I heard from a few people that Dome had said that the Nix don't have the cash to base themselves in aussie again. Don't know if there's any truth in that or if anyone here has heard anything?
End of October is 3 months away, though you think decisions would have to be made start of October at absolute latest re draw, is there going to be hubs etc.
By end of October another 10-15M vaccinations (so another 5-7.5M people double vaccinated) will have been done in Australia. Situation will be improved. I have faith that say 3 states at least of VIC, QLD, SA & WA won't be in lockdown. How/when NZ Govt open the TT bubble is up to them.
Season could start with Nix, playing 3 VIC teams, Adelaide, Glory & Roar H&A. That's if there is a TT bubble with those states, and clubs decide is a low risk of any of those states going back into lockdown. Or they get some written undertaken from state govts that folks have 24-48 hours notice to leave before a lockdown, and NZ Govt agrees to let folks back in at short notice without MIQ if they are vaccinated, don't test positive etc etc.
Or other 11 clubs decide to help Nix, part subsidising their relocation costs if they have to come over early season. After all they basically kept Newcastle solvent for a season, and Morrison appears well liked by the other owners.
Next 3-4 weeks will be crucial, re what happens in the non NSW states with Covid, and whether the NZ Govt consider a bubble without NSW. But yeah Sydney is going to be concern right up to season start.
Different circumstances, with obviously Nth America having different tolerance to Covid in the community compared especially to NZ. But for about the first month of the current MLS season, the 3 Canadian teams were based in the US, before Canadian/US border obviously freed up enough (more folks vaccinated, cases dropping into spring/summer etc etc) for teams to travel freely between the 2 countries.
Nix will frustratingly currently need to be working on plans A through to Z.