Independent A-League

Must be gutting to the new Auckland franchise, this type of news from the go.

Hope they have already committed to their imports

AucklandPhoenix

Must be gutting to the new Auckland franchise, this type of news from the go.

Hope they have already committed to their imports

They might be the only team with cash to splash tbh.

RR

Procrastinixing

This really sucks.

Covid effed the A-League over big time.

Any news yet on what the club's minimum salary cap level will be?  I presume it's dropped before when the APL disbursement has been reduced.

RR

Procrastinixing

This really sucks.

Covid effed the A-League over big time.

Covid effed the A-League and took most of their war chest, but they also didn't adjust and kept a large staff and pouring money into keep-up. In hindsight after spending all that money keeping the league going over lockdowns (a big chunk of that went to us) they should have pulled back all their big plans and focused on growing their core business sustainably before maybe trying to expand again in the future when everything was on a sound footing. 

I have to keep reminding everyone that - despite subsequent bad business decisions - if the A-League hadn't gone independent, we wouldn't be here (and neither would AFC)

$500,000 is shockingly low. It’s going to impact hugely across every factor of the A-League. Wages will plummet, there will be little money for marque players. Games will have to shift from expensive big stadiums to local grounds.(Nix to Porirua park???) I would expect some clubs are really really going to struggle. Some may fold.
Ironically Auckland with Foleys cash may become the Manchester City of the A-League

I read somewhere that viewing numbers were supposedly up last season. The Paramount deal was negotiated in the dark days of Covid. Surely when this deal finishes they can get a better media deal, and then APL gets itself on a stronger footing.

coochiee

RR

Procrastinixing

This really sucks.

Covid effed the A-League over big time.

Any news yet on what the club's minimum salary cap level will be?  I presume it's dropped before when the APL disbursement has been reduced.

The salary cap is part of the collective agreement with the PFA, so there won't be any changes until the next one.

Joey Lynch just had a long talk with the APL, sounds like the cap structure will change in the next CBA

Garcia and Stephen Conroy also flagged potential regulatory shifts in years ahead - around negotiations on a new CBA - to fit league’s new, more restrained ‘football vision’.

One example used was potential increases surrounding young Australian players in squads/teams.

— Joey Lynch (@joeylynchy) July 3, 2024

 

Doloras

I have to keep reminding everyone that - despite subsequent bad business decisions - if the A-League hadn't gone independent, we wouldn't be here (and neither would AFC)

We would have ended up like the Auckland Tuatara in the FFA was still in charge for sure.

coochiee

I read somewhere that viewing numbers were supposedly up last season. The Paramount deal was negotiated in the dark days of Covid. Surely when this deal finishes they can get a better media deal, and then APL gets itself on a stronger footing.

its nothing to do with paramount, the apl blew through 150 million dollars and is now broke, the tv money hasn't gone down the apl is taking more of it to cover bad investments including millions to support a startup live event distribution company that was supposed to be cheaper than the incumbents but ended up being substantially more expensive as they were the only client of and had to keep it in business.

austin111

$500,000 is shockingly low. It’s going to impact hugely across every factor of the A-League. Wages will plummet, there will be little money for marque players. Games will have to shift from expensive big stadiums to local grounds.(Nix to Porirua park???) I would expect some clubs are really really going to struggle. Some may fold.
Ironically Auckland with Foleys cash may become the Manchester City of the A-League

I don't think they could change venue as members are sold the same seat at Sky Stadium, might be some small print somewhere that they can change that.

As far as money goes, traditional big clubs like Victory have been struggling financially since  Mario Biaslin passed away and Sydney have been funded by Russian money so although they've cut ties they're still likely hurting. Ironically a cut in the budget of the league may benefit us.

Doloras

I have to keep reminding everyone that - despite subsequent bad business decisions - if the A-League hadn't gone independent, we wouldn't be here (and neither would AFC)

Potentially the A-League wouldn't be here either. The APL had raised US $150 million from private equity which they could re-purpose to keep the league going, when Covid hit Football Australia had $25 million in cash. They might have been forced to shut the A-League down.

https://aleagues.com.au/news/a-league-news-apl-chair-stephen-conroy-statement-to-fans/

Worth remembering and taking some comfort from the fact that Rob Morrison is over of the floor team representatives on the board and was involved in making this decision.