Phoenix Ownership - Rob says FTFFA

I agree. I think its highly unlikely that the FFA are seriously thinking that they might not renew the Phoenix licence but that doesn't mean there aren't still some reasonably complex details to work out.

For example, NZ Football's recent statement in their new High Performance Plan that they would like to see a 2nd franchise in Auckland would be a major shift in the environment for all concerned. The FFA's response is probably "Great to hear, tell us more" and specifically to the Phoenix "how would you deal with that?".

An Auckland entry shouldn't have any affect on the Nix except having 3 games per season where they didn't get duty frees. 

Cheaper trip for club and a whole heap of supporters travelling to all three games for both teams.

I would like to se it happen but Auckland fans in general really need to get behind and actually show up to every game their team has in the country. 

It might also stop the travelling circus which wouldn't be so bad.

 " but Auckland fans in general really need to get behind and actually show up to every game their team has in the country."

At present the difficulty is getting them to show up in Auckland ....

Would have a massive impact on the Nix both good and bad.

Decent away support for one or two games a season.

Higher profile of the sport in NZ media

Initially a smaller pool of players to draw upon

Competition for sponsor dollars.

those last two are fairly big obstacles. Hadn't considered the sponsor dollars, that is a massive one. 

But our brand and sponsorships are already established so to speak, the club just need to keep on nuturing them. Perhaps Auckland could get sponsored by the Americas Cup Syndicate. Their leader (Dalton) is getting allegedly 2 mill a year alone so why not?

The only advantage that the nix has over the Ausy clubs is a captive playerbase, theoretically we have a population of 28 million people to draw upon for players whereas the other clubs only have a population of 23 million, or to put it another way, the Australian clubs have 2.3 million people each to draw players from but we have 7 million.

So ironically our biggest advantage is the fact that we can develop NZ players and not have other clubs poach them, this is negated by a second A-League team, however we traditionally hire Australian journeymen anyway so...

Would say it could be good for sponsorship dollars, more exposure.

Long term it would increase exposure, sponsorship dollars, and the player pool (as more players have a pathway to profesionalism, and more kids get keen in the sport) initially it might be painfull.

It's an interesting topic and as Ryan states would impact both negetively and positively on the Nix. The bad he mentions (competition for players and sponsorship) I think however significantly outweighs the good (for the nix that is not neccessarily NZ football). I seem to remember a long time ago when the warriors were established in their deal with the NRL was a clause that no other NZ team would be established in the next 5 years. This was obviously done to protect them in their foundation stages. Whilst off the park and on we may have turned the corner, we are far from firing up and best case scenario are merely holding our own. I think two teams can only ever be considered if the Nix are truely firing on all fronts.

The day a second team comes to Auckland would truely be a great day (For the nIx as we would have succeeded and for NZ football)

yes but look at the rugby, different teams have different sponsors and it has not affected them financially as such.

From the Top - Worth a read

That really is a good read!

Same old broken 'FFA Classic Hits' record though when it gets to us "theyre in Oceania, and playing in Australia"... "its a unique situation"... "we need AFC approval as well" ... "talks were productive" ....

Once again they make it seem like the lack of revenue from the sky deal is the Phoenix' problem.  The FFA own the rights, they negotiate the deal with Sky. 

 If they got a shark result they need to own it instead of trying to make it seem like the Phoenix' problem.  Cods.

I don't know why its even an issue? If there were no NZ teams in the A-League they would be getting even less from NZ broadcasters, if anything at all.

or they could just cut us adrift.

Sure if there isn't a Phoenix there is less TV income but then think about outgoings like travel to NZ and the wages covered...

Oh please.  Without an NZ team the league wouldn't have got off the ground and would have been close to folding twice since.

They are using the Phoenix as a scapegoat and obfuscation for the ineptitude of their organisation and the flakey nature of the owners they have of the Australian clubs.

"You get into the last season of a licence and that creates a bit of uncertainty."

Really?  *chuckle*

It would be an incredibly stupid move for the FFA to not extend our license, considering they talk openly about the need to expand the comp, and 2 other clubs seem to have possibly uncertain futures anyway. I think this all just jostling for the best position at the bargaining table. It would be pretty sweet if the upshot of all this is a free-to-air network picking up the A League in NZ. So little sport on free-to-air these days and a lot of households don't have Sky Sports. Would be great for the Nix and football in general to have that larger potential audience.

What it is is that the FFA want to bleed all they can out of Welnix to replace the costs they were too incompetent to get out of SKY TV.

As a percentage audience A-League advertisers get more out of a Phoenix game shown here than they do out of a Mariners game shown in Aus.  Chuck in the crouds from here on top of the Australian audiences and the numbers are hugely different.

We need a journalist in this country to take this on board and call out the FFA for the mistruths and double standards they apply to the Phoenix through their own media and lapdogs like Cockerill.

Most of the journos here work for Aussie co's one way or other so would be reluctant to bite the convict hand that feeds.

The problem with an FTA option would be evening games in primetime.  No major channel is going to chuck a ratings leader like News or early evening shows for A-League football unless Huawei are paying them a million dollars a week.

I ran the numbers last night. 

Apologies that the post is big. Will fix later. 

We have to involve that Meyer-Vorfelder lady into those FFA Bullshark. Marion wants Football #1 Sport in NZ We need the Nix playing in the A-League. Winning it would be ideal, just to make the point how much we add to it ;-)

Totally agree. The whole other confed issue is just smoke and mirrors while the FFA get us to jump through hoops no other team has had to.

They could just agree to an licence extension and take that to FIFA/AFC/OFC to rubber stamp, easy.

The FFA are too busy kissing WSW's arse, thats why. The whole thing should be done transparently. Sky should be paying more too in fairness. How many of us watch Nix games here, even to the extent where some of us at home games record them so we can watch from a different angle later.

That's the problem, From what I have read and trolled the AFC and OFC plus FIFA don't not and have not given out a 30 year licence.

Rumors are the AFC will only agree to a four year licence extension.

The rest of your statement (which I left out) is on the nose.

If the A-League was more like a crap talent show of rubbish reality show then NZ TV networks would be climbing over each other to show Phoenix games.

I know we've kind of been over this, but who other than Sky is able to do the video and production? If the production could get properly sorted then I would love to see the rights go on the web (similar to Premier League Pass, with "watch when you want" capability).

You think they could have sold a 7 team league with three games a week?

Maybe, but to suggest that the A league would not have started without a NZ  team is rubbish.

I reckon nix's tv ratings will def be down while the cricket world cup is on.  Also our next home game on the 29th is also the final of the world cup, so ratings will be even further down, especially if NZ is in the final.  This stuff doesn't help our cause.
 

Don't know if this has been posted somewhere else but I find it amusing the FFA could be in this pickle.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/blog/2015/03/09/odds-shorten-league-grand-final-new-zealand