https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/auckland-a-leagues-franchise-team-name-set-to-be-announced/BQLA6RCBFJFONPVPTRS4YETT4A/

Really hope Brimmer doesn't head over there.
I reckon JMac going would be doing MC a favour. Doesn't bring enough to the table and is only effective when the squad has wingers and attacking mids in peak form.
Same can be said for Bruno at MV. Although Bruno still has something to offer, but shouldn't be the starting striker.
I reckon Brattan wouldn't be a huge loss for SFC. Still has something to offer, but past his peak and they should be able to pick up a better player to fill his role.

I love how we have to be a crutch for NZ football...do not know what they bring to us (and don't say the peanuts for the NZ tv deal)

Couldn't agree more. Boot them both out.

Muz, I usually agree with you but not on this. 
I lived in and near Auckland for 10 years and I recall the excitement when the Knights were launched. Attendances were decent too until the team morphed into the worst pro side I've ever seen.
There's a commercially decent size football public in Auckland and reckon this new club will bring a lot of positives to the A League. We need scale, and Auckland delivers a city of 2 million people. 

Mate good for you and good for New Zealand. I'm glad you're excited but I'm coming at it from the angle of they bring nothing to Australian football and shouldn't be in our comp.

They're taking up professional spots that should be going to Australian footballers. Additionally they bring nothing in the way of revenue and they're a drain on Australian teams.

Like I said good for you but if it were up to me I'd bring 3 Australian sides in tomorrow that met the criteria.

Goooooo Auckland Franchise....  yay

They brought in a 15 million fee. While I agree it's not much and merely a one off, especially as they won't bring any other tangible revenue into the pool (like TV money), it's not "nothing". I'd say it covers the first 5 years before the fee has run its course covering what we send back over annually, then the club becomes a more traditional kiwi looking for its aussie dole cheque.

Wellington brought nothing and were on the take from day 1.

Can you remember where this figure came from ?

Various numbers get thrown around. Saw 15 million but can't remember exactly where. This article puts it at 18 million but lumps Canberra into that, so maybe an average of the two? Who knows

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/a-league-expansion-talks-cools-as-interest-in-16-team-competition-wanes/KWOT2SPMSFF6XMXMPCZR2HRMWY/

They  should avoid the words Knights at all costs. Disastrous associations with failure. 

No competing tradition as in Aus, mono. You can suspend hostilities. 

What they deliver is scale... A bigger competition. That money is was not available for an Australian option. 

After all it is the world game .

No hostilities Charlied, sorry if it came across that way.. Just pointing out they are happy to call themselves a "franchise"..... 

Exactly we are trying to grow the league & as we see with Canberra & Newcastle, we are limited in Australia.

You don't know that and that's not the point. Licenses shouldn't go to who has the most money otherwise give one to Bali or Singapore.

Also its likely Canberra will be next cab off the rank.

It was $25 million from memory.

i don't think this is true - have wellington brought scale? nobody cares less about them, this year they are only getting half decent crowds. TV figures are not good either

I'm with muz, they actually are a drag on our professional football set up

Apart from the 900 clubs that are already here

If we have a Full Pyramid that splits in to regions lower down I have no problems with New Zealand being one of them

With $25 million?

I live in the Gold Coast region. Decent population, decent stadium. To say I am was disappointed that Gold Coast wasn't in the discussion is a huge understatement. Like you, I would much prefer an Australian option, but there was never any suggestion that the money was there for an Australian option. 
Really, Canberra and the Gold Coast are all that's left here. Anyone who suggests Tasmania, a place I know very, very well, really does not understand them context down there. The economy is a shambles and they are are losing people to the mainland - and there will be no government support.
That's the trouble, Muz. We have a small population and with Canberra in, the only vacancy isn't Gold Coast. There is no realistic capacity for second teams in Perth, Brisbane, or Adelaide. 
We need more teams, and if New Zealand is the only option, sobeit. 

*the only vacancy is Gold Coast 

Yeah, I detest the word too. The original ugly American. 

I wonder why new dawners get so aggravated over the term though.... If the actual owners see it as buying into a franchise why are the customer insulted... People visit Mcdonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut all the time. They know there is much healthier, tastier, better food options elsewhere but they like the quick, one size fits all convenience of the franchise...

Sure its not for everyone but plenty are content to live in this space.

Yep and I personally never, ever buy from fast food franchises. Blanket rule. 

I think that using the term franchise was a huge mistake. There must have been a way FAA could have situated them as clubs. 

When the FFA and now the APL OWN the clubs IP, their name, their website, their actuall identity that is EXACTLY what they are a franchise of business run by a corporation.... and they have paid a lfranchsee license fee for the honour of doing so.
Perth Glory (so sad that they had to sell their IP to get into the Aleague) is not different than Michelle's Patisserie... If head office say "sell this", then they "sell that". 

The weird thing is that all of the A-League clubs and league trademarks are still listed as being owned by Football Australia.
About 7 years ago, the company I work at purchased another company. I remember one of the key things that happened was going through the process of assigning a new owner to a couple of trademarks the other company had (absolute pain in the arse from memory). The only trademarks owned by APL are related to themselves, keepup and the 'A' logo which isn't actually registered as being the A-League logo but rather just an 'A' logo. Seems very odd to me that it hasn't happened with the AL clubs and league. Maybe there is just some licensing agreement with Football Australia and the clubs/APL.