A-League The A-League Expansion Thread

[Howard Littlejohn]

As a Tasmanian living in Canberra, I would go with:
South Melbourne
Wollongong

I expect the FFA to go with:
Southern Expansion (calling Wollongong part of southern Sydney is nearly as stupid as calling Canberra part of some nebulous greater western Sydney)
Dandenong, maybe western Melbourne (the difficulty in Vic, SA, WA, Tas is venues; rectangles which can hold crowds basically don't exist and ovals are a stop-gap measure)

Macarthur/Campbelltown makes more sense than might appear at first. Having a wider SWS team would still be open later, whereas having that first would close off a Campbelltown team for a very long time. (At least while teams are franchise based with no full prom/rel pyramid and that is well into the future.)

Wollongong won't get the go-ahead, due largely to the flops that other regional teams have been. Central Coast struggle, Newcastle did well but only because of a stellar on field performance, North Qld, GCU, well, um. And Gallop did say he wants teams where there are millions, not hundreds of thousands. That makes Canberra, Wollongong, Tasmania (which would be Hobart only), a Gold Coast return, all very unlikely the near term.

 

[Kangapirate]

Given this a lot of thought, the shortlist is nonsense and its a scam that Tassie didn’t even make it.

I think anything other than Wollongong and South Melbourne is going to be a big time risk.

This team11 Dandenong is all the rage, but they have very little if any private backing and are expecting the government to hand over a couple hundred million to build a stadium, and when is this stadium meant to be built? This team is going to kick off in 15 months time, IMO that means a season most likely two at AAMI Park which defeats the purpose.

Then you have west Melbourne in the middle of nowhere in Tarneit, this bid is even more far fetched than team11, The heartland suburbs of the west are closer to South Melbourne!

If you’re asking me which 2 bids are the best equipped to hit the ground running and actually genuinely be ready it has to be Wollongong and South Melbourne.

 

[Heardy_101]

Using that logic, FFA probaly won't go with South or the Wolves.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Perhaps worryingly for Wollongong, I think their CEO quit the club just last week. Might be cause for concern/work against their hopes of winning one of the bids.

 

[Andonis1997]

Perhaps worryingly for Wollongong, I think their CEO quit the club just last week. Might be cause for concern/work against their hopes of winning one of the bids.

Another theory is that they could have someone high-profile in the offing..

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Another theory is that they could have someone high-profile in the offing..

Hopefully that's the case. I think I read their CEO (as expected) had been quite involved with leading the charge for A League inclusion. Hopefully his departure won't detract from their chances of making the cut.

 

[craigos]

Another theory is that they could have someone high-profile in the offing..

David Gallops son is the word I have heard.

 

[giggler99]

This is one savage attack on the flaws of the West Melbourne bid.

 

[craigos]

Don't expect logic to come into it. The FFA will see a another WSW and think yeah, that will work.

I love football and I love going to the A League but if they bring in another Melbourne or Sydney team I think I am done (membership wise).

 

[AJ_2000]

The FFA are desperate for $$$$ and will make a steategst short term descision to bring in cash, and hopefully put it in a stronger position for the next tv rights deal. All part of their plan to stave off the call for independence from the current team owners

 

[Burnieman]

Should expansion be placed on hold until (hopefully) FIFA remove Lowy, Gallop & Co?

 

[HawthornHawk]

So the Macarthur and South West Sydney bids have now merged which seems like common sense

 

[Heardy_101]

So the Macarthur and South West Sydney bids have now merged which seems like common sense

Happened about a week ago according the the old 442 page (442 is no more, goes under a different name)

Apparently Southern Expansion are pretty much munted now because of that

 

[Heardy_101]

https://www.sportsradio.com.au/wellington-phoenix-must-go/

For ***** sake.....

 

[Andonis1997]

https://www.sportsradio.com.au/wellington-phoenix-must-go/

For ***** sake.....

Pssh, we launched our membership packs under 2 weeks ago. 1651 is a great total considering that fact, which these guys would naturally overlook.

Then you look at Mariners with just under 3k members, who started with the rest of the teams..

 

[Heardy_101]

Pssh, we launched our membership packs under 2 weeks ago. 1651 is a great total considering that fact, which these guys would naturally overlook.

Then you look at Mariners with just under 3k members, who started with the rest of the teams..

It's another excuse to bash Wellington and nothing more.

 

[craigos]

To be fair those numbers are seriously concerning, I'd have thought that a fair majority of people are roll over members and must have opted out.

Adelaide is really concerning. And to think they deemed Tassie wasn't appropriate for a team. NZ need to go when their license is up though, as harsh as that may be there games add nothing to the league and the locals obviously have no interest. The only way they could save the team is if they moved to a 5k max rectangular stadium and packed it out.

It's never going to get close to Super Rugby attendances and even there they're only getting 14k to games over there.

 

[whiskeytown]

$$$ are the key and Melb and Syd derbys make the most coin. So in the immediate term it will be another Melb and Syd club to prop up the leagues financial position.

Wellington are a waste and are a club that adds to the expense of the league without contributing to the bottom line. If crowd audiences are low, one has to wonder whether TV audiences over there suffice enough to bring in the TV dollar to Foxtel.

Tasmania, Canberra, Geelong and Wollongong will hopefully then happen. However these will be smaller clubs.

The big money is in one day drawing Sth East Asian nation like Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia into the competition. Big, big TV audience and gambling money on games.

 

[nobbyiscool]

I heard about a week ago, from what I think is a pretty good source, that Team 11 are as good as a moral to be one of the chosen two.

Noting what happens in Victoria in about 80 days, expect a related announcement in the next 6-8 weeks

Much as I would've liked Canberra and Tassie for personal reasons (noting that Tassie has already been ruled out), I can see the benefit of a south-east team with it's on boutique stadium. It's a huge market, it's a great point of difference (that Heartless never found), and it adds something different.

 

[Colonial]

Def can see Team 11 and now Sth West Sydney as the 2 teams.

Would prefer 4 teams of Tassie Canberra Wollongong and Sth Melbourne but what can you do.

Still holding out hope the FFA say * it and brings in 4. The 2 you know they want and Canberra and Wollongong or Sth Melbourne.

 

[Andonis1997]

Wellington are a waste and are a club that adds to the expense of the league without contributing to the bottom line. If crowd audiences are low, one has to wonder whether TV audiences over there suffice enough to bring in the TV dollar to Foxtel.

When we win the League we'll be able to tower over the Mariners in every way.

 

[Kangapirate]

I heard about a week ago, from what I think is a pretty good source, that Team 11 are as good as a moral to be one of the chosen two.

Noting what happens in Victoria in about 80 days, expect a related announcement in the next 6-8 weeks

Much as I would've liked Canberra and Tassie for personal reasons (noting that Tassie has already been ruled out), I can see the benefit of a south-east team with it's on boutique stadium. It's a huge market, it's a great point of difference (that Heartless never found), and it adds something different.

Conflicting reports here, others are saying the state government has sided with South Melbourne and have no interest in building a stadium in Dandenong. Also the backers of the Tasmanian bid have returned to Victoria and thrown financial support behind South Melbourne. I’ve had multiple reliable sources claiming this, but others claiming what you’re saying, who knows! The team11 social media team have gone very quiet the past week.

Canberra is said to be a big chance as well, the Bradbury is in play for them if South are dragging Dandenong down with them.

 

[Heardy_101]

Yeah been hearing a lot of chatter as well about how South have just about everyone behind them now. There's no way the FFA would let say, Team11 join if the State Govt has no plans to fund a new stadium...then again, FFA logic here. South already have a stadium which they would absolutely fill every game and they'd probably get a decent crowd at AAMI as well.

 

[Forever North]

South Melbourne have a lot of powerful and connected people within government and soccer circles working behind the scenes for them. They tick every single box and are ready to go. No 'if's, maybe's, subject to's, possiblies' etc. A lot of empty and unfunded promises by team11 and 'Tarneit' bids. Can also confirm the major backers will be the individuals involved in the stalled Tassie bid. Sports fans in Melbourne are used to having dining and entertainment options near their sports venues. Lakeside stadium fits the bill perfectly. There will also be a new metro train station within 500 metres of the stadium in a few years.

 

[giggler99]

South Melbourne have a lot of powerful and connected people within government and soccer circles working behind the scenes for them. They tick every single box and are ready to go. No 'if's, maybe's, subject to's, possiblies' etc. A lot of empty and unfunded promises by team11 and 'Tarneit' bids. Can also confirm the major backers will be the individuals involved in the stalled Tassie bid. Sports fans in Melbourne are used to having dining and entertainment options near their sports venues. Lakeside stadium fits the bill perfectly. There will also be a new metro train station within 500 metres of the stadium in a few years.

Does this mean if South do get the nod that they will potentially be playing games down in Tassie?