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The Crowd Says (149) | Page 1 of Comments

• 

  Pippinu said | March 6th 2009 @ 8:23am | Report comment

  Mid
  I have to confess to you that this short piece lacks a focus.

  Are you questioning:
  1. Whether there truly is talk of a “war” at the highest levels of each organisation;
  2. Whether the media is continually beating such a suggestion up for their own ends (circulation, ratings, etc); or
  3. Whether any animosity, if any does exist, is a figment of our imaginations, and that there is zero conflict.

  The ambiguity in what you are writing about is accentuated by your closing remark: which challenge are you referring to? The challenge of dealing with an idiotic media (that is a big challenge!), or the challenge of dealing with the “war” (be it real or imagined)?

  For instance, from memory, the article on the soccer mums was written by Patrick Smith, a sports writer for The Australian. He writes a fair bit about the AFL, but he actually writes just as much about a variety of sports. He is an opinionist, and he gives it freely – and very rarely does he give the AFL a free ride, in fact he sticks the boot in just as much. In other words, he is a very good columnist.

  Most recently, he wrote a good piece about the A-League grand final:
  http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25124714-12270,00.html

  Anyway, that soccer mums article was not really about the so-called “war” of the codes. He was making a very good point that the AFL has a tough ask balancing an aspect about the indigenous game that is very attractive: physical contests for the ball and body clashes, against a trend in modern society (going back a few decades now), that we might loosely term as the “feminisation” of the Western World,

  The term “soccer mums” is a term used to describe parents who prefer their boys to play a sport which carries less of perceived risk of injury (in truth, the risk of injury is only marginally different between the two sports – but we are talking about perceptions). While you could term this as the threat of “soccer”, in fact it’s more about the integrity of the game of aussie rules, and the “soccer mum” concept is really a catch all for a broader trend in society: the reduction of all risk surrounding our children.

  So Smith was raising a very valid question for the indigenous game: to what extent can it go in appeasing such perceptions (reducing bodily clashes), without changing the game irrevocably, and perhaps even damaging it in the long run.

  The article was not specifically about the threat of another code per se (although indirectly, one could argue that it was brought into the discussion).

  Reply

• Michael C said | March 6th 2009 @ 8:29am | Report comment

  reality is that all footy codes in Australia (RU, RL and Aust Footy) have a healthy concern for the market balance.

  Soccer is the least mature code in this country in some respects.

  Soccer has the biggest international exposure.

  Soccer has certain advantages unmatched, but also certain short comings also unmatched.

  The AFL as a body would be foolish to NOT be wary of soccer. Mainly because compared to the RUgby codes, AFL these days is the LESS rough option. For some parents, soccer is (in many cases mistakenly) regarded as a safer option.

  For now – the largest soccer participation state by a long way is NSW. And RU and RL suffer the most with respect to juniors.
  AFL has held a position of superiority in the southern states. In these states, the climate makes the Rugby codes in appropriate, but, with an even dryer last 10 years, even Aust Footy has been suffering. Climate change in this region (permanent or not, but over the last 10 years) has been helping the cause of soccer.

  Now – correctly the author has referred to AFL media. Keep mindful – the AFL is NOT owned by media nor owning OF the media. The ‘AFL media’ do their darndest to run negative stories, to create the next talking point and to set the public agenda rightly or wrongly.

  The attempts by some to portray the AFL as giving soccer a free kick were pathetic really. The willingness though of soccer die hards to see it this way was equally as pathetic. The zeal shown by soccer folk to claim this as a victory and blame the AFL was phenomenal – - when, any normal person knew at the outset that Docklands management are the issue there.

  So – yep – you are quite right. The need to sell newspapers and try to create controversy where otherwise it ought not be.

  All else, by the AFL officially, is normal regard for a competitor in the market place. Why else to we see soccer copying the Auskick model? They recognised the ‘threat’ of that program if left without direct competition. Small sided ‘games’ are all the go now.
  Why did soccer move to summer? To avoid direct competition from other footy codes. (oh, and to fall in line with the Euro calendar…..but, we know, like basketball, the primary reasoning was to try to establish a profile away from AFL and NRL). Was that ‘fear’? Or just good business sense, working the market??

  Reply

• Sam said | March 6th 2009 @ 8:42am | Report comment

  Michael C

  So it’s the fault of climate change?

  Reply

• oikee said | March 6th 2009 @ 9:09am | Report comment

  I think that AFL has backed itself into a corner which it really cant get out of anymore with the emergence of soccer.
  For years rugby league was looked at being the enemy of their code. Media has done wonders for Melbourne to ingrain into the people that league is trying to take over. Now it is going to be soccer that takes over melbourne. Once they get their second team down there they will start losing juniors and the process will be complete.

  So, all the years fighting league is now forgotten and the other 2 states, Aderlaide and Perth are their for the taking for soccer. Their junior numbers are superior to any code, and the money on offer is enormous.

  Another issue is you cant stop soccer, its already ingrained into Melbournes culture. Once this genaration moves through then AFL will just be a side show. The youth will be following soccer, not AFL. The real battle will be fought will the growth of the soccer crowds and the rekliening of the AFL crowds. You watch the other codes sinking the boot in when this happens. Dont expect any sympathy, no-one has ever given league any.

  Reply

• keeper11 said | March 6th 2009 @ 10:01am | Report comment

  “Was that ‘fear’? Or just good business sense, working the market??”

  This is often thrown up the AFL ‘true-beleivers’ as a further proof of ..hint , hint ..
  those inherently ‘cowardly’ , foreign soccer folks not being ‘tough’ enough to take on our ‘real footy’…

  the only ‘fear’ i see is the conga line of clueless AFL agenda driven media lackeys , propogandists in the AFL cheersquad that is the commercial media in MEL,adelaide,perth… ( patrick smith excepted ) ..

  and who’s only commentary on ‘tha sockah’ is to attack and denigrate a rival sport they got no ### clue about …

  Reply

• Lazza said | March 6th 2009 @ 2:33pm | Report comment

  That’s why the next gen will probably go off Aussie Rules. If it’s really a choice between competing in the World’s biggest sport or playing your own niche game then I know what choice they’ll make.

  All those morons in the press who keep bashing Football are just going to convince these kids that Aussie Rules is a backward sport that’s holding our country back. Unlike my generation these savvy kids have grown up in an age of Globalisation, Internet and Pay TV.

  There’s room for both sports but the AFL is determined to force us to make a choice. They may just not like the result.

  Reply

• The Auteur said | March 6th 2009 @ 2:39pm | Report comment

  Hopefully the next gen will abandon AFL for Football and leave it a carcass.

  Reply

• Michael C said | March 6th 2009 @ 3:00pm | Report comment

  The Auteur -

  gee – - and I hope you rot in *ell. Thanx for coming!!

  Lazza -

  what it HAS been a choice of for many is the game they most enjoy playing, and most enjoy playing with their mates.

  Only so many kids truely aim themselves for professional careers from a young age.

  And even so, it’s good to enjoy what you’re playing.

  Now – the choice of playing the worlds biggest sport vs our own niche game – - that’s a fair choice.

  The equation of footy vs cricket is an interesting one. Over the years, cricket suffered because there were only ever 11 spots in the Aust team at any one time. Now, there’s a few more spots when you factor in ODI’s and 20/20 and the IPL too. There’s greater professional exposure available.

  That will help sway some kids. No doubt.

  Soccer – - yep, the biggest game on earth, and Australia making the world cup and playing in Asia….oops, playing in Asia might not be so appealling going forward,….

  ….in fact, it MIGHT just be very appealling for some to play ONLY at home with the greatest prospect of a tour being to go to Ireland!! How’s that for irony, 30 years ago you’d steer clear of (Northern) Ireland ‘cos it was too dangerous.

  But – - at the end of the day – there are kids who don’t want to leave their home city, their home state, their homeland and there are those fully ready to go whereever there are (figuratively speaking) ‘waves’.

  Reply
• 

  Pippinu said | March 6th 2009 @ 3:12pm | Report comment

  It’s always hard to know how newer generations will respond to all things traditional.

  At one point, when the ANZAC day parades and marches had seemingly been abandoned by a large chunk of the Australian population, a newer generation took hold of it with great gusto and revived it to such a degree that the tradition is stronger than it has ever been.

  The same generation, and even younger people, have taken to visiting Gallipoli on ANZAC day each year in their multitudes, a phenomenon that was completely unknown some 30 years ago.

  Younger and younger people wish to trek the Kokoda trail – something completely unknown to the rest of the world, but of immense importance to both young and old Australians.

  Who knows how new generations will respond to their very own game. They may wish to abandon it, in favour of other pursuits, to join with their brethren around the world, to sing, chant, and celebrate together in which ever manner they think fit – or they may wish to continue the traditions of their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents, and perhaps even their great-great-great-grandparents.

  Do some people out there honestly believe that cultural norms and deep rooted traditions can be overturned simply because some new media allows us to see people knocking a round ball about anywhere on Earth at any time? Is it truly that simple?

  I was getting up to watch the WC in the middle of the night back in 1978 – it’s not as if exposure to the World game has happened all of a sudden! It’s always been there if you wanted it!

  Reply

• westy said | March 6th 2009 @ 5:10pm | Report comment

  Pippinu As much as you seem to think Victoria /SA/Wa is Australia it is not.. Aussie Rules is not part of my culture or norms and never will be . this does not mean I can not watch it or appreciate its skill and athletic prowess.
  The last AFl ad equated being Australian with AFL . It was not well received north of the border. Even the Swans CEO described it as Vic centric. AFL is part of your tradition it is not part of mine nor of over 50% of Australians. Support it rejoice in it but be aware of where you are. The indigenous people of northern QLD and NSW do not play it nor do most other people in these two states. . It is your game not mine nor my area nor my state.
  The New South Welshmen and Bananabenders who served did not play Aussie rules.

  Reply