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What's really wrong with the Wellington Phoenix?

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Posted February 09, 2018 01:03 · last edited February 09, 2018 01:07

What's the problem we're trying to solve? Phoenix needs to be a viable multi-year business proposition, but instead it appears to take action on a year on year basis (sometimes month on month)

Repeatable success only guarantees high crowds, not reliable crowds. Especially in Wellington where support is fickle no matter what the sport. Reliable crowds is by creating an association and loyalty to the club. Taking that sentiment that you all feel on here for the Phoenix and finding a way of getting everyone to have it. I have no idea how by the way. My approach follows a path of effectively brain washing my children, forcing them to go to games and repeatedly buying season passes no matter how much I whine and gripe about it. But not everyone wants to spend their disposable income that way when it is way to easy to find alternative ways to get to the game when demand (occasionally) rises due to the way tickets are given away, marketed etc depending on the marketing strategy for that week.

The A League wage cap makes it difficult to attract talent. A few years ago, the A League was on the cusp of being the ideal retirement plan and wind-down for ageing (still talented) footballers that didn't want to drop down a league or two in their home country, but then MLS (and then China) pretty much took that mantle. The A League is now further down the pecking order, and Wellington (the City, not the Phoenix) will struggle to look compelling or attractive to a professional footballer whose personal drivers are more about how they live off the field and the perceived lifestyle that Australia can offer, than what they occasionally do on the field.

I love Wellington, I love the Phoenix. But I am wondering whether a New Zealand professional football club can survive in Wellington, at least when it doesn't have a football ground that is suitable for the way Wellingtonians follow teams and attend sporting events.

So, the question comes back to, which is the problem we're solving? Is it having the Phoenix survive for ever as a Wellington club, or as a club representing NZ? I'd rather have both, but the current lack of stadium choices, plus trying to compete with an Australia as a destination for a footballer and their family, combined with the lack of wide-spread local loyalty, makes the latter more achievable than the former. 

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Unknown editor edited February 09, 2018 01:07

What's the problem we're trying to solve? Phoenix needs to be a viable multi-year business proposition, but instead it appears to take action on a year on year basis (sometimes month on month)

Repeatable success only guarantees high crowds, not reliable crowds. Especially in Wellington where support is fickle no matter what the sport. Reliable crowds is by creating an association and loyalty to the club. Taking that sentiment that you all feel on here for the Phoenix and finding a way of getting everyone to have it. I have no idea how by the way. My approach follows a path of effectively brain washing my children, forcing them to go to games and repeatedly buying season passes no matter how much I whine and gripe about it. But not everyone wants to spend their disposable income that way when it is way to easy to find alternative ways to get to the game when demand (occasionally) rises due to the way tickets are given away, marketed etc depending on the marketing strategy for that week.

The A League wage cap makes it difficult to attract talent. A few years ago, the A League was on the cusp of being the ideal retirement plan and wind-down for ageing (still talented) footballers that didn't want to drop down a league or two in their home country, but then MLS (and then China) pretty much took that mantle. The A League is now further down the pecking order, and Wellington (the City, not the Phoenix) will struggle to look compelling or attractive to a professional footballer whose personal drivers are more about how they live off the field and the perceived lifestyle that Australia can offer, than what they occasionally do on the field.

I love Wellington, I love the Phoenix. But I am wondering whether a New Zealand professional football club can survive in Wellington, at least when it doesn't have a football ground that is suitable for the way Wellingtonians follow teams and attend sporting events.

So, the question comes back to, which is the problem we're solving? Is it having the Phoenix survive for ever as a Wellington club, or as a club representing NZ. I'd rather have both, but the current lack of stadium choices, plus trying to compete with an Australia as a destination for a footballer and their family, combined with the lack of wide-spread local loyalty, makes the latter more achievable than the former. 

Unknown editor edited February 09, 2018 01:06

What's the problem we're trying to solve? Phoenix needs to be a viable multi-year business proposition, but instead it appears to take action on a year on year basis (sometimes month on month)

Repeatable success only guarantees high crowds, not reliable crowds. Especially in Wellington where support is fickle no matter what the sport. Reliable crowds is by creating an association and loyalty to the club. Taking that sentiment that you all feel on here for the Phoenix and finding a way of getting everyone to have it. I have no idea how by the way. My approach follows a path of effectively brain washing my children, forcing them to go to games and repeatedly buying season passes no matter how much I whine and gripe about it. But not everyone wants to spend their disposable income that way when it is way to easy to find alternative ways to get to the game when demand (occasionally) rises due to the way tickets are given away, marketed etc depending on the marketing strategy for that week.

The A League wage cap makes it difficult to attract talent. A few years ago, the A League was on the cusp of being the ideal retirement plan and wind-down for ageing (still talented) footballers that didn't want to drop down a league or two in their home country, but then MLS (and then China) pretty much took that mantle. The A League is now further down the pecking order, and Wellington (the City, not the Phoenix) will struggle to look compelling or attractive to a professional footballer whose personal drivers are more about how they live off the field than what  they can do on the field.

I love Wellington, I love the Phoenix. But I am wondering whether a New Zealand professional football club can survive in Wellington, at least when it doesn't have a football ground that suitable for the way Wellingtonians follow sport.

So, the question comes back to, which is the problem we're solving? Having the Phoenix survive for ever as a Wellington club, as a club representing NZ. I'd rather have both, but the current lack of stadium choices, plus completing with Australia as a destination, combined with the lack of wide-spread local loyalty, males the latter more achievable than the former.