As predicted on this blog this morning, the Tasmanian Government has given $80,000 to the Tasmania United A-League Taskforce so that it can develop a comprehensive business case to present to the A-League with a view to Tasmania being given an A-League licence in the future.
Any such licence is unlikely to be granted before the 2012-2013 A-League season.
Michelle O’Byrne, the Minister for Sport and Recreation, announced the $80,000 grant at a media conference at the South Hobart ground this afternoon.
“This funding means the taskforce will be able to put forward the best possible case to get a Tasmanian team in the A-League,” Ms O’Byrne said.
“There has already been significant work done with a feasibility study and detailed research.
“That work has found that an A-League team is possible and would attract strong local support.”
The Government also recognised that there would be economic benefits to having an A-League team based in Tasmania.
“We know that having elite sport played in Tasmania generates significant plusses for the economy, and having an actual side based in Tasmania would further increase the benefits,” Ms O'Byrne said.
“It also encourages young people to take up sport, promoting active and healthy lifestyles, and also gives young players a clear path to pursue an elite sporting career.
“As part of the business case, prospective sponsors will be approached and I encourage companies to give strong consideration to backing a Tassie A-League team, given the extensive coverage the A-League receives not only domestically but also in Asia.
“The Football Federation of Australia has indicated that it will expand the competition in future and have granted Melbourne Heart and Western Sydney the 11th and 12th licences, respectively, that will see Melbourne Heart enter the competition in season 2010 and Western Sydney enter the competition in season 2011.
“We believe we are in the mix for a licence after these two teams are admitted and need to be able to demonstrate that Tasmanian can support and sustain a team with a comprehensive business case.”
The business case will include:
- Full financial analysis including a ten-year operational and financial plan
- Identification of ownership options
- Identification of capital-raising options
- The optimum management arrangements and structures to ensure the ongoing viability of a team
- Identification of team-development options
- Identification of membership programs including costs and benefits
- Identification of areas of revenue
- Identification of administration and training facility options
- Identification and delivery of corporate partners
7 comments:
walter,
is this just another one of your jokes
Dont give up your day job mate
Why would he make that up jacky?
jacky chan, this is from an official Government media release so I'm not making it up, mate!
makes a change from your recent ridiculous comments then
what are you talking about jacky??
BTW great to see the Mercury giving great coverage of this news. And by great coverage, I mean nothing at all :-/
One of the reasons Adelaide Utd has been so successful crowd wise this year, even while being a disaster on the field, is because their local media (The Advertiser - News Ltd, same as the Mercury) have been supportive of them.
Chuq, I suspect The Mercury are starting to worry that this bid may actually get legs and start running! They'll probably start to suppress all news of the Tassie bid.
Whilst it is great to see this amount of moeny being spent on the Football in Tasmania, i do wonder if it would be better spent on improving our existing infrastructure.
Money spent to date, plus the money that will come in the future could do a lot to bring our facilities to a standard that support existing clubs and future players of the great game.
Whilst you could argue that the A league club could contribute to improving facilities as well, as has happened in Hockey and Aussie Rules, it seems a bit of a gamble at the moment.
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