Recent reports on Twitter suggest that the ongoing saga may finally be resolved early in 2016, with negotiations progressing to a stage that Phoenix fans have been hoping for ever since a bid for a 10-year licence was rejected.
The Wellington Phoenix have finally received some good news in regards to their precarious A-League situation, which will go some way to allaying fears that the franchise may have been allowed to go extinct.
3 News sports reporter Simon Hampton had tweeted from his personal account that according to his sources, “a number of Phoenix players will renew contracts when license is announced – which is expected shortly”.
Sources: A number of Phoenix players will renew contracts when license is announced – which is expected shortly.
— Simon Hampton (@SimonHampton9) January 11, 2016
Yellow Fever Intern Patrick Barnes added “my understanding is that Gallop+FFA are pushing hard for the Nix to agree to a license. Still issues but negotiations moving forward”.
Barnes went on to caution fans to not get too over excited, “license hasn’t been agreed to and signed yet, but it’s a hell of a lot closer than it’s been. “Shortly” could be longer than you think”.
My understanding is that Gallop+FFA are pushing hard for the Nix to agree to a license. Still issues but negotiations moving forward.
— Patrick Barnes (@patrick478) January 11, 2016
The Wellington Phoenix management, lead by general manager David Dome, had originally moved quickly to allay fears that the franchises contract would be allowed to run-down and expire at the end of the 2015-16 season. Dome said “there’s nothing in it. They [the FFA] want 10 teams in the competition next year and the Wellington Phoenix is one of those teams”.
On the license rejection David Gallop had said previously, “The FFA has carefully evaluated the role and contribution of the Wellington franchise in terms of game development, player pathway, commercial factors, broadcast rights and the long-term strategic outlook.” He then added, “the application for a 10-year extension to the licence does not meet the requirements we see as fundamental to the future growth of the Hyundai A-League”.
Many fans will question how long the potential licence agreement will run for, as well as what caused the FFA to suddenly try to push the Nix to agree so hard, after seemingly being content to explore other avenues, such as a possible team in Sutherland Shire, earlier in the season. As Barnes speculated “seems like something has changed at FFA though, perhaps Fox putting pressure on FFA to keep their 10 team league ahead of new TV deal”.
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