V-League: Is the high price always worth it?

Looking back at history, the path from the First Division to the V-League has always been smooth sailing at the starting line, but fraught with challenges ahead. Therefore, the question arises: Is the high price worth it?

V-League is becoming increasingly expensive.

The 2024/25 season has just concluded, with Ninh Binh FC securing direct promotion and Binh Phuoc FC earning a play-off spot. Both teams share a common trait: significant investment and a willingness to spend lavishly to pursue their dream of reaching the V-League.

With strong backing from a bank, Ninh Binh has undertaken a massive overhaul, bringing in a series of quality players with V-League experience such as Hoang Duc, Dang Van Lam, Dinh Thanh Binh... to serve their goal of promotion.

With a squad of million-dollar stars like Hoang Duc, Ninh Binh easily secured promotion to the V-League.

With a squad worth tens of millions of USD (including transfer fees), winning the First Division championship with an unbeaten record was a foregone conclusion, a testament to that superior investment.

Binh Phuoc is also not to be outdone. Although not as ambitious as Ninh Binh, the team from the Southeast region has also shown its ambition with notable, high-value signings of players who have previously played for the Vietnamese national team, such as Cong Phuong, Tuan Tai, and Phi Son…

Most recently, this team also offered a reward of up to 10 billion VND if they defeatedSHB Da Nang in the promotion play-off match. While this figure may not seem particularly impressive at first glance, remember that the V-League champion only receives 5 billion VND, which shows just how desperate Binh Phuoc is for a ticket to play in Vietnam's top league.

Looking at Ninh Binh and Binh Phuoc, it's clear that securing a spot in the V-League comes at a high price.

Is it possible to "cut it into pieces"?

However, securing promotion through the power of money is only the beginning. The lessons learned from the V-League's "newcomers" in recent seasons are still fresh and serve as a costly warning.

CAHN is a rare success story, winning the championship in their very first season back, but that's a unique model. The rest mostly face harsh realities.

Hopefully Ninh Binh and Binh Phuoc (if they get promoted) won't fall into the same trap as Binh Dinh.

The story of Binh Dinh, once a rising force and V-League runner-up, receiving massive investment right from the First Division before promotion, is a very clear example.

However, just a couple of years after their peak, the Binh Dinh team fell into a financial crisis when their sponsor faced difficulties, leading to a mass exodus of talent and ultimately relegation in the 2024/25 season.

This example shows that the V-League is a long and costly game. Spending money to get promoted is one thing, but staying in the league, competing fairly, and building a sustainable foundation is another; it requires a stable financial source and a long-term, well-planned strategy.

Hopefully, Ninh Binh and possibly Binh Phuoc (if they win) will not follow in that footsteps. Fans expect these two newcomers to "make a name for themselves," not only through achievements but also by building a club with a distinct and sustainable identity, truly becoming a valuable part of the V-League, instead of just shining brightly for a few seasons and then fading away.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/v-league-dat-xat-ra-mieng-hay-chi-la-hien-tuong-roi-bien-mat-2415104.html