Smfc drives a passionate response

What I am saying is city in particular will grow their fan base if south gets in because there are more fans that hate us as their are that supports us

 Source?

And not sure how you can interpret 'curiosity', as support. I can guarantee that many opponents to SM joining also read the article.

The fact that we have ...
A politically well connected lawyer
A prominent property investor
A representative from our girls team who is also a prominent property investor
A politician former sports minister

.....Makes this bid very real 

Jump on interview via world of football senradio
Via SoundCloud for full interview

Herald sun has now released a poll also

"Selling Out" doesn't quite fit, when you're also paying $5-10 mil for the privelege

Long time reader, but figured its time to join in on the discussion.

Firstly, I am still reserving my excitement for this bid till I see the full details. Yes its a great plan, but as a member of a club ive followed since I could walk and talk, I want to see the finer details first.

Anyway, barring that, theres no need to worry about the crowd issues with SMFC. Whatever attendances we had in the final years of the NSL are not relevant for comparison. We were playing in a dying league that was on its last legs with no advertising or promotion. Give the SMFC brand name the same advertising treatment that every other A-League team gets, and watch us fly.

On top of that, our crowds at times can be all over the shop, and many of our original fans that left the club for greener pastures (Victory etc), still come back to the odd game when its a spectacle. Case in point our first VPL game back in 2005 against rival Heidelberg was played in a jam packed Bob Jane Stadium (and at the time Heibelbergs fan base was 20 people, a yellow and black tarp and a drum). Then once the winter months kicked in, our crowds settled into the 1,000+ mark consisting of the hardcore SMFC fans. Then ones things go spectable wise again, e.g this years grand final, you couldnt fit another ass into that grandstand unless you had a wench.

South Melbourne FC playing in a summer league, with actual advertising, i dont see us getting anything lower than 8k to a game, and thats even against CCM.

Was at least 1500-2000 heidelberg fans at that game...relax with the 20 people lol.

No need to justify the last season of the nsl...we had 3 games over 10k+ whilst newcastlr, wollongong and brisbane were getting about 2000

For anyone unfamiliar with Melbourne, below is a link to map showing the proximity of the three stadiums. They are basically all in the inner suburbs of Melbourne. Depending on traffic they are all around 15-25 mins drive from each other. Meaning any derby would get good attendances as people won't really be travelling any further than they are already used to doing. One little issue that will happen towards the end of the season, is that the F1 grand prix is held in either March or early April and that whole Albert Park area is pretty much inaccessible. This would just mean that the FFA would need to schedule a few consecutive away matches over those weeks that the F1 is being held.

http://118.127.47.51/~tempff2com/melbourne-stadiums.gif

There will be no issue with Grand Prix. We made it work for 8 years in the NSL, and every year since then in the VPL/NPL.
Away matches and use of AAMI park will be the key there.

Scheduling a Derby at Etihad or AAMI during that week would be the smart thing for FFA to do. Take advantage of all the extra tourists.

I used to be against South in the A-League but I'm starting to come round to the idea.  There's no harm in at least asking the question....as long as the bidding process doesn't require a large outlay...why not?

I still think it's all a bit too close. 3 teams playing within an 8km radius of one another. In such a big city, surely there's a better option for the spread of the game?

If Melbourne is to have another club it must be created in the western suburbs. The Knights stadium could be upgraded to become A League standard. 

as they should

I think Melbourne is a bit of a different case compared to other Australian cities, in that our population density is very close to the city. Although I don't like mentioning other codes on here, but the AFL supports 9 clubs in Melbourne with only 2 stadiums primarily being used for all games. Membership at those clubs this year ranged from 38k to 75K (3 clubs have over 72K members each). Victoria doesn't really have any suitable stadiums that are further away from Melbourne CBD (except for Geelong, but I reckon the FFA will look to Geelong further down the track), the only other stadiums are Lakeside and Knights. Lakeside would be ok at first, but the stand only holds 7.4k seated and the rest is standing only. Knights stadium is a similar story with only 3K seats. 

You make it sound so simple..this type of thing takes years of planning..you cant just plonk a new team anywhere for the sake of it. Knights stadium has literally zero transport options. Anything melbourne based is always going to be inner city.

Isn't Lakeside shared with Athletics Victoria on a summer / winter bases?

It's been sorted. Usain Bolt to be South's marquee. He has hinted he wants to live in Australia and play football. Petty squabbles between South and Athletics Australia thus avoided.

Imagine the $$ he would want.

Imagine the curiosity he'd attract though.

Would far outweight the $$$, without one marketing dollar spent.

-PB

I have mentioned him before.

19 mil fb likes. #metrics worthy



I don't think he needs the money and wouldn't imagine he would cost that much.

It would be more the case of if he would want to do it with his time.

David Davutovic on SEN World Football Show.

The only other stadium which has potential imo is Heidleberg but that's not applicable to any expansion sides.
Melb City should be getting the feelers out there for a boutique 18k stadium considering the close proximity to their training base at Latrobe Uni (2km).

I was there at the FFA cup qtr final where it was packed to the rafter. The place has potential and there was minimal traffic congestion post game.

Reckon the FFA would chip in out of the marquee fund? :hehe:

Give Justin Bieber a 4 game deal

x2 would be "interesting" to see.

He could play Big Bash as well, Cross Promotion would be incredible

Dont blush baby

De Vanna signs for South Melbourne as club cranks up push for A-League, W-League

Big signing: Matildas captain, multiple Olympian and World Cup player Lisa De Vanna.
Big signing: Matildas captain, multiple Olympian and World Cup player Lisa De Vanna. Photo: Elesa Kurtz
One of the best known names in the Australian women's game, Matildas captain and multiple Olympian and World Cup player Lisa De Vanna, has returned to Victoria to sign for South Melbourne in the NPL Victoria Women's competition this winter.

De Vanna, now 32, has had a peripatetic career – as so many leading women players of her generation have been forced to do – playing in Australia, Sweden and the US, as well as travelling the world with the national team.

She played in the W-League last season with Premier's Canberra United, who were defeated in the semi final by eventual champions Melbourne City – a club De Vanna had, the previous year, helped win the W-League at their first attempt.

De Vanna will play her first game for South on Sunday when the Albert Park club hosts Bulleen Lions.

The club announced her capture at an opening ceremony for the new $2 million social club facility it has revamped at the Lakeside ground – an infrastructure upgrade aimed at helping push the club's bid for its men's team to win a place in the A-League whenever expansion does take place.

It is also striving to get South's women's team into the W-League sooner rather than later.

Socceroo boss Ange Postecgolou, a former NSL champion as a player with the club and also a dual NSL title winning coach at Lakeside, was one of a number of South identities from its past and present at the function.

De Vanna will work for South as an ambassador as well as playing for the first team.

"This is a club with history and tradition," she said. "Developing the game and its culture is what I am passionate about and South is the club which has the facilities and infrastructure to provide the pathway for me and my future.

"I want to push South and the players to the next level. I want to leave a legacy at South. I love the game and I want to grow the culture and support at South."

The club's chairman Bill Papastergiadis, who is heading up their A-League bid, said: "The club has a history of excellence and has always attracted the best in the country. The signing of Lisa reveals that the club continues this standard.

"Lisa showcases the club's desire to play W League. South has produced 52 Socceroos. But the women's game is just as important now, hence to have one of the most decorated Matildas playing for us is a huge honour."

"South invests in women's football as much as it does in men's."

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/de-vanna-signs-for-south-melbourne-as-club-cranks-up-push-for-aleague-wleague-20170408-gvgoqh.html