Whoever would be willing to take the rights. Probably no one would to begin with but as the competition gets bigger then that will change. 

Over the longer term, fans would be abandoning the HAL for this second tier to follow actual clubs. 

@ thejollyvic

Both. FTA would suit SBS right and Fox broadcasting some if not all the others. Can't see Optus picking it up sadly

Screw SBS, there coverage and advertising is appalling.

I think that's going a bit far tbh.

No Manchester United and the other EPL Clubs are not empty shells, but rather massive clubs and an enterprise in their own right, which actually own their IP. 

National Teams are owned by the National Federation. Plus, they are not an actual entity. 

No one finds reasons to hate their code. we hate the stagnation, and the boredom as well as the lack of direction. We hate how other teams are excluded from having a pathway, and the dire junior and talent development which has gone backwards in the last 10 years. 

I don't think it is.

If the HAL remains as is, then fans will adopt the Tier 2 in droves. 

Well you can screw SBS if you like, maybe get in line with all the FTAs wanting to broadcast the HAL - oh that's right, there aren't any. Must be all the empty shells and all and they're just waiting for some real clubs to form a competition ffs

Sorry what point are you proving? That the current format is dire thus why we are stuck with SBS?

I don't agree, but that's my opinion.
Best news I have heard for a long time though.

Yes its because of all the empty shells.

EPL games, if they were in a prime slot, would have higher ratings than the A League. our conversion rate from Junior levels to the so called 'Euro-snob', is appalling. 

contrast that with actually providing the NPL with something to play for and things could change. 

FFA is now at the crossroads. It can either do nothing, or embrace change and let this game flourish. 

OK.

But we won't know for sure until it happens. This is one of things that makes this so exciting. it's exciting because the sky is the limit, literally. 

@ CitySam

I think the point is there's a few folks here wanting to ignore history and repeat the same mistakes of the past. "Get out of the way HAL, the real clubs are coming to save the day", right then ... let's further divide football because it's worked so well for us in the psst hasn't it.

Yeah mate, it is exciting.

As someone who is definitely on the category you say, i don't have a problem with the current clubs, i have a problem on how the closed system the league is in, is not allowing all these clubs a chance to actually be part of the league system.

The current set up is segregating football as anyone who wants to support a local club in the actual league system is devoid of that opportunity.

somehow, even though its a good initiative, I get the feeling it won't get far. Would be nice it if it showed the FFA how to build a league though 

Would this be a winter competition or a summer competition?  If it was a summer competition the FIFA Regs say that it couldn't have games run in conflict with the A-League unless it was run by the FFA.

I'd assume winter.

Let the clubs start off streaming their own games. Heidelberg charge $7 each game for their home games.

Hopefully it has pro/rel down and not just another closed shop like the HAL

I reckon the competition will involve the top 14 clubs of the NPLs nation wide, although WA might be a challenge (hope not). 

Such a model would have to involve promotion/relegation. 2 drop and 2 up type of scenario after a playoff between the State Champions. 

Really love the idea of streaming. I was impressed about Heidelberg doing this. Way to go to them. 

@ City Sam

Not sure when the divide occurred but it was there in Old Soccer/New Football from the get go .. but I'm not sure what problem Eurosnobs have?

The failure of the ffa to even attempt to bridge that divide in the last 15 years is a fatal mistake, but an even bigger mistake would be to think kids who have grown up with the A League could discard their clubs (franchises or not, I've never heard young Roar supporters discussing the franchise structure lol) and recalibrate to clubs they have no actual memory of or connection with. Unfortunately for critics the HAL clubs have developed a strong following

Hopefully common sense prevails - a national second division is required and it must be a sustainable competition without p/r because if it isn't, it won't be sustainable with it either.

The AFL must be laughing their socks off st football lately, we look like we couldn't organise a piss up in a Brewery and even if we did - it would be the wrong dirt if Brewery and we would want to let everyone in jyst in case they liked the old Brewery. Divided football can't grow but all we seem to have is people wanting division
- and I include the ffa in that

Yes, and then we'll all start shitting gold nuggets

A second tier without Promotion/relegation would be just repeating the same fatal flaws.

In other words, we are cutting off the rest of the NPLs and setting them adrift with nothing to play for. The whole pur[pose of signing up all 125 clubs is so that all these clubs are treated equally and can have a crack at Tier 2. There should also be promotion relegation between Tier 2 and A League with an opt out clause if the club doesn't have the finances or doesn't meet some criteria.  

No one said all HAL Fans would abandon their teams in the A league. Some will and some won't. some of the older fans that feel disillusioned with the current status quo just might. 

And no one has anything against the current A League clubs. This shouldn't be an us and them mentality, but the FFA is trying very hard to divide soccer even more and create this antipathy. 

Now just imagine the next Cinderella story where a Tier 2 gets promoted and takes out the A league? This is what it's all about. 

So what will this magical 2nd division league going to be name? A-League B???.

It should be the a A2-League, following the J League convention.

No way. Not B League hopefully.

National Australia League, National Football League, Australian Premier league or something like that. Anyweay, these are just minor details. What is important, is that they come up with a framework, and hopefully with the FFAs full cooperation.

If everyone works together, then this will be the best outcome for all involved including the A League. 

National Premier League 1 for starters.

All the state leagues can be called NPL 2 etc etc.

At least that way the FFA (read Gallop and co) can distance themselves from it.

Purely just a national league for all the best state league clubs, much like the old NSL.

If it ever becomes more professional and/or P&R between that and the AL then I reckon it should them be called the A2 League.

@ mouflonrouge

I get your point on p/r being essential and if you've seen my earlier posts you'll know I'm a supporter of D2 and p/r. My point though is it must be sustainable (at first) without promotion in place. Which it can be if the right model is selected and unfortunately - the right clubs elevated at first (which goes against the natural democracy this is meant to represent) but a national NPL playing to crowds of a few hundred won't cut it or survive in the same way as the NSL struggled, it will too.

It is in essence building a pyramid which it's not rocket science to know you build pyramids from the ground up and only build the next layer when the current one is stable -the irony is the ffa only built the Apex which stands alone today but it is what it is, open up p/r too soon and even the HAL could collapse if the next later is unstable. And professional football ain't coming back from another implosion.

If it's going to work it has to run in parallel to the HAL so to dies the NPL. Or we cut off p/r at a certain level eg NPL and risk dividing lower down. And it doesn't not matter which way you move things it will create probkems - I go to 30 HAL games every season plus 10+ NPL games but overlap with junior football and I'd be lucky to get to half that, certainly there'll be no more away trips and I won't be alone in that

The ffa should be leading this debate but are both incapable and untrusted to do it - again, as I said before, football needs a credible header or the various factions will only make things worse, and I include the ffa as a faction too

i'm juggernaut bitch

Best news I've heard all month