NRL must lead on expansion to stop rumours: Pisasale

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Paul Pisasale is asking for Ipswich people to get behind the Ipswich Jets in the Intrust Super Cup grand final against the Townsville Blackhawks to be played at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
Photo: Rob Williams / The Queensland Times STIRRER: Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale stirred up Knights fans on radio this morning and has called for the NRL to show leadership on expansion to stop rumours. Rob Williams
IF the NRL wants to stop ridiculous rumours about the Newcastle Knights relocating to Ipswich it must show more leadership on expansion generally.

That is the word from Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale, also the Western Corridor NRL bid patron, after he responded to a firestorm created by relocation suggestions in today's Daily Telegraph.

Cr Pisasale raised hell himself on Newcastle radio this morning when he said Ipswich would welcome a relocated Knights if that ever eventuated.

That is at odds with what both Knights legend Matthew Johns and Western Corridor NRL bid chairman Steve Johnson have told the QT.

The duo is opposed to relocation and both agree Ipswich and the region deserves its own home grown team.

Johnson was not overly critical of Cr Pisasale when told of his remarks and understood he was promoting Ipswich, as he does at every opportunity.

But Johnson did agree with Cr Pisasale that the NRL needed to show more leadership on expansion.

"It is about time the NRL woke up to themselves and started looking after the fans and the game," Cr Pisasale told the QT.

"My message to the NRL is that these (Knights) rumours circulate because there is no direction on expansion from the top.

"They have all these bid teams competing to put a team in. It has been going on for years and it is the longest process I have seen in my life.

"They are confusing fans. They are confusing hard working people in the the game and no-one at the top seems to have a clue where they are headed with it."

"The only thing keeping this great game of rugby league going is the fans and TV (revenues)."

Cr Pisasale said he could assure the NRL the city would rally around an NRL side.

"They want to expand a team into Perth, but there is no city in the world more supportive of rugby league than Ipswich and we saw that on Saturday night when the Jets played the Broncos here and put in a magnificent display," he said.

"What I love about the Jets and the Walker brothers (Ben and Shane) is that they train people from the grassroots and into the NRL. They don't buy players. They nurture them.

"That is what it is all about - about young people staying in the city and working through all the teams and playing for Australia.

"When it comes to corporate support we have some of the biggest in the country and the world - Bombardier, Sekisui House, Stocklands and Mirvac and all the rest."

Cr Pisasale explained why he was on radio in Newcastle inflaming the fans down there.

"I've been on Newcastle radio because of the Knights going to Ipswich rumours," Cr Pisasale told the QT.

"They wanted me to assure the people of Newcastle that we agreed to keep our hands off the cotton pickin' Knights."

The QT said to Cr Pisasale that we hoped he had agreed to keep his hands off the Knights.

"No," he replied.

"I hadn't heard anything about this relocation and no-one had approached me.

"But Ipswich is a rugby league town with the biggest membership base of the Brisbane Broncos.

"One thing I said is that if the Knights ever do come to Ipswich we will look after them like they are our own.

"It is not about relocating a team, it is about getting a team that can call Ipswich home.

"They can work with the Jets and everybody here.

"The Brisbane Lions were once Fitzroy, so it can work.

"I am happy to give everything a go, but they won't be called the Newcastle Knights and they will have to play by our rules."

https://m.qt.com.au/news/nrl-must-lead-on-expansion-to-stop-rumourspisasale/3142777/


Eveb the publicity seeking mayor states Ipswich is a rugby league town....

Commissioner Don Garber confident over MLS' expansion to 28 teams

MLS commissioner Don Garber is confident in the league's expansion to 28 teams
MLS commissioner Don Garber is confident in the league's expansion to 28 teams

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber is confident the league can successfully expand to 28 teams.

The 2017 MLS season is set to get underway this weekend - live on Sky Sports - with the introduction of two new teams to the league, Atlanta United and Minnesota United.

The new MLS season kicks off this week, watch LA Galaxy v FC Dallas at 9pm on Saturday, Sky Sports 2

The addition of two more teams takes MLS' overall league total to 22 clubs for the 2017 season, with that number expected to rise to 24 by 2018 with the arrival of Los Angeles FC and David Beckham's Miami franchise.



Live on Sky Sports 2 HD
"We've just announced we're going to add four new teams to go from 24 to 28 teams which would be the largest professional division one league in the world," Garber told Sky Sports News HQ.

Former Barcelona head coach Tata Martino will be in charge of MLS newcomers Atlanta United this season

"12 cities from around the United States have submitted bids over the last 30 days and great cities where we don't have teams like San Diego, St Louis, Sacramento, Nashville.

"These are really big cities with millions of people and they don't have a division one team to call their own with their own stadium.

"We will be a 28 team league and I think that will be it for us.

"We've got to settle into the right format, build more value and popularity within our markets. Get those stadiums up and operating and that's going to take many years to manage and roll out effectively."


With the new MLS season kicking off on Saturday, Garber is excited about the storylines the 2017 season will deliver.

"We've got a lot of new stories coming up," he said. "We've got new teams in Atlanta, in Minnesota and a new stadium in Orlando.

"This is a league which continues to grow and we like to think of it as a league of choice for players and fans."

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12096/10786498/commissioner-don-garber-confident-over-mls-expansion-to-28-teams

You tell em son

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2017/03/02/expansion-criteria-delay-disgrace-promising-youngsters

Bid replay


The announcement that the A-League will not expand until at least 2018 appears to have done little to deter the Tasmanian push.
In a blow to consortiums across the country, Football Federation Australia said this week that any expansion of the national soccer league “will require significant more capital investment” and “would not happen before the 2018-19 season”.

However, The Examiner understands that far from being derailed, the Tasmanian push for inclusion remains firmly on track.

The consortium fronted by wealthy Melbourne businessmen Harry Stamoulis and Robert Belteky declined to comment on the development but is believed to be pushing ahead with proposals for a Hobart-based side playing some matches in Launceston.

The team remains resolute about the bid and continues to liaise with the Tasmanian Government.

Premier Will Hodgman has said he is supportive of attempts to include Tasmania in the competition.
On Friday, a spokesperson for the Premier said: “This is a very exciting proposal for Tasmania, however speculation about state government funding is premature.”

Existing A-League clubs are believed to be largely supportive of expansion providing it does not impose additional financial burdens.

The Tasmanian bid, which claims to have the support of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Hobart City Council, is enhanced by its financial stability and the fact that it does not encroach on any existing club’s fan base.
FFA announced last year its desire to expand the A-League from 10 teams to 12. It said it intended to release criteria for inclusion to would-be franchises early this year but backtracked on Tuesday.

A statement on the A-League website said: “The FFA’s analysis found that expanding the A-League by two teams under the current model would result in net losses over the next six years.

“This is because grant distributions to the new clubs, and the increase in costs to FFA for operational matters such as transport would be greater than the additional revenue the clubs would generate through broadcast arrangements and sponsorships. As the FFA is a not-for-profit organisation that redistributes all of its income into the clubs and other parts of the game, such losses are not sustainable.”

FFA CEO David Gallop said the priority was to protect the value of the existing league licences.

“We want to expand the leagues but this has to happen as part of a new structure,” he said.

“We know that those consortia that have expressed an interest in joining the league would want to be part of something that is financially sustainable and attractive as a sound investment.”

SBS has reported that “up to 12” interested parties are keen to join an expanded A-League.

http://www.examiner.com.au/story/4506186/bid-replay/

"Existing A-League clubs are believed to be largely supportive of expansion providing it does not impose additional financial burdens"

If clubs want to come in and support themselves in an initial period they should be considered and welcomed.

There's your A2-League.

But again that would be south and we cant have that.

Its criminal. We could have an 11 team league right now. Last season even. With a whole slew of new fans making lots of noise. Beggars belief. 

Time for dat low cost model

Yep, a whole slew of new fans in their hundreds without spending 1 marketing dollar. Perfect criteria. Can't wait!

Agreed. You gotta give credit where its due. Theyre the consummate marketeers.. Not hard granted when your actions match/exceed your rhetoric.

And there actions are in their hundreds of fans chanting Hellas, operating as a Greek club and entity they call Hellas, run by personnel with Greek heritage. Not rhetoric but fact.

Even if what you said was true, it would still have no bearing on the raging success they'd be. 

A-League expansion: Heffernan says teams in Sutherland and Wollongong could impact like WSW

AN A-League super club covering St George, Sutherland and South Coast would be “massive” for football but would it empower the region like the Wanderers did for Sydney’s west?

Fox Sports football expert Dean Heffernan believes there’s enough interest in the Southern Sydney region to have two distinct teams enter an expanded A-League competition.

The former Sutherland Sharks and Wollongong Wolves player says the mooted Southern Expansion bid uniting three local football associations would be “massive”, but he would rather see the A-League expand with one team in Sutherland and one team in Wollongong.

Ante Covic, currently playing with National Premier League club Rockdale, believes creating two new teams in the area at the same time would cause “oversaturation”, but agrees that the A-League needs to expand and Southern Sydney is the perfect place for it to happen.

COMPETITION: Expansion rivals respond to South Sydney bid

WHY SOUTH SYDNEY IS RIGHT FOR EXPANSION

“I know it’s a very passionate region,” Covic told foxsports.com.au.

“The A-League has to grow and I think Sydney is a City that’s sustainable for three teams.”

Heffernan said: “If they did that it [in Southern Sydney] it would be massive. 100% it would be massive.

He added: “We need expansion and it would be like a breath of fresh air to the league just like the FFA Cup was and the Wanderers were.”

Zachary Mackenzie of the Wolves and David Carney of Sydney FC during an FFA Cup clash.
Zachary Mackenzie of the Wolves and David Carney of Sydney FC during an FFA Cup clash.Source: Getty Images
ONE “SOUTHERN EXPANSION” TEAM WOULD MISS AN OPPORTUNITY

Heffernan is convinced an A-League team combining three associations in Sydney’s South will “100% work” but it wouldn’t inspire the same support the Wanderers did at their inception.

A big factor is that the team’s home games would be split between WIN Stadium (Wollongong), Shark Park (Cronulla) and Jubilee Oval (Kogarah) while Chinese property giant JiaYuan Group - who will financially back the bid - look into building a boutique stadium to host the club.

“People in The Shire want to support a Shire team. I know that Wollongong people are the same about Wollongong,” Heffernan told foxsports.com.au.

“Are you going to get people supporting that from the Shire supporting the team, driving an hour down to Wollongong to watch a game? Possibly, but it’s not going to be like the Wanderers.

“It’s not going be like (with Western Sydney, where) they’re coming from one area for one team they support.

“I think football in this country is big enough to have two separate clubs (in that region), for sure.”

Nikolai Topor-Stanley screams after a Mark Bridge goal in 2012.
Nikolai Topor-Stanley screams after a Mark Bridge goal in 2012.Source: News Limited
HEFF’S CASE FOR TWO TEAMS

Heffernan believes one team in The Shire could replicate the hype and success of the Wanderers when they were created.

“I really think that in The Shire it could be just like the Wanderers did; the way they set it up with the fan forums, the fans picking the name, the fans picking the colours,” he said.

“You get Shire people on board like that and they’ll follow, they’ll come to the games.”

He also noted that when Sydney FC have taken games down to WIN Stadium in Wollongong, the crowd figures have been “huge”.

“When you go to WIN Stadium it’s full and they love it and it’s a real good football culture,” he said, adding: “there’s loads of kids playing the game in the Shire as well.”

Covic believes initially only one expansion team in Southern Sydney would be a viable option.

“If we have 12 teams and one’s a South Sydney and one’s a Wollongong, I think that’s oversaturation,” he said.

Sydney FC and Newcastle Jets walk onto the WIN Stadium pitch before a match in 2015.
Sydney FC and Newcastle Jets walk onto the WIN Stadium pitch before a match in 2015.Source: Getty Images
“Right now if we have 12 teams to put two in such proximity? No I don’t think it’s a viable option.

“In a 14-team, 15-team competition that can be brought up but there would have to be a discussion first... All the infrastructure and everything has to be sorted out.

“If we do go with a South Sydney or a Wollongong then the other option I think has to be from outside a broader Sydney area.”

Despite Heffernan’s passion for the Wollongong and Sutherland regions, he recognises that having one or two teams in Southern Sydney would both work, but creating one would be “playing it safe”.

“We know 100% that will work but I definitely feel like Wollongong Wolves or The Shire could have their own teams,” he said.

MORE BIDS THE BETTER

Covic doesn’t think the announcement of a Southern Sydney expansion bid will hurt Wollongong Wolves’ chances of entering the A-League as it “opens the discussion”.

“I don’t think it’s a negative for either one,” said Covic.

“If one group sees a South Sydney team and one sees a Wollongong team, that’s great – it opens the discussion.

“I think it’s a great thing that if there’s a different consortiums that obviously have the right backing, outlook for the future on what they want to achieve, and the right structure.

“That just means there’s interest in our game and there’s opportunities and people that want to be involved in our game; it’s just making sure we get the right people.”


Covic said the next step is to weigh up which bid would help improve the A-League.

“You have to weigh up in which ways does each add value to the league," he said.

“How [will it work] financially? What’s their vision? What can they bring to the league? That opens it up a discussion about which scenario would be a better fit.

He also believes the Southern Sydney bid will be “the first of many”.

“Whether they’ve come out early or should’ve waited, that’s beside the point,” he said.

“The discussion isn’t there about when these two new teams or when the league will expand. They decided to get the backing in, it doesn’t mean they’re the frontrunners. They put in the proposal and I think that’s great.”

http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/aleague-expansion-heffernan-says-teams-in-sutherland-and-wollongong-would-impact-like-wsw/news-story/22a35603bb92c0bbe7865c47a8537dd6

This is coming from someone who has lived in the St. George area his whole life. I honestly think this is a bad idea to combine all three areas to form one "super-club".

As much as I would like to have a team represent my area, I think I would rather see a Woolongong team or a Sutherland team be introduced. I absolutely loathe the idea of sharing home grounds. All three of these areas have their own identity, and I think not now but eventually in x amount of years that each area would be able to have their own team.  

I know this is biased, but from what I have read, there are far more SFC supporters from the Shire than the St. George area, so why not have a St. George team and a Woolongong team instead. I think it makes more sense also considering there's more of a distance between St. George and the Illawarra region than there is between Illawarra and Sutherland. 


Either way I will still support this "super club" if it does in fact come to life. Just my opinion.

So looks like were sorted then. Australis Sydney, Redbull fc (bris2?), Geelong Patriots, minus the Nix's. 12 team HAL. And boom! we dont need to come up for air until the next tv deal in 6 years. 

Lol what a joke. 

Any update on the victorian revolt meeting against the FFA on Monday night? http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/victorian-clubs-plan-revolt-to-force-aleague-promotion-and-relegation-20170305-gur017.html

not in this thread

Sounds good. I'll enjoy the extra teams.

There's derby potential in the battle of the Southampton - South Melbourne Vs South Sydney.

Something to ponder at least.

The NPL revolt is on the cards as well. Apparently NPL teams from NSW and South Australia have signed up too.

This is the precursor to a truly National NPL comp.

We could end up in a position of having 2 National Comps within a couple of years. The A League and a rebel National Soccer League NPL.

The rebel national League where players, club officials and any rebel match officials are banned by FIFA.  It won't be able to be called the NSL or NPL and the funding that goes to the state feds to assist the running of the NPL will be able to be used for something else.  By the way if the clubs are banned then they won't be able to compete is any of the under age competitions I would think.

Cartels are great aren't they.

Not necessarily! That's because excluding clubs at the NPL level isn't entirely legal according to FIFA statutes which is why the FFA are in hot water trying desperately to cling on.

FIFA won't deny the NPL a pathway. And FIFA do not like the HAL model.

The HAL model probably also violates a number of Federal Laws. There is certainly a case to answer to in terms of exclusion and also racist policies. No one has challenged them on it though but if they do, you can bet there would be an inquiry.

The whole basic principle for soccer, is to have a pathway for clubs and players. Only then can the game progress because it opens the Football market right up to all fans.

Right now, we are divided. Thousands of people have been driven from the game. I think you guys call them the Eurosnobs as a derogatory term supposedly. But yourselves in their shoes. They don't want to support an FFA Licence. It's not a club. And their clubs have been told to go away.

The entire FFA/A League concept is based on a totalitarian and UN democratic business model controlled by a select few privileged and wealthy people. It's an impregnable tight little circle which will give none of us here, the time of day.

Where in the FIFA Standard Statutes does it say that there must be a pathway between the competitions of a subordinate Regional Association (our state feds) and the competitions of the Member Association (our FFA)?  I can't find one.

The FFA are in hot water because our constitution does not comply with their Standard Statutes on the issue of membership which FIFA want to follow the principle of representative democracy.

In theory couldn't clubs just own the teams in a rebel league?

Just put a sponsor in their name like the EuroLeague basketball (Barcelona Lassa, Galatasary Odeabank, Panathinaikos Superfoods) and have a varied logo/emblem

Example

South Melbourne and Melbourne Knights continue to play in the NPL, FFA Cup etc

And South Chicko Rolls Melbourne and Melbourne Pepsi Knights play in s rebel league.

Of course you have the cost of 2 squads and the NPL would be much weaker but they can maintain their junior setups.

Gyfox,

You find it yourself but you can bet your bottom dollar that not having a pathway is asking for trouble if the NPL clubs get together and start throwing tantrums about them not having a pathway and having a closed shop.

I think everyone knows this now.

The NPL clubs have been quiet because they were waiting for the expansion criteria and no one was prepared to rock the boat. Now, the FFA are scrambling to buy time and delay the inevitable. The game is going to change whether the FFA like it or not.

What they are trying to do is wait until some other entities get their act together and exclude others which are ready to go. It won't work because there are laws which any good legal firm will be happy to take on.

This is all I could find in a brief look through FIFAs statutes.

Page 73. https://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/02/78/29/07/fifastatutsweben_neutral.pdf 

9 Principle of promotion and relegation

1. A club’s entitlement to take part in a domestic league championship shall depend principally on sporting merit. A club shall qualify for a domestic league championship by remaining in a certain division or by being promoted or relegated to another at the end of a season.
2. In addition to qualifi cation on sporting merit, a club’s participation in a domestic league championship may be subject to other criteria within the scope of the licensing procedure, whereby the emphasis is on sporting, infrastructural, administrative, legal and fi nancial considerations. Licensing decisions must be able to be examined by the member association’s body of appeal.
3. Altering the legal form or company structure of a club to facilitate its qualifi cation on sporting merit and/or its receipt of a licence for a domestic league championship, to the detriment of the integrity of a sports competition, is prohibited. This includes, for example, changing the headquarters, changing the name or transferring stakeholdings between different clubs. Prohibitive decisions must be able to be examined by the member association’s body of appeal.
4. Each member association is responsible for deciding national issues, which may not be delegated to the leagues. Each confederation is responsible for deciding issues involving more than one association concerning its own territory. FIFA is responsible for deciding international issues involving more than one confederation