September 1, 2025 • 11 mins
The Wellington Phoenix say they are considering a judicial review after the club was denied a place in the new Oceania Professional League.
The venture, which is being backed by millions of dollars from FIFA, is set to kickoff in January and run until May, with Auckland FC and Christchurch United filling the two available spots.
Wellington Phoenix CEO David Dome joined Piney to discuss.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
On Friday, the preferred eight football clubs for the inaugural
OFC Professional League, the first ever professional football league in
the Oceanny region, were confirmed by Oceanny Football. The clubs
were chosen based on the recommendations of an independent club
licensing committee. Now these eight clubs have been approved by
the OFC Executive Committee, but they're still subject to the
(00:32):
final stages of the licensing and compliance process before being
fully confirmed. Auckland FC and christ Jurich United were selected
as the two preferred clubs from New Zealand. The Wellington
Phoenix have missed out. Wellington Phoenix general manager David Dome
is with us. David, First of all, how did you
learn that you had missed out?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Good eating point we found out.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
I found out on Friday afternoon, around about two to
thirty in the afternoon by email to share Geneeric email
from if C which basically said that we hadn't been
granted a license and that was it. There wasn't a
phone call, there wasn't anyone ringing up to say that
was how we've done come to out of the decision.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
It was just a generic email which is we've missed out.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
So have you been given an explanation In the time since,
we have made.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
A few requests by phone call, so I've called.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
We've seen a number of people that I've seen a
few times to try and get to the bottom of
exactly how the Phoenix missed out. It hadn't been forthcoming.
So what we've done now was I've actually gone back
to the club licensing regulations which do dictate our avenues
from here, and there is a couple of articles in
there which do talk to our right to appeal from
(01:53):
the ten days of the decision being made, which was
last Friday. So we've taken that and we've asked our
lawyers to up to OBC for more information and rand
it there the process of awarding those licenses to the probague.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Said, so do you intend to appeal the decision?
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Well, that's the plan.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
So the plan now is we have actually written to
them to say we would like more information, and that
is essentially an appeal to get more information, so that's
what we've asked for. We will then look to sit
down with OFC to go through it and then ending
the results of that evaluation and information that we've been
given either to come before or after that, we will
(02:33):
then take up our right to be to take it
further through a number of channels, whether that be the
Court of Arbitration of Sport, which is also contained in
the regulation see pro licensa probe license, we can go
to the CASS if we wanted to, or through any
other channel available to us in New Zealand, whether that's
a judicial review or something our So look, we're just
(02:53):
keeping the options open and we're just following the process
as is recorded into the license regulations.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Anyway, in a statement on Friday, you called your omission nonsensical.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Why so, Well, we've devastated obviously.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
I mean we've been the only pro team and Oceania
since two thousand and seven, and in that time the
Phoenix has done an immense amount into investing, more so
than any other code that has more there's been more
private investment into football than the other code in New Zealand,
right from the academy, through women's football through to our
first and and all of those structures are now well
(03:30):
in place, they are solid. We are a financially stable
club and for us then to be.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Overlooked at this late stage.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
And we have stated from the start, and I've raised
it with people in FIFA and obviously for many years
is where is the pathway for the Wellington.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Phoenix to get things like Champions League in Club World Cup.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
And I've been we've been shifted from pillar to posts
and inevitably said, well, obviously probably is coming, that's going
to bit of channel. So after all of this time
and all of us investment, and you know, you've been
there through the times and we've had to survive Football
Australia trying to kick us out, and we've had to
survive COVID and these have been very very tough times
club and any one of those junctions we could have
(04:08):
gone under. So then you can't a little bit lightly
and say well, look there's actually a channel here for
our place the very highest level. To then be kneecapped
at the last minute is with heartbreaking. It's been heartbreaking
for the club. But we know all we're asking for
is the process, what was done. We're not there is
a real lack of transparency as to how this decision
was made, and all we're saying is can we have
(04:30):
some transparency please as to how these decisions were made.
And that's what we're that's and following the due process
which is contained in the regulations.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
We're following that.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
What sort of criteria were you asked to include details
of in your pitch?
Speaker 3 (04:44):
There was.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
It's a list of about thirty to forty criteria which
included everything from the financial basis of the club you're
set up, your infrastructure, your facilities, you know, all of
the stuff that we have been.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Doing for many, many years and under our Asian.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Life, and we've ticked every box and we know from
our Asia from our ac slash Alien experience. But the
Phoenix one of the best regarded clubs in the ALA.
But the way it's run financially, the stability of its owners,
the facilities, infrastructure always very highly regarded and very well
accepted within the.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
A League, ahead of many many many out the clubs.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Of course, and even during this process, when we went
through the process, we were consistently given feedback that you've
ticked that box. And buy fifteenth of July, the feedback
from the committee that was running it said, you've ticked
every box that's required for your license, which is all
done online so these documentary were all accepted intact.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
So we were looking at this.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
And going, okay, nothing more to do. We're in a
good place here. We think that we've got all our
our facility, our infrastructure, we know a second to none
the youth development structures and second to none. Then, you know,
we feel like we're in a good place to be
able to take the club to the next level.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
And then very surprised to get an email in the blue.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Is it not possible that Auckland FC and Christi United
just had better bids than you.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
Very much, very post and if that's the case, they're
well done to that. I've worriy spoken to Nick Becker,
congratulated him and said well done. Look, we certainly expected
you guys to be there, being the other ProTem in
New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
He is very surprised with us, and his.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
Expresses, you know, suppresses you know, I guess slightly disappointment
that we won't be there playing with them in the
OC proline.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Yeah, I worry. Ryley congratulated Nick having done cristious.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
I haven't got those guys on speed dials as they
had with Nick.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Were closely on a number of things together.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
And at the end of the day, they've come out
of better proposals than fair play one hundred percent. Well
done to them, and we'll accept that. But the reality
is we don't have any visibility over the maturity matrix,
which is how we were scored against christ Chips and
author and no visibility over the process. We don't know
who's on the committee that made the decision, and we
don't know who since you submitted it our documentation into
(06:55):
security matrix.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
So there's a lot of.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
Unknowns in that process. And it's just you know, again
under our right, under the regulations, we're just exploring those
to the best availability weel. It's our duty to it's
our duty to the owners, and it's our duty to
the fans that we know to see the slight of
the ed to make sure that we're doing the best
job that we can be doing.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
All right, So just to clarify, then, Domie, what you're
after is transparency. You just want to see, For example,
you want to see the scorecard, which presumably you haven't
as you've said you haven't seen it. You just want
to know the scores basically correct.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
It's like you know you've gone to a job interview,
you didn't get the job? Is what can we have
done better? Why do we not miss out? What did
the other guys do better than us?
Speaker 4 (07:37):
And the next time, as there is next time, how
can we be very prepared the next time we do
this and it will be told it's inappropriate to pass
on that information.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
We're not going to.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
Pass on the information, but hopefully in the next couple
of days there will be a meeting with.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
ORC where we can get to the bottom of some
of these issues.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Some people will say, Domie, this is just you throwing
your toys because you've missed out. What do you say to.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
That, Well, no, we just been again given them many many,
many millions of dollars that the owners are put into
this club. We just we just need to do the
right thing by then and explore every possible waption. What again,
if we're not doing something right by RSC, we would
like to know that so that we can do something better.
And the reality is that if Auckland and christ you
(08:17):
had better vincent fair flavor them and like I said,
what do you congratulated me? And it makes sense for
him to be there because it's an existing pro club
looking to be a pro club and another competition at
the moment. Like I said, I've spent many hours trying
to get to FISA an OC to say we don't.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
We're the only club in.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
The world that can't play at Champions League and the
only club that can't play Cup of the Cup in
the world, you know, And so we're looking at why
that's a level of natural justice. Year Again, the other
clubs will be a fair play of them, but we
just we just have a responsibility to the fans, to
the owners, to our all our commercial partners, everything around
(08:55):
the club that we're built off.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Over many, many, many years. We just feel an obligation
to those all those parties to do the right thing
and follow it all the way through.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Yeah, and I think most people would say that was
fair enough. So you're expecting some sort of meeting, some
sort of conversation with Oceannia Football this week.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Yes, we would like to meet we are we see
this week and to discuss it and hopefully get a
bit more transparency around the decision making process and how
we were called.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Yeah, I mean, the reality is there's not much time
to move on this. Look, We've had.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
Another number of conversations that using the football over the
weekend since we found out on Friday and then over
the weekend, and.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
They're very supportive.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
They're very supportive of us going and asking for questions
and in fact, they'll probably be there the whole step
of the way. They're just as surprised, I think as
anybody else and that's one hundred percent supporting our.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Requests for more information.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
So we're doing this with New Zealand Football and we're
hopeful that we can get some you know, some good
clarity in the next within the next seven days.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
All right, We'll stay in touch and hope to keep
up dated on it. David, thanks for your time tonight.
I appreciate it very much.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
No problems explay, No thank.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
You, dummy. David Dome, general manager of the Wellington Phoenix
there with their side of this. So it's transparency transparency
thereafter it's it's a look at the criteria. Basically, it's
the reasons why they scored lower than I don't think
Auckland f C. But I think they want to know
why they scored lower than christ chest United. And look,
(10:19):
if this was a matter of two non professional clubs
like Christchiesch United and let's say I don't know Auckland City,
not Auckland f C, but Auckland City getting in. Then
I think, you know, that would be a message saying
how we are looking at clubs below the professional level.
We're not considering you Phoenix or your Auckland f C.
But because Auckland f C are and I think Wellington
(10:41):
Phoenix do have the right to ask some questions, to
get some clarity, to ask for transparency, and like David said,
if it turns out that you know, the process was
robust and the other bids were just better, then they'll
shake hands and walk away. But they just want to
know what the scorecard looked like, which again I say,
(11:04):
I think is probably fair enough.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talk
zeb from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on
iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
On Friday, the preferred eight football clubs for the inaugural
OFC Professional League, the first ever professional football league in
the Oceanny region, were confirmed by Oceanny Football. The clubs
were chosen based on the recommendations of an independent club
licensing committee. Now these eight clubs have been approved by
the OFC Executive Committee, but they're still subject to the
(00:32):
final stages of the licensing and compliance process before being
fully confirmed. Auckland FC and christ Jurich United were selected
as the two preferred clubs from New Zealand. The Wellington
Phoenix have missed out. Wellington Phoenix general manager David Dome
is with us. David, First of all, how did you
learn that you had missed out?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Good eating point we found out.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
I found out on Friday afternoon, around about two to
thirty in the afternoon by email to share Geneeric email
from if C which basically said that we hadn't been
granted a license and that was it. There wasn't a
phone call, there wasn't anyone ringing up to say that
was how we've done come to out of the decision.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
It was just a generic email which is we've missed out.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
So have you been given an explanation In the time since,
we have made.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
A few requests by phone call, so I've called.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
We've seen a number of people that I've seen a
few times to try and get to the bottom of
exactly how the Phoenix missed out. It hadn't been forthcoming.
So what we've done now was I've actually gone back
to the club licensing regulations which do dictate our avenues
from here, and there is a couple of articles in
there which do talk to our right to appeal from
(01:53):
the ten days of the decision being made, which was
last Friday. So we've taken that and we've asked our
lawyers to up to OBC for more information and rand
it there the process of awarding those licenses to the probague.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Said, so do you intend to appeal the decision?
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Well, that's the plan.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
So the plan now is we have actually written to
them to say we would like more information, and that
is essentially an appeal to get more information, so that's
what we've asked for. We will then look to sit
down with OFC to go through it and then ending
the results of that evaluation and information that we've been
given either to come before or after that, we will
(02:33):
then take up our right to be to take it
further through a number of channels, whether that be the
Court of Arbitration of Sport, which is also contained in
the regulation see pro licensa probe license, we can go
to the CASS if we wanted to, or through any
other channel available to us in New Zealand, whether that's
a judicial review or something our So look, we're just
(02:53):
keeping the options open and we're just following the process
as is recorded into the license regulations.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Anyway, in a statement on Friday, you called your omission nonsensical.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Why so, Well, we've devastated obviously.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
I mean we've been the only pro team and Oceania
since two thousand and seven, and in that time the
Phoenix has done an immense amount into investing, more so
than any other code that has more there's been more
private investment into football than the other code in New Zealand,
right from the academy, through women's football through to our
first and and all of those structures are now well
(03:30):
in place, they are solid. We are a financially stable
club and for us then to be.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Overlooked at this late stage.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
And we have stated from the start, and I've raised
it with people in FIFA and obviously for many years
is where is the pathway for the Wellington.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Phoenix to get things like Champions League in Club World Cup.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
And I've been we've been shifted from pillar to posts
and inevitably said, well, obviously probably is coming, that's going
to bit of channel. So after all of this time
and all of us investment, and you know, you've been
there through the times and we've had to survive Football
Australia trying to kick us out, and we've had to
survive COVID and these have been very very tough times
club and any one of those junctions we could have
(04:08):
gone under. So then you can't a little bit lightly
and say well, look there's actually a channel here for
our place the very highest level. To then be kneecapped
at the last minute is with heartbreaking. It's been heartbreaking
for the club. But we know all we're asking for
is the process, what was done. We're not there is
a real lack of transparency as to how this decision
was made, and all we're saying is can we have
(04:30):
some transparency please as to how these decisions were made.
And that's what we're that's and following the due process
which is contained in the regulations.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
We're following that.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
What sort of criteria were you asked to include details
of in your pitch?
Speaker 3 (04:44):
There was.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
It's a list of about thirty to forty criteria which
included everything from the financial basis of the club you're
set up, your infrastructure, your facilities, you know, all of
the stuff that we have been.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Doing for many, many years and under our Asian.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Life, and we've ticked every box and we know from
our Asia from our ac slash Alien experience. But the
Phoenix one of the best regarded clubs in the ALA.
But the way it's run financially, the stability of its owners,
the facilities, infrastructure always very highly regarded and very well
accepted within the.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
A League, ahead of many many many out the clubs.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Of course, and even during this process, when we went
through the process, we were consistently given feedback that you've
ticked that box. And buy fifteenth of July, the feedback
from the committee that was running it said, you've ticked
every box that's required for your license, which is all
done online so these documentary were all accepted intact.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
So we were looking at this.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
And going, okay, nothing more to do. We're in a
good place here. We think that we've got all our
our facility, our infrastructure, we know a second to none
the youth development structures and second to none. Then, you know,
we feel like we're in a good place to be
able to take the club to the next level.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
And then very surprised to get an email in the blue.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Is it not possible that Auckland FC and Christi United
just had better bids than you.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
Very much, very post and if that's the case, they're
well done to that. I've worriy spoken to Nick Becker,
congratulated him and said well done. Look, we certainly expected
you guys to be there, being the other ProTem in
New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
He is very surprised with us, and his.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
Expresses, you know, suppresses you know, I guess slightly disappointment
that we won't be there playing with them in the
OC proline.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Yeah, I worry. Ryley congratulated Nick having done cristious.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
I haven't got those guys on speed dials as they
had with Nick.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Were closely on a number of things together.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
And at the end of the day, they've come out
of better proposals than fair play one hundred percent. Well
done to them, and we'll accept that. But the reality
is we don't have any visibility over the maturity matrix,
which is how we were scored against christ Chips and
author and no visibility over the process. We don't know
who's on the committee that made the decision, and we
don't know who since you submitted it our documentation into
(06:55):
security matrix.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
So there's a lot of.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
Unknowns in that process. And it's just you know, again
under our right, under the regulations, we're just exploring those
to the best availability weel. It's our duty to it's
our duty to the owners, and it's our duty to
the fans that we know to see the slight of
the ed to make sure that we're doing the best
job that we can be doing.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
All right, So just to clarify, then, Domie, what you're
after is transparency. You just want to see, For example,
you want to see the scorecard, which presumably you haven't
as you've said you haven't seen it. You just want
to know the scores basically correct.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
It's like you know you've gone to a job interview,
you didn't get the job? Is what can we have
done better? Why do we not miss out? What did
the other guys do better than us?
Speaker 4 (07:37):
And the next time, as there is next time, how
can we be very prepared the next time we do
this and it will be told it's inappropriate to pass
on that information.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
We're not going to.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
Pass on the information, but hopefully in the next couple
of days there will be a meeting with.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
ORC where we can get to the bottom of some
of these issues.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Some people will say, Domie, this is just you throwing
your toys because you've missed out. What do you say to.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
That, Well, no, we just been again given them many many,
many millions of dollars that the owners are put into
this club. We just we just need to do the
right thing by then and explore every possible waption. What again,
if we're not doing something right by RSC, we would
like to know that so that we can do something better.
And the reality is that if Auckland and christ you
(08:17):
had better vincent fair flavor them and like I said,
what do you congratulated me? And it makes sense for
him to be there because it's an existing pro club
looking to be a pro club and another competition at
the moment. Like I said, I've spent many hours trying
to get to FISA an OC to say we don't.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
We're the only club in.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
The world that can't play at Champions League and the
only club that can't play Cup of the Cup in
the world, you know, And so we're looking at why
that's a level of natural justice. Year Again, the other
clubs will be a fair play of them, but we
just we just have a responsibility to the fans, to
the owners, to our all our commercial partners, everything around
(08:55):
the club that we're built off.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Over many, many, many years. We just feel an obligation
to those all those parties to do the right thing
and follow it all the way through.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Yeah, and I think most people would say that was
fair enough. So you're expecting some sort of meeting, some
sort of conversation with Oceannia Football this week.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Yes, we would like to meet we are we see
this week and to discuss it and hopefully get a
bit more transparency around the decision making process and how
we were called.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Yeah, I mean, the reality is there's not much time
to move on this. Look, We've had.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
Another number of conversations that using the football over the
weekend since we found out on Friday and then over
the weekend, and.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
They're very supportive.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
They're very supportive of us going and asking for questions
and in fact, they'll probably be there the whole step
of the way. They're just as surprised, I think as
anybody else and that's one hundred percent supporting our.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Requests for more information.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
So we're doing this with New Zealand Football and we're
hopeful that we can get some you know, some good
clarity in the next within the next seven days.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
All right, We'll stay in touch and hope to keep
up dated on it. David, thanks for your time tonight.
I appreciate it very much.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
No problems explay, No thank.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
You, dummy. David Dome, general manager of the Wellington Phoenix
there with their side of this. So it's transparency transparency
thereafter it's it's a look at the criteria. Basically, it's
the reasons why they scored lower than I don't think
Auckland f C. But I think they want to know
why they scored lower than christ chest United. And look,
(10:19):
if this was a matter of two non professional clubs
like Christchiesch United and let's say I don't know Auckland City,
not Auckland f C, but Auckland City getting in. Then
I think, you know, that would be a message saying
how we are looking at clubs below the professional level.
We're not considering you Phoenix or your Auckland f C.
But because Auckland f C are and I think Wellington
(10:41):
Phoenix do have the right to ask some questions, to
get some clarity, to ask for transparency, and like David said,
if it turns out that you know, the process was
robust and the other bids were just better, then they'll
shake hands and walk away. But they just want to
know what the scorecard looked like, which again I say,
(11:04):
I think is probably fair enough.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talk
zeb from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on
iHeartRadio
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New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
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