Auckland team awarded A-Leagues licence backed by US billionaire Bill Foley

In the world of sponsorship, ownership and general competition for the sporting dollar-

Auckland team awarded A-Leagues licence backed by US billionaire Bill Foley

Auckland's new A-League team has a kick-off date, a website and a chief executive officer, but there's still no word on a name, colours or home ground.

Key points:
US billionaire Bill Foley owns Premier League team Bournemouth and NHL champions Las Vegas
Foley said he wants to take a team from expansion to championship as he did with the Golden Knights in Vegas
The New Zealand Knights were based in Auckland in the A-League from 2004 to 2007
The new billionaire-bankrolled team will enter the A-League Men competition next October, and begin life in the A-League Women a year later, for the 2025-26 competition.

Senior football executives from Australia, including A-Leagues commissioner Nick Garcia, and New Zealand gathered in Auckland on Tuesday to formally hand a licence to American club owner Bill Foley.

Foley is a 78-year-old insurance and financial services tycoon who has branched out into the sporting world in recent years.

In 2016, he founded NHL franchise Vegas Golden Knights, and in 2022 he led an investor group to buy English Premier League side Bournemouth.

Continues-

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-...oley/103132132

Some pretty decent moves by the FFA/A Leagues this week with the Auckland expansion news and announcement of the second division.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jargan83

announcement of the second division.

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Interesting there. Only one Queensland eventual bid (Sunshine Coast FC) from seven expressions of interest, while the sole EOI from Tasmania (South Hobart FC) submitted a bid. 3-0 for South Australia and Cockburn City FC didn't end up submitting.
All successful bids came from NSW and Vic, with apparently 2-4 to be announced and an expansion in 2025.
Not going to die wondering!

2024 Clubs
Team Suburb/City State/Territory Stadium
APIA Leichhardt Leichhardt, Sydney New South Wales Lambert Park/Leichhardt Oval
Avondale FC Parkville, Melbourne Victoria Avenger Park
Marconi Stallions Bossley Park, Sydney New South Wales Marconi Stadium
Preston Lions Reservoir, Melbourne Victoria B.T. Connor Reserve
South Melbourne Albert Park, Melbourne Victoria Lakeside Stadium
Sydney Olympic Belmore, Sydney New South Wales Belmore Sports Ground
Sydney United 58 Edensor Park, Sydney New South Wales Sydney United Sports Centre
Wollongong Wolves Wollongong New South Wales WIN Stadium

So it's a revival of the old ethnic Sydney/Melbourne "NSL" by the looks of it.

Interesting to see the A-League going to try Auckland again, they had a lot trouble with getting Auckland going and the result was the Wellington Phoenix.

I'd guess NBL basketball's failure with the Singapore Slingers (and covid) has meant no expansion into Asia. I thought the Singapore Lions would have been a long-term prospect for the Australian comp, seeing as they've been twice dumped by Malaysia as soon as they win a trophy.