'NPL, NSL clubs could rescue A-League'

Former Head of the A-League Archie Fraser says the coronavirus crisis could see ex-NSL and NPL sides finally allowed into a new-look A-League.

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“The broadcast model would need to change dramatically,” he said. “The existing NPLs have got streaming of every game virtually in every state now.

“Along with that, there's a fully automated graphics package that allows that streaming to be monetised.

“The new A-League, or whatever you want to call it, could run that same platform with a much lower cost of production.

“There are some opportunities in that transition that’s happening in streaming and broadcasting that would reduce the cost of delivering that product…whatever that product is.

“I think that’s a really exciting prospect in terms of the amount of active people who would potentially watch that if it was the highest level of content we had in the game.

"If you brought back some tribalism into the game, could you get 100,000 from the two million participants?

“If you could get 100,000 subscribers at $20 a month to watch your content - that could be top tier, women’s, reserves under 20s, everything - that’s $25m or so a year.

“You may have to initially give it away for free to get it moving, but ultimately there’s an ad platform there.

“Somehow you’ve got to get access to the two million who like football in this country., and clearly there’s going to be a lot of passionate people in whatever the new league is if it does transition.

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“If the A-League clubs say thanks very much it’s been a great journey – I hope that doesn't happen but if it does – there’s a lot of teams which would step up and still give us content, and the players will still want to play at whatever level.

“I think there is an appetite for good content and if that content came on, I think it could be a reasonably good income stream.

“But you would have to cut the cloth different ways. I read the federations across the country have about $60m in costs…

“If you save $30m there and had a different model that was a bit more streamlined… I’m not sure you need 10 CEOs, 10 media guys, 10 of everything.”

He added: “It does not make sense for the current working environment. I think that’s where we’re at now.

“Hopefully, there's enough nous and fortitude and courage to actually make some of those changes just to reset the game.

“This is a one off opportunity to reset.”