STATEMENT FROM THE FSC BOARD IN RELATION TO A LEAGUE / W LEAGUE EXPANSION

22^nd March 2018

 

 

 

There have been a number of stories and comments in the media and social media recently on the A/W League Expansion process. The Board of FSC thought it would be useful to clarify some facts in relation to Expansion, including information which has been previously sent to all member clubs in March 2017:

• FSC has from the start of the expansion process favoured a stand-alone bid for the Illawarra. It previously headed such a bid for Wollongong and the Region in 2009/2010. No decision or statement has changed that position and commitment.

• FSC Board was approached by Southern Expansion Pty Ltd in March 2017 to enter into a non-legally binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). FSC Board has always made it clear to Southern Expansion that the preference for the Illawarra is to have a stand-alone Club.   This position has not changed since expansion discussions have commenced and is the key reason why the MOU with Southern does not exclude FSC supporting any other bid involving the Wollongong / Illawarra region.

• As reported by The World Game on the 7 March 2017, it was made clear by the FSC Chair, Eddy De Gabriele that FSC was supporting a stand-alone bid and that FSC had deliberately avoided locking itself into any exclusivity agreements with either group, stating:

“It's a two-horse race here and if there is an A-League licence going to be issued for southern Sydney or Wollongong then we're going to be associated with it," De Gabriele told The World Game. "That's the beauty of the approach we're taking - if there is a winner, then we'll be backing it."

• FSC is not a ‘bidding’ party – we have been requested to act as a ‘community engagement partner’ and no financial commitment or contribution will be involved.    To date we have facilitated focus groups and surveys for Southern at their request to ensure the community has been consulted and has a voice to potential bidders.

• The MOU with Southern Expansion basically invites FSC to sit at the table with Southern to understand their objectives, approach and inclusion of the Illawarra as part of A-League, W-League and National Youth League (NYL) Expansion.    The MOU will see major benefits for football and football supporters in the Illawarra should Southern Expansion obtain the next license including player pathways, coaching development and engagement with the community.

• The FSC Board have determined that at this time we have a responsibility to have preliminary discussions with all parties wishing to include our region in A League expansion, especially those which consider football associations and their clubs as part of their vision and engagement processes. 

• It is in the best interests of the football community that FSC Board engage with all parties involved in anybid representing the Illawarra and we would expect that our football community and stakeholders would expect no less from the Board of Football South Coast.

 

From the FSC Board