NZFC or A-League?

The question becomes, can Manawatu and Otago, or for that matter Napier or Nelson assemble a team that is viable in a semiprofessional league. Are there enough sponsors, are there enough potential customers for the product, is their market big enough for them to foot it with the big boys. Can they draw 2000 people a week, paying $10 to get in - to give a basic turnstile income of $20,000 - from which the players can be paid at a semipro level. It is not rocket science. Both Auckland and Waitak can do that now, when they are playing each other and giving the punters the right product to make them part with their hard earned. In fact they could probably draw double that on a fine day. So there is your benchmark minimum. Eight is the maximum number for the league, and it has to be able to stand on its own two feet. As I said, I can make a case for six well supported, financially viable sides right now, and Manawatu, Otago, Napier and Nelson are not in that league, not if we are serious. They can't draw 2000 crowds on a weekly basis, Cripes they can't even do that for rugby. The development of football in those regions is a different matter, and needs to be addressed as such and perhaps there needs to be a re-establishment of the old Central, Northern and Southern leagues, with a national championship at the end of it, for the smaller grassroots areas. Cut the cloth accordingly. After those six that I have mentioned (ACFC, Waitak, North Shore, East Auck, Wellington and Canterbury) we still need two extra teams. Perhaps for the last two teams we go outside the semiprofessional structure as I've said and perhaps the NZFA put a NZ development team at a university town - which then gives the likes of Palmie, Hamilton and Dunedin a chance to have a team. And then there is my Fijian idea, which I think someone should have a look at - using the Chivas USA model in the MLS - with perhaps Ba providing the link, basing it in South Auckland, giving access to those 10,000 Fijians who would flock to the game every weekend. Or maybe the Phoenix could play their development side and base it in Palmerston North.