Don't think there's anything I can add that hasn't been said yet.
Except add a wish for someone with bucketloads of cash who is associated with Wellington and/or New Zealand and is passionate about football to come and buy the club.
Because I think it's highly unlikely that it will ever break even consistently as a business, let alone make a profit, and if the owners think otherwise they are in for a surprise. The fact that they seem unwilling to invest in the key type of capital for a successful football team (ie playing staff) makes me even more sceptical. The A League is football backwater and football is the 3rd or 4th sport in both Australia and New Zealand. There's no pathway to continental football or the Club World Cup for the Phoenix either. Quality kiwi youngsters might come through the academy and be flicked on for a profit but to be honest that's a bit of a lottery and you're competing with a bunch of other pathways to professional football for talented youngsters as well. And If the club is currently losing $1m a year, would we produce $1m worth of youngsters a year to make up for it? I doubt it.
The Nix might be able to break even consistently in the very longterm, like a decade or more, but I wouldn't build a business model around it.
And don't take this as a dig at the owners. I'm stoked they bought the club. If the choice was between no club and a club owned by people who aren't football people, then obviously I'd choose the latter. But I just think there's much more chance the club will survive longterm if the owners are willing to absorb the losses. If in 5 years time the club is still losing $1m a year, will these guys still be willing to keep paying?
In that blog response Gareth pretty much said they're open to selling the club to someone willing to foot the bill too: "Unless of course someone wants to step up and fund the $1m per year annual losses that currently prevail. "
I've said it before, and I'll say it again - Kim Dotcom anyone? He doesn't seem to mind throwing his money away on ego-boosting purchases :P