FOOTBALL Federation Australia has received 10 expressions of interest to obtain a licence for a new A-League football club.
The proposals came from western Sydney, Wollongong, Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Townsville and the amount of interest proved a great boost for the FFA.
"The number of proposals we have received reflects the momentum behind the growth and development of the Hyundai A-League," said FFA CEO, Ben Buckley.
Buckley said FFA had received a new bid from a leading Gold Coast businessman, Clive Palmer.
"We will now start exclusive negotiations with Mr Palmers consortium, Gold Coast United."
Buckley also said FFA was in active discussions with two consortia interested in a Townsville-based A-League club - led by Melbourne businesswoman Milissa Fischer, and local businessman Don Matheson.
"We are having further discussions with both Ms Fischers and Mr Mathesons groups and we expect to be entering into exclusive negotiations with one of them by the end of this month," Buckley said.
Other proposals received included three seeking the second Melbourne license, two groups vying for the western Sydney license and one covering Wollongong and the New South Wales south coast.
The FFA A-League expansion sub-committee will consider the Melbourne, western Sydney and Wollongong proposals further, and will determine a process and timeframe to award further licenses.
"We are very encouraged with the level of interest in the Hyundai A-League," Buckley said.
"Since it commenced three years ago, it has had 'cut through' in the busy Australian sporting landscape with average crowds, viewership, membership, media coverage and profitability trending upwards each season.
"The attractiveness of the competition is clearly reflected in the level of interest in the additional licenses."
FFA's view is that the A-League has the capacity to be at least a 12 team competition.
