As the consultation paper was unveiled, local football was dealt a blow when Instant-Dict said it would pull out of the 2001-02 season after 10 years in the First Division.
'Our decision is purely a commercial one because we are a commercial company. We have spent about $60 million in the league over this period, but Hong Kong has not been our prime market in recent years,' said Thomas Tam Wai-tong, Instant-Dict's president.
The withdrawal of Instant-Dict - winners of the FA Cup last season - comes after moves by another First Division team, Yee Hope, to drop out. On Thursday, its president, Joe Chan, said his club was '90 per cent' certain of pulling out next season. Both clubs cited poor attendances as one of the main reasons for dropping out of the league, the oldest professional set-up in Asia.
Hong Kong Football Association secretary Martin Lam said it would go ahead with a reduced six-team First Division next season if Yee Hope followed Instant-Dict.