The next Expansion Phase

A2-League 'Vital', Says Lowy

Oct 21 2009 17:46

FFA CHAIRMAN Frank Lowy has flagged an A-League second division in the future, saying promotion and relegation is a vital part of any competitive league.

Addressing a Melbourne Victory business luncheon, Lowy said that while FFA was mindful of the precarious state of some of the current A-League clubs, it would continue its expansion push and, in the medium-term future, wanted to introduce a second division in order to ensure a truly national competition.

"We need to support teams by developing a second division which can allow for promotion and relegation, which is the lifeblood of national football competitions around the world," he said.

"Some people might have suggested that this might be growing the league too quickly. I accept that there is a risk, and I know better than anyone else how fragile some of our existing A-League clubs are.

"But we could not continue forever with an eight-team competition and be taken seriously in world football.

"The larger competition will generate greater interest around the country, not just in isolated pockets of Australia, but a truly national game."

Lowy said the addition of second teams in Melbourne and Sydney over the next two years would create the first true A-League derbies, which he said was an essential component of any major league.

"Derbies hold a special place in football culture around the world,: said Lowy. "The rivalry that will build between the two teams from Melbourne and the two teams from Sydney will be very exciting events.

"The rivalry now between Sydney and Melbourne is exciting enough."

Lowy was questioned by attendees at the corporate event about the possible divisive nature of the establishment of a second Melbourne team from next season. He said that he believes the Heart franchise will challenge Victory to grow as a club and that can only be a good thing.

He added: "Had I been concerned about divisiveness, we would not have suggested two teams.

"I think Melbourne has proven itself that it can support two teams. It can create a rivalry and I would hope and expect that the spectators will grow as a result of that.

"A little bit of competition is not a bad thing. I believe and I hope we have not been wrong to do that and that game will be more popular as a result."

Lowy outlined his vision beyond the 12th A-League team, saying the competition would not be considered truly national until it could move into areas currently not aligned with an A-League team. That appeared an endorsement to the aspiring bids of the likes of Canberra and Tasmania.

"It's a vision that I have," he said. "We are a long way from the 13th and 14th team, but I hope that we will be able to put these two teams to the parts of the country where we will have no football.

"Football is an international game, played around the world and I want to see all of Australia covered with our game."

Meanwhile, Lowy admitted that the scheduling of the start of the A-League season in early August this year was a mistake and that FFA was looking at options of pushing the season start back so it didn't clash with the AFL and NRL.

He conceded: "I think there is a certain amount of trial an error (in fixturing). I think we now recognise that we need to start the league somewhat later than what we have before."

Lowy calls for free-to-air deal


Australian football chief Frank Lowy says the game's next broadcast deal needs to include free-to-air television to get the sport "to the people".


Pay TV provider Foxtel is in the fifth year of a seven-year deal worth $120 million covering all Socceroos matches except the World Cup, as well as the A-League and Asian Champions League.

But FFA chairman Lowy said in the next deal, they would aim to reach a bigger audience while reaping more money.

"There's no doubt that the game needs to be shown on free-to-air from time to time, or certain parts of the competition on free-to-air," Lowy said at a Melbourne Victory business lunch on Wednesday.

"Because that's where the people are and we need to go to the people.

"I think we have grown up by now, that both the commercial free-to-air and the pay TV (operators) will realise that we are a growing sport, a very popular sport, and we are going places, so we will not be penalised financially.

"I think in the next two or three years that will bear out and we hope that we are able to negotiate a good contract with both free-to-air and with pay TV to get more than what we have now and a lot more later on."

Lowy also said along with an aim to eventually expand to a 14-team A-League, there were plans to introduce a second division in the "not too distant future".

"(It) will allow for promotion and relegation, which is the lifeblood of national football competitions around the world," he said.

He said there had been suggestions the league was growing too quickly and acknowledged that some A-League clubs remained financially "fragile".

But Lowy said the FFA were working hard to make sure all teams became profitable within the next few years and the league needed to expand to be taken seriously around the world.

The FFA boss also indicated future A-League seasons would start later in the year.

With the current season starting in August, the early rounds struggled to compete for publicity against the business end of the AFL and NRL.

"I think you need a certain amount of trial and error and I think we now recognise that we need to start the league somewhat later than what we have done before," Lowy said.

I dont think a second league would be a good idea. Many of the grounds have low attendances as it is and imagine if this is halved as many cities in Australia will have 2 major teams instead of the 1. The quality of football would also go down alot by having too many teams. The only postive would be promotion relegation. The best thing would be to expand the league to a maximum of 14 teams and introduce a knockout cup.