2019/20 Fixtures

... by which I mean, thank Christ they're not up in Albania

Also a sign that either the Nix are more of a drawcard, or Eden Park are really desperate (from what I hear, the latter)

Overall pretty pleased with the draw. Some good fixtures, times and spacings. Nice to have a game in Melbourne during the Boxing day test series. Good Auckland games. Nice Melbourne double header. Good byes

Vic Rail.

Lets hope a 6 o'clock kick off on Sunday helps draw people in that is if the team can do the right thing and string some wins together

Some not so good things, away to Perth twice.  You would've though Phoenix v Perth would've been one of the play each other twice

The two away trips to Perth, and the away trip to Adelaide are not adjacent to another away game thus not able to turn them into a road trip

The two consecutive away trips, are 7 days and 9 days apart, instead of being a Sunday-Friday and thus facilitating staying over there.

Away to Melbourne 3 times in 6 weeks, 4 times in 8 weeks if you count Ballarat, not great for the Nix supporter in MEL.  In fact in Nov/Dec, 3 games at AAMI, 2 games at Westpac

Two of those byes round 6 (November) & round 25 (March), are during FIFA international windows.

Very kind of the FFA.

Just leaves the upcoming 2019 OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament  (dates 21 September – 5 October 2019), as an issue between Nix and NZF. You would think NZF/Buckingham would be dead keen to have Cacace, Waine, Elliott & McCowatt in PNG.

Wellington's first A League game is however very soon after on October 13th. So potentially very disruptive for the Nix.

The tournament falls outside official FIFA international Sept & Oct window dates (being 2-10 Sept & 7-15 Oct). Nice work OFC.

So technically Nix don't have to release anyone.

Expect some very interesting chats coming up between Phoenix HQ & Albany.

Oh FFS!!

In Melbourne for the first Eden Park game (Wanderers) and Takapuna Wine Festival for the second Eden Park game (Melb Sharkty).

It's an U23 tournament, clubs are under no obligation to release players even if during FIFA windows. FIFA windows only apply for A internationals. 

Not sure how any Nix fan could be pleased with this draw on a purely competitive level; it's going to be very hard for us to break top 6 this season with those extra away fixtures against top teams. No CCM, No Newcastle in the '3 game' draw. 

In saying that, either way this draw is fudgeed and I'm ready for the FFA to bugger off. Is there any other league in the world with a draw like this? Ridiculously unfair.

In an Australian sporting context it's almost normal. AFL & NRL have uneven draws. So did Super Rugby - but now reverting back to a pure round robin.

MLS has an uneven draw I'm pretty sure. You play teams in your Conference (East or West) twice, but teams in the other conference once I understand.

Sure far from perfect, but this ain't Europe (where football rules by far), with Australia having one of the more competitive sporting markets around, so a big focus on derbies esp. 

Don't forget A League as a 'product' is seriously dropping in value. Can't really blame FFA for giving Fox the content they want, otherwise pro football here could disappear.

Be thankful for 6pm Sunday KOs, byes in FIFA international windows and a home opener against WU.

That away trip is Melbourne Cup week, so probably gonna pay an arm and a leg for accommodation.

Unless you know someone living there ;)

Are the playoffs done in conferences as well? That wouldn't make this a fair comparison, as in  you would be playing the teams twice that you are in direct competition with for playoff places (which seams a fair way to do it to me).

It'll be interesting at the end of the season whether there is any correlation between league position, and the position of the teams played 3 times. 

Less bias but still bias.

If you are say Timbers in the Western Conference, and got to play all the stronger Eastern Conference teams at home, and the weaker teams away, you’d be advantaged over another team in the West who had the reverse. 

A lot of the Conference playoffs are over 2 legs (but not all), so diminished bias.

MLS final is a one off game hosted by the highest placed team from either of the two Conferences. So again a ‘softer’ draw over the season can come into play.

There is pretty good public transport from Takapuna to Eden Park, you know. Northern Express bus + Western Line train. And you'll be in fine form for chanting after all that wine.

Yep, sadly I don't. Always wanted to go to the Melbourne Cup, would be a perfect chance but it might be beyond my finances this time around.

Tempting. Will see how I go. And yes, the wine festival is at Smales Farm, so transport is decent.

40 days until the season kicks off for us.

I loved turning 40!

I'm back in NZ in December and going to the game at Eden Park (I think it's my first Phoenix game in four years since the 2-0 defeat in Penrith in 2015).

Just wondering if the Eden Park game will have hospitality options, how much will that would likely to be, and can anyone point me to where I would make enquiries?

Looks like Ticketek don't offer hospitality options for the December game...

They seem to do for other events (eg at Westpac) but not for this one.

Also, interestingly, so far tickets are only available for section 401-415, about 1/4 of the stadium.

Not sure what you mean by hospitality package - do you need accommodation and food?

If so, you might be better off booking a hotel/Air BnB nearby. The food at the stadium was quite good when I went up there.

They usually have a Hauwai Lounge function (pre game speeches, MC,  set lunch then an after match) I had to through the Nix office the 2 years I went. Now just meet the family for games.

I just mean a corporate ticket with food / alcohol at the game included.

I’ve done hospitality in Chch at both Lancaster for Adelaide and AMI for Perth and done it at Allianz in Sydney so was just wondering if it was an option to buy for Auckland.

Think I’ll just contact the club direct.

They probably will do the Garage Project tent thing again, they probably just are not offering the tickets yet. But yeah, contacting the club is probably the best idea.

Whoops, 31 was meant to be yesterday. Its 30 days until our first game!

New A-League marketing begins

Who's gonna be 23???

Riden- oh.