I guess if done right the markets where the fish are smaller in number should still be able to provide a[size=9] financially viable second tier comp and average in the 5 - 8 k range...[/size]

You mean Souths wouldn't allow it.

Is it enough to call a team "South Eastern Melbourne" and expect fans to come?
How would they differ from Victory or City? Is the geographical bond enough?
How do they unite the region?
I don't know much about the area.

I don't know if SMFC would accept it or not, but it would appear unlikely - I doubt any business would willingly play a part in a rival business moving in on their turf... Especially when South are so keen to get into the A-League themselves.

Without Lakeside as an option I would suggest that having the training base in the south-east suburbs (as suggested by imonfourfourtwo, this could be St Kilda's current training faciltities), and putting an emphasis on local engagement and marketing, with the team's only central Melbourne activities being on game-day. If the team is clearly 'FROM' the area, then there's more reason to believe that the local supporters will feel a stronger attachment than for a team that represents all-over-everywhere.

I suspect the plan to engage locals, particularly school children, and identify as the team of the 'southern region', would be SMFC's aim if they are able to get an expansion license. Unfortunately, it's difficult to do this prior to getting a license because of both the cost factor and the lack of interest in anyone following a non-A-League side.



Do you mean playing out of Suncorp? Otherwise it's QE2. Or Ballymore, or even the Gabba. I think it's important to be at a different 'home' venue if possible - even if the venue isn't perfect for football.

You would only be able to play 1 game in GC and Townsville max per year if they played at Suncorp. Fans in Brisbane would prefer to see Roar if you can only see eg 7 home games live. The one element Heart proved in Melbourne was that some people will go and see another team simply because it's another team. They WANT to support someone other than the team they've been given. So the Roar lose a few, or never got them in the first place, and the new boys pick them up... Along with all the country boys who never felt able to get behind a Brisbane rather than Queensland side. Don't see why playing 3 games in Townsville, 3 on the Gold Coast, 2 in Cairns, 7 in Brisbane would be a huge issue. Shorter season tickets, lower prices, etc.

Then comes the next issue, do you dump games vs Ccm, Phoenix and glory to the countryside every year or do you give them mv, sfc etc? Prioritising of 'big' games for one venue over another shouldn't be a huge issue either, because every game in Townsville, Cairns, Gold Coast, etc., would be something of an event due to the lack of said fixtures. Logic would obviously push toward having the derby games in Brisbane to maximize on 'visiting' Roar fans.

This also kills off potential GC or Fury bids down the line. Or they would eventually change to Brisbane Rovers.
Im not in love with the idea but if it means another team in Qld I think it's good. The key would be focusing on Ipswich, Logan and Sunshine Coast. GC and the rest would follow naturally. It could potentially assist with GC and Fury options in the future - if this franchise took off there would be the possibility to slowly switch more fixtures to the city that is providing the greatest backing. An 'organic' move away from city. If Gold Coast goosed it and Townsville/Cairns had the numbers, switch to North Queensland Rovers.

A 12 team comp is 33 games (probably), thats either 16 or 17 home games. I would recommend playing out of QE2 (eventually hoping for the government to alter the arena)
1 x GC
1 x Townsville
1 x Sunshine Coast
1 x Ipswich (but they don't have a-league standard)

Fans should be encouraged to travel to home games instead of away games.

Its not hard to imagine
"The People's team" bla bla bla

Similar with maroon shorts. With the letters QR over a Queensland map etc ( not to be confused with Queensland Rail) . They'd probably f$ck it up though, and have an all maroon kit and call it Qld United

In this situation I would like to see certain criteria met by locations to host games eg. Local publicity, tv and radio. Local advertising and backing from the councils. Beer tents, food trucks, mingle etc. Saturday games, to make the "regional" games an event people look forward to every year. This is so other centres have opportunities to host matches also if they have the facilities and can generate a good public.

I guess if done right the markets where the fish are smaller in number should still be able to provide a financially viable second tier comp and average in the 5 - 8 k range...

Crowds aren't the issue when setting up the new franchises - commercial backing is. The problem with the smaller areas is that they don't have as much business to back the local team. Business tends to gather in the big cities, and that's why the new franchises are more likely to come from them.

Another, perhaps less palatable idea:

Collingwood - didn't work in the 90s, but that was a rebadged Heidelberg rather than a new club, and in another age in terms of football in this country. As much as I hate Collingwood and anything else in black-and-white stripes - with their admin and training facilities, physical training and medical staff, and more importantly their database of one-eyed Pie supporters, they would be a side with good potential. Plus, always good to have a pantomime villain that everyone can hate.

-PB

I guess if done right the markets where the fish are smaller in number should still be able to provide a financially viable second tier comp and average in the 5 - 8 k range...

Have companies even been approached regarding major sponsorship. Especially if they are expanding their market and tourist industry with the help of national exposure. I thought this was one of the cheapest games to run.

Thanks for that Benjamin, guess it WAS just his opinion then! I should add he said that years ago, circa when the A-League first example - so there's time and context too.

But let's be honest here, there sky isn't the limit and we're not like the US/MLS where we can just keep expanding to all these untapped markets/cities/regions which each have millions of people. 70% of our 23 million or so people live in the capital cities and if you include the non-capital urban areas, mostly coastal based, then that's something like 90%. And those non-capital cities are the same usual suspects we speculate here. Canberra, Wollongong, Gold Coast, Tassie, Geelong and Townsville and some of those cities are relatively close to a capital city/existing A-League team ('gong, Geelong, Gold Coast & Canberra).

And that P/R talk - Crazy to put the date of 2018 on it, soo soon - WHEN did he say this Benjamin?! Must've been a while ago - 2018 much closer now and we only just expand to 12 by then! Obviously just his opinion. But like you said in conclusion, that was just his diplomatic spin to appease football purists at the time. Which is smart, as we don't know how the landscape will evolve - maybe one day we'll be ready for a P/R competition, if we're conditioned/prepared properly for it. So I suppose, never say never.