Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Firm named to complete feasibility study into A-League team for Tasmania

Here is the full text of a media release issued today by the Tasmanian Minister for Sport and Recreation, Michelle O'Bryrne:


The Minister for Sport and Recreation, Michelle O’Byrne, today announced the successful consortium to undertake the feasibility study for Tasmania United Football Club to obtain an A-League licence.

Ms O’Byrne said that a consortium consisting of Stratcorp Consulting and Sporting Management Concepts had been selected.

“Tasmania is competing for an A-League licence as part the competition’s expansion,” Ms O’Byrne said.

Stratcorp Consulting and SMC have had considerable experience with this type of consulting work, having prepared the successful bid documentation for the Melbourne Heart A-League licence, as well as working extensively with AFL, NRL and other A-League clubs.

“They are also highly experienced in sports business planning and sport infrastructure development.

“The feasibility study will look at a wide range of issues including supporter base, potential stadium facilities and costs, administrative/training facilities, and potential revenue streams such as membership, gate revenue, sponsorship and merchandising.

The State Government will contribute $40,000 to the cost of finalising the feasibility study.

“If the study shows a Tasmanian A-League team is feasible then the State Government will give consideration to assisting with a fully developed business case,” Ms O’Byrne said.

A-League taskforce chairman, John McGirr, said he believed Tasmania was in the mix for inclusion, but the feasibility needed to be assessed first by an experienced and well-credentialed company.

“Having an A-League team would undoubtedly bring social and economic benefits to the state and would help grow the world game in Tasmania.”

Mr McGirr said the Melbourne-based Stratcorp Consulting/SMC consortium would provide the completed feasibility study in around six weeks.

Ben Buckley, FFA's CEO, spoke yesterday about the A-League's expansion plans and not once did he mention Tasmania.

He was quoted in the following The Sydney Morning Herald article published yesterday:

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/20/1240079605344.html

My sources in Sydney state that Tasmania is not even a blip on the A-League radar.

After mentioning a Middle Eastern sheik as a potential sponsor of the proposed Tasmania United at a recent press conference, and after The Mercury's Brett Stubbs devoted many column inches to the story, nothing further has been revealed about the sheik by the Tasmanian Football Taskforce.

The story even made Mainland papers and SBS, as well as the electronic media, but everything has gone quiet now.

Tasmanian football fans would probably like to know a few more answers.

5 comments:

Stick said...

Well said, surprised that we havn't heard that the whole Sheik thing? Was it an attention moment for one Ken Morton??!! Until we have a governing body running this game down here and actually have some players and forwarding ideas then this is not going to happen

Anonymous said...

How can we even think about A League when we cant even get a proper state league up and running?...

Chuq said...

Tasmania was not mentioned in that SMH article because it was an article by Mike Cockerill. He's one of the most NSW-biased pricks in football media. It's nothing to do with what FFA says or thinks.
Mike McKenna: what does a state league have to do with it? Considering our states distribution and the non-professional status of the clubs, don't separate northern and southern leagues suit us well?

heartbreak said...

I think Mike McKenna has a valid point, with a proper state league it would give players something to strive for. For instance players from Vic Premier striving for Melbourne Victory and same in the other states.
State League would be appropriate first.

Walter said...

Chuq, Cockerill was quoting Ben Buckley, FFA's CEO, and not once did Buckley mention Tasmania or any bid from Tasmania. And this is from a boy who grew up in Smithton!

West Sydney is far more important than Tasmania to FFA as it has a population of 3 million. The AFL realises that, too, hence their interest in that area ahead of Tasmania.

My source in Sydney confirmed everything Buckley said, so it isn't Cockerill.

How often do we think of Bruny Island? Well, that's about how often Mainlanders think of Tasmania. Not nice, but that's the way it is.

I would love to see a Tasmanian A-League side, but we are a long way from achieving that, especially in the current economic climate where rich benefactors are difficult to find, be they from Australia or the Middle East.