Quote Originally Posted by Bremsstrahlung View Post
I’m selfish. My interest in the a league would drop significantly without a Newcastle team.
Though, working in Sydney, I’d probably get along to the odd game, but nowhere near as invested (or tortured) as I am
now.

I think a second tier serves a purpose. But I just can’t see any current a league club being able to survive in the second tier.
Australians simply don’t follow or appreciate 2nd best. It’s a great means to promote clubs. But I dare say any team relegated would cease to exist and realistically not stand a chance at promotion. While we still have overseas owners and groups bankrolling our clubs, there will be minimal interest in finding a second tier team when you could be wasting your money on a top tier team.

Players aren’t going to “drop back” to help their club gain promotion. Signing and holding players to multi year contracts won’t be viable in a second tier. End up with Vargas and Dimi playing 2nd tier? I doubt it.

The top 10 teams or however many in the top division will simply continue to rearrange the top 200 players in the country. Same shit, different clubs.
by way of counterpoint, newcastle (in both league and football) have been performing pretty poorly for a number of season. Good players have been signed and then moved on to rival clubs. administratively, they have both been pants for some time.

and yet, they are both still in the comp, and receive some of the best support in their respective leagues. doesn't that imply a baseline level of interest that is sufficient to support the club to a reasonable extent (i accept that they have been bankrolled by large backers who have probably lost a lot of money)?

i sort of think a second tier comp would serve us well. we drop down, leave macdonald jones stadium, move to a smaller ground, get our stuff sorted out and then make a charge for the top tier again, fill the stands and look great to potential investors. the important thing would be to stay in the smaller ground once we move back up. 15,000 seat stadium would be great. then have games at MJS when we are routinely turning 5K away at the door.

a lower level would also make the potential buy in price lower for owners.

i think we would survive relegation. and wouldn't it be all that much sweeter when we win the (top flight) comp knowing what we've done to get there?