl, but they would be in full swing by this stage anyway) but it will be good for all involved to complete the season including finals (which will probably be only a month or so).
 

burge13

Brownlow Medallist
Jan 25, 2019
11,434
21,782
AFL Club
Adelaide
There is no reason from what you have given, or any other reason i can think of as to why they should just pull the pin now and start again with next year being better planned and executed. Really both can, and possibly will, happen.

There are monetary reasons on the leagues behalf to finish the league, as has been well documented. If we were really early on in the season or the covid pandemic had no real signs of slowing down I would understand, but that isn't the case. It isnt the beat time to finish the season (with the nrl and afl, but they would be in full swing by this stage anyway) but it will be good for all involved to complete the season including finals (which will probably be only a month or so).
Pumping out a half assed effort will turn more people away than they gain from starting again. Wont get international players back. Wont get anyone engaged in the product at that time either...
 
May 14, 2007
10,552
7,108
Perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Juventus, Arsenal, OKC, Avalanche
Pumping out a half assed effort will turn more people away than they gain from starting again. Wont get international players back. Wont get anyone engaged in the product at that time either...
You might also get more overseas viewers consdering many are hankering for sport
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Oct 7, 2019
23,264
49,540
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Atalanta B.C
Surely no objections to this? If only clubs could re coup the costs of implementing it in the first place but good riddance I say
 
Jul 5, 2011
14,830
23,706
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Victory,Napoli,Liverpool,Penguins
Surely no objections to this? If only clubs could re coup the costs of implementing it in the first place but good riddance I say

One Victim of the CoronVirus we are all happy to see the back off! :thumbsu:
 
Oct 7, 2019
23,264
49,540
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Atalanta B.C
I dont get why var is such a hated thing. Yes there have been issues, especially early on, but the idea and use of such a system is good for the game.
Ruins atmosphere, spontaneity of goals, still some subjectivity in decisions, how far can the camera roll back etc.
I think the clubs and FFA would still suggest we rid of VAR if the period goes well because they know how the majority of fans feel about it.
 
I dont get why var is such a hated thing. Yes there have been issues, especially early on, but the idea and use of such a system is good for the game.

There are occasions where VAR gives a decision and people are baffled as to how that decision is made. When a decision is basically 50/50 and they go against what the on-field ref has given for no clear reason. When it is mainly used for offside and there is still so much controversy over the angles that a lot of tight offside calls you could realistically say they were at least level and the benefit of the doubt goes to the attacker like it used to. Until they can have a continuous shot up and down the sideline in line with the play, it should not be used on tight offsides- especially when the angles aren't looking directly across and they are drawing in lines that you would have to say aren't exactly correct.

When you come out of the weekends games and more often than not VAR is the main topic of discussion, it really needs to be binned until they can come up with a system that works or get people in that actually know what they are doing. If the problems were only happening here that would be one thing, but when every country using it is having similar problems, there really is no reason why it should be persisted with until more time and money is spent on perfecting it. Even with technology, they can't get every decision correct as the rules allow for some degree of interpretation. I accept that and I assume most people do as well. However, there needs to be some clear line of communication to the fans (whether that be audio or explaining after the game) why VAR has or hasn't intervened on big decisions so we can at least understand the reasoning whether we agree with it or not.
 
Jul 5, 2011
14,830
23,706
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Victory,Napoli,Liverpool,Penguins
FFA suffers $6m hit after losing major A-League sponsor Hyundai
Dominic Bossi

“Football Federation Australia has enjoyed a great, whole of game partnership with Hyundai over the past 15 years. FFA remains in continued commercial discussions with the company regarding their long and significant commitment to the game from the grassroots to elite levels. As these discussions remain ongoing, FFA cannot provide specific comment," an FFA spokesperson said.
“However, despite the impact of COVID-19, FFA can confirm that it is in discussions with numerous commercial partners – existing and prospective – about supporting the re-emergence of football at the professional and grassroots levels, and has been buoyed by the positive sentiment in the market.”
Who that will be remains to be seen, however Hyundai will continue its support through until the end of the season, despite its contract officially ending on June 30. Sources suggest FFA and Hyundai have agreed to a short-term extension of the deal to cover the remainder of the delayed season, up until a likely grand final that is set to be held no later than August 30.
The value of Hyundai's sponsorship of the A-League has risen to nearly $5m a year, with the car company tipping in another $1m to sponsor Australia's national teams, contributing a total of $6m to FFA's coffers, not including the provision of almost 80 cars each year to the FFA and A-League clubs. It is the FFA's second-most valuable corporate partnership, after their broadcast deal with Foxtel.
While COVID-19 has caused a financial crisis for several industries, Hyundai's decision not to renew its sponsorship was made before it brought businesses to a standstill in Australia. A-League clubs were warned in February not to design jerseys with the logo of Hyundai due to uncertainty about the future of the partnership.
Public interest in the A-League has dropped significantly during the past two years while the motor vehicle industry was experiencing poor financial results well before the pandemic struck. The impending loss of Hyundai follows the departure of three other key FFA sponsors in the past 12 months.

German supermarket giant Aldi was the naming-rights sponsor of Australia's junior football program, Miniroos, but chose not to renew its deal beyond its expiration in December 2019. The Socceroos are without a major partner after Caltex did not renew its sponsorship, while NAB bank ended its long-term sponsorship of FFA and the A-League last year.

NAB and Caltex had close ties with two former FFA administrators. Former NAB executive Joseph Healy and Caltex chief financial officer Simon Hepworth served on the FFA board lead by former chairman Steven Lowy.



Not surprising, League is shot!
 

Bomberboyokay

Cancelled
30k Posts 10k Posts
Sep 27, 2014
34,227
28,861
AFL Club
Essendon

acm21

Club Legend
May 7, 2019
2,681
1,375
AFL Club
Essendon
Not entirely Aleague/Covid related (feel free to move this to another forum, especially if the discussion takes off). I saw an article regarding the establishment of a second division as more as regional based comps (similar to the current system but with 2-3 states in each league), with the addition of pro/rel in years to come. What are everyone’s thoughts on this and how would you take the league (And npl if you wish to include it) from what it is to a more succinct and successful comp/s.


Sent from my iPad using BigFooty.com
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Back