ASB Premiership 2015/16

Draw revealed

TV coverage

Say what you like soothsayers but I reckon this is great news. Thursday night games on TV in particular are fantastic. If being on TV isn't enough to ensure that the best players we have domestically are playing at the top level available to them I don't know what is. Very pleased with these developments.

Kudos to NZF then. Actual decent TV coverage plus this (from the article about the draw):

"A new feature of the league for the 2015-16 season is a funding partnership with Trillian Trust which provides the opportunity for clubs to have their season entry fees covered by New Zealand Football if they are able to meet set development criteria"

Anybody know any more about how this came about and how it will be implemented?

Taken at face value it looks like Trillion will allow NZF to apply for funding covering some of the cost of the league but only related to clubs who can meet the criteria. Not quite sure how they will make that work in practice but this looks like a step towards the kind of centralised pokie funding model I've always been keen on for the ASBP. Should be good news for clubs as long as there's not too many fish-hooks. Will many of them actually qualify for this coming season?

It's interesting that it's Trillion Trust too. I wonder if this will impact on ACFC's funding from Trillion in any way?

Waitakere playing no games in West Auckland is a bit weird. Surely if they couldn't play at Fred Taylor they could play at the Trusts Arena. 

Reckon it might be a move towards a more centrally funded league, evens it out a little bit I guess.

good outcome getting it on TV. Wonder what the quality will be like. also wonder how much it cost NZF. 

I talked to a sky tv producer the other day who said they have a new 'lite' broadcast crew. They will do things like this and breakers etc from now on

Yeah Sky contract OSB for most of their stuff so if they have an inhouse team that does it, it gives them extra cash and the cost comes down.


I have heard that the pressure was on Waitakere to stay in zone after talk of playing at OFCs artificials. I guess I am baffled that they are at QBE and not the Trusts. The Trusts seems to be fine for the Chatham Cup final and its better than Dave Farrington and similar to English Park. The cost would be less than QBE.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/domestic/719...

Snippet at the bottom here ---

Interesting.

Highlight on Prime?

this is all very encouraging

Isn't QBE booked for NPC rugby on the day of the Chatham Cup final hence the resaon for using Trusts?

And a stadium like QBE is very easy for production crews to move in and operate. not sure about Trusts in that regard so I'm only guessing it might be a point of difference.

Yes it is North Harbour are hosting Canterbury at QBE the same time the Chatham Cup final is kicking off. 

Well this is some unexpectedly good news amid what has been a tumultuous period for NZF. Kudos to those involved who got it across the line.

Most interested in this purported future expansion of the league, and the subsequent doubling of matches into what a proper football season should be. None of this 14-16 games a season carry on. 

Also hopeful that my beloved Youngheart Manawatu (or any other variation of a Manawatu based side) could potentially fill a spot in said expansion.

Any expansion Manawatu and Nelson should be the first regions considered. Manawatu for their previous history in the league Nelson for their ASB Youth League success.