NZ football has a great product - it just needs competent leadership and good marketing. And NZ football supporters need to get out and support their national league.
I really have to pull you up on this. There is no product - that is the fundamental issue. People can watch so much good football on TV now why would they watch ASBP? There are a few decent players and games with the Auckland teams involved have some merit - but the rest of it really isn't worth 90 minutes of anyone's time unless you're a parent of one of those involved.
Also, the idea that ASBP is the "lifeblood" of the game is just rubbish. The fact is people drift in and out of it all the time, it lasts for 14 weeks and if it wasn't for the Club World Cup and and odd decision by FIFA to include Oceania teams there would be zero people employed in it full time - it has no record of producing players that go onto play at a higher level. It is what it is - an average, small time tournament followed by a few football tragics (which for my sins, includes me from time to time).
If NZF gave every franchise 250k all that would happen is the current players would get paid more. How would that help anyone?