A-League Expansion Problems

[Beaussie]

Gee whiz, I didn't realise Melbourne City were struggling so badly for support in Melbourne. Further expansion with additional teams in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane surely isn't a good thing right now.

Victoria United: With Melbourne City crowds plummeting, is it time for a team for the whole state?

MATT WINDLEY 360 VIEW
Herald Sun
March 18, 2015 12:00AM


MELBOURNE City’s crowds continue to plummet alarmingly, yet the jungle drums still persist that we are a chance to receive a third team when the A-League expands in the coming years.

Why put another team in Melbourne, you ask, when City recorded a paltry crowd of just 5867 last Saturday night and has averaged just 6815 for its four 2015 games?

Surely it’s best to let the Manchester City-owned club consolidate first?

Well, Football Federation Australia is on record as saying it “wants to fish where the fish are” when it comes to expansion, so Australia’s three biggest metropolises — Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane — are again in the spotlight.

A packed crowd for the A-League match between Melbourne Victory v Perth Glory, at Simonds Stadium, Geelong earlier this year, suggests a new team could be based there.

The south of Sydney appears the frontrunner for one of two new franchises likely to be established around the start of the 2017-18 season, when the new broadcast deal is set to commence, while another side in Brisbane would also be a logical choice.

But if Melbourne leaps ahead of the Queenslanders in the pecking order, just where — and with what justification — would you base a team in this already too-cluttered marketspace?

For mine, whether it admits it or not, FFA made a mistake when it embedded Melbourne Heart for season 2010-11.

There was nothing to seriously differentiate itself from Melbourne Victory except that it was new and wore red as opposed to blue.

Any new team in this state would have to have some serious geographical strings attached to it.

So how about this for an idea? Victoria United.

The sparse attendance at Melbourne City v Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park at the weekend may mean City are better consolidating.

Logically this team would be based at Geelong’s Simonds Stadium, which attracted nearly 22,000 for the Victory-Perth A-League clash on January 2 and is crying out for summer content.

But rather than isolating itself as “Geelong’s team”, why not become “Victoria’s team” and play a game a year at Ballarat’s Morshead Park — which hosted City’s FFA Cup clash with Sydney FC last year — in Albury-Wodonga — where Heart played the Glory in early 2014 — in Morwell — where the Gippsland Falcons used to play — and Bendigo.

Hell, you could even play a game in the heart of the summer holidays at Torquay’s picturesque oval and then really make a splash by playing a derby game against Victory at the MCG.

With Victory and City there is no tribal warfare. It’s just big brother versus little brother.

Victory — as it’s name suggests — was set up to represent not just Melbourne but the state, so instantly Victoria United — essentially a Victorian Country side — creates a point of difference and an ember from which a genuine rivalry spotfire could develop.

One could argue you are becoming a nomadic team with no rusted on fans if you take games all over the state.

But in the formula devised above, Geelong — with its thriving soccer community — would still host at least 10 games per 33-game season, more than enough to attract a core group of fans, members and corporate dollars.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 7267001536

[ParraEelsNRL]

Gotta keep the game in the news somehow, even if what you are stating makes no sense whatsoever.

They have no hope and buckleys, but if they are stupid enough to do it, go for it, just don't expect my taxpaying dollars to pay for it all like that WSW cost the NSW taxpayer.

[AFLcrap1]

Lol
The Disney channel is rubbing its hands in glee at the thought of smashing a few more clubs in the ratings .

[BruceOfRedfernNSW]

A-League expansion? Today's main story is A-League contraction.

The Sydney Morning Herald today published a story, 'SBS planning to scrap football in shock programming upheaval'.

The broadcaster can no longer survive denying the miniscule and irrelevant interest viewers have in soccer.

So, that leaves just two codes to duke it out on free-to-air TV.

[Raiderdave]

Capoball in Australia is like a mad womens shit

All ova the place :_<>
Astounding they are talking expansion when more then half their clubs are insolvent

Heading back to the NSL days at a rate of knots is this joke of a sport

[post_hoc]

Capoball in Australia is like a mad womens shit

All ova the place :_<>
Astounding they are talking expansion when more then half their clubs are insolvent

Heading back to the NSL days at a rate of knots is this joke of a sport

Once again lyingdave making false claims, please provide evidence of insolvency

[post_hoc]

So lyingdave gone running when asked to support his half the a league clubs are insolvent, come on lyingdave for once in your fucking pathetic life stand by something you claimed instead of running and hiding

[leeroy*NRL*]

GALLOP will talk up anything..

like he did at the NRL

All Talk No GO!

since he's been in.. what has he really done really...

he was riding on the back of the Success of the WANDERERS winning all the time and getting good crowds...

MELBOURNE CITY

and the ASIA CUP WIN..

only thing he has done is give the A League some Media Attention...
Due to the NRL giving him the BOOT>>

[post_hoc]

Man U to Australia, Liverpool FC to Australia and back again Real Madrid, Man City, rumour Valencia, Jeventus to Australia.

Sacking Holger big call appointing Ange even bigger. Sale of Wanderers

All big things,

[post_hoc]

Actually Wookie it is the FFA that is very involved, which was leeroys question what has Gallop done. Gallop isn't the head of the HAL, that is de Bohun, Gallop is the head of the FFA which has been involved in all of those.

[leeroy*NRL*]

Man U to Australia, Liverpool FC to Australia and back again Real Madrid, Man City, rumour Valencia, Jeventus to Australia.

Sacking Holger big call appointing Ange even bigger. Sale of Wanderers

All big things,

Its Not Hard to sell a team that is winning all the time...

And As What Wookie just stated..

WITHOUT the Governments Forking out Millions of $$$ to have them play here.

IF WE WANTED WE COULD HAVE THE WORLD CUP HERE TOO

JUST GOTTA PAY FIFA A FEW BILLION $$$ LOL

[post_hoc]

Man U to Australia, Liverpool FC to Australia and back again Real Madrid, Man City, rumour Valencia, Jeventus to Australia.

Sacking Holger big call appointing Ange even bigger. Sale of Wanderers

All big things,

Its Not Hard to sell a team that is winning all the time...

And As What Wookie just stated..

WITHOUT the Governments Forking out Millions of $$$ to have them play here.

IF WE WANTED WE COULD HAVE THE WORLD CUP HERE TOO

JUST GOTTA PAY FIFA A FEW BILLION $$$ LOL

Not sure how you are drawing the link to all of those.

Of course the government forks out $, they do for all sport events, they do it becuase they know that it has a multiplier effect on the economy. So not sure of your point

Not hard selling but selling correctly is the key point, could made more money selling to person A but is that a good long term proposition? Person B might pay less but is a better fit for the game and area

[post_hoc]

And you know this how?

And who in SA govt or Qld have access to the Valencia or Liverpool etc etc football departments?

I suppose the Australian NT playing Germany soon just happens?

Do I just look up Liverppol FC and give them a call?

[post_hoc]

And you know this how?

And who in SA govt or Qld have access to the Valencia or Liverpool etc etc football departments?

I suppose the Australian NT playing Germany soon just happens?

Do I just look up Liverppol FC and give them a call?

When the fucking announcement comes from the fucking premiers office, you bet the SA and Victorian goverments made the call. FFA didnt invent the fucking telephone.

Not what I asked, and you know that.

[leeroy*NRL*]

Of course the FFA Jumped at putting teams to play them..
After the Government did all the work..
and Paid all of the Dough

if it wasn't for the Governments doing what they did, No European soccer club would be here.

they came for the CASH Not Because David Gallop is a good Talker lol