Phoenix Ownership - Rob says FTFFA

Those 7pm kick-offs have made it impossible for me to get down from Auckland and back on the same day. I made it down last year 5 times - 4 on the same day. I can do it for under $100 that way; if I need an overnight then it more than doubles that. I can't afford that.

Incidentally when on the plane back I always saw 5 or 6 people at least who had obviously been to the game; then there were people like me who had been but were not obvious. And that was just on whatever flight I was on: there are around 8 flights that one could get back on after the game. And then there are people from Christchurch etc.? I don't know how many people in total went down and back on the same day but every bum on a seat counts!

Anyway I can make a game or two in the new year so I'll be there and I've bitten the bullet and bought a membership. I've just forked out $100 for the Violent Femmes concert in March so it's economise for a wee while for me!

Speaking to a guy at work who lives in Auckland but goes to the Nix games when they are up there and generaly keeps a bit of an eye on the clubs results. Anyway, his theory is that this is all a massive PR stunt by the FFA to inject some media interest into the A League when it's been struggling for attention, and that they are setting it up to have a change of heart and say look, we listened to your response and we're the good guys now for saving you when we could have kicked you out.

I pointed out that it may have backfired with the reaction from across the Tasman, especially club owners but he reckons any publicity is good publicity.

I don't know how plausible his theory is but I sure as fudge hope it is right!

Its all about perception; in their rather restricted view, our offering doesn't cut it. I don't agree however that what's good for NZ isn't necessarily bad for Australia. Talent needs to be developed wherever it can be found and it helps improve the world game for each player who makes it. Short sighted it most definitely is.  

I'm more cycnical.  I think the South Sydney lot have overed them a lump sum in millions for a licence and instead of looking long term they think that might balance the books this year.

Here's my appeal for support via the Knees Up Mother Brown (West Ham) website;

Hi KUMB podcast

I've been a listener of your excellent podcast since it began and a West Ham supporter since 1979; you were kind enough to interview me back in Series 3 so I could explain about the Kiwi Hammers. I'd like to prevail upon your generosity and love of all that's good in this world one more time and tell you a real-life story about our local professional club the Wellington Phoenix; it's plight and potential imminent demise.

In 2007 following the financial failure of its forerunner the New Zealand Knights and before it the Football Kingz, a offer to takeover the franchise to play in the Australian A League was made by Terry Seripisos, a local developer. From the ashes of the Knights grew a professional team coached by Ricki Herbert the national coach and lately Ernie Merrick, formerly of Melbourne Victory. From its early somewhat chaotic beginnings, the team soon challenged for a spot in the play offs and croud numbers grew to around 10-12,000. In 2007 they played host to the LA Galaxy (32,000) featuring David Beckham and in 2010, 33,000 watched them complete in the play offs.

The team is financially stable thanks to the astute yet philanthropic backing of a consortium of successful Wellington businessmen; Welnix. The team is professionally coached, and has not only a development squad but a youth squad providing a pathway to professional football for emerging talent in New Zealand.

The license to play was extended in 2010 until the end of 2015/16 and negotiations have been ongoing to extend it further. The club applied for a new 10 year deal, Football Federation Australia (FFA) deem the croud numbers, SKY TV revenue and appeal of maintaining a NZ team in an Australian league to fall short of their hitherto unpublished criteria. They want another Australian team, preferably from a big city offering lots of fans, less travel and more TV revenue in the deal they strike with FoxSports. They have offered to support a four year extension but that's the end of it. The consortium are currently considering their response.

So a successful club with financial backing, passionate supporters may fall on its sword simply because they don't fit the FFA plan for growth.

I can't go to see my beloved West Ham so match days at the Westpac stadium come a close second. They're not looking for sympathy; all we're asking is the issue is shared and that anyone listening in can show solidarity by signing our petition.

Follow the story and ideas about how you can show support at

http://www.radiosport.co.nz/opinion/wellington-phoenix-what-can-you-do-to-help/#.VjEOy_csEzY.twitter

A petition has been signed by nearly 7,000 people. Join in on

https://www.change.org/p/australian-ffa-save-the-wellington-phoenix

I think you're right News; they've tested the water before releasing their decision which is why they're able to ram it down out throats. What part does the old gentlemen's club lovingly known as FIFA have to play in all this? 

I've seen mentioned in a couple of places the idea that Australia is bound to have a NZ team in the A-League as part of them negotiating their way out of the OFC, I've also heard that this deal has now expired. Anyone have any information on this?

Nothing.  Nor does AFC.  It's all the FFAs doing.  They have a mistaken idea that more derbies will make the league biggerer when the ones they have are losing their appeal.  I don't know who does their busines planning and modelling but they seriously need to think about a replacement.

I found an old quote from Blatter in 2008 talking about the AFC insisted Phoenix move to Australia; ".....If Wellington will go on play on in Australian League, then as long as Australian league wants to have them and Wellington wants to stay (and) Both association in this case, New Zealand Soccer and Australian Football are happy with that then we will give them the blessing. The Confederation can not interfere with that."

The key words being ".....as long as....."  

I thought Welnix's had a some sort of say over who televises the home games or how there televises?.

Nah they will be cranking it knowing the FFA is bending over backwards and fudging others over for them, they will feel like kings (not Kingz).

The good thing about Auckland is the International Terminal offers free accommodation on very comfortable benches and has a Maccas, and a subway open 24/7. Don't know about Wellington Airport Harry, but yours has helped me on all our games up there except one year when I drove up. Thinking of driving this year too.

Wellington used to shut for an hour a night, don't know if it still does but it was controversial at the time because people waiting for flights were kicked out and had to go to the Burger King in the gas station across the road while they waited for it to re-open.

Off topic but I spent a couple of nights in Domodedovo airport in Moscow, I left the morning just before this happened:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domodedovo_Internati...

It was probably the best airport I've come across to sleep in, had heaps of restaurants, free internet and mobile charging, big lazy boy chairs to sleep in, and you could rent portable dvd players. I'd imagine its not so great anymore, lots of security, etc.

Do  the FFA  want us out because we have stable owners, do they prefer to deal with nut bars because it makes them  seem competent. 

Are they using "they are not meeting this, not meeting that" so the nix can't take them to court?

The way the HAL is run does not seem to make for a long shelf life, it would not surprise if it all collapsed  within the next 5 years due to incompetent management.

It would be funny if we got kicked out, then the new club needed funds to help start up and another club( or 2) needed to be propped up by the FFA.

Arnie is always good for a moan, really sticking it into the FFA here:

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/well-lose-our-f...

He's undoubtedly exagerating but he is saying that if the new sydney team is launched then there is a good chance that Sydney FC will shut up shop.

Arnie has more passion about the game than gallop could get in a life time. Perhaps the FFA should get Gallop to come to the Ring of Fire and explain himself & the ideas during a half time break?

I do not think he said that, but he did say that he would be worried about his job if the club owners decide that they would not get the returns on their investments if they get another club in what they consider is their own backyard. And Barlow considers it an insult that he does not get consulted on what is likely to happen in his own patch.

Yeah the first one was written by a 17 year old that wrote it when he first heard about it and was upset. Had been in touch with him and with others help we re-wrote it and got him to up date it. He was really good about it.

"My biggest concerns at the moment are if Sydney FC are still going to be around. I think that's how big a decision this is going to be"

"Scott Barlow and David Trakotvenko will make a decision whether to stay or not and if they aren't happy with what's going on, and if they're not happy with a potential Sutherland Shire team, and they walk away, what's next?"

Really gets to me when you hear people in the media moan about our crouds,here's some numbers for you.

2389,3307,1655,2986,4916,3178

Those are the attendance figures for the Wellington Lions this season and thats supposedly our national game.When  did you last hear any of the guys on Radio Sports or elsewhere have a bleat about those numbers.

Sadly Gallop seems only interested in the numbers that he think justify there position.  

And Arnies other comment is good too......""Wellington Phoenix may not bring the so-called "metrics" to the game but there is a good market there," he said.

"They've got a great coach in Ernie Merrick who plays really good football and they've been easy on the eye for the last couple of years. Plus you've got to worry about all those players. Where do they go? It's worrying times."

Plus the lions were caught artificially inflating the crouds. That story was buried pretty quickly.

Sport is sick in this country, and despite (or most likely because of) the success of the All Blacks and other top teams the foundations of support is crumbling.

Judging by the Stuff article today, we don't want to be relying on Sky revenue, as loads are forecast to cancel their subs after the RWC finishes, and more and more turn away from Sky to streaming services

Well exactly, if SKY subscribers are out because there is no EPL, then they wont be watching A-League either now!

As usual Sky and FFA want to eat their candle both ends

Talking about SKY Sport, I tried the Fan Pass last week, it's good as it gets streaming quality wise.

Even if you just interested in Phoenix games the $14.99/24h is a better deal than buy the whole SKY package.

SKY could modify that and say $19.99/month for all A-League games if you buy into the season. If they get the min. 6K hardcore fans that would be good money for a start to pass on Mr. Metrics. Bundle it with a season pass 10% off...there are some many things you could do.

Update:

They have actually a F1 Fan Pass eg $26.99/Month

http://fanpass.co.nz/packages?type=0

http://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/article/huawei-st...

Huawei reafirming their support for the nix.

The Day, Sky get the EPL back I might reconsider the Sports, although $30p/m is still a bit steep. $20 p/m would be better but if die hard Rugby fans are going to give up in droves as said a  few messages back, then surely Sky can see it and do something about it....Like dropping their fee prices. Increasing them is going to keep people away, not encourage them. Is Gallop a senior Sky Management decider as well?

One thing jumps out at me is an ex employee of FFA is now the group CEO of Cronulla- Sutherland Rugby League Club, this person set up the WSW and was also involved with CCM. It just seems a little strange that suddenly the new team they are talking about will be based at the Sharks home ground where Mr Lyall Groman is now employed. Could he be in talks with Gallop?

Nothing would happen without Lyall Gorman's say-so, of course, but I do not have a beef with them trying to set up another club. 

My beef is with FFA deciding that the best way to get them a place is by withdrawing our licence.

Gorman article from December 2014

Gorman: Cronulla Sharks A-league franchise could be up and running by 2017

Mates...

I know it's marketing speak. But fudge that's good marketing speak.  Made me tingly in my pants and I'm weighing up getting a new nexus phone because Huawei makes em.

*I have no idea if this has already been posted in here, so feel free to yell at me if has.*

I wrote a few words on the Nix and why they should remain in the league. Thanks to everyone who has shared on twitter and passed along feedback. Of course I'd rather not be writing about the likely death of club at all, but the FFA make some crazy decisions. Anyway, have a read and I hope that somehow, some way, some good can come from this complete f*cking shambles. Cheers.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/blog/2015/10/27/wha...

Some of you will know I'm part of an A-League pod which includes a Nix fan based in Adelaide, and we (mostly) ditched our usual juvenile humour to talk about the saga on this week's podcast, which you can find here: https://twitter.com/outofouraleague/status/6595824...

You've been a distinct voice of reason through this saga. Appreciate the time you've taken to research things properly and deliver a wholly objective take on it all.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/blog/2015/10/27/wha...

This article is spot on, rational and a very good read. David Gallop and cronies, read this, it sums it up near perfectly for you. Especially the last paragraph.

Went to Auckland v. Tasman semi-final for ITM cup at Eden Park and it was like Chatham Cup Final numbers...

Thank you, very nice of you to say. Here's hoping next week I'll be writing about how the Nix have given a giant middle finger to the FFA by kicking seven shades of sh*t out of the Victory on Monday!

Comparisons to ITM Cup crouds are as relevant as comparisons to All Blacks test crouds, and equally unlikely to be an FFA metric.