A Tasmanian team in the national soccer competition had long been sought after, but, until now, bids had fallen on deaf ears.

Formerly a major shareholder in successful A-League side Melbourne Victory, Robert Belteky orchestrated the latest bid for a Tasmanian team.

“I think Tasmania [has] all the attributes for a successful A-League club,” Mr Belteky said.

The consortium’s other key proponents were property mogul and former Melbourne Victory director Harry Stamoulis, and former professional player David Clarkson.

“We can demonstrate very clearly that [a team] is financially viable within this state,” Mr Belteky said.

“It’s a no-brainer.”

If a Tasmanian team was to get off the ground, several games would be played in Launceston at the University of Tasmania Stadium.

“Launceston will definitely get more than an adequate proportion of games,” Mr Belteky said.

He stressed that, while the prospective club would be based in Hobart, it would be a club “for the entire state”.

Mr Belteky spoke of Launceston in glowing terms.

“It’s a fantastic sporting city,” he said.

“In my time at Melbourne Victory, whenever we brought a team down here for a friendly game, the crowds ranged from six to seven to even eight thousand people. 

“If you compare those [figures] to the population of the city, it’s an enormous proportion of the city going out to watch sport.”

A W-League team and an academy structure were also key components of the bid.

“It’s got to be a club where male and female footballers have the ability to end up playing for their own state,” he said.

Football Federation Australia will release the criteria for inclusion in the league “in the next month or so”.

It is expected these will include: financial viability; a rectangular stadium; and the potential to make a significant contribution to the code.