The A-League Expansion Thread

I agree.

We've got a great opportunity with this TV deal to consolidate the existing clubs.

 

The FTA component of the new TV rights deal is huge in my opinion. It would have been nice to have a few more regular season games through the season, but it is certainly a step in the right direction for football in this country. The FTA exposure is invaluable to the games growth so to balance that gain with the dollars that pay TV brings really is a positive result.

 

That's one thing that always bothered me when I was living in Melbourne. How can you 2 teams and not one single match in on FTA?

 

It's been awhile since anything's been done on us thread, but with all the talk of potential teams looking to move up, or teams looking to buy existing franchises, I decided to provide an updated list of potential expansion locations, split up by categories.

1 - Cities with actual bids put together
Geelong - working under Geelong City FC - currently have investors, fan support, jerseys, colors, and a stadium picked out
Canberra - A-League4Canberra - investors, fans, and jerseys - on hiatus since the WSW were let in
Tasmania - Tasmania United FC - investors, fans, jerseys
Wollongong - South Coast Football - Tim Cahill is a big name behind this drive - some fan support
Darwin - Government support and fans

2 - Frank Lowy's Imagined List - Looks like a better list for a second divsion
Hobart
Bendigo
Cairns
Ballarat
Albury
Wodonga
Launceston
Christchurch
Auckland

3 - Existing Teams Looking to 'Move Up'
Sunshine Coast FC
Northern Fury
South Melbourne

4 - Starting From Scratch
Gold Coast Dragons

 

Well, with the league always having had a team based in NZ, I can't see why a feeder league couldn't be created featuring sides that currently play in the OFC Champions League. Why not have representation from the Pacific leagues or is this pushing it?

 

Pushing it. They need to be fiscally sound before they expand past OZ/NZ

 

Didn't they say that no expansion will happen for at least two years, until 2015?

 

I believe so, but with the game looking like it is seriously about to take off, who really knows? Northern Fury and Sunshine Coast are the two teams that have said they are looking at joining the A - League by 2015/16. Good thing for Fury is they're already selling out their home games in a state league. Don't know about Sunshine Coast

 

Latest expansion rumor: Ipswich, Queensland

http://www.qt.com.au/news/big-hopes-for-bringing-a-league-to-ipswich/1988708/

 

Hi normally on the board a little up north of the pacific, just a bit curious, I've read a lot about expantions here on this thread and other places, but I guess most are coming from mid sized cities. Would it be more realistic to see expansions on the GoldCoast or Auckland thinking of their sizes, and how do you think smaller cities as Darwin and Wollongong would do taking into mind how Auckland and the Gold Coast did do in A-League a couple of seasons ago? Is it at all realistic to think of expansions? What about 3rd. Melbourne and Sydney teams instead?

 

I don't think Gold Coast will see a team anytime soon. Auckland also has a lot of skeletons in the closet, and another NZ team will not be welcomed by AFC – they had enough issues with Phoenix.

 

artml do you then think no expansion? btw what issues with Phoenix?

 

No expansion for a couple of years at least. Still bedding down Heart and Wanderers and the wreckage of GCU and Fury is still smoldering.

The problem with Phoenix is that they're an OFC team playing in an AFC competition. The way AFC head office sees it they muddy the nice clear line between the two confederations - and without that line there's a risk that the AFC would be split between East and West and East would end up with the Oceanian basket case.

 

Well, A-League officials have said themselves that expansion is on hold for at least 2015, that's two full seasons from now. Expansion talk is a bit premature at this point IMO – though I believe it will definitely take place someday.

The issues with Phoenix was about AFC CL participation. AFC is against cross-border leagues and in this case the situation is burdened as Phoenix are from the OFC country.

UPD: zhuangzi has beaten me to this.

 

I was aware of the no expansion before 2015, but was curious if we could expect a expansion after 2015, since I think it looks a bit difficult at all unless its a 3rd. Sydney/Melbourne team or a Canberra team. Any chances that could be a Canberra United or are they only comitted to W-League?

Is there a possibility to see Phoenix leave A-League one day?

 

Canberra is possible, but I don't see a third Sydney or Melbourne team. Heart have trouble defining themselves as it is and the Sydney market is pretty tapped out between SFC, WSW and CCM in the northern suburbs.

A 12th team is a bit of a puzzle - either you go back to Gold Coast or try and pull together a Tasmania United side (harder than it sounds thanks to AFL dominance and the North/South divide). There are other places like the NSW South Coast but I'm not sure they could sustain a team.

 

Unless the league accepts smaller clubs with lower attendances.... I hear Northern Fury are pulling 2500 nowadays in the Premier, would they do much better if they came back to the A-League?

 

The new Furries have indeed mentioned that return to the A-League is their ultimate goal, but perhaps not in 2015.

 

But the question is will they draw enough?

 

I think that is a valid question for every expansion team, A-League or otherwise. Are the new Furies still community owned? I'm not sure A-League is at a place where community ownership works. It takes "deep" pockets willing to absorb losses for an extended period to really get a club up and running successfully and I'm not sure communities are willing, or able to do that yet.

 

Well I think the issue would be where would they play? They are right in the middle of Eitihad and the rectangle. I'd also think there wouldn't be enough room for them to even fit in either place (schedule wise). There is MCG but I don't think many soccer matches are played there.

I still think the best bet for immediate expansion is Canberra and Geelong.

 

South Melbourne FC: Best remembered for playing in the 2000 FIFA Club World Cup against Manchester United...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_FIFA_Club_World_Championship

 

I doubt Tassie has a big soccer following, AFL & Cricket have a good strong hold down there.

 

We are nearly at 2015 and the league stated that no expansion talk would be an issue until 2015. With the growth the league has had in attendances the last couples of years, do you think we can expect an expansion in the nearest future?