Err read the thread. It wasn't Sage.

Is that a slap in the face for Waz?

VAR

Amazing what a little incentive will do.
Now that clubs are running they league they are  already looking at ways to make it bigger ,better and more profitable .
They have come up with more ideas in one month than the FFA did in 15 years .
That's Private Enterprise v Government thinking (read FFA for Government).

well I think 16 teams is ambitious in the next 5-10 years, but thats the number they're talking about. add the second tier to that and we might not be far that off. 

"regionally targeted expansion plan"

This sounds to me like what Greg O'Rourke talked about on his interview with The World Game, where area's are identified as an expansion location and then let the bids come from that area.

Marketing, attendances, ratings...

New mob, same focus

Are you seriously suggesting the old mob focussed on marketing? 

And attendances and ratings? Yeah, only a friggin lemming would ignore two of the most fundamental metrics though lol. 

Waz

Some time ago in distance past, I read where some media and sporting organisations paid people to post crap on rival sites... I do wonder aloud given how consistent some posters are if they are not in the pay of another code or media outlet or are they some sad old man with nothing else better to do ... 

Won't it be awesome if they included teams from SEA in the HAL and one day they became the dominant teams?  (Grand finals between two foreign teams, etc, etc.)
How interesting for Australian fans/audiences.

Attendances and ratings are a measure of success, not a product in itself

Start a new business: We want customers. Well duh!

Improve the football, improve the fan base. Focusing on how to improve the fan base independent of how to improve the game is nonsensical

It’s easy to find articles if you look. 

Oct 2013
"There's no reason why you can't look seriously at games and even certainly clubs being based in different parts of Asia," the head of the A-League, Damien de Bohun, told reporters at the launch of the new season.”

https://www.worldfootball.net/news//_n883302_/football-a-league-mulls-asia-expansion/

Mar 15 (Fong)

"A-League boss Damien De Bohun mentioned a couple of years ago the possibly of one or two couple of teams from Asia playing in the A-League – I believe the time to make that happen could be now. 

"It could provide unheard of and fantastic growth for the A-League ... there would be obstacles but they wouldn’t necessarily be insurmountable."

Fong believes Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong or Macau could be fertile territory for start-up franchises backed by Asian consortiums, which would potentially expose the A-League to a population base in excess of half a billion across the region.

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/roar-boss-leads-calls-for-a-league-asian-expansion

"I am opposed to any Asian expansion until we have 12 successful teams here," said Sage.

https://amp.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/asia-not-on-the-agenda-for-aleague-says-gallop-20150331-1mc0ev.html

Nov 16

“In fact, Smith says he had nine out of the 10 A-League club owners in his Sydney hotel room and “everybody was interested...

“It lacks an excitement at the top and bottom end. Top is if you win it and go into Asia, but the bottom, there’s no relegation.”

Charlesworth issued Smith the challenge: he’ll provide the funds, if you think you can make a breakthrough with the other nations, the clubs and FIFA.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/exclusive-jon-smith-details-aleague-expansion-plan-into-south-east-asia-rejected-by-frank-lowy/news-story/2f291420d52b8799c2375d80778c7c1b?nk=f73cc085a1e417ab7ddc2390ab111b27-1565758775

read the last article Waz

“Smith said nine out of the 10 club owners “thought it was going to enhance the value of my franchise”
“I’d love to re-visit it,” Smith added. “I’ve got the plan, I only have to blow the dust off it. You’d have to start again, with a different FIFA administration, but we’re quite friendly with Infantino (new FIFA boss Gianni Infantino), and the different personnel at AFC.”

We also have Sage reminding everyone of these plans systematically.

However in professional sport, the fans are not the only "customer" . You also have sponsors, advertisers, food/bev/merch vendors, media companies, etc. The fans are only a segment of the entire combined revenue and probably not the largest segment. 

Thats right

The FFA understand that the biggest value in the A League is the value of the licence. We have seen this with the sales of West Sydney, etc... As well as the bidding process. In fact there is a large push to sell licences internationally to chase more money due to the heavy competition here

Now where have we seen this approach... Let me think... Oh thats right, its the exact same thing (substitute interstate with international) that the AFL tried when it had outgrown Victoria and looking for more revenue

Yet we have billion dollar international investors looking to buy a team and develop it competitively but we turn it away because it doesnt fit the template of how the game should run in this country. CFG money is too risky, so we need to rely on predictable and stable sources of income such as the Foxtel TV deal....

Being part of a global game gives us different opportunities, and also different risks. The AFL / NRL could never dream of an all inclusive 600+ team national cup. Ours is a 32 team preseason hit out with nothing on the line. Other Asian countries use their national cup as their national cup

As long as we copy the Australian template we'll continue to lose revenue and opportunities because we dont know what they look like. And well never be able to gain ground on the AFL / NRL by doing exactly what they do, only being 1/3 of the size

The game will only grow by bringing in unbias external expertise who arent believers of this "Australian way".

It will be interesting to see how your thinking plays out on the pitch this year with Robbie Fowler seeming to have open slather on the running of the BR Football program. I suspect he will deliver more success than others think possible with the squad he has put together. And I suspect BR will win, or go very close to winning the FFA Cup, as Fowler sees the positive vibes that it will generate for the club and players.

There has been a quite revolution in the lower tiers of English football. Fowler is at the apex of it.

So there’s nothing wrong with focusing on increasing viewership and attendances then lol 

DB spreads crap all the time 

“

The A-League's independence from Football Federation Australia could see Wellington Phoenix remain in the competition for the long term – and the New Zealanders could be joined by another club from their homeland, with an Auckland franchise flagged for 2023.

“

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/soccer/auckland-team-could-join-wellington-phoenix-in-a-league-20190814-p52h4m.html

"Unlike the previous round of expansion in which FFA invited bids from all over the country before deciding on its preferred markets, the next stage of expansion under the guidance of the club owners will only invite bids from specific markets." 

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/soccer/auckland-team-could-join-wellington-phoenix-in-a-league-20190814-p52h4m.html

Despite the deliberate attempts of the usual suspects to misinterpret what "regionally-targetted expansion" means, it's pretty clear it has nothing to do with SE Asia, and simply refers to the above. O'Rourke made this point earlier this year - rather than an open tender from bidders anywhere, future expansion will involve the league selecting a catchment area (like the ACT, or SE Queensland) and then invite bidders representing those regions.

Bidding was only open to Sydney and Melbourne.

Fuck me, I had no idea that Sydney's urban sprawl had grown to include Canberra, Wollongong and Brisbane!

If you think they were in contention then that’s on you.

The latest from Smithies.

"The ultimate aim is to reach a 16-team competition where each team plays the other sides home and away, to reduce “viewer fatigue” at the current third round of games, with an expanded finals series."

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/football/a-league/aleague-club-owners-reveal-16team-expansion-blueprint/news-story/7ce25b194c5aadb30627f08b732aabe3

Remember this what you asked for, or was it?

There should be a distinct advantage to finishing 1st.

winners of -
2 v 7
3 v 6
4 v 5
and 
1 
imo should play semi final week. 

If they want 8 have 7v8 midweek
so

2 v 7/8
3 v 6
4 v 5
&
1

Can someone post that article?

”A-LEAGUE bosses will dictate where new clubs will be established, rather than accept bids from hopeful franchises with their own bases, under plans to expand to a 16-team competition.”

It was smart of APFCA to come out within days of taking over and bring up expansion.

They know how obsessed the Aus football public are with it.

A tactic FFA have used for years.

oh look Adelaide will get a team along with Auckland 

“Second A-League club in SA a real possibility if A-League club ticked off Van der Pol clips former Reds boss Marco Kurz; Famous Stokes boys popular on TV”

https://amp.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/football/a-league/teams/adelaide/second-aleague-club-in-sa-a-real-possibility-if-aleague-club-ticked-off-van-der-pol-clips-former-reds-boss-marco-kurz-famous-stokes-boys-popular-on-tv/news-story/9ca071fa6516dca8dc93fa94439a6fa6?__twitter_impression=true

Lederer made this comment after the two recent expansions.

They seemed to have pulled their website 

https://apfca.com.au

”Talk about SA having a second A-League club is set to become very serious if the State Government backs a push for a new stadium and bids to be part of the 2023 FIFA women’s World Cup.”



dont think we will get it. Does that mean no stadium?

 “A-League bosses will dictate where new clubs will be established, rather than accept bids from hopeful franchises with their own bases, under plans to expand to a 16-team competition. In a complete reversal from how the latest expansion sides Western United and Macarthur were chosen, the A-League will identify key markets driven by consumer numbers and TV eyeballs, and then invite bidders to pitch for licences in those geographical areas.An “international investment roadshow” will be launched to invite funds for new and existing franchises, with existing club owners revealing their hopes of adding up to four new teams in the next broadcast cycle, after the current one expires in 2023.After The Australian revealed the owners’ plans for a 100-day push to reignite interest in the competition, now they have taken control of it away from Football Federation Australia, more detail has emerged of how and where expansion is planned, even before the 11th and 12th sides to be added have kicked a ball.Western United will join this coming season and Macarthur the year after, the first additions to the league since Western Sydney Wanderers in 2012.In a presentation to A-League stakeholders, the owners made clear they want to expand the league ultimately by a further third, but reversing the methodology the FFA used in adding Western United and Macarthur.Continue readingThe owners said they would immediately start identifying markets for expansion.Consortiums would be invited to bid for these specific licences, rather than choose their own base, and be judged on a transparent list of criteria — including stadium plans and commercial viability. Overseas investors will be targeted via the “roadshow” for new clubs but also to provide clubs such as the Central Coast Mariners with extra capital.The aim is to reach a 16-team competition where each team plays the other sides home and away, to reduce viewer fatigue atthe current third round of games, with an expanded finals series.Officials briefed on the plans said the current season length of early October to mid-May would likely remain, to avoid clashes with other codes over ground availability and media interest.Though the final legal points of the A-League’s separation from FFA’s control are still being worked through, the owners have effectively taken control of the competition and are rushing to overhaul its marketing and presentation ahead of the October 11 starting date of the new season.At a two-day summit in Sydney’s Double Bay, the owners have made clear the urgent need to put in place measures to address a 20 per cent fall in attendances since 2013, and a 40 per cent decline in TV viewers over the past three years.For two years the A-League has barely had a marketing campaign worthy of the name, but a catchy new season theme is at the heart of a digital-led drive to reignite awareness.With the league finally in their control following its uncoupling from Football Federation Australia, club owners are embarking on a bold push to reverse sinking ratings and attendances by re-capturing the imagination of the younger demographic.It’s understood the competition’s best marketers have been plucked from several clubs to work with high-profile advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi on a campaign set to feature a season theme targeting kids.The approach harks back to 2005, when a street football-heavy ad backed by a soundtrack to Scribe’s ‘Not Many’ encapsulated the optimistic sentiment of season one.Since then there haven’t been many — if any — carrying quite the same energy.That said, season 2012-13 started with a bang amid the excitement of the Alessandro Del Piero, Shinji Ono and Emile Heskey triumvirate.And the BMF-led ‘You’ve Gotta Have a Team’ campaign of 2016-17, when 10-year-old boy Yoshi visited all 10 A-League clubs and ultimately decided to support Melbourne City, was deemed widely successful in terms of social media engagement and reaching peripheral fans.And yet the following year could not have been more different, with a low-key launch at a suburban ground in Port Melbourne more worthy of a local under-12 team than Australia’s professional league.More often than not the season has kicked off with a whimper, lacking visibility in the direct aftermath of NRL and AFL grand finals. Even last season’s stirring ‘Where Heroes Are Made’, the first work from Saatchi and Saatchi which featured Sam Kerr and Tom Rogic and combined the launch of the A-League and W-League to give both equal prominence, failed to cut through in a season of miserable ratings.It’s understood club owners presented their blueprint to all coaches on Tuesday at Double Bay, and received a round of applause at its conclusion. It’s part of a “first 100 days” blitz to revolutionise the way the competition is marketed and run, which includes transfers between clubs, prize money for successful teams and the 16-team expansion plan.“

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/football/aleagues-bold-plan-to-expand/news-story/b6293435a1bc270d89e7bb948d0f52ae

In b4 libel