Tasmania United Fc Forum |
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| DISCUSSIONS > A League expansion to stop at 12 teams | ||
| TC_CVale | Date posted | Replies |
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While surfing the net yesterday looking for the announcement from TUFC on the feasibility study, found an article that said FFA & Mr Lowy would not be pushing throu with the expansion of the A League to 14 teams in the near future. They want to consolidate the League to 12 teams to ensure that it is commercially viable for all teams. This is probably the last straw for our bid, with a 2nd team from Melb getting the 11th licence, leaving 1 spot available. The Mercury today has a small story regarding this, stating Lowy's intentions. With no news regarding the feasibility study, we are too far behind other bids for us to be considered as a chance for the last licence. TUFC stated earlier that maybe the 11 & 12th spots were beyond our reach, if that is the case we are many years away from seeing our dream - A truely national Football competition with Tasmania included in the roster. Let's hope a white knight shows up in the next week or two, otherwise we will be left to do what we normally do, watch football on TV, & only if you can afford Austar. Add comments |
21st June 2009 | 22 |
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Foxhawkposted at 1:44AM on 17th Jun, 2009 The truth of the matter is that even with a rich potential owner the FFA will look at how expansion will effect other existing clubs. No point adding sides if the extended season puts a financial burdon on existing clubs. Still, if Canberra miss out to the FFA determination to put a side in West Sydney then we should probably look at working with Canberra to lobby for a two team expansion within three years. (of the expansion to twelve clubs). Canberra have a very strong business model and should we come forward with an owner, state support and put our business plan in alongside Canberra with theirs then it could bring about an earlier than planned expansion. At the end of the day we may have to accept that we can expect to start in the second tier when it begins. If so then lets aim to be a second tier powerhouse. galacticaposted at 10:54AM on 17th Jun, 2009 Very nicely stated foxhawk and I concur with your thinking about a two pronged attack on the bid process with us an Canberra; probably now this is the best way to approach everything. Well ntguy I agree with your sentiments and I also think that we need to have a state league up and going as soon as possible and perhaps we should go through a back door process of entry via youth league and VPL to reinforce our efforts. Also I dont think it matters what the initial composition makeup is , even if it is 7 south 3 north/north-west because that can be rearranged within 3-5 yrs with attrition adjustments. But it is important for the state body to get moving on this issue and be a fair bit more pro-active. ntguyposted at 3:25AM on 17th Jun, 2009 The Australian today said that journalists had read too much into what Lowy had said and that the FFA is still on the same agenda that it has been... get 12 teams in place and carefully review any further bids to ensure that the league is financially viable. The tone of the article indicated that expansion to 14 was expected to happen sooner rather than later. kiallrposted at 5:47AM on 17th Jun, 2009 Time will tell. I still believe 14 teams and 1 division is the most the A-league can hope for - at least in the next 20 years. Removing Pheonix from the comp will allow 5 more teams to come in - Melbourne 2, West Sydney, Canberra, The Gong and Tassie. IMO, this is pretty well the perfect competition set up and the A-league can build a highly successful competition from this base. Too many teams and the comp will go the way of the NSL and NBL - reality and rose-coloured idealism are 2 very different things. Basketball in the early 90s was spruiking it would be the biggest sport in Australia soon and every promising AFL and rugby league junior in the country would be joining their game instead! Now they are a non-entity in Aussie sport. I am also starting to REALLY hate the United name - does every club in the comp need to be called United? I know why they want it, and I know (unlike most) that it fits in this case, but I just find it cliched and boring. Tassie is a unique place, why not give our side a unique name? kiallrposted at 6:00AM on 17th Jun, 2009 I don't want to be all negative, sorry if I have sounded that way. All I'm trying to do is keep things in perspective. If every state association gets its local competitions up to scratch, the A-league with 14 teams (spread as I suggested) would be all we will need in this country to produce enough talent to not only keep the local comp going, but to get a lot more of our own into big Euro clubs. This, of course, will benefit the Socceroos enormously. Most on here would know the Tassie set up better than I, would a statewide league (like the Aussie Rules) be our best option to produce A-league quality players? Or perhaps separate Sth and Nth leagues, but with a combined side competing in a Victorian comp (like the former Devils)? ntguyposted at 7:08AM on 17th Jun, 2009 I think we need to implement a Statewide League next season but I am not sure how many A-League standard players it will develop. We may need to have teams in the VPL for that. I think it is a "suck it and see" thing. The only thing I hope is that the north - south thing does not stop it happening. I don't know how Football Tasmania is constituted but if it Hobart dominated then it would need to be reformed to represent the whole state if a Statewide League is to operate efficiently and fairly and for the benefit of football in the whole state. The last thing we would want is a set up like Cricket where you have to play in Hobart to have a chance. Don't get me wrong, if we had say a 10 team league Hobart should get 6 teams because it has the highest density of population and the North/North West get 4 teams between them. kiallrposted at 12:35AM on 18th Jun, 2009 I guess one alternative is to 'embrace' the north/south rivalry. Try to enter a Hobart and a Launceston side into the VPL - really get the rivalry kicking to generate interest in their performances. Then, via Tas Utd, get the same fans to work together for the greater good. A bit like state of origin between QLD and NSW. They hate each other, but once they are playing for Australia, it is all for one stuff. TC_CValeposted at 9:47AM on 18th Jun, 2009 On WIN news tonight no mention of the feasibility study, but more worrying now, TUFC have said they now need to come up with another $100,000 for a buisness plan within two weeks, or everything is over. Don't like our chances now, 14 days to find a 100 Grand, big ask & I don't think the Govt will be able to help. If this was always needed to satisfy FFA bid requirements and apparently it is, the fact 2 weeks before the deadline TUFC are asking for help, meaning they have not been able to raise a $100000 over many, many months, maybe it is for the best that we are put out of our misery now, rather than spending that sort of money, only to have the last licence go to West Sydney, wasting the 100 Grand & WHERE IS THE FEASIBILITY STUDY? tufcposted at 12:18PM on 18th Jun, 2009 I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm finding the lack of information/official announcements coming from the TUFC taskforce both frustrating and worrying. The latest news story posted on this site is now almost 2 months old. The sound of silence is deafening... TC_CValeposted at 1:26PM on 18th Jun, 2009 Could not agree more with you tufc, feasibility study was to be released 4th June, then it was to be the Tuesday just gone, still nothing, I know they have the best intentions but with no information coming out & nothing on this site with regard to the news item tonight, you just have to wonder what is going on. I hold grave fears for TUFC, and any chance we had to be part of a national football competition.
TC_CValeposted at 2:43AM on 19th Jun, 2009 This morning (Friday) nothing at all in the Mercury about the $100,000 needed to keep the bid going. Surely TUFC can get something on this site today to let everyone know what is going on either way. This bid I'm afraid is going to go down the drain like all the detractors want, lack of money and planning. The only two (2) media releases I have seen in the past three months have been (1) a plea for $40,000 for the feasibility study and (2) a plea for $100,000 for a business study. This does not look good to anyone patiently waiting to get some more information. Please let us know what is happening, even if it is to say that the bid is not in as good a shape as we would have hoped. TUFC have no doubt worked their butts of trying to get it up and going, but with no medaia support it was always going to be a hard road, with too many roadblocks in our way. The Mercury in Hobart is an absoulute disgrace with its coverage of our game and in a small part are responsible for the position the TUFC are in. If they gave the bid more space and supportive articles and were not so "anti soccer" we may have had a chance. PLEASE give us something, anything, and do not treat us like mushrooms, keeping us in the dark and feeding us b...s..t. Foxhawkposted at 4:13AM on 19th Jun, 2009 I have not read any news, however lets not read into things just yet. The two weeks timeline may just be in order to get in before the deadline for bids for the next expansion. Secondly the feasability study may have been very promising when delivered and could perhaps have highlighted the need for a further business study. (Unless the state government wanted it to fail like the commonwealth games study years ago). I will admit though that this silence is not very good. It does not encourage people to join the cause and also indicates that things may have fallen over. At the end of the day we may have to accept the fact that Tasmania United might be a B-League team in eight years if we are lucky, or even worse, a VPL team. If so then so be it. The end result is what is important. And if the end result is that we become an A-League side then I'm prepared to go the distance. Foxhawkposted at 4:13AM on 19th Jun, 2009 One thing I am sure of though is that our prospective owner is no longer involved. And to be honest, what billianaire would choose a non-existant club over an up for sale Adelaide United. Not only that, the leadership appeared to be stating that things were almost arranged with the shiek while also requesting prospective owners come forward. Sounds like a story to get the media focused on the bid and nothing more. So I guess things could be going well at present with the club leadership keeping quiet. Or at worst it could be a complete shambles with the leadership already out of the project and just the webpage running. A month will tell. In the meantime I would encourage the club to publish another 'We are still here' article with some real information to keep people encourage. I guess we need to know where we are at and if Tasmania United is still a possibility. Foxhawkposted at 4:20AM on 19th Jun, 2009 Just to add to the last statement. A whole host of people around the world have fallen for the 'Star Trek Cardinal' and 'Star Wars Supershadow' fantasy webpages, believing that they are real when they in fact represent the fantasies on an individual. I guess what I am saying is that it would be great to see something to indicate that Tasmania United is not slowly developing into the same sort of online fantasy. We should have a stand at the final replay. Should be in contact with the major clubs. I would even go so far as to say we should develop a side playing in a statewide competition to raise the focus. (eg, Tasmania United based north & south in the statewide premier league - if it ever gets running). Is TUFC a part of the FFT future expansion plans? I hope their is regular contact between the two organisations. TC_CValeposted at 4:59AM on 19th Jun, 2009 Thankyou to the TUFC taskforce for the update earlier today on this site, and sorry if my comments are negative, but with no news comes doubt. Once again thankyou for keeping us informed, we really do want this to be a reality and are eager to hear any news that will keep us informed. We know it's an uphill battle for you, but we too are having an uphill battle convincing no believers that this club can be a reality, so any news to help us promote the cause is a big help. tassihatterposted at 7:30AM on 19th Jun, 2009 Good to be kept informed. I was at the Japan game on Wednesday and talking to fans in the pub before and after the match, most people I spoke with knew of the bid, so let's keep the faith and spread the word. Keep at it TUFC management, your efforts are appreciated and more regular updates will be too ! tufcposted at 12:07PM on 19th Jun, 2009 I'll add my thanks for the update as well. Please keep the updates coming (at least every 2 or 3 weeks), even if it's "nothing new to report, but we're still here and the process is still progressing". Chuqposted at 2:27PM on 19th Jun, 2009 Hi everyone, I haven't been about here the last few days .. since I've been in Melbourne attending the obvious :) Good to see the update from TUFC, after I spoke to John McGirr the other week he said to expect something in the media on Tues, and when that didn't happen people (I'm talking mostly mainlanders on other forums) started to think the worst! Perhaps a monthly update would be good, maybe a newsletter emailed out?
Foxhawkposted at 5:20AM on 21st Jun, 2009 Thanks for the update. Great to hear that everything is going ok. I also concur with the monthly newsletter, although perhaps once every two months might be better. I would be especially keen to know how things are going with the FFT. Obviously once TUFC is up and running the FFT should re-structure so that good players can develop through regional competition to north/south premierships and then a statewide competition. Things look good. galacticaposted at 9:30AM on 21st Jun, 2009 You lucky bugger chug good finish by OZ though hey? Anyway it would be nice as both you and foxhawk have stated, for us all to see a bit of continuity and regularity with updates, even if it were only comment on various existing A League situations and how we fit within such schemes and what, or how we would tackle those as they arise. Seems also for all of us that, now we have all reached a financial reality check in our prospective hopes for Tassie advancing with expedience, we might draw back and contemplate the utilisation of our current infrastructures, if and when we might be successful in gaining A League entry. |
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kiallr
posted at 1:26AM on 17th Jun, 2009
I saw this on the news this morning. Lowy did say 14 teams would be considered, just not in the immediate future.
I must say, I did see this coming. Expanding too much, too soon was always a concern. The A-league has been a success because they limited the teams, spread them out into key areas, concentrated the playing talent so that it wasn't spead so thin amongst the teams, and allowed each club the best chance to thrive.
14 teams in 5 or 6 years, maybe even 10 years, is great if the A-league keeps building. That is when Tassie can strike. Maybe this bid does need that extra time to get everything in order?
Unfortunatley, any slim chance of getting the Sheik on board may be gone now, he won't be interested in a club if it has no immediate chance of existing!
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