FFA chief hits out at money grab suggestions over expansion

David Gallop has played down suggestions the FFA is only interested in the financial benefits of A-League expansion.

David Gallop denies the FFA’s decision to expand the A-League is a money grab. Picture: Getty Images

David Gallop has played down suggestions that Football Federation Australia is only thinking about the financial dividends it will reap from the pending decision to include two new teams in an expanded A-League next season.

Concerns were raised last week that the two spots could go to the consortiums prepared to pay a huge up-front licence fee.

It has been suggested one bid has offered as much as $20 million — a figure that would help ease the financial stress at FFA — while other figures range from $10m up to $17m.

FFA’s board will meet next Wednesday to consider a management report on the merits of the six contenders who include Canberra, Team 11, Western Melbourne, South Melbourne, Southern Expansion and Macarthur South West Sydney.

Team 11, based in Melbourne, are believed to be strong favourites to win one spot, with Macarthur South West Sydney and Canberra battling for the other position.

“The expansion equation was always going to take into account a range of factors so it’s silly to suggest it was only ever about the licence fee,” Gallop, the FFA chief, said yesterday at the unveiling of the “reinvigorated brands” for the Socceroos and Matildas.

“We are talking to all the bids about making sure that they put their best foot forward, not only in terms of the licence fee, but such things as infrastructure and community engagement. It’s important because we want to make sure we get a range of factors to the best possible position.”

However, Gallop also conceded that the financial aspect was critical. “Clearly, the financial position of the A-League and the rest of the game means the financial equation is critical,” he said.

Gallop was noncommittal when asked if FFA’s management report’s would include recommendations as to which bids should be included in an expanded 12-team league next season. He also confirmed there were still talks in progress before the final report was submitted.

They are believed to revolve around just how committed the Victorian government is to providing funding, believed to be about $150m, for a stadium to be built in Dandenong, where Team 11 will be based.

A-League boss Greg O’Rourke confirmed to The Australian on Monday that those talks were still happening.

“I can’t go into what has been provided to the board at this point, but I can say that the final material has not been finalised,” Gallop said when asked about possible recommendations from management.

“There will be a report handed in on December 12 and we hope to be in a position where there’s a final recommendation that can be made.”

It is unlikely, however, that the new FFA board will make a decision that day — something Gallop said is “not absolutely critical”.

“But there’s only a short period of time after that, perhaps into January (for a decision to be made).

“If it went much past January, then it would obviously put the likelihood of two teams being added in time for the 2019-2020 season under pressure,” he added.

Meanwhile, Gallop said there has been some thought put into how a 12-team A-League would operate in terms of schedule and the amount of games but that the priority was to get through the expansion process first.

Under the current 10-team format, there are three rounds, with each side playing each other three times (27 games plus finals).

However, a 12-team competition would either see the rounds reduced to two, with just 22 games plus finals, or maintained at three rounds, which would mean 33 matches plus finals.

Broadcast rights holders Fox Sports is understood to be against a 33-game preliminary season because of the extra costs involved and also that it would likely require unattractive midweek fixtures as well as cutting deeper into the NRL and AFL seasons.

“There are some options on the table but, thus far, we have concentrated mainly on working out if we can get to 12 teams and then reach a point where we can work out what a home-and-away season would look like,” Gallop said.