Roar managing director Mark Kingsman welcomes A-League expansion into Brisbane and says it’d be great for the club.

Football Federation Australia (FFA) has put A-League expansion on hold, saying it won’t happen before the 2018/19 season.

That hasn’t stopped Brisbane Strikers, Brisbane City and Ipswich-based Western Pride from entering the race for an A-League licence.

A second club in Brisbane, which according to the 2016 Census has a population of 2.35 million, appears a strong option for the FFA, which Kingsman embraced.

“To me I think there’s an inevitability that more clubs will come to Brisbane,” Kingsman told FourFourTwo.

“I think it should come to Brisbane. I welcome anybody.

“A-League expansion is important for the development of the game here. It’ll keep us on our toes.

“Having been to Sydney and Melbourne derbies, it’ll be great for our fans.”

Kingsman said there would be several benefits in having a local rival, including on-field, arguing New South Wales and Victorian clubs currently have a significant advantage.

“Another element is you’ve got four clubs who travel to every single away game, Perth, Adelaide, Wellington and us," Kingsman said. "That is quite hard on these clubs.

“It makes a big difference for the Sydney sides, who might go up to Newcastle or Gosford or Homebush. It’s an easy commute.

“Sometimes there’s a lot to be said for the travel. It takes its toll but you also lose a training day.

“If we can get a local derby we could start clawing back some of those benefits.”

Kingsman felt Brisbane could accommodate a second club, although he reserved judgement on which potential side provided the best point of difference.

Wanderers' geographical point of difference in comparison to Sydney FC has long been a key part of their success in the NSW capital, while Heart/City's central location alongside Victory in Melbourne has arguably contributed to their challenges.

The Roar managing director was buoyed by Roar's good home crowds in 2016/17, with attendances up by eight per cent year on year, going from 12,850 to 13,892, proving there's a strong appetite for football in Brisbane.

“Overall the trends in the competiton as a whole went backwards," Kingsman said.

"For us to show an increase in attendances was really pleasing."

Kingsman said the club had made an active effort in 2016/17 to improve the perception of their brand after years riddled by off-field drama around owners, the Bakrie Group.

“I made it very clear at the beginning we weren’t going to criticise anybody,” Kingsman said.

"I don’t see any value in that. We work with each other and we want to put positive news out there.

“That was very important to work with the owners who over the years have piled millions of dollars into the club, like many of the A-League owners have.

“It’s important to work with them and support them in what they’ve done.

“We have communication with them, we try to communicate to our members and fans more, and the FFA more.

“That transparent approach we’ve taken with everything has paid dividends this year.”

https://www.fourfourtwo.com.au/news/roar-boss-welcomes-brisbane-expansion-465896

Well what made him change his tune?
Only about 3-6 months ago he was talking about Brisbane not being ready for a 2nd team. Doesn't he know football fans have long memories.

@rbb

FFA told him Brisbane 2 is happening, now he's publicly trying to talk himself around

Nah this is whats happened.

FFA have taken expansion off the table. Now he can beat his chest as he is the king of his jungle.

More than likely.

Waz has predicted for a while on these boards that the two teams to come in in 2018-19 will be from Sydney and Brisbane, and it's looking like he is right.

Kingsman is correct when he says that the Roar did very well to increase attendances when the trend across the league was the other way.  Even the record breaking SFC had trouble maintaining their attendances.

A year ago I don't think Roar were ready for a second team, and they're probably still not today but if they get another 12 months without off field dramas they will be. So I think it's a combination of Kingsman feeling more confident and realising the inevitable - a second team is coming whether you're ready or not.

The Ipswich bid looks to be dead in the water with the arrest of the Ipswich major who was the primary force behind the bid which really only leaves FCBC standing unless strikers can do something

Interestingly I hear the FCBC guys are pitching not to the FFA but to FoxSports, shows who has the power.

Astute observation.

From memory a few of the bids have pitched to FOX. I know that Belteky and co spoke about it as did SMFC.

I think the roar has also locked in key teams in the region for feeder club. 12 months ago we didn't have this and also all the financial bullshittery.

Kingsmen seems to be a very good head for the club and really seems to for now keep the financial problems away. But selling 2 players and losing a pretty hefty chunk of wages do help. However, its probably also he constantly in the bakeries ear of there will be a new brisbane team, no more financial bs or your club value going to go down.

@ bigpoppa

And that's the smart thing to do right. But what I mean with FCBC is not a single pitch but numerous meetings - they're really doing a number on them apparently.

Yes definitely, what amuses me aswell is that one or two have even gone to Frank Lowy as opposed to his son/Gallop. 

FCBC definitely appear to be the most credentialed Qld bid thus far. 

Yeah every few days on social media, they appear to be announcing a new partnership with an NPL level club.

Yep

Who did they sell ?

There is no expansion in 2018-19.  Gallop has ruled it out

There may be a new 'Deloitte' business model in 2018-19 and depending how that goes they'll look at maybe 2 expansion afterwards at some point.

Still got to find a replacement for Phoenix first

Petratos and Borrello were sold.

I think he ruled out expansion for this coming season, so I am still expecting the inclusion of two new teams in 2018-19.

It doesn't matter whether Gallop ruled it in or out tbh, he never keeps his word one way or another. And really it only matters what Fox think not Gallop.

Fox don't have to pay any extra unless they have approved, and they won't approve any that aren't in their top 2

FFA certainly aren't go to expand somewhere else for $0 income

 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/may/15/football-in-australia-as-big-as-its-going-to-get?CMP=share_btn_tw

Fox 'wanting' expansion is limited to $6m MAX for 2 new teams, and only if they are convinced.

Even Gallop wouldn't  have said that if there was the slightest chance it'll happen earlier.

They need to be able to replace Phoenix at short notice, so in reality the 3rd best option has got to be worth it for FOX 

Read that carefully and it's ambiguous (intentionally so I would think).

We all know the Fox agreement allows for the expansion of two clubs in 2018-19, although I agree with one of your posts above that Fox will control that process 100% and will only fork out the extra money if it's the two teams Fox wants  - I have no problem believing that at all (and thus why the bidders are pitching to Fox, and also why we can completely ignore 80% of the bids we've heard about to date).

@ P&RT

I think you're right on Nix, Fox would welcome them gone and replaced by south Sydney in a heartbeat. And they'd probably take that over expansion I agree.

Gallop though I think is gone, probably next year and probably to the ARU - sooner if some blood spills across town at ARU HQ.

Of the three stakeholders in this I think Fox want expansion, the FFA are neutral and the clubs are probably against it now they've seen the state of the tv deal. The ffa should wield power but not while they're in dispute with everyone which allows the prospect of an independent A league, which hasn't gone away, to resurface while the ffa remain weak.

You think FFA will introduce a new Business model plus maybe 3 new teams in one swoop ?

I'll wager a slab of your shitty VB on that

Ha - I don't drink!

Look, anything is possible, but we both agree that Fox controls the show now, and we know what the Fox TV deal says - so if the right teams appear on the horizon (as far as Fox is concerned), then I think they would proceed with what the TV deal says, afterall, they are only paying $2.8 million extra per new team, so that's pretty good value for money from their perspective.

If the Nix were to go like some of you guys are suggesting.
Playing the devils advocate…
Would Foxtel be inclined to enter 3 sides – one each from Brisbane, Sydney & Melbourne?
I’d expect x2 would come in to make it 12 sides and then the third to replace the Nix (most likely from Melbourne).

The above scenario presumably with BCFC, Southern Sydney & South Melb or Dandenong increases derby matched in Sydney & Melbourne to 9 each a season and 3 in Brisbane.
So the increase in premium content in Australia's three biggest cities goeing from 6 derbies that we currently have to 21 per season. That’s a huge increase that would certainly tempt the executives at Foxtel.
It almost becomes one huge fixture each round to showcase the game on average, then you have your traditional rivalry games ie. MV v Syd & MV v Adel U.

borello and oar

They didn't sell Oar, unless counting some maybe performance payments

Waz reckons they got money for Petratos though ?

They did get money for Petratos. Google it ffs.

More than the Jet share too.