A-League expansion is not a re-run of Super League wars

Bonita Mersiades

It’s always interesting to read views on A-League expansion. This from Roy Masters is one that warrants some attention as he argues that “expansion could damage the A-League.”

Masters starts with recounting the pathology of the rugby league Super League wars in which FOXTEL and Masters’ good friend, David Gallop, were protagonists. Masters contends that rugby league has “not recovered” from that stoush and the rapid expansion by four teams that took place at the time. He writes:

“Basically, for every $100 million granted the AFL for new stadia, rugby league has received $10 million, an indication that government will not fund a warring code, particularly with private owners involved.”

All of this is proferred as a ‘lesson’ for the A-League clubs which, according to Masters, are seeking “to take over FFA’s governance of the game!”

Wrong.

The A-League clubs would like to take over the governance of the A-League, not the game. Governance of the game is indisputably FFA’s responsibility.

A separate entity managing the A-League under license to FFA is in line with the recommendations of the seminal Crawford Report of 2002, and the 2004 NSL report commissioned by Frank Lowy under the chairmanship of his very good mate from Hakoah Sydney City, the late Andrew Kemeny. Both have continued to be ignored.

So, as an interim measure – 14 years later - the A-League clubs are instead advocating for representation within the FFA governance structure – consistent with FIFA statutes that FFA signed-up to in February last year. The A-League clubs, via the Australian Professional Football Clubs Association (APFCA), are seeking five positions in the FFA ‘congress’, with the nine state federations continuing to hold one each, and the PFA two. The new Association of Australian Football Clubs (AAFC), which represents NPL clubs, is also seeking representation.

Blurring the issues between governance and expansion, Masters says Gallop wants to stall the “expansionary push including a promotion/relegation regime” in the A-League because Gallop saw what went wrong first-hand with expansion as Super League’s in-house lawyer.

But for a start, no-one is seeking to expand the A-League competition overnight by four teams, as rugby league did.

Football has learned its own lessons about expansion from the experience of North Queensland Fury and Gold Coast United. They were both selected as expansion teams because FFA needed the Queensland Government to cough-up money for stadium refurbishment at the time of the World Cup Bid. Unfairly to the players, supporters and local communities, the clubs were always on a slippery slope to oblivion once the bid was over and lost.

Most advocates of a Second Division (such as the AAFC) and promotion/relegation recognise that neither can, nor should, happen overnight. A model being talked about regularly is for the introduction of a Second Division that is based on two ‘conferences’ (not unlike a much earlier model of the former NSL and NYL), with promotion/relegation having a longer timeframe for introduction.

While Masters suggests Gallop’s legal background is a positive for the game, it perhaps reminds us that lawyers are not necessarily the best people to make the most critical decisions about a sport’s long-term future development.

Sport requires professionalism, a measured, evidence-based approach, and a deep knowledge of the environment but also vision, boldness and risk-taking. No-one wants the A-League to fall over, but nor does anyone want it to atrophy; that reduces the value of the ‘product’ for all existing clubs also.

​Masters confirms reports (from here, and elsewhere by David Davutovic, Michael Lynch and others) that there is no extra money in the new FOX TV deal once expansion happens; it already assumes expansion to 12 teams over the course of the current deal.

He points out to “the fanatics who want an A-League team in Tasmania or Geelong” that there will be no TV money for them, and nor will the TV money go close to covering the costs of a team which are between $10 million and $12 million a year – which we already knew. Instead, he suggests that one of the regrets of officials involved with Super League was that they didn’t charge license fees to new clubs.

This is an argument that is not relevant to the A-League, as new clubs are charged a license fee. Just ask the Bakries of Brisbane Roar, Nathan Tinkler and the Ledman Group of Newcastle Jets, City Football Group of Melbourne City and more. In fact, the only club not charged a license (or entry) fee in recent years has been Western Sydney Wanderers who received $5 million start-up money from the Gillard Government via transfer of a grant from NSW Football Federation to FFA.

However, the issue is whether the A-League license fees paid by new entrants to the A-League have gone to support the A-League, or disappeared into general FFA revenue, which, of course, returns us to one of the key grievances of the APFCA and why they continue to push for management of the A-League competition in which they have, collectively, lost approximately $260 million over 11 years.

http://footballtoday.com.au/mobile#postDetail8709bmb=1

That's a good response by Bonita to Roy's article.

However, we need not look to the super league wars as a lesson in expanding too quickly, we only have to look at the NSL, which at one point reached 24 clubs spread across two conferences.

That didn't last too long.

I totally disagree with Masters.
The Super League wars were not about expansion.They were about control of the game by the old sydney based ARL.
Expansion occurred because both warring factions needed teams to make a viable competition.
Once the war was over ,teams were culled,because they never were serious teams.Adelaide,Perth,Two Newcastle teams.Thats three teams cut and GC as part of the deal.
Expansion for the HAL at the moment does not or should not hinge on TV deals,because ,the dividend paid by FFA is not the difference between sustainability and bankruptcy.
Clubs are getting $2.5mill($25mill in total to all clubs ) and generally have a turnover of up to 10mill.So ,while expansion makes the cut of clubs smaller,($25/12 =approx $2mill per club )clearly this difference of $500k is not the difference between death and survival.It's all the other cash coming and going.
But expansion could generate more revenue for eveyone,so the cake gets bigger.At a cost of $1mill total out of clubs pockets.
With the new deal clubs get more....How much,we dont know yet..

Apples and chainsaws. 

"A model being talked about regularly is for the introduction of a Second Division that is based on two ‘conferences’ "

Yeah, screw that. No thanks.

Lol.

Rhubarb and jetliners.

No Expansion

No need for Expansion

P&R provides all the variety required

That's a good response

Worst case I wouldnt mind Qld, NSW & Vic in one an NNSW, ACT, SA, WA & Tas in the other. 

Seems like a personal sledge against gallop veiled as a response to masters. This is why she isn't taken seriously. Keep it factual and professional.

She went too easy on him imo.

Why would they have 2 diff conferences? Whats the reasoning? 

Keep each spot in Div2 coveted. Div3 will be brimming with aspirants, dying with anticipation (and hard work). 

The reasoning would be cost and the notion of having a "fair" representation from each FA.

So it's probably North Qld NNSW NSW ACT & South Vic Tas SA WA.

How many teams in NNSW, WA and Tas would have A-League ambitions?

Also how do you decide who starts in the 2nd div? Every place may want representation so you lose a few years relegating weak areas.

Ok i see your point... 
Im a bit baffled about that myself.. who starts in div 2... 

If all clubss meet criteria, financial, infrastructure etc then entry should be on sporting merit. Either the most succesful clubs of past season, or aggregate of all npl seasons. 

If theres too many clubs then the discussion really should be based on "div2/div3" not just div2... that 2nd conference in effect could be viewd as a div3? 

Who gets the nod for the 2nd division?

The noisier ones from Sydney and Melbourne will lead the charge, thereafter, any remaining spots to be decided by a draw of straws.

Act sa nnsw and tas all making 'noise'

No doubt, but they can only expect to get the crumbs after the big boys have eaten.

Oh, where you in the meeting room?

Thanks for you nonsense as usual.

You know Roy Masters is full of shit when he declares that the reason the government invested in AFL stadia and not RL stadia was because of the Superleague wars and not just the fact that RL doesn't and never has drawn the crowds to pay for the infrastructure, unlike AFL.

At the moment NSW VIC and the A-League Association are lined up against 7 other federations with the FFA Board in reform of the constitution.

I reckon there shouldn't be any participation from the other 7 states in a second division, they have made their own bed.

Roy Masters on Football? Maybe he's been talking to Gallop lately?
Aren't they NRL people?

Read Arthur's post above.

Honestly, do people on this board ever break out of their own personal fantasies and actually look at what is happening, what the reality is?

Read Aussiehorters post above. 

Honestly, do people on this board ever break out of their own personal fantasies and actually look at what is happening, what the reality is?

Besties

FFA still trying to hose down all the bids and AAFC frenzy now TV deal is done

@Arthur

"At the moment NSW VIC and the A-League Association are lined up against 7 other federations with the FFA Board in reform of the constitution.


I reckon there shouldn't be any participation from the other 7 states in a second division, they have made their own bed."

Have to disagree with you. Isn't this the point why clubs have joined AAFC? Because they don't feel properly represented?

You have a situation where Qld clubs are scared to be named and I'm pretty sure SA clubs have complained in the media they are not listened to at all. You can't punish clubs fit that.

Even at the 11th hour. Slimy FFA still conspiring to keep the football fraternity divided. 

And some people think diplomacy is still the way forward.....
i just hope FIFA throw the (full extent of the) book at them.

It actually suits the FFA for that to be the case.  The obvious response to FIFA when they ask what's going on is to point to the differing views and agendas of the various stakeholders.   Apart from a few soothing sounds, the FFA will look to retain full control of everything for as long as possible.

How does that even make sense? I bet if they were united, you'd say they are doing a great job keeping everyone united.

Sounds like a tartho 2.0

I don't doubt that for a second... but "as long as possible" is 2 more days. Prob not the best strategy when theyre coming up against the APFCA, AAFC and the 2 strongest state feds...not to mention FIFA, who are already in CFGs pocket (read APFCA). Not sure how any of that is going to suit FFA. 

Its interesting from Masters... he has never been a friend to Football sinking the boot in whenever he can .. I would trust his ideas on Football about as much as a snail... also he was never a Gallop person he was constantly at Gallop on one thing or another, when Gallop ran the league often sighting his cricket not league background.

Master hates the AFL with a passion as well...

I have no fucking idea why he would write such an article... another bit of strangeness about it is the Super league war was it was essentially a media war between Murdoch and Packer, the idea itself as OK. Today Fox does not need product also as it did way back then. 

I don't think there is anyone who does not want expansion the argument or arguments are about timing of expansion and who gets a look in... not expansion itself.

If I was having a guess it's Masters trying to further stir the pot.

The only point he makes in the entire article that has any sense when he talks about the cost of running professional teams ... expanding without the capital would be crazy ... those in charge at FFA, PFA, State Associations and A-League clubs know this as well .... as I said its Masters trying to cause trouble IMO.

As I said I don't read anything other than a Football hater trying to hurt by attempting to stir in a very sensitive topic area today.