A-League team to Townsville?

[Dr Crane]

How much extra TV money would there be, given the deal in Australia was got maximum punch by linking the a=league rights to socceroos rights?

I wouldn't know.

Surely it is still more than having another Australian team in the background not bringing in another Pay TV broadcaster

 

[fish eel]

I wouldn't know.

Surely it is still more than having another Australian team in the background not bringing in another Pay TV broadcaster

Maybe, but balanced by fostering the game in Australia I guess.

 

[Dr Crane]

Maybe, but balanced by fostering the game in Australia I guess.

I'd imagine that if Townsville aren't in this year they will be next season. The extra time will benefit them.

If Wellington are as much of a disgrace as the Kingz and Knights (pre-Herbert) then i will call for them to stop disgracing the game in NZ.

 

[weasel]

I think having a team in Wellington will be a very interesting experiment, not only for the A-League. I'm sure it'll be watched keenly by the NRL and NBL and perhaps even the AFL. I've always got the impression that Auckland is a distinctly different world to the rest of NZ, considering the sheer size of the place in comparison to anywhere else. Perhaps its the city itself that's always been the problem, and well it looks like now we're going to get a chance to see if that's true or not. I'd like to see the side identified as "Wellington" and not "New Zealand". If the city embraces them it'd be a boost for the Orcas and also open the window for an eventual return for A-league football to Auckland.

 

[NK Arsenal]

There will NEVER be 2 A-League teams!

 

[Dr Crane]

There will NEVER be 2 A-League teams!

By jingo

 

[shiznit]

its easy to see why the FFA want a NZ franchise...
MONEY!!!

not from the gate... from the TV rights and for potential sponsors. in townsville you have probably a potential audience of 500,000 up against 3.5 million.

i will explain something for the people in here... you know those boards they have on the side of the field... they usually have companies names on them... some people call them 'advertising boards'. companies actually pay alot of money to have there names put across those...

now if your the FFA, your competing for corperate sponsors and advertising revenue against Rugby, NRL, AFL & NBL. now as a potential sponsor you want to get your product or company name out to as big a market as possible. if there is no NZ team in the A-League then the appeal for multinational sponsors like for example... HYUNDAI... will drop considerably. and the FFA dont want to lose that potential to another code like rugby or league who are well entrenched in a market place of 3.5 million.

look... as far as im concerned... i couldnt care less if theres a NZ team or not in the A-League. i dont watch sh*tty little leagues like the A-League anyway.... i watch the big european leagues and until a NZ side acutally does well... why the hell should i watch the A-League?? whats in it for me??

 

[Misanthrope]

why the hell should i watch the A-League?? whats in it for me??

Nothing, and that's a crying shame. I'm sure the A-League misses your patronage.

 

[shiznit]

well really.... its not axactly a 'top notch' competition... and the NZ side has been disgracefull. i only really started to have a look at the knights when ricki herbert took over.

on a side note...

the FFA and NZS has announced a press confrence in wellington this afternoon...
that pretty much confirms that the Wellington Knights will be in the A-League.

 

[Dr Crane]

the FFA and NZS has announced a press confrence in wellington this afternoon...
that pretty much confirms that the Wellington Knights will be in the A-League.

I think you'll find their name is more likely to be Wellington Capitals

 

[Dr Crane]

NZ stays alive as Townsville pulls pin

NEW Zealand's fight to stay in the A-League has been won, with Townsville consortium Tropical Football withdrawing its application to play in the league's third season.

Outgoing FFA head of operations Matt Carroll released a statement this afternoon, advising that Tropical Football had made a request for an extension to the deadline for underwriting the bid, but the FFA had denied that extension.

However he maintained the North Queensland team was in pole position to be a fully operational concern in the next league expansion window.

Tropical Football bid leader James Gage was confident that would happen in due course.

“When the time for expansion of the Hyundai A-League occurs, Tropical Football eagerly looks forward to submitting a formal bid to be included in the competition,” he said.

As expected, New Zealand Soccer was granted a three-year licence to stay in the competition, with Wellington a certainty as new home for the franchisee.

FFA chairman Frank Lowy claimed the decision was one made for the “betterment of football”.

“New Zealand Soccer and the Wellington-based consortium have the necessary financial capital and business plans to establish a viable football club in the New Zealand capital,” added FFA chief executive Ben Buckley.

“The club can now officially begin the process of recruiting the coaching and playing staff that form the only fully professional football team in the region and continue the longstanding trans-Tasman rivalry with the other seven Australian-based clubs.

“FFA has always maintained the view that a New Zealand presence in the Hyundai A-League benefits not only the competition, but also the development of football in New Zealand and Oceania. As part of our move into the Asian Football Confederation in 2006, we remain committed to assisting the Oceania Football Confederation wherever possible.”


http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21407148-5000940,00.html

Stick that up ya jacksies.

 

[Kiwishark]

I'm pretty pleased, I'll be heading along to games for sure.

I know for fact that the team name will not involve "New Zealand" but it will involve "Wellington".

Are you serious about the Wellington Capitals?

I'm a bit more traditional, prefer the names of the nrl to names like the Victory, Glory or Roar. They suck

 

[Dr Crane]

I'm pretty pleased, I'll be heading along to games for sure.

I know for fact that the team name will not involve "New Zealand" but it will involve "Wellington".

Are you serious about the Wellington Capitals?

I'm a bit more traditional, prefer the names of the nrl to names like the Victory, Glory or Roar. They suck

It was a fairly reliable rumor i heard a while ago. That included games at the Basin Reserve and the Cake Tin.

 

[redunderthebed]

It will be at the cake tin.Cant wait till they unveil the new team.

 

[Kiwishark]

Games at the Basin would be awesome. A unique venue.

All the same, football is coming to Wellington!

 

[weasel]

I'm pleased for Wellington, and hope they take to their new team, but I can't help but feel sorry for loyal Auckland based fans/LU forummers such as Kurt and Martin, who must surely be wondering if they'll ever be seeing world class footballers (like Dario Vidosic, Bruce Djite, Alex Brosque) playing in their hometown again.

 

[perth sharkie]

Wellington franchise = Football Kingz, version 3.

 

[Twizzle]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21409608-23210,00.html


A-League approves Wellington bid

By Guy Hand
March 19, 2007

NEW Zealand will be part of the A-League next season, with Football Federation Australia approving the Wellington bid to replace New Zealand Knights.

The Knights fell over in the middle of the 2006-2007 season, amid financial woes, and FFA revoked the club's licence last December.

FFA today handed New Zealand Soccer and a Wellington consortium a three-year licence, with multi-millionaire property developer Terry Serepisos underwriting the club.

New Zealand teams in both the former National Soccer League and the A-League have been on- and off-field disasters - the Knights this season just the latest in a string of NZ basket cases.

But FFA chief executive officer Ben Buckley expressed confidence today that the new club would have the financial muscle and pulling power to become an A-League force.

"We are now satisfied that New Zealand Soccer and the Wellington-based consortium have the necessary financial capital and business plans to establish a viable football club in the New Zealand capital," Buckley said.

The club will have a new name and will play home matches at Westpac Stadium in Wellington after attracting crowds as low as 1500 while based in Auckland.

The franchise has less than four months to pull together a team before the pre-season cup kicks off, with the A-League season proper starting in August.

Serepisos, the man behind many of Wellington's biggest urban developments, including the Century City Tower, has signed a three-year sub-licensee agreement with New Zealand Soccer.

New Zealand Soccer's involvement ensures that one of the major weaknesses with previous New Zealand entries - a lack of input from the national body - is addressed.

So exasperated was FFA becoming at the lengthy negotiations centreing on finances that Townsville, which wants to join the league in 2008-2009, was asked to fast-track its bid in case the Kiwis were refused entry.

New Zealand Soccer chief executive Graham Seatter was a relieved man today.

"We've been as frustrated as anyone with the delays and extensions we sought, but we had to do that," he said.

"The only other option was to say goodbye to it, and it was far too important for that.

"The A-League is absolutely critical from all points of view.

"We haven't got a professional competition so having a professional team is the next best thing."

New Zealand national team and former Knights mentor Ricki Herbert has been appointed coach on a three-year deal.

Herbert said he had about 15 players lined up, mostly All Whites, adding that he could get 10 to 12 signatures "tomorrow" now the licence had been secured.

Townsville, which had always preferred to wait until year four of the league to enter, withdrew its entry today once it became clear New Zealand would receive approval.

AAP

 

[Dr Crane]

I can't help but feel sorry for loyal Auckland based fans/LU forummers such as Kurt and Martin

They'll still get day release from the institution to catch the games on TV.

 

[SP]

that sucks

if these oceanians f**k up then ffa should just piss nz off alltogether