A-League clubs denounce grand final sell-off, including Melbourne Victory despite APL vote

Sydney will host the A-League Men’s and Women’s grand finals for the next three years under a deal with the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) worth more than $10 million.

Adelaide United, Perth Glory, Wellington Phoenix, Western United and Melbourne Victory have publicly expressed dismay at the deal; Victory, despite chairman Anthony Di Pietro having been one of the seven APL directors to vote in favour of a sell-off. Di Pietro has since resigned from the APL.

Sydney FC (Scott Barlow), Western Sydney Wanderers (Paul Lederer), Melbourne City (Simon Pearce) and Brisbane Roar (Chris Fong) also green-lit the deal via the APL board, along with Stephen Evans from private equity partner Silver Lake, and Football Australia appointment Ebru Koksal.

Here is what A-League clubs have said since the deal was revealed, to mass outrage from fans.

Adelaide United

Adelaide United chairman Piet Van der Pol released a statement on Wednesday, explaining how the club was “not part of the decision”.

“We believe the decision has not been made in the best interests of our fans,” Van der Pol said.

“While a democratically made decision cannot be overturned, the process has highlighted the need to review the decision-making processes of the APL.

“We acknowledge the importance and need for Government support, and we will continue to work with our fans on what is best for our game.”

Socceroos star Craig Goodwin featured in the APL’s promotional video that was released when the sale of hosting rights was announced, but immediately made it clear he did not support the decision.

“Like many fans around the country … I too am disappointed in this decision,” the Reds winger wrote.

Brisbane Roar

Coach Warren Moon said he would be “disappointed” if his team earned grand final hosting rights but had to ‘host’ the match in Sydney. Chairman Chris Fong, who is on the APL board, said his club had to “respect the bigger picture”.

“I know that we haven’t all aligned with this decision but it’s done and we need to support it,” Fong said.

“The bottom line is we need more funding for the sport, and this is just the beginning.”

Central Coast Mariners

Chairman Richard Peil has addressed the sell-off for the first time in an extended message to members.

He confirmed that the first time he had heard of the decision was on Sunday evening, only hours before the announcement.

At the extraordinary meeting on Tuesday of the APL board, he was then forced to weigh up the financial consequences of pulling out of the deal, and the inevitable backlash of fans and inherent inequality of the move.

You can read the full statement below.

The Mariners’ supporters club echoed the calls of many around the country in speaking out against the decision.

“We stand behind fans of football in this country in rejecting any decision made without the engagement of all clubs, and their supporters,” the Yellow Army said earlier this week.

Macarthur FC

Yet to formally address the sale. Chairman Gino Marra was among the names included at the bottom of Tuesday night’s statement released by Wanderers counterpart, and APL boss, Paul Lederer.

Melbourne City

Amid the backlash, Melbourne City released a statement on Wednesday afternoon addressing the decision to sell-off the A-Leagues grand finals.

The club cited the pressures the competition has faced financially, while also addressing the ‘personal abuse’ directed at their players.

“It has been an incredibly tough few years for the clubs. The reality is, in order to create a fully sustainable competition, the decision made by the APL is necessary and has been agreed by the majority of club owners. There is an economic reality that our sport has to face post-Covid,” the statement read.

“We know that many of our fans are disappointed with the process, but we will sit down with City members and fan groups in the coming days and weeks to directly address your concerns, and to explain how the club will support our fans should we make the ALM or ALW Grand Final.

“Unfortunately, our players have been subjected to personal abuse around the Grand Final decision and this is unacceptable. City fans are some of the most passionate and loyal in the league and with so much football left to play this season, we ask you to respect our ALM and ALW players as they fight for you and for more silverware.”

Their supporters’ group, the Melbourne City Terrace, demanded action on Wednesday, threatening a boycott as it fumed at the fact vice-chairman Simon Pearce signed off on the APL statement that was intended to broker peace.

“We call on you to answer for this betrayal to your fans,” Terrace wrote.

“This is an unacceptable decision to have been made without consultation or communication. This lack of transparency is not the first time you have hidden crucial information from fans, with the Bruno Fornaroli and Warren Joyce saga still fresh in the mind.

“Anyone involved or aware of this decision at the club has proven opposition fans right and has written the narrative of a soulless corporate beast.

“A beast that we will no longer defend until the responsible parties come forth and right this wrong.

“If this current situation is allowed to stand, the 20th minute of Saturday’s game will be the last that City Terrace is present at any home or away games this season … we demand an explanation and apology from Simon Pearce.

“It is now clear the club does not have the best interests of the fan at heart. That is unacceptable.”

Melbourne Victory

At the centre of the bitter fallout to this episode. Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro’s name was notably missing from the statement co-signed by 11 of 12 A-League clubs. Di Pietro has resigned from the APL’s seven-person board.

“We have urged APL to pause this plan and consider an alternative that supports the growth and stability of the league,” Di Pietro said.

“While also allowing both the Men’s and Women’s A-League grand finals to continue to be played in the city of the highest ranked qualifier.”

Victory fans remain furious. The club’s bitter response represents the most powerful escalation in a saga that has enraged Australia’s football community, sparking memories of the 2015 standoff between fans and administrators.

Newcastle Jets

Yet to comment publicly about the sale. A fan group bemoaned the “terrible decision”. The Jets’ home clash with Brisbane Roar on Friday night will be the first game since the announcement. Disgruntled fans are expected to stage some form of protest.

Perth Glory

Glory owner Tony Sage raged on Monday, saying he was shocked to learn the A-League had signed a partnership with the NSW government.

“This was on our agenda and I thought it was going to be decided by a vote on Thursday,” Sage told 6PR.

“It is a slap in the face.”

Sage struck a more conciliatory note in a statement published on the club’s website on Wednesday.

“I could not attend the unscheduled owners meeting yesterday (Tuesday) to express my views due to prior business commitments, “ Sage wrote.

“But I completely understand that we live in a democracy and I will therefore respect the view of the majority of owners.

“I will continue working hard to ensure that the interests of our club’s members and fans are strongly represented as we endeavour to make the best of this regrettable situation.

“I will also work collaboratively with the other 11 A-League clubs to ensure that football in Australia continues to grow.”

Sydney FC

Have now formally addressed the elephant in the room unleashed by Danny Townsend, the former chief executive of the club who is now running the league; albeit with an unattributed statement.

“The APL’s decision to bring the next three A-League Men’s and Women’s grand finals to Sydney has created much debate and dissatisfaction from many Sydney FC and A-League supporters.

“Since the announcement, we have spent time in consultation with representatives of our membership base, while also taking on board other fan and member feedback. Your frustrations and concerns are coming through loud and clear. We hear you and we have shared your views with the APL.

“It is our firm belief that the APL board and management, many of whom have been long-term supporters and advocates of the game in this country, make decisions in the best interests of the A-Leagues. Given the current commercial realities of professional football in Australia, we understand that this decision was a difficult but necessary one for the growth of the game.

“Driving our league in the right direction will require tough decisions from time to time, and tough decisions are not always the most popular ones. It is critically important the A-Leagues transition to a model that delivers long-term security and sustainability.

“We understand to achieve this requires open and frank consultation with our members and fans and we remain committed to this.”

The Cove, the Sky Blues’ active support group, said it was meeting the APL on Wednesday night, along with other fan groups.

The Cove slammed the sale of hosting rights on Monday. On Wednesday, its members threatened to boycott the next three finals series while expressing fury about a decision they branded “completely unacceptable”.

“Our representation at the APL starts and ends with Sydney FC chairman Scott Barlow. Barlow and Sydney FC have both remained silent throughout this incident,” the Cove said in a statement.

“If you remain silent, you are complicit. You have pushed the Cove’s founding member to the point where he has sent back his membership. 18 years of supporting his club dies now.”

Wellington Phoenix

The Phoenix had a bob each way in its message to fans, underlining how the club understood the “commercial benefits” ... “even if this is contradictory to the interests of our fans”.

“To be clear, the agreement was reached by the APL board, which includes representatives from A-League clubs,” the club said.

“The Wellington Phoenix were not involved in the decision making. We have always tried to represent our fans as best as we can.

“Our preference is that both the men’s and women’s A-League grand finals are played in the city of the highest ranked qualifier.

“However, the Wellington Phoenix understands the financial pressures of professional sport and the A-League. In the short term this funding model works for the league.”

Western Sydney Wanderers

Chairman Paul Lederer also chairs the APL. Lederer released a statement on behalf of APL club owners late on Tuesday night following crisis talks.

“As a result of the consensus achieved in the meeting, APL is committed to this new and significant partnership,“ Lederer wrote after club owners called an extraordinary general meeting.

“We believe in the potential for Australian football to close the gap on professional football in other parts of the world.”

The club’s supporter group, Red and Black Bloc, expressed their anger about the call.

“We are completely against the decision for Sydney to host the next three grand finals. This once again demonstrates the lack of fan consultation. It was a decision to chase $$$ regardless of the integrity of the competition,” it wrote.

Western United

The defending champions declared their disappointment on Tuesday, noting “we weren’t consulted on the decision.”

“Our club isn’t represented on the APL board… the reaction of our fans over the last 24 hours speaks volumes,” Western United said.

“Our fans’ voice speaks as loud as our voice and to remove the opportunity to host the pinnacle events of the season from our locality is disappointing.”