Six Southern United matches will be televised live in this year's ASB Premiership.
The draw for the tweaked eight-team competition, which starts on November 8, was announced yesterday.
With Sky Sport on board, 32 of the 59 regular season matches will be broadcast live, as well as the semifinals and finals.
Wanderers, a team made up of players pushing for a spot in the New Zealand under-20 team the past two years, drops out of the competition this year, but the Wellington Phoenix team retains its spot.
In another boost to clubs, Trillian Trust and New Zealand Football will cover entry fees if development criteria is met.
That will save Southern United $70,000, the cost to enter a team in the youth league and the ASB Premiership.
Southern United chairman Aaron Joy said the saving on entry fees was ''massive'' and meant the club could concentrate on delivering on the field.
He also said it was ''very good news'' Sky was on board, ensuring more publicity to the league and its players.
''[Organisers] definitely want to lift the standard of the national league, and this is all helps. It's a step in the right direction.''
Southern United kicks off its season against Waitakere United at the Caledonian Ground on November 15, before playing Hawkes Bay United on the road the following week.
Five other home games will be played at Forsyth Barr Stadium. The venue for its match against Canterbury United on December 20 has not yet been confirmed.
Entry to games at the stadium was by gold coin donation last season, and Joy had again applied for a community grant to ensure the same this season.
Details of the newly introduced quality marks standard, which teams need to comply with, was something Joy was still working through, but he is confident Southern United will be able to meet them.
New Zealand football community director Cam Mitchell said he was delighted with the way the league was shaping up ahead of the new season.
''It is vitally important we have a competition which serves as a proving ground for players looking to make that step in their career and we feel this year's competition will be the best yet,'' he said.
While the Southern United youth team has been named for the coming season, coach Mike Fridge is still in the process of putting together his senior side.
Southern United's schedule
• November 15: Waitakere United, Dunedin
• November 22: Hawke's Bay United, Napier
• November 29: Wellington Phoenix, Dunedin
• December 6: WaiBop United, Dunedin
• December 13: Team Wellington, Wellington
• December 20: Canterbury United, Dunedin
• January 10: Auckland City, Auckland
• January 14: WaiBop United, Hamilton
• January 24: Hawke's Bay United, Dunedin
• January 31: Waitakere United, Auckland
• February 7: Team Wellington, Dunedin
• February 13: Wellington Phoenix, Wellington
• February 20: Auckland City, Dunedin
• February 28: Canterbury United, Christchurch
