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The Western United Thread - R.I.P

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Catoggio76 said:
By "West Melbourne", they are referring to Johannesburg, South Africa.

The bid is a scam, Probuild, who want to build the stadium (ex Socceroo Andrew Zinni is Director at Probuild) are actually owned by South African mob WBHO Pty Ltd.

Story gets better, WBHO won a $1.7 Billion dollar "Public Private Partnership" to build the roads around Tarneit stadium.

The soccer bid is merely a front.

Jo'burg Stock Exchange (WBHO Probuild Link): https://www.wbho.co.za/about-us/

(WBHO wins PPP to Build Tarneit Roads) https://www.dtf.vic.gov.au/partnerships-victoria-ppp-projects/western-roads-upgrade
Click to expand...
Why aren't any journalists running with the stories of the ownership group? Are they that scared of the FFA?
 
Western United FC: New Hyundai A-League club confirms name and colours


The Hyundai A-League’s newest club have a name, with Western Melbourne Group’s franchise to enter the 2019/20 Season as Western United Football Club.


The competition’s 11th club confirmed the decision on Wednesday, along with their official colours which will be a green and black playing strip.


The official name and colours were determined after community consultation and an online poll on the club’s website and also conducted by News Limited.


Western United FC won out over other options including Western Melbourne Athletic, Westside Pride and Western Melbourne Warriors.


While the club’s jersey design has yet to be determined, it’s understood the club will wear green and black stripes, while the away kit will be white.


While the new club has yet to appoint a head coach, they have already made two player signings as well as appointing two assistant coaches.


Caltex Socceroos right-back Josh Risdon was confirmed as the club’s first Australian signing this week, coming after the announcement of Greek international Panagiotis Kone as a marquee.


It came after the club confirmed that successful NPL Victoria coach John Anastasiadis and Hyundai A-League championship winner with Central Coast John Hutchinson would be the new club’s assistant bosses.

https://www.a-league.com.au/news/we...0M0b9DonQ3oXTHS45CT8Nmir3Wcyvc5qRk97kf7QWYU-Q
 

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Zidane98 said:
I think Western United are going to be more successful than City simply because the club has a defined geographical area. Melbourne City can only offer "not being Victory" which just doesn't cut it.
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Define their geographic through? remember they are going to be playing out of Gelong for possibly the first 5 years! wouldn't that be isolating their own demographic? and in turn once they move to their new stadium isolate the fans from Geelong?
 
giggler99 said:
Define their geographic through? remember they are going to be playing out of Gelong for possibly the first 5 years! wouldn't that be isolating their own demographic? and in turn once they move to their new stadium isolate the fans from Geelong?
Click to expand...

Ballarat / Geelong / outer western suburbs. Thats a huge catchment area and rapidly growing with low priced housing.
 
darko said:
Good luck with Ballarat. An hour drive or catch 2 trains.
Click to expand...

Driving there should be a lot easier than it is currently to AAMI Park. Plenty of MVFC fans already travel for nearly an hour on trains to watch a game, I actually believe WU will attract casual fans that don't want to travel into the city. Ballarat has a huge grassroots program.
 

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Interesting.. Tough times ahead. FOX looking for any excuses to get ouit of this TV deal. Will also add to the General Chat thread.

Fox Sports threaten to withhold $5m from FFA over Western United

Dominic Bossi

A decision by A-League expansion side Western United not to incorporate the word 'Melbourne' in its name could cost Football Federation Australia $5 million in annual TV rights after it opened the door for Fox Sports to challenge its obligation to increase broadcast payments.The Herald understands Fox Sports is seeking to avoid paying a nine percent increase of its broadcast deal in June 2021 despite being contractually obliged to contribute an additional $5 million if two new teams were introduced to the A-League from Sydney and Melbourne.United they stand: Kate Roffey, Steve Horvat and Mia Shaw of the Western Melbourne Group.Credit:Eddie JimHowever, several sources suggest the Pay TV provider is intending to withhold the revenue increase after the newest A-League side announced last week that it would compete under the name "Western United Football Club" while based in Wyndham in west Melbourne while temporarily playing games in Geelong in its first two years.It's understood that representatives of Fox Sports argued to FFA that in not being associated by name with Melbourne, Western United cannot be viewed as a team from the Victorian capital, rather as a regional club.FFA issued a stern response to Fox Sports, arguing the name does not diminish its association with Melbourne, citing AFL side Western Bulldogs as an example. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, administrators urged Western United to incorporate more references to the city of Melbourne in their latter stages of branding.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/soc...d-under-new-boss-milicic-20190221-p50zdu.html
It's understood FFA hoped to kill off the argument entirely by pushing the new club to include the word "Melbourne" or references to the city in its yet-to-be-released logo. Sources suggest FFA is continuing to lobby the group to adapt a stronger association with the city before entering the competition.

The governing body is hoping the new team will be playing out of its new purpose-built football stadium on the outskirts of Melbourne before July 2021, when Fox Sports must increase its payments for expansion.
The club will enter the A-League in October, playing out of Kardinia Park in Geelong for at least two seasons during construction of its permanent home in Tarneit, 30 kilometres from the centre of Melbourne.
The Herald sought comment from Fox Sports on Thursday. It is understood the network has not disputed the other A-League expansion club, Macarthur South-West Sydney, being a team from Sydney.
While Fox Sports are unlikely to be successful in arguing the newest A-League club are not from Melbourne, the stoush reflects the pay TV provider's dwindling appetite for Australian domestic football at a time when viewership has dropped significantly.
Last week, only 29,000 watched Western Sydney Wanderers beat Adelaide United on the Saturday night timeslot while Newcastle Jets win over Melbourne City on Friday night attracted 18,000 viewers on Fox Sports.
Last season had an average ratings of 51,000 for each game while the 2016-17 season average audience was 63,000 per match. The A-League's peak average rating on Fox Sports was almost 75,000 in the 2012-13 season which included Alessandro Del Piero at Sydney FC and the birth of Western Sydney Wanderers.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/soc...-ffa-over-western-united-20190221-p50zeh.html
The FFA has entered negotiations for a new free-to-air partnership for next season with its partnership with Channel 10 yet to attract a broader reach. The A-League has been televised live on 10 for the past two seasons after Fox Sports purchased the FTA component, moving it to 10 as part of its former partnership with the network. The current agreement doesn't encourage promotion from 10 with sources suggesting Fox Sports retains the bulk of advertising revenue from Saturday night games.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/soc...-ffa-over-western-united-20190221-p50zeh.html
 
giggler99 said:
Interesting.. Tough times ahead. FOX looking for any excuses to get ouit of this TV deal. Will also add to the General Chat thread.

Fox Sports threaten to withhold $5m from FFA over Western United

Dominic Bossi

A decision by A-League expansion side Western United not to incorporate the word 'Melbourne' in its name could cost Football Federation Australia $5 million in annual TV rights after it opened the door for Fox Sports to challenge its obligation to increase broadcast payments.The Herald understands Fox Sports is seeking to avoid paying a nine percent increase of its broadcast deal in June 2021 despite being contractually obliged to contribute an additional $5 million if two new teams were introduced to the A-League from Sydney and Melbourne.United they stand: Kate Roffey, Steve Horvat and Mia Shaw of the Western Melbourne Group.Credit:Eddie JimHowever, several sources suggest the Pay TV provider is intending to withhold the revenue increase after the newest A-League side announced last week that it would compete under the name "Western United Football Club" while based in Wyndham in west Melbourne while temporarily playing games in Geelong in its first two years.It's understood that representatives of Fox Sports argued to FFA that in not being associated by name with Melbourne, Western United cannot be viewed as a team from the Victorian capital, rather as a regional club.FFA issued a stern response to Fox Sports, arguing the name does not diminish its association with Melbourne, citing AFL side Western Bulldogs as an example. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, administrators urged Western United to incorporate more references to the city of Melbourne in their latter stages of branding.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/soc...d-under-new-boss-milicic-20190221-p50zdu.html
It's understood FFA hoped to kill off the argument entirely by pushing the new club to include the word "Melbourne" or references to the city in its yet-to-be-released logo. Sources suggest FFA is continuing to lobby the group to adapt a stronger association with the city before entering the competition.

The governing body is hoping the new team will be playing out of its new purpose-built football stadium on the outskirts of Melbourne before July 2021, when Fox Sports must increase its payments for expansion.
The club will enter the A-League in October, playing out of Kardinia Park in Geelong for at least two seasons during construction of its permanent home in Tarneit, 30 kilometres from the centre of Melbourne.
The Herald sought comment from Fox Sports on Thursday. It is understood the network has not disputed the other A-League expansion club, Macarthur South-West Sydney, being a team from Sydney.
While Fox Sports are unlikely to be successful in arguing the newest A-League club are not from Melbourne, the stoush reflects the pay TV provider's dwindling appetite for Australian domestic football at a time when viewership has dropped significantly.
Last week, only 29,000 watched Western Sydney Wanderers beat Adelaide United on the Saturday night timeslot while Newcastle Jets win over Melbourne City on Friday night attracted 18,000 viewers on Fox Sports.
Last season had an average ratings of 51,000 for each game while the 2016-17 season average audience was 63,000 per match. The A-League's peak average rating on Fox Sports was almost 75,000 in the 2012-13 season which included Alessandro Del Piero at Sydney FC and the birth of Western Sydney Wanderers.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/soc...-ffa-over-western-united-20190221-p50zeh.html
The FFA has entered negotiations for a new free-to-air partnership for next season with its partnership with Channel 10 yet to attract a broader reach. The A-League has been televised live on 10 for the past two seasons after Fox Sports purchased the FTA component, moving it to 10 as part of its former partnership with the network. The current agreement doesn't encourage promotion from 10 with sources suggesting Fox Sports retains the bulk of advertising revenue from Saturday night games.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/soc...-ffa-over-western-united-20190221-p50zeh.html
Click to expand...

Woops
 
Zidane98 said:
Ballarat / Geelong / outer western suburbs. Thats a huge catchment area and rapidly growing with low priced housing.
Click to expand...

Agree with this - we know from reports that Fox Sports are pissed off with the name, but it's giving them the best chance of success. Especially when many - perhaps most - football fans in Melbourne have very little faith in the stadium getting up, at least in the proposed $150m that we've seen in the renders. At least the "Western" name and the lack of "Melbourne" gives them the opportunity to stay in Geelong, or to split games between a cheaper version of the Wyndham Stadium, Geelong, and maybe Ballarat.

I'm a bit disappointed in the colours, it seems a bit of a slap in the face to the Team 11 bid that I think most people are going to continue looking wistfully at until such a point as Western United becomes a success (if that ever happens.)
 

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Zidane98 said:
I think Western United are going to be more successful than City simply because the club has a defined geographical area. Melbourne City can only offer "not being Victory" which just doesn't cut it.
Click to expand...

"Not Victory" was Heart's thing. Melbourne City are just generic City Football Group spin off #3.

They remind me of Northern Spirit after Rangers bought them and changed their colours.
 

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