Increased sponsorship will help but I still think that cost increases are going to outstrip income increases sadly. If Coopers can get re involved with AUFC that will make a big difference since at the moment they are putting money into AEC coffers and not into AUFC.

As for NYL and W-League, can't help :/ I presume that running costs of NYL are part of AUFC figures already supplied but I don't know - something to get clarified for the next lot of figures I think. W-League team is not funded at all by AUFC Pty Ltd but costs between $50 & $100k per season AFAIK. There would be others who could give a better idea, maybe hit up Danielle Warby or Ann Odong.

The FFA don't have the money available to fund expansion and won't have unless the next broadcast deal that is due in 4 years time delivers it.

and yet you don't disagree with my point about progressing or stagnating?

So, it seems the reasoned thought is that Canberra, Wollongong and North Queensland are the three obvious front runners. two of these should get the nod at the next tv deal, then I guess two more at some following point. Therefore which two will come next time around and who is the other team to join the third of them in the following inclusions? I don't know of the strengths of other bids, but the Ipswich and Geelong ideas seem rather unsubstantiated and it is hard to imagine Tasmania or others having having the financials. Gold Coast seems a no go territory and Sunshine Coast also too small. To me South Western Sydney looks the best idea. Large population, good football following etc. Is there a case for Auckland?
happy to be proven wrong!

Edited by calciopoli: 30/10/2013 05:39:57 PM

I can see Canberra putting a bid together with the assistance of the ACT government but I'm not sure that Wollongong and North Qld will be able to find the money needed. Gallop's motto has always been to "fish where the fish are" so I expect he will be looking for sure fire winners in more populous areas.

I think people will be surprised when expansion is announced, I wouldn't be shocked if no regional areas are announced.

I think people will be surprised when expansion is announced, I wouldn't be shocked if no regional areas are announced.

I'll just assume NYL is in the costs I think and say that to run a lean A-League club with NYL team, which should be the minimum requirement for any expansion team, costs $7m pa.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/soccer/13766579/cash-promise-saves-glory-youth-team/

Cash promise saves Glory youth team

Jonathan Cook, The West Australian May 24, 2012, 7:00 am

Perth Glory owner Tony Sage has recommitted to the National Youth League after assurances from Football Federation Australia the club would receive financial compensation.

But the future of the women's team remains in doubt as local body Football West struggles to find sponsors to offset a funding shortfall of around $100,000.

Sage told _The West Australian _in March he was prepared to breach the conditions of his A-League licence by withdrawing from the NYL because of the high costs associated with running the team.

But the mining entrepreneur, whose company Cape Lambert Resources is facing a $96 million tax bill, said he had changed his mind after FFA assured him that it would provide financial assistance.

"The compensation will give us now an extra $200,000 or $300,000, which basically covers the cost of the youth team," Sage said.

"I never really wanted to lose the youth team but I was willing to do that to maintain Perth Glory.

"If they didn't come up with the compensation I couldn't afford to keep the team in."

But hope of Glory continuing in the W-League is fading fast after Sage said he would cut his support of the women's team.

"It's about $100,000 and that's an extra player for us and it's going to be a tough year," said Sage, who estimates he has spent more than $14 million on the club since taking ownership in 2007.

The women's team is run by the local soccer body but has relied on Sage for financial assistance.

Football West chief executive Peter Hugg said yesterday the organisation was working hard to generate financial support.

"We are currently exploring funding opportunities to ensure a team. But that can't be guaranteed at this point in time," he said.

Glory youth team coach Gareth Naven emphasised the importance of the NYL, which has helped develop a number of senior team players.

"It's a great decision and it's nice to see that we're moving forward," Naven said. "It's a pathway that has to continue. It's also important that we have elite pathways underpinning the NYL."

Naven said despite concerns over the sustainability of a team that has helped nurture the likes of Josh Risdon, Brandon O'Neill and Jesse Makarounas, he had continued to believe the project would not fall by the wayside.

"I was planning as if it was going to happen, so as far as I'm concerned it's full steam ahead," he said.
Naven will oversee trials for players aged 16 to 20 at Inglewood United's 6PR Stadium on June 24 and July 1 and 8. Young players interested in taking part in trials can download selection criteria and a registration form at www.perthglory.com.au .

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/glory-lost-future-of-wleague-in-balance-20120321-1vke1.html

Glory lost: future of W-League in balance

Michael Cockerill, SMH March 22, 2012

...

It's believed Newcastle is the only W-League team wholly financed by its parent club, but the real cost of funding a women's team is about $80,000 to $90,000 a season for the various A-League owners.

...

I tend to agree, Gallop has as mentioned above 'fish where the fish are' & I think 3rd Sydney (maybe including Woolongong), 3rd Melbourne team or 2nd South East Queensland will be next 2 teams into A-League

I think people will be surprised when expansion is announced, I wouldn't be shocked if no regional areas are announced.

Have you even looked at Heart? They're struggling to keep their head above water, and you want to introduce another Melbourne club. We shouldn't even have two at this point.

I can't believe that people don't realise how bad a move Heart were. It'd be like if the VFL/AFL added the Brisbane Bears in 1987, and then added another Brisbane club in 1992. And now you want to add another one!

Edited by Freddie AppsHero: 31/10/2013 05:00:18 AM

Don't really know about Geelong's potential viability but if they did get a team then surely they've have to wear a strip similiar to WBA. Vertical blue and white stripes. Would be a good way to associate themselves with the towns sporting identity while providing for enough of a point of difference from the Cats with their hoops.



Edited by Exile: 31/10/2013 11:31:24 AM

South over knights. Purely because they are structured better to make a smoother transition to being a professional club.

BTW, i wonder how many south fans have moved over to supporting victory, or heart ?

I think Geelong could do a decent job of it tbh - we're a growing city that is screaming for something to do in the summer (already talks of a Big Bash team moving in) and we've got a healthy football pedigree (internationals such as Josip Skoko, Matthew Spiranovic and Joey Didiluca all hail from the city) and a burgeoning local scene. I think the time is perfect in and around the next broadcast deal for Geelong to be considered.

Would probably initially play out of Kardinia Park, but with Shell pulling up stumps in 2016, there's a giant tract of land where the refinery is that would be perfect for a stadium/training base. Right next to Corio train station and the freeway, would be an ideal location.

Idk, I reckon Geelong would work - would certainly prefer it given a go instead of a third Melbourne/Sydney team at this rate.

Have you even looked at Heart? They're struggling to keep their head above water, and you want to introduce another Melbourne club. We shouldn't even have two at this point.

I can't believe that people don't realise how bad a move Heart were. It'd be like if the VFL/AFL added the Brisbane Bears in 1987, and then added another Brisbane club in 1992. And now you want to add another one!

The reason Heart is struggling is because they don't represent something other than 'Not Victory'. Countless suggestions from various forum members have yet to come up with anything that clearly differentiates the franchise.

If they were North Melbourne Heart, or East Melbourne Heart, or whatever, then at least they would have an area that could get behind them...

Any further expansion in Melbourne should be based on a clear geographical link - step beyond the obvious suggestion, and look at it logically... Pick an area, build something there... It would be more successful than Heart.

To be honest, I'd be very disappointed if any of the next four expansion clubs come from either Sydney or Melbourne. At the moment, the SFC/Wanderers divide works perfectly, and there isn't really a logical place where a new club could exist in Sydney- anywhere West is firmly Wanderers territory, North is Mariners/SFC, and Inner and Southern Sydney are all SFC. At the moment, the Wanderers and SFC probably represent nearly all people living in the city who are A-League fans.

In Melbourne, another team would be disastrous. First off, I can't see their crowds being any higher than Heart's (even if it is a state league promo team) and if they were, Heart would be in huge trouble. Victory fans might not see it as a negative, but a 3rd Melbourne team would decimate the Heart- and the league can't afford another dead club.

IMO, the candidates for the next four teams should come from Wollongong, Canberra, Geelong, Townsville, Auckland or Southeast/Central Queensland. Long term, though, more Melbourne and Sydney teams would certainly be viable.

i agree about the sydney part. for melbourne i believe they can field two more sides, one representing all those west of the city towards geelong, and another in the south-eastern suburbs focusing on dandenong and maybe frankston

i would like to see a geelong team wear blue/white stripes home and have a gold kit with black shorts and socks away to recognise the goldfields of ballarat and bendigo

Why? They're different places.

because those areas similarly to darwin, will not be a sustainable place to field a team, so geelong should be the ones to reach out to them, similar to victory doing with tasmania until they get a team.

Why would someone from Ballarat or Bendigo support Geelong if they weren't already supporting Victory or Heart, and if they were supporting a Melbourne team, why would they switch to Geelong?

It'd be like Newcastle wearing gray for Woollongong.

because geelong is equally as far from melbourne as it is to geelong, so if the two melbourne sides are yet to show any activity towards them, it will provide geelong a good opportunity to enhance their target market.

and newcastle to wollongong is approx 3 hours, so its not really a good example to make.