Turbulence (then calm sailing, then turbulence) thread.

[Roy Law]

I think we should have another team on the Coast; perhaps we could call it "The Academy" and let CCF run it. The derbies would surely bring the crowds in

 

[pjennings]

A-League expansion: no timeline, no favourites but FFA working toward 12-team competition

Carly Adno
The Daily Telegraph
December 15, 2014 9:16PM

EXTENSIVE research into expanding the A-League into a 12-team competition is already underway, but David Gallop says there is no set timeline for the expansion, nor are there any frontrunners.


Speaking at the announcement of Telstra as the FFA’s official telecommunications partner, the FFA boss confirmed he has met with several interested parties, but all plans will be carefully considered.

A major consideration will be to make sure all current teams, “have their heads well above the water” before anything is finalised.

David Gallop says the game has learned some harsh lessons from previous expansions.

David Gallop says the game has learned some harsh lessons from previous expansions. Source: News Corp Australia
“I’ve met with a number of people from a number of areas and there’s always great enthusiasm for this kind of thing,” Gallop said.

“But, like most codes in Australia, football has learned some harsh lessons around expansion in years gone by, so we need to hasten slowly towards that 12-team competition to make sure it benefits everyone.


“I’ve said before we want to fish where the fish are, so we are conscious of areas where there are millions of potential fans rather than just a few 100,000, but that’s not discounting any area.


“We’re currently doing some fairly in depth research across a number of areas and just looking at where the potential markets are, taking into account the impact on the league as a whole and impact on the existing clubs and their footprint is going to be a critical part of the decision.”


Gallop couldn’t confirm whether the Wellington Phoenix will have their A-League license extended as he waits for a proposal from the New Zealand club, but he did have some words for the Central Coast Mariners.

Mike Charlesworth, owner of the Central Coast club, is adamant the Mariners need to branch out into northern Sydney for financial reasons, which is why they have played a couple of their home games at North Sydney Oval.


While Gallop is happy for Charlesworth to experiment with the idea, he is interested to hear how it will affect fans in their “heartland”.


“We’ve been happy for them to run that as a trial and an experiment, but on any view they’ve had mixed results,” he said.


“Ensuring that their core fan base, the community of the Central Coast, is at the heart of all their decision making is very important in our view.


“So when we sit down with the Mariners over the next few months to understand their strategy going forward, we’ll certainly be keen to understand how they intend to maintain their heartland, which is on the Central Coast.”

http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league-expansion-no-timeline-no-favourites-but-ffa-working-toward-12-team-competition/story-e6frf423-1227157263183

 

[dibo]

Well that is a less than subtle message.

 

[midfielder]

Well that is a less than subtle message.

++999999999999999999999 to Gallop ...

 

[midfielder]

Just on the media deal... The Herald Sun are reporting the next media deal could be as early as 2017 with the existing media deal brought forward... Chs 7 & 10 seem interested... they quote a figure of 80 million with two expansion teams with the early favourites being a third Sydney and second Brisbane teams... meaning 18 months and we more than double our money from the media ...

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/f...a-league-by-2017/story-fni2wcjl-1227155286888

 

[sydmariner]

++999999999999999999999 to Gallop ...

 

[Roy Law]

A-League expansion: no timeline, no favourites but FFA working toward 12-team competition

Carly Adno
The Daily Telegraph
December 15, 2014 9:16PM

EXTENSIVE research into expanding the A-League into a 12-team competition is already underway, but David Gallop says there is no set timeline for the expansion, nor are there any frontrunners.


Speaking at the announcement of Telstra as the FFA’s official telecommunications partner, the FFA boss confirmed he has met with several interested parties, but all plans will be carefully considered.

A major consideration will be to make sure all current teams, “have their heads well above the water” before anything is finalised.

David Gallop says the game has learned some harsh lessons from previous expansions.

David Gallop says the game has learned some harsh lessons from previous expansions. Source: News Corp Australia
“I’ve met with a number of people from a number of areas and there’s always great enthusiasm for this kind of thing,” Gallop said.

“But, like most codes in Australia, football has learned some harsh lessons around expansion in years gone by, so we need to hasten slowly towards that 12-team competition to make sure it benefits everyone.


“I’ve said before we want to fish where the fish are, so we are conscious of areas where there are millions of potential fans rather than just a few 100,000, but that’s not discounting any area.


“We’re currently doing some fairly in depth research across a number of areas and just looking at where the potential markets are, taking into account the impact on the league as a whole and impact on the existing clubs and their footprint is going to be a critical part of the decision.”


Gallop couldn’t confirm whether the Wellington Phoenix will have their A-League license extended as he waits for a proposal from the New Zealand club, but he did have some words for the Central Coast Mariners.

Mike Charlesworth, owner of the Central Coast club, is adamant the Mariners need to branch out into northern Sydney for financial reasons, which is why they have played a couple of their home games at North Sydney Oval.


While Gallop is happy for Charlesworth to experiment with the idea, he is interested to hear how it will affect fans in their “heartland”.


“We’ve been happy for them to run that as a trial and an experiment, but on any view they’ve had mixed results,” he said.


“Ensuring that their core fan base, the community of the Central Coast, is at the heart of all their decision making is very important in our view.


“So when we sit down with the Mariners over the next few months to understand their strategy going forward, we’ll certainly be keen to understand how they intend to maintain their heartland, which is on the Central Coast.”

[URL='http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league-expansion-no-timeline-no-favourites-but-ffa-working-toward-12-team-competition/story-e6frf423-1227157263183[/QUOTE']http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league-expansion-no-timeline-no-favourites-but-ffa-working-toward-12-team-competition/story-e6frf423-1227157263183[/URL]

Which provides the opportunity for the community to voice its concerns; much lobbying of David Gallop I would think. Lawrie McKinna should be able to do some good work here.

 

[bikinigirl]

“So when we sit down with the Mariners over the next few months to understand their strategy going forward, we’ll certainly be keen to understand how they intend to maintain their heartland, which is on the Central Coast.”

http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league-expansion-no-timeline-no-favourites-but-ffa-working-toward-12-team-competition/story-e6frf423-1227157263183

. i'd much prefer that if the ffa wanted to ask about 'maintaining their heartland' that they actually ask the 'heartland' rather than a couple of blow-ins that have not shown a lot of interest or ability in doing that

 

[dibo]

They're not precluding that. If CCMOSC wrote to FFA to outline their eagerness to be consulted I'd be surprised if it were rebuffed at this point.

 

[Gratis]

double boohyeah!

 

[bikinigirl]

They're not precluding that. If CCMOSC wrote to FFA to outline their eagerness to be consulted I'd be surprised if it were rebuffed at this point.

. i've sent a request ... but maybe others should too

 

[true believer]

Well that is a less than subtle message.

I think I passed out for 5 minutes . the FFA backing us up !
is my head ringing? did missus tb nail me with a frying pan ? is the neighbours kid smoking wackie weed again .
no , she looks happy . and the message is still on the pc .

well i'll be f..................

 

[bikinigirl]

They're not precluding that. If CCMOSC wrote to FFA to outline their eagerness to be consulted I'd be surprised if it were rebuffed at this point.

. the CCMOSC were already on to it

 

[mariner72]

Nobody said "West Brisbane". Brisbane is a city of nearly 2 million with one club with nearly 12,000 members and crowds of over 15,000. It's not just feasible, it's likely we'll see another team in that city in the future. How near that future is we don't know.

As for the Mariners playing games elsewhere, the talk of games in Tasmania and Canberra doesn't sound right - we've played games in Canberra before and I think the Tassie talk is someone getting ideas about how the club has drawn parallels between Hawthorn playing games in Tasmania and the Mariners playing games in Sydney.

From the club's comms, taking games to Sydney is about cheaper rent and marketing to a minority of fans (and trying to grow that minority). It seems the wheels might have fallen off the cheaper rent argument with Lawrie confirming that the rent is $7,500 a pop and the club seems oblivious to the possibility that marketing to a minority of fans by taking games to them might a) not be what that minority even wants and b) damaging their relationship with the majority of fans.

don't be sucked into this ridiculous $7500 discussion of course it costs more due to the costs all clubs have to pay. very misleading. there is only 1 reason clubs playing games 'away from home' and its down to $$'s nothing more nothing less.

 

[nearlyyellow]

don't be sucked into this ridiculous $7500 discussion of course it costs more due to the costs all clubs have to pay. very misleading. there is only 1 reason clubs playing games 'away from home' and its down to $$'s nothing more nothing less.

Yeah, we've already worked that out in previous posts. I reckon the estimated costs to be borne by CCM when plating at Grahame Park, other than CCM wages, is probably somewhere around $60-80k., but hard to know for sure. It would be a moral that it would have to cost CCM more for an NSO game day imo.

 

[Big Al]

Just on the media deal... The Herald Sun are reporting the next media deal could be as early as 2017 with the existing media deal brought forward... Chs 7 & 10 seem interested... they quote a figure of 80 million with two expansion teams with the early favourites being a third Sydney and second Brisbane teams... meaning 18 months and we more than double our money from the media ...

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/f...a-league-by-2017/story-fni2wcjl-1227155286888

Also reported by some guy on Sam santo and ed after the FFA cup.
Santo specifically said what does that mean for CC. Reply all 10 original teams stay as is.
The 3rd Sydney team was to incorporate the the south coast or Sutherland shire not North Sydney or north Shore.
Only rumours but positive to force MC to reevaluate.

 

[midfielder]

Following on from what BG said and the article in the Telie ... I sent the following email to David Gallop...

David @ reception@footballaustralia.com.au

Recently you were quoted in the Telegraph as having an interest in what the Central Coast Mariners moves to NSO are having on the Central Coast.

I offer my views and disclose I am a Mariner fan. Further I am in not unique, but certainly aware, of the issues of both Northern Sydney and the Central Coast.

I have two home, one in Epping and the other on the Central Coast. I currently run my business at Ettalong Beach and spent most of the week on the Coast and have done so for the last 3 years. Prior to that I was in Epping, however my parents had a holiday home which became their retirement home at Summerland Point from 1968 and my wife’s parents had a home in Terrigal from 1972. We spent two out of four weekend on the Coast for years.

I played Football for years, and supported and followed the Northern spirit who played at NSO.

When the NSL closed and the A-League began many like me and we are a group of five, chose to follow the Mariners we all live or lived in or around Epping.

In fact everybody I knew who followed the Northern Spirt or Parramatta Power chose either SFC or the Mariners. Today across the broader Northern Sydney area aside from the isolated Northern Beaches most people wishing to attend A-League matches are already aligned to either SFC, WSW or CCM.

I or we chose the Mariners over SFC in Hal 1, for a number of reasons, the ease of getting to Gosford, parking and the closeness of the CCLC for pre and after meals and drinks, as is the closeness of the railway station.

Meaning I don’t see massive new numbers who will attend simply because we play at NSO or Brookie especially if we maintain Central Coast in the name.

The Central Coast folk by nature in many ways don’t trust officials because of the lack of services on the Coast. The hurt and sense of betrayal when North Sydney Bears became the Northern Eagles only for Manly to relocate back to their home stadium is deeply felt.

The people of the Coast IMO will not travel as both stadiums are difficult to get to but moreover they would see it an even worst light than the Northern Eagles because this was our team. The hard won battles for fans, crowds, rating etc would all be gone and many people would turn. I am aware of a number of Mariner fans who were previously RL fans and come to matches because they are local.

In summary my local knowledge in Northern Sydney tells me there is not a massive market to get to the Coast and that fans on the Coast in their droves would leave if we were to play more than say two at most and that’s a stretch games away from Gosford.

My suggestion is as Rugby is dying on its feet in Northern Sydney area is a combined effort by all three clubs and FFA to this area. Each club would benefit but that the Mariners could drag into NSO what the Northern Spirit did in my mind is fanciful.

 

[Capt. Awesome]

Following on from what BG said and the article in the Telie ... I sent the following email to David Gallop...

David @ reception@footballaustralia.com.au

Recently you were quoted in the Telegraph as having an interest in what the Central Coast Mariners moves to NSO are having on the Central Coast.

I offer my views and disclose I am a Mariner fan. Further I am in not unique, but certainly aware, of the issues of both Northern Sydney and the Central Coast.

I have two home, one in Epping and the other on the Central Coast. I currently run my business at Ettalong Beach and spent most of the week on the Coast and have done so for the last 3 years. Prior to that I was in Epping, however my parents had a holiday home which became their retirement home at Summerland Point from 1968 and my wife’s parents had a home in Terrigal from 1972. We spent two out of four weekend on the Coast for years.

I played Football for years, and supported and followed the Northern spirit who played at NSO.

When the NSL closed and the A-League began many like me and we are a group of five, chose to follow the Mariners we all live or lived in or around Epping.

In fact everybody I knew who followed the Northern Spirt or Parramatta Power chose either SFC or the Mariners. Today across the broader Northern Sydney area aside from the isolated Northern Beaches most people wishing to attend A-League matches are already aligned to either SFC, WSW or CCM.

I or we chose the Mariners over SFC in Hal 1, for a number of reasons, the ease of getting to Gosford, parking and the closeness of the CCLC for pre and after meals and drinks, as is the closeness of the railway station.

Meaning I don’t see massive new numbers who will attend simply because we play at NSO or Brookie especially if we maintain Central Coast in the name.

The Central Coast folk by nature in many ways don’t trust officials because of the lack of services on the Coast. The hurt and sense of betrayal when North Sydney Bears became the Northern Eagles only for Manly to relocate back to their home stadium is deeply felt.

The people of the Coast IMO will not travel as both stadiums are difficult to get to but moreover they would see it an even worst light than the Northern Eagles because this was our team. The hard won battles for fans, crowds, rating etc would all be gone and many people would turn. I am aware of a number of Mariner fans who were previously RL fans and come to matches because they are local.

In summary my local knowledge in Northern Sydney tells me there is not a massive market to get to the Coast and that fans on the Coast in their droves would leave if we were to play more than say two at most and that’s a stretch games away from Gosford.

My suggestion is as Rugby is dying on its feet in Northern Sydney area is a combined effort by all three clubs and FFA to this area. Each club would benefit but that the Mariners could drag into NSO what the Northern Spirit did in my mind is fanciful.

Good work. I just did the same too. Here's mine:

Hi David,

I am writing to you today to share my views on the Central Coast Mariners moving games to Northern Sydney. I am a relatively new fan to football. I have only been a dedicated Mariners fan for the past three years although I was a casual supporter before that. I am a convert from Rugby League. I have lived on the Coast most of my life.

I am now a gold member with the Mariners and have brought in a large group of extended family and friends who all sit in the same bay. We all love football and the Mariners now.

A couple of weeks ago when the news broke that Mike Charlsworth wanted to move 4-5 games away from the Coast to North Sydney Oval like most fans, we were devastated. We were devastated not only because we would lose games but because we could see quite plainly the plan will not work and it could ruin our beloved club. There are just so many obvious reasons, many of them I have listed here:

•North Sydney Oval is not suitable for football from both a player and a fans point of view. There is a lot of complaints from coaches and players that the ground is not good for player welfare as well as the quality of football. The atmosphere and viewing experience for fans is very sub par as spectators are so far from the pitch and seating is poor. Parking is non-existent.

•The people of the North Shore on mass will not support a team called the Central Coast Mariners. They cannot relate to it. The North Shore is a different culture and identity than the Central Coast.

•Moving games to North Sydney will only alienate the dedicated Central Coast fans who have followed the team for years.


To us fans it seems like Mike Charlsworth has thrown in the towel regarding having a sustainable football team on the Central Coast. I admit I’m not a businessman but I feel like there are numerous opportunities that are being wasted or not fully utilised on the Coast. As you may be aware the relationship with Central Coast Football and the Mariners has pretty much broken down over the last year. If this relationship was strong the Mariners would have 12,000 players that could help drive crowd numbers to games.

For the casual fans most do not realise the games are on each week. I feel that better promotion of games on the coast can greatly affect crowd numbers. The Mariners need to engage their current fans and members and to treat them not as customers but as partners to help spread the word. All the fans I speak to would love to help but they are not being engaged in this way.

I believe the Mariners can be sustainable and profitable on the Coast if there is strong community focus. We have had average crowd of over 12,000 in the past. If done right we can achieve these results again. Sending more and more games to North Sydney will destroy the club that is so important to the identity of the Central Coast.

I appeal to you to do everything within your ability to help the Mariners remain on the Central Coast. There are many fans that feel the same way I do. Please visit the ‘Stand Up For the Mariners’ Facebook page to see all the passionate fans and the length they are going to keep the Mariners on the Coast.

 

[mariner72]

Excellent letter love, let us know if he responds. Lets hope for a huge crowd on the 27th and start proving the point the club can be sustainable as it is today. I'll be doing my bit by bringing my friends and family up from Hornsby.

 

[adz]