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Expansion Thread 🪜

As an old-school NSL supporter, I've always been against the idea of ethnic NSL clubs joining the A-League. But in the current environment, this ticks all the right boxes.

In fact, I'd say they should fully embrace their identity. Bring back the Hellas name and replace the outdated 90s-era logo with the iconic Hellenic cross. If you're going to lean into the club's heritage, you may as well go all in.

Surely the 3rd biggest Greek city in the world has enough support for their own team on a national stage
 
Curious if there will be negotiating over the 15mil license

I suspect apl will go a bit lower, but i doubt members would be happy paying 15mil so doubt it happens

Article in the age claim that sources close to the apl dismissed the idea of sm replacing wun
 
patjennings said:
Foley did and I bet TSG paid pretty well too - though probably less to clear the debts. We are in the era of big money from OS. Weren't V Sports looking at someone a few months ago. Imagine them and Harry Stamoulis and his property development moving the target from Tarneit to Geelong/Armstrong Creek. As long as they can come to some truce / arrangement with the Cats that makes it a shared pride in the region rather than let's kill the intruder.

Kardinia gets a extra tenant while the boutique 10000-15000 stadium is built. Combination of blue and teal for the Geelong Waves in a nod to both Geelong and the Surf Coast. Throw in a discounted addon to Cats membership for season memberships.
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It would work but the less Geelong Cats propaganda the better. I and many others would jump on if this happened, there is a big market. A lack of a clear identity is what killed WU from day 1.
 
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superpolska said:
It would work but the less Geelong Cats propaganda the better. I and many others would jump on if this happened, there is a big market. A clear identity is what killed WU from day 1.
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Cat's have a membership of 91000

Assume a 15,000 stadium is built at Armstrong Creek. Anything over 10,000 would be a great crowd in that size.

Cat's have a membership of 91000. Their membership contacts would be gold - doesn't need to have Cat's propaganda, just a tick box. Then look at the small conversion rate you would need

10000 11%
12000 13%
15000 16%

I just think in such a parochial market it is too good a resource not to use. Happy to be convinced otherwise
 
I think the APL should be cold blooded and not care about clubs folding. Expand by 2 a year and go to the a1/a2 model until you have enough clubs to remove the trapdoor (32 teams)

one expansion place for the championship winner and one expansion place for the highest bidder of a franchise. If you make it an open system a bunch will crash and burn but you still get the license fees which increases the distribution

central planning and saying "we will put a club in hobart and wait 6 years for someone to pay 25mil" won't work
 
patjennings said:
Cat's have a membership of 91000

Assume a 15,000 stadium is built at Armstrong Creek. Anything over 10,000 would be a great crowd in that size.

Cat's have a membership of 91000. Their membership contacts would be gold - doesn't need to have Cat's propaganda, just a tick box. Then look at the small conversion rate you would need

10000 11%
12000 13%
15000 16%

I just think in such a parochial market it is too good a resource not to use. Happy to be convinced otherwise
Click to expand...
AFL membership numbers are all significantly inflated but yes that makes sense and is a good idea. An affiliation of some sort would be beneficial but a Geelong Cats Soccer Club would turn away a lot of people that live here as well as people from the western suburbs/country. Keep it at media ops/membership etc like what Western Utd had with Footscray for the 1 year they had a buzz
 
superpolska said:
AFL membership numbers are all significantly inflated but yes that makes sense and is a good idea. An affiliation of some sort would be beneficial but a Geelong Cats Soccer Club would turn away a lot of people that live here as well as people from the western suburbs/country. Keep it at media ops/membership etc like what Western Utd had with Footscray for the 1 year they had a buzz
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On the name, "Cats" would be left out, and you'd probably have to call it "Soccer Club" because the locals would crack the shits and instantly get defensive if they use "Football" for soccer. Would need a nickname.
 
I'll throw my 2 cents in, Victoria will never see another top flight club. If you're Victory/City you'd be trying to veto it at all costs, they should be able to sell the WU disaster to the APL as a "dont touch this state again".

Next expansion spots will be Canberra and Christchurch, beyond that i dont think anyone else will come in.
 
superpolska said:
AFL membership numbers are all significantly inflated but yes that makes sense and is a good idea. An affiliation of some sort would be beneficial but a Geelong Cats Soccer Club would turn away a lot of people that live here as well as people from the western suburbs/country. Keep it at media ops/membership etc like what Western Utd had with Footscray for the 1 year they had a buzz
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That's why I called it Geelong Waves. Geelong the industrial identity with the blue colour and teal for the surf Coast. Not the Cats.
 
southmelb said:
I'll throw my 2 cents in, Victoria will never see another top flight club. If you're Victory/City you'd be trying to veto it at all costs, they should be able to sell the WU disaster to the APL as a "dont touch this state again".

Next expansion spots will be Canberra and Christchurch, beyond that i dont think anyone else will come in.
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Surely they wouldn't stand in the way of a Geelong club? Is there much or any crossover there?

On South Melbourne, we're at an interesting point now where the calls for South to enter A-League are coming from within the Victory fans 👋🏻. Also, I'd like to think that the clubs might realise that saying "a rising tide lifts all boats", even if they lose a few fans or sponsors to South. I'm bitterly disappointment that any clubs are allowed to stand in the way of other clubs ambitions, but I know that happens even at member fed level too 😕

And I think you're right with Canberra and Christchurch. And South must be joining too, I can't see APL going out of their way to meet them only to have their hearts broken for a fourth time. I think with South and Tassie it will make up the next four expansions. Gold Coast was touted when the last expansion was announced, but there's total silence up there now.
 
Victory have a strong base in Geelong, they would not want that dilluted at all.

I've not seen any evidence that the apl are interested in South post WU demise. It feels like its our club unilaterally making all the noise the last few days. Whatever happened between the 2 when they did meet a couple months ago likely didnt go anywhere. Its no secret the current 2 franchises want nothing to do with this, whether we like it or not they do have influence.
 
southmelb said:
Victory have a strong base in Geelong, they would not want that dilluted at all.

I've not seen any evidence that the apl are interested in South post WU demise. It feels like its our club unilaterally making all the noise the last few days. Whatever happened between the 2 when they did meet a couple months ago likely didnt go anywhere. Its no secret the current 2 franchises want nothing to do with this, whether we like it or not they do have influence.
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to be fair APL never make noise


but I have a feeling the 15 million will be a standoff leading to no license. I suspect south could pay it (they offered 16 last time) but won't see the license as worth 15 million and APL would only lower the price if they tried a new franchise for 15 mil and failed

just my guess though
 
patjennings said:
Cat's have a membership of 91000

Assume a 15,000 stadium is built at Armstrong Creek. Anything over 10,000 would be a great crowd in that size.

Cat's have a membership of 91000. Their membership contacts would be gold - doesn't need to have Cat's propaganda, just a tick box. Then look at the small conversion rate you would need

10000 11%
12000 13%
15000 16%

I just think in such a parochial market it is too good a resource not to use. Happy to be convinced otherwise
Click to expand...
Carlton and Collingwood had bigger membership bases in the 90s mate.. didnt do them any good when they tried "da wogball"
 
HappyGuus said:
Surely they wouldn't stand in the way of a Geelong club? Is there much or any crossover there?

On South Melbourne, we're at an interesting point now where the calls for South to enter A-League are coming from within the Victory fans 👋🏻. Also, I'd like to think that the clubs might realise that saying "a rising tide lifts all boats", even if they lose a few fans or sponsors to South. I'm bitterly disappointment that any clubs are allowed to stand in the way of other clubs ambitions, but I know that happens even at member fed level too 😕

And I think you're right with Canberra and Christchurch. And South must be joining too, I can't see APL going out of their way to meet them only to have their hearts broken for a fourth time. I think with South and Tassie it will make up the next four expansions. Gold Coast was touted when the last expansion was announced, but there's total silence up there now.
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Yeah THATS what I think is the biggest difference than 8 years ago.. The calls for South (and other ex NSL clubs) to be reconnected is coming from inside as much as outside the tent... I dont see this happening either like @southmelb but you never know... If the APL is desperate enough....
 
grazorblade said:
Curious if there will be negotiating over the 15mil license

I suspect apl will go a bit lower, but i doubt members would be happy paying 15mil so doubt it happens

Article in the age claim that sources close to the apl dismissed the idea of sm replacing wun
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This license fee is a tricky one and would be hard for the APL to negotiate.

The other "clubs" would be extremely resentful if any new entrants were given some leeway over the size of the fee.
 
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