I'm going to talk about my wish-list for improvements to the current comp, not join in this ACFC banter:
1. A two-division National League, with 6 teams in each division playing eachother 4 times. That's of 20 games per team per season at a more even standard in each division then we are currently seeing - and less lop-sided games.
2. No play-offs. I hate play-offs. The winner of the National League goes into the O-league. Or (ideally) the O-league would be expanded to, say, 12 teams, so runners-up would also qualify.
3. Relegation for 2 worst Div 1 sides and promotion for best 2 Div 2 teams. Let's make that wooden spoon worth something.
Now where's Gareth?
I also like the idea of promotion/relegation but there is a huge stumbling block - cost.
At the moment only the top four ASBP franchises can comfortably meet the financial demands of competing in the competition. We all know that Otago, Manawatu, Waikato and even TW now struggle each season to raise the $65,000 NZF entry fee to cover travel costs up and down the country, let alone the cost of fielding a decent team. Without their share of the O League prizemoney I doubt these franchises could continue. None of these four franchsies are attracting real gatemoney to help them and sponsorship money is getting harder to come by.
Expand the competiton to 10 or 12 teams and the travel costs would go up substantially. If an eight-team competition is barely financially sustainable then the cost of a bigger league, or a two tier national league is going to even worse.
If the backers of the Phoenix would plow say $500,000 a season into TW so it could really be competitive then that would at least change the equation in Wellington.
Likewise if NZF would plow money into the ASBP not take it out by grabbing a share of any O League winnings that would also help ease the financial pressure. If a major sponsor could be found to invest in the ASBP then I think it could be expanded.
We all know that the old club-based national league was a financial disaster for many clubs who found themselves with unsustainable travel costs. Just take the demise of the likes of once mighty North Shore United, Mt Wellington or Christchurch United as an example.
The franchise system is the only way to go and participants need security of tenure to raise sponsorship money.
Personally I think time is up for Manawatu and Waikato because they're barely sustainable and attracting little local interest. Bring in Nelson and South Auckland to rejuvinate the ASBP.