RIP Wellington Phoenix: 2007-2016

[rbakersmith]

FFA Board decision on Wellington Phoenix licence application

The Board of Football Federation Australia (FFA) has determined that an application from Wellington Phoenix for a 10-year licence extension to compete in the Hyundai A-League will not be granted.
The current licence term under the Club Participation Agreement (CPA) for Wellington Phoenix expires at the end of the Hyundai A-League 2015/16 season.

Under the CPA, the Club has the option of requesting that FFA lodge an application to the relevant football authorities to seek approval of Phoenix’s participation in the Hyundai A-League until the conclusion of the 2019/20 season.

Such an application is required in order to seek exemptions from various statutes of Football New Zealand, Oceania Football Confederation, Asian Football Confederation and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

FFA CEO David Gallop said the Board decision was taken in the best interests of Australian football.

“FFA has carefully evaluated the role and contribution of the Wellington franchise in terms of game development, player pathway, commercial factors, broadcast rights and the long-term strategic outlook,” said Gallop.

“The application for a 10-year extension to the licence does not meet the requirements we see as fundamental to the future growth of the Hyundai A-League.”


Read more at http://www.footballaustralia.com.au...pfovwij2xb731kk2y1g2n7n3y#J5fILMSQpA8b6SdE.99

 

[dibo]

Premature. Phoenix might well come back and apply for the extension to 2019/20.

I think the hand of the AFC is in here as well. AFC needs to approve Phoenix's participation each time, and it's by no means a given.

If NZ Football were to come over, the OFC would have little choice but to follow, with the not insignificant matter of 0.5 WC spots following them.

 

[rbakersmith]

I just can't see Welnix applying for the extension, and that appears to be the prevailing view. It offers no security whatsoever.

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

Can't understand this from the FFA at all. Wellington are one of the most stable clubs in the A-League with owners willing to back them for the next ten years.

 

[sydmariner]

it was good while it lasted, so where to now wollongong,canberra?

 

[FFC Mariner]

I'm aware that this could seem harsh and I apologise up front.

The A-league is an Australian competition, it gains virtually nothing in terms of sponsorship or support for the host broadcaster (Fox subscribers) by having a team in A foreign country.

We are in the AFC and owe nothing to support the game in Oceania. We are only responsible for our own junior development, no one else's.

The next broadcasting deal is crucial for the game. Now that foxtel have been given the green light to acquire 15% of channel 10, commercial FTA is possible. That means advertisers and I see the logic of a other Australian team from a revenue/subscriber viewpoint.

Personally? Canberra, Wollongong or anywhere else in NSW is better for CCM (and us as away fans)

(dons tin helmet and crouches down)

 

[midfielder]

Lowest TV ratings
Lowest crowds
Lowest membership
Close to lowest sponsorships

The media coverage for Football in NZ is almost nothing it has not kept pace with Australia.

Skys sports who ho;d the A-League broadcast rights pay $ 180, 000 [er year for the broadcast rights.

NZF do nothing to promote the A-League spending what they have on their league.

Add the AFC issues...

The Nix have been sent warning many warning the debate started about 18 months ago in earnest.

Very difficult to throw out a team that pays its bills .... however FFA want more than bills being paid today.

 

[VicMariner]

Lowest TV ratings
Lowest crowds
Lowest membership
Close to lowest sponsorships

The media coverage for Football in NZ is almost nothing it has not kept pace with Australia.

Skys sports who ho;d the A-League broadcast rights pay $ 180, 000 [er year for the broadcast rights.

NZF do nothing to promote the A-League spending what they have on their league.

Add the AFC issues...

The Nix have been sent warning many warning the debate started about 18 months ago in earnest.

Very difficult to throw out a team that pays its bills .... however FFA want more than bills being paid today.

Low crowds and ratings (amongst other things) got GCU kicked in favour of a Big City Team - WSW
Now Nix get shafted for a third Sydney team?
We're not far off the lowest crowds and ratings, will we be put on the block for a third Melbourne team?

Shocking decision, WP are one of the most stable teams in the league, never need FFA hand outs and the fans are well behaved, no salary cap cheating, owners aren't dickheads......possibly.

 

[FFC Mariner]

They do get ffa handouts.

 

[midfielder]

Low crowds and ratings (amongst other things) got GCU kicked in favour of a Big City Team - WSW
Now Nix get shafted for a third Sydney team?
We're not far off the lowest crowds and ratings, will we be put on the block for a third Melbourne team?

Shocking decision, WP are one of the most stable teams in the league, never need FFA hand outs and the fans are well behaved, no salary cap cheating, owners aren't dickheads......possibly.

Yes and NO ... given we signed a 20 year licence two years ago its not much of an issue today however yes we do need to lift over time.

 

[rbakersmith]

They do get ffa handouts.

No more than any other team.

They've also never needed to be bailed out - the transition from Serepisos to the Welnix consortium didn't require any financial assistance from the FFA.

 

[VicMariner]

They do get ffa handouts.

The $2.55M cap money? I meant special bail out money.

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

Lowest TV ratings
Lowest crowds
Lowest membership
Close to lowest sponsorships

The media coverage for Football in NZ is almost nothing it has not kept pace with Australia.

Skys sports who ho;d the A-League broadcast rights pay $ 180, 000 [er year for the broadcast rights.

NZF do nothing to promote the A-League spending what they have on their league.

Add the AFC issues...

The Nix have been sent warning many warning the debate started about 18 months ago in earnest.

Very difficult to throw out a team that pays its bills .... however FFA want more than bills being paid today.

The Phoenix do contribute to the Television deal by providing a team for an Australian team to play against at the very least. The Sky Sports money is a bonus! Sure it should be more but that's been negotiated by the FFA not the Wellington Phoenix so who's fault is that? Why should we be bullied by the AFC who have their interests at heart (read their own countries' constituents) the AFC have not stopped us previously from allowing a New Zealand team so why would they now? Is the media coverage much better in Australia? We're still third in line and get around the same coverage as the Kiwis give their football teams. A team should never be sacrificed for another surely as Mariners supporters you can understand this? Especially a team that can pay its own bills when we don't know if the team coming in can.

 

[Big Al]

I like them in.

Looks like FFA saying we will with you for the next TV deal and you will be renewed with each TV deal after that if it suits us.

Time for 2 new teams. If one doesn't work just drop nix and your back to where we started, if both successful they can stay.

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

If people want the Phoenix to stay sign the petition here:
https://www.change.org/p/australian...twitter&utm_campaign=share_twitter_responsive

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

Lowest TV ratings
Lowest crowds
Lowest membership
Close to lowest sponsorships

The media coverage for Football in NZ is almost nothing it has not kept pace with Australia.

Skys sports who ho;d the A-League broadcast rights pay $ 180, 000 [er year for the broadcast rights.

NZF do nothing to promote the A-League spending what they have on their league.

Add the AFC issues...

The Nix have been sent warning many warning the debate started about 18 months ago in earnest.

Very difficult to throw out a team that pays its bills .... however FFA want more than bills being paid today.

Actually they don't have the lowest crowds that was us: http://www.ultimatealeague.com/records.php?type=att&season=2014-15 so should we be kicked out of the league because of that?

 

[dibo]

We are in the AFC. They're not. That's not a trivial problem.

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

We are in the AFC. They're not. That's not a trivial problem.

How so? The only difference between us and New Zealand is paperwork nothing more nothing less. A zoning system put in place by a corrupt governing body. We're closer to New Zealand than Japan or Qatar and have more than just geographic location we have historical and cultural links with them. The only reason the AFC care is that they are terrified another decent nation may enter Asia and take one of their World Cup spots. It simply boils down to corruption from the AFC and Australia should not bow to their agenda and bullying!

 

[midfielder]

Not everything FIFA have done is corrupt.

 

[dibo]

Nice, but irrelevant. For a start, you asked why CCM would not fall foul of a precedent created by a prices that led to WP going out. I've given a solid reason.

It's not an unreasonable rule. WP is in another confederation. Their presence here mucks up our continental qualification and our foreign player rules. It also mucks up the OFC club tournaments. These are not trivial issues. AFC has on a number of occasions noted that these are issues they're not happy with. Rather than be surprised that they might come up again, I would've thought that resolving the issue somehow might be an option.