AUSTRALIA'S new national soccer competition - the Hyundai A-League - will start in August next year and be broadcast by FOX SPORTS.
The eight participant clubs will be Adelaide United, Auckland Kingz, Queensland Lions, Central Coast Mariners from Gosford in NSW, Melbourne Victory, Newcastle United, Perth Glory and Sydney FC.
At a launch in Sydney today, it was announced all clubs would have 20-player rosters and a salary cap of $1.5 million.
The Australian Soccer Association was forecasting aggregate crowds in the first season of 1 million – an average of 10,000 per game – leading to a financial turnover of $50 million in the first year. The A-League will replace the now-defunct National Soccer League, which was wound up at the end of last season.
"Today is a red-letter day for Australian soccer," ASA chairman Frank Lowy told the launch at Darling Harbour.
"But please remember, it is only the start.
"We have greater ambitions for it, but we realise we need to take things one step at a time.
"We are only running on to the pitch today. We haven't even blown the whistle to start the game."
ASA chief executive John O'Neill said two matches a week from the new league would be broadcast live on FOX SPORTS.
But he said the A-League would start modestly with eight teams, with the prospects of others to be added around Australia and possibly Asia as the league grew.
"Our aim is to go mainstream. The million or so boys, girls, mums and dads who take to the park each weekend for fun or competition will be a prime audience for the Hyundai A-League," O'Neill said.
"People will come if the football is good, the venues are family-friendly and if they get more than just a sporting event.
"We have modest expectations of match attendance – we are not the English Premier League.
"In year one, we are hoping that our total spectator turnover will be around one million people.
"That's based on an average match crowd of 10,000 people plus spectators at the finals series."
Credit: foxsports.com.au
Love Soccer, Awesome for Australia, Hope it kicks off well
The eight participant clubs will be Adelaide United, Auckland Kingz, Queensland Lions, Central Coast Mariners from Gosford in NSW, Melbourne Victory, Newcastle United, Perth Glory and Sydney FC.
At a launch in Sydney today, it was announced all clubs would have 20-player rosters and a salary cap of $1.5 million.
The Australian Soccer Association was forecasting aggregate crowds in the first season of 1 million – an average of 10,000 per game – leading to a financial turnover of $50 million in the first year. The A-League will replace the now-defunct National Soccer League, which was wound up at the end of last season.
"Today is a red-letter day for Australian soccer," ASA chairman Frank Lowy told the launch at Darling Harbour.
"But please remember, it is only the start.
"We have greater ambitions for it, but we realise we need to take things one step at a time.
"We are only running on to the pitch today. We haven't even blown the whistle to start the game."
ASA chief executive John O'Neill said two matches a week from the new league would be broadcast live on FOX SPORTS.
But he said the A-League would start modestly with eight teams, with the prospects of others to be added around Australia and possibly Asia as the league grew.
"Our aim is to go mainstream. The million or so boys, girls, mums and dads who take to the park each weekend for fun or competition will be a prime audience for the Hyundai A-League," O'Neill said.
"People will come if the football is good, the venues are family-friendly and if they get more than just a sporting event.
"We have modest expectations of match attendance – we are not the English Premier League.
"In year one, we are hoping that our total spectator turnover will be around one million people.
"That's based on an average match crowd of 10,000 people plus spectators at the finals series."
Credit: foxsports.com.au
Love Soccer, Awesome for Australia, Hope it kicks off well
