- New Zealand teams should be protected from relegation since there won't be any NZ teams in the APL (unless of course the APL joins forces with the ASB Premiership - NZ's premier comp, but logistically, I don't see it happening)

Are we still that xenophobic in 2012 that an AUTRALIAN football team started by migrants is frowned upon?? man get over it already - this has happened in countries all over the world - Clubs created by British people who were in a forign country far from home and wanted to start a club so they can play a game from home that they missed against *gasp* other teams started by other immigrants who may have been from Italy etc..

WTF is mono ethnic regime mean anyway ?? Did the club only play players from one background ?? You are an idiot...

I'm not going to bother getting into any type of ethnic debate with you - there was no exclusivness - You excluded yourself...maybe the teams were not Anglo Saxon enough for you .Its not as if there none of the current HAL teams dont have "ethnic ties" ....Sydney FC - Sydney City (Hakoa ) - . Brisbane Roar ?? as for voilence like the media you are overstating it...

Quote this if you scroll right past all of Mister Football's posts.

I see a trend that everyone seems to agree that Canberra should be the next team I agree to this as well for many reasons

High population growth. If the A-League does expand to Canberra in 2016 it will have a population of 440,000 and 590,000 by 2031 (by todays estimates) which is currently larger than Newcastle's population today (540,000) and they are doing quite well when it comes to attendances.

The A-Leagues popularity will be at its highest in Canberra (and in Australia especially if Australia do well) around this time as they have an Asian cup venue so it seems like it would be the best time to capitalise os the situation.

And finally Canberra is expecting to be getting a brand new "Forsyth Barr" esqe stadium with a full clear roof near the CBD by 2020 but are wanting to get it up and running by 2018/19.

And heres some reading on that if any of you are interested.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/city-promised-new-stadium-with-roof-by-2020-20120302-1u8si.html

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/next-act/2012/10/18/new-stadium-canberra/

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/no-new-city-stadium-under-canberra-liberals-20121010-27cha.html

Heineken likes this.

Geelong would be very interesting, They would have to have a rectangular stadium, As symonds will be awful to watch soccer in, (Thou i think they are redeveloping the ground due to the W.C Bid). Fan's wise they are footy mad with the AFL. So i could see them getting on board an A League club. Also wouldnt mind seeing G.C back up and running.

Are we still that xenophobic in 2012 that an AUTRALIAN football team started by migrants is frowned upon?? man get over it already - this has happened in countries all over the world - Clubs created by British people who were in a forign country far from home and wanted to start a club so they can play a game from home that they missed against *gasp* other teams started by other immigrants who may have been from Italy etc..

Hey Gyfox is there any way i can get football participation numbers for different cities/areas?

Was ready to say "not this again..." but good work for actually making a proper thread of it (Y)

Try the ABS.

Having a 3rd Sydney team playing some games in Canberra and a 3rd Melbourne team playing some games in Tassie

Commerce - Ticked
Regional - Ticked

There is romance and there is reality

Ofcourse there are many attributes by having more regional teams - but where will the commerce come from???

HAL needs 12 teams asap

There are currently 10 teams with no tolerance for any 1 of these teams to default as it would break the TV deal and create a clause of a magnitude that will clobber the game from end to end

More than anything else that is why 12 teams are required - as a back and a level of tolerance to protect the revenue and credibility

reality is a 3rd team in both Sydney and Melbourne within the next 2 years due to commerce

Having a 3rd Sydney team playing some games in Canberra and a 3rd Melbourne team playing some games in Tassie

Commerce - Ticked
Regional - Ticked

awful idea

The South Coast's crusade for an A-League team of its own is over after bid chairman Eddy De Gabriele conceded the Wollongong consortium must embrace western Sydney to have any hope of being included in 2010-11.With Football Federation Australia (FFA) to name two new expansion franchises in June, De Gabriele proclaimed a team playing home games at WIN Stadium without an upgraded western grandstand would not be admitted.That, plus the FFA's desire for a team in western Sydney, prompted the South Coast bid - which planned to play all its games in Wollongong - to revamp its proposal to include centres such as Parramatta and Campbelltown in its territory.De Gabriele admitted that if the enhanced bid gained entry, A-League games would only be played at WIN Stadium once the western grandstand was improved.Matches would be split between western Sydney and Wollongong if or when the State Government approved a new grandstand at WIN Stadium."The western grandstand is going to be a problem for us and we have taken on board that the FFA want a presence in western Sydney," De Gabriele said."The first season, we would have problems playing there (WIN Stadium)."They don't believe that WIN Stadium's western grandstand is a venue for A-League."De Gabriele said the compromise - the new club playing in western Sydney until WIN Stadium was improved - was the South Coast's best hope for A-League football.NSW Premier Nathan Rees said in November an upgrade was not on the Government's list of priorities and De Gabriele didn't expect an announcement before the two new teams were announced.''I'm not confident we'll get a decision on the western grandstand in the next two months and that would scuttle the South Coast A-League bid,'' De Gabriele said.''If we don't get the money by June we won't get it (an A-League licence).''De Gabriele conceded the club could no longer be known as South Coast, but vowed it wouldn't be called Parramatta or West Sydney.However, Parramatta Stadium was an ''obvious'' candidate for Leg 1the outfit's home base if it gains entry for the sixth A-League season.The South Coast bid is competing with groups from Canberra, Tasmania and western Sydney for the 12th spot - a second Melbourne franchise is all but assured of securing the 11th licence. Expansion clubs North Queensland Fury and Gold Coast United will become the A-League's ninth and 10th teams in August.The Wollongong bid started considering its options in February after FFA chief executive Ben Leg 2Buckley publicly endorsed the possibility of South Coast expanding to Sydney's west.De Gabriele said the bid had two choices: stand pat and risk missing out completely or embrace Sydney's west and take the inside running.''What we'll be saying to the FFA is our board is from here, but here is our enhanced bid, you want western Sydney - we'll do that for you, but we want South Coast too,'' De Gabriele said.He was confident the State Government would fund a new Leg 3stand if the FFA granted his group an A-League licence.''If we got an A-League licence I would be very confident that the State Government would support the funds for the redevelopment of the western grandstand,'' De Gabriele said.''When the western grandstand gets done we would move games to WIN Stadium.''De Gabriele said the club's training and administration facilities would still be based at North Wollongong PCYC, per the original Wollongong-only bid.

Sth Coast won't 'climb dead bodies' for A-League

Nathan Tinkler has one less thing to worry about - a Wollongong consortium won't be clamouring for an A-League licence at the expense of his debt-ridden Newcastle Jets.

Football South Coast chairman Eddy De Gabriele poured cold water on the suggestion his organisation could make an opportunistic play for an A-League berth, despite Tinkler's financial freefall.

The Australian Tax Office yesterday moved to wind up Tinkler's troubled Hunter Sports Group (HSG), the parent company of the Jets and Newcastle Knights, over unpaid debts of $2.7 million.

But De Gabriele re-affirmed his position that the Jets were integral to the long-term viability of regional football, refusing to pitch for A-League inclusion should the franchise fold.

"I don't want to be seen as Football South Coast climbing over dead bodies of other regional bodies to make a regional impression," he said.

"We need to maintain our integrity.

"You can't have things thrust upon you in a regional community because we don't have the capacity capital cities have," he said.

"If we really subscribe to a regional football strategy then Wollongong should support Newcastle to ensure it maintains its position."

De Gabriele hinted a Wollongong A-League franchise remained a "medium-term" goal after failed attempts in the past.

On the issue of football in the region having a national presence, De Gabriele said: "Our immediate bid is for a W-League and a National Youth League.

"That gives a pathway to go to the top of the women's league and the top of the men's league through the youth league. The youth league will give us an investment bank.

"If we can create an investment bank all the other clubs will want to buy our young players and that creates a lot of interest for us. That's short term [the goal]."

Football Federation Australia released a short statement yesterday saying it had been given assurances by HSG the club's operations would not be affected.

A spokesperson for HSG said it was surprised by the ATO's actions, claiming "any outstanding sum will be paid as soon as possible".

Labelling Tinkler's private ownership model a "high risk" one, De Gabriele suggested stunted Wollongong A-League bids in the past had been built on the right model.

Wollongong’s hopes of joining W-League next season stalled at the starting line with Football South Coast unable to find an investor to cover a $200,000 bond required to accompany the bid proposal.

FSC CEO Bill Kostandas said the organisation would revisit a bid in future.
Football Federation Australia met late last week to determine the competition structure for the 2012-13 season, but wasn’t presented with a submission from FSC, reported the Illawarra Mercury on Tuesday. An announcement on the competing teams is expected later this week.

‘‘The start-up costs weren’t so much the issue as the bond,’’ Kostandas told the paper. ‘‘For this year I think it’s dead in the water, but going forward it’s on our radar.

‘‘I think there’s a definite possibility, if not a probability, we’ll have a team down here [in the future].

‘‘It has to be because it’s part of the whole pathway. The game is growing a lot in the female area here and we’re starting to produce some elite players and coaches.’’”

The region has a strong team in Illawara Stingrays and has shown good support for a Matildas international match at WIN Stadium this weekend.

Questions have been raised about the W-League’s viability and Perth Glory owner Tony Sage threatened to withdraw its W-League team.

Illawarra women’s football administrator Rob McKie, part of the steering committee established to drive the bid, was fearful the growth of women’s football would now stall without a W-League side.

‘‘My personal opinion is it would have been an ideal opportunity to get another national team in,’’ McKie said. ‘‘I put my heart and soul into it for six months and we didn’t even put in a proposal.’’

The region also failed in a bid to join the A-League when Sydney Rovers, a “Western Sydney”based franchise that never made it to the field, were handed a licence ahead of the South Coast and Canberra.

Dunno what too enter in the search:p

Hey Gyfox is there any way i can get football participation numbers for different cities/areas?