I disagree with the notion of who owes whom more. The club and the fans are in it together, and I am happy to cut the owners plenty of slack for continuing to keep the club going, with our support.
I think football leagues are a bit different than other codes (basketball etc) due to the additional considerations of serious international competitions for national teams (World Cup qualifying games etc). The moment you decide to name Wellington Phoenix "the New Zealand Phoenix" you would really send the wrong message I think, even if we have plenty of Australian players. Plus, we'd give the trolls from across the Tasman new fodder for their jingoistic complaints.
If we want to continue to play at the highest club level available to us, the A-League is our best venue for that, and none of the other franchises has anything else than a city (or region, viz CCM) in their name. As such there are few reasons to call ourselves NZP, regardless of what city we play in on occasions. Other A-League clubs are no different by taking their games to Tasmania, or to Ballarat. Everyone knows it is to stimulate the following. So I think it is the same issue with Auckland for us, and the club owners will plan for the games there as per any commercial agreements they would have made beforehand.
Finally, it is easier to fly from Welly to Auckland for a "home" game right now than across the ditch, and it is damn less risky too.
I think football leagues are a bit different than other codes (basketball etc) due to the additional considerations of serious international competitions for national teams (World Cup qualifying games etc). The moment you decide to name Wellington Phoenix "the New Zealand Phoenix" you would really send the wrong message I think, even if we have plenty of Australian players. Plus, we'd give the trolls from across the Tasman new fodder for their jingoistic complaints.
If we want to continue to play at the highest club level available to us, the A-League is our best venue for that, and none of the other franchises has anything else than a city (or region, viz CCM) in their name. As such there are few reasons to call ourselves NZP, regardless of what city we play in on occasions. Other A-League clubs are no different by taking their games to Tasmania, or to Ballarat. Everyone knows it is to stimulate the following. So I think it is the same issue with Auckland for us, and the club owners will plan for the games there as per any commercial agreements they would have made beforehand.
Finally, it is easier to fly from Welly to Auckland for a "home" game right now than across the ditch, and it is damn less risky too.