The hallowed rugby ground of Brisbane's Ballymore could soon be defiled by the beautiful game – a consortium of local business folk is expected to unveil plans on Friday for a second A-League soccer club for the northern capital.
Plans to establish the club are at an advanced stage, with proponents claiming it would inject new life into Ballymore – a paddock that has been overshadowed by its cross-town rival Suncorp Stadium – and establish a much sought-after derby for the national soccer league in Brissie.
Sources report some big names from the Brisbane business community are involved in the consortium, details of which are expected to be revealed at a news conference on Friday. The new club would be spun out of an existing Brisbane soccer club – which would own a small percentage of the new entity. Some of the backers of the new club are believed to have been owners of A-League clubs in the past.
The team behind the new bid is believed to have been in discussion with Queensland Rugby Union for more than six months about making Ballymore – in the city's inner-north – the team's home ground.
"The QRU are really excited about it," said our source. "The Reds train there but play at Suncorp. It would be a complete rejuvenation of the place."
Dear god! What will the rugby purists make of it all?
Brissie is now home to one A-League team only in the Brisbane Roar, a team that is owned by Indonesian industrialist Nirwan Bakrie and which has had more than its fair share of drama. Last year, managing director and aspirant owner of the clubDaniel Cobb was forced to resign under a cloud.
Meanwhile, the FFA is furiously at work with Deloitte on the formulation of a new operating model for the A-League – and until that's complete, they're not planning to consider any individual bids. Let the games begin ...
http://www.afr.com/brand/rear-window/ballymore-in-sights-as-brisbane-poised-to-get-a-second-aleague-soccer-team-20170405-gvept0