Phoenix Ownership - Rob says FTFFA (Part 2)

I'm heading over to the Adleaide and CCM games. Does anyone have a #SaveTheNix banner I might be able to borrow? I'm not going to have the time to make one.

Check with Hatter.@kiwihatter on twitter. Sure he made a few of them for Auckland.

Man JayFC is great. Helped me get hooked on the 'Nix with his highlights before there were good streaming options and then there are his comedy videos....

"What will happen to the Distance Derby? Are you going to replace it with the not-so-distant Distance Derby?"

"There are some in favour of kicking the Wellington Phoenix out, including this guy and this guy, but it should be noted that these two are dickheads..."

" And that's why the FFA shouldn't kick out the Newcastle Je....the Wellington Phoenix"

Taking the piss, but on our side I think ?!?

I wonder if anyone has sent Mindy Clews a message about her growing niche internet stardom.

#metrics

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/753...

It's because there's no NZ team in their competition squatting on a license.

I down voted the video because it disrespects Mindy Clews and makes fun of the Carter Observatory which is in fact world class.

yeh and it missed out the BB and the Island Bay aquarium

Rewind: 

needs updating. Featuring Tim Brown.

That was a brilliant watch. Thanks.

I have this horrible feeling that we wont be seeing another season.

The Wellnix are keeping their hands too close to their chest for my comfort.

I have a feeling there is future ahead, as Welnix are holding their cards close to their chest.

That is usually a sign of quiet negotiations going on behind the scenes.

This! Unlike the FFA, WelNix will be doing their negotiations out of the public newspapers.

no news is good news? 

no news is no news

I have a feeling that like last time the Phoenix have to make a submission - they know the areas that they need to improve and have been working with their partners to do that, it would be good to know when the next FFA board meeting is taking place as likely whatever the Phoenix are submitting will be dealt with then.

So I think things are quiet because there is no dialogue between the FFA and the Phoenix, the FFA have said they will deal with it this year, and the Phoenix have been working on a proposal.

On this issue and in the past, no news has meant bad news for the Nix.

OK, so I found this on 442 so taking it with a huge grain of salt, but did anyone else hear anything about this? Seems a bit random to me.

Most likely just troll bait?

Yeah I'd take it with a grain of salt of we for sure would have heard it from a more reliable source like 2nd Best.

Cool so the silence isn't making everyone nervous.  That's good.  Its just making me uneasy.

No like you I've very nervous but hopeful that something will come of it all. Think it is just being worked on and WelNix aren't doing it through the media.

yeah I swing between "we're doomed" and "we are going to get a 15 year licence and win the league each of those years" on an hourly basis. Its not good for my long term mental health...

I know how you feel.

I found myself looking up the description of how I felt over the last few weeks and came up with this:

"bipolar disorder - noun: a mental condition marked by alternating periods of elation and depression."

(no offence meant to anyone suffering from a real one)

Anyone else see this?

What is that taken from?

EDIT: just realise it was Reddit. 

Quick, spam Patrick until he tells us all he knows.

edit: about the LICENSE that is.

Lol successful troll was successful ;)

I'm not buying it. Tell US!

Also, while we're doing conspiracy theories- is Roy's injury a scam to force WelNix to cough up some cash for a replacement striker during the transfer window??

cos that's the only way I could see it in a good light...

I am not sure how close Lawrie is to the "action", so to speak - inasmuch as he is a respectable football guy and a nice bloke to boot.

More likely to know something than us, but he said he has heard that it's done. Which means I know a guy who knows a guy sort of thing. Could be that its all sorted or could be that something was lost in translation.

so i came across this in the comment section of a copa90 video...

I don't give much credibility to the AFC conspiracy. That may have been a story some years ago when Bin Hamman was putting pressure on HAL to let Phoenix go, in the same breath as he was expecting to see promotion and relegation to/from A-League.

Sepp Blatter has quashed that talk very early on, saying that it is nothing to do with OFC and AFC to stop - that as long as FFA and NZF are happy with the arrangement then FIFA Executive Committee will continue to rubberstamp it. I tend to believe this version, simply because it makes sense. 

We have all agreed by now that the FFA noises about our licence have more to do with the broadcasting deal (and FFA own finances) than with any political affray between the federations.

Good review of the FFA's 2015 'Achievements' : 

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/jan/01/...

Yep - and either Dome or Morrison (can't remember which now) was on the radio immediately afterwards and said that the AFC had told them and the FFA that 8-10 years was what they would be happy with for a Phoenix license extension.

People seem fixated on the AFC issue though. The only potential issue is that the A-League only has 9 teams that can qualify for the Champions League and therefore Australia doesn't have as many spots as a competition with 10 qualifying teams would have. But if that is still an issue then there are other ways to fix it, like get new teams.

I agree entirely. Chances are that FFA does not have two valid bids for a new license, as it seems. If Canberra bid had more traction (= if FFA was willing to subsidise it like they did with WSW) then they could have them, and their beloved South Sydney / Cronulla option, both in the league to give us an even number.  Nobody wants to have a competition with an odd number of teams and a bye round. With only one bid, they would have to get rid of us first, and stop losing money through the SKY TV deal. Then they could have a set of Australia based teams only and drop the SKY deal altogether. Anyway, that is just my guess, but I reckon that is why it was so tempting for FFA to come up face to face really close to Welnix, and see if they blink first, as it would have been a "cheaper" option.

The fact that they are unwilling to subsidy any more "new" teams is that they have the likes of Newcastle Jets or Brisbane Roar to maintain. In contrast, Welnix is a well-run, well-managed business, and Phoenix is a good club with decent crowds for the city of our size, so they may eventually let us stay if they are confident they make more money out of our license than they lose on us with their poor SKY TV rights return. It is a lower risk than getting a new club that may need rescuing, even if they play nothing but derbies. Well, any new club except maybe the proposed Sutherland Shire team as they seem to have serious money behind them based on reports to date.

David Dome was on Radio Sport and also had call in questions, some really interesting information here. If you don't want to listen here is main points I got.

• Nix are near to signing a new contract; 
• Nix TV Viewership numbers, we aren't the lowest in the league. About 8th or 9th. Nix about 8th in crowd numbers;
• Nix doesn't get funding from Sky TV directly; 
• Nix would love to have a W-League team in Australia; 
• FFA wants more travelling fans, suggested chartered flights... Nix say that isn't realistic. Nix are more focusing on Overseas supporter groups in Australia instead; 
• Of all domestic teams, Nix are second most supported in NZ after the Warriors; 
• Nix are blessed with Yellow Fever and make Wellington the best away trip in the league; 
• Nix were told QBE pitch would be fine for months, a week out they told them ground wouldn't come right. Did look at possible transfer but would have been a logistical nightmare. Groundsman was very embarrassed, Nix will put in new controls now and make sure they actually view ground a month out; 
• Long term, Wellington needs a 10-15k stadium to compliment Westpac but of course not something that would happen soon; 
• Nix said at start of season they wanted to play in Grey for Auckland. FFA thought our grey was going to be darker than it was. Mel Victory apparently refused to change because of different sponsors; 
• Winning means people are 50% more likely to attend the next game. Nix putting as much money into the squad to get this with players like Roly; 

https://content.radionetwork.co.nz/weekondemand/rad...

https://content.radionetwork.co.nz/weekondemand/rad...

https://content.radionetwork.co.nz/weekondemand/rad...

https://content.radionetwork.co.nz/weekondemand/rad...

I heard him on the radio. He was bloody good and positive. About time Domey. Well done.

the FFA wanting the nix to charter flights to get more travelling fans is hilarious. 

I have a away game on my bucket list but wife and kids come first.