A-League expansion plans revealed with two new teams to join in 2018-19

AT least two new teams are set to join the A-League in 2018-19, with Greg O’Rourke confirming that the expansion blueprint will be unveiled in February.

Tim Cahill rises above. Picture: Getty`

AT least two new teams are set to join the A-League in 2018-19, with league chief Greg O’Rourke confirming that the expansion blueprint will be unveiled in February.

Meanwhile a new A-League broadcast deal is edging closer with Thursday the deadline for broadcasters to submit their tender documents.

FFA has spent the past two months negotiating and it’s understood that most Free-to-Air networks along with Optus and Bein Sports have expressed interest in broadcasting A-League from next season.

FoxSports has last rights under the terms of the current $40m-a-year deal, with FFA hopeful the new deal will hit the $80m mark.

Melbourne City and Western Sydney have been successful additions. (Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Expansion is intertwined with TV negotiations, with FFA advising network executives to submit an additional figure for a 12-team competition in addition to a bid for the current 10-team rights.

FFA refused to comment on TV negotiations, but O’Rourke said FFA was investigating how and when the A-League could house 14-18 teams.

“The FFA have got a shortlist of consultants that we are talking to regarding the project scope which will help us build the framework,’’ O’Rourke said.

“We expect that that framework will be ready to put to board in February and if that’s approved it will form the guidelines to add an A-League team to an expanded competition with a view to this coming in the second year of the deal of broadcast, 2018-19.

“Our primary focus will be on the expansion of the A-League over the next 5-7 years and primarily focused on what is the right number of teams and what are the right geographies.

“That’s not to suggest that inter-dependencies of future promotion and relegation or a second division will be ignored but it won’t be primary focus.’’

No less than 10 clubs/consortiums want to join the A-League, with TV executives prefer expansion into bigger markets.

South Melbourne officials met with FFA last week while a joint Sutherland-St George-Illawarra bid is likely to be submitted, with further bids from Victoria, Brisbane and Tasmania set to be formally submitted.

O’Rourke said no bids would be rushed through before the strategy was revealed.

“Any meetings prior to the framework being finalized and the board approving it are more about being respectful and wanting to listen to interested parties who want to ask questions. It’s not about having detailed discussions,’’ he said.

“The FFA doesn’t want potential aspirants to spend time and money putting together a proposal and talking to government in a formal way, until they have a clarity of what is required.

“We have been saying for sometime that any new team in the A-League will need to add value for all existing stakeholders.’’