A-League expansion must also improve quality
Columnist By Mike Tuckerman, 14 May 2009 Mike Tuckerman is a Roar Expert
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Liverpool's Robbie Fowler celebrates scoring the third goal against 1. FC Kosice during the UEFA Cup, first round, second match at Liverpool's Anfield stadium Tuesday Sept. 29, 1998. AP Photo/Adam Butle
The Federal Minister for Trade Simon Crean was in Shanghai last week, proclaiming his delight at the AFL’s plan to stage a one-off exhibition match in the city next year. But if the Australian Government wants to improve trading ties within the region, they’re better off spruiking the A-League.
Sydney FC have already forged commercial links with Shanghai Shenhua, while Melbourne Victory will attempt to defend the Lord Mayor’s Cup against Tianjin Teda in June.
Billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer has long established ties with China, and his desire to bring Chinese players to Gold Coast United is well known.
However, the AFL’s desire to tap into an Asian market is a sign that generating new revenue streams is crucial in an increasingly competitive scene.
The National Basketball League has been the highest profile casualty of the new squeeze, while the NRL’s cash-starved Cronulla Sharks are at death’s door unless they can increase gate takings.
None of this is news to Football Federation Australia.
Only recently the governing body took over the licences of A-League clubs Adelaide United and Brisbane Roar – the latter of whom are struggling to break even playing out of the costly Suncorp Stadium.
But even amidst the global credit crunch, there’s cause for optimism at FFA headquarters.
High-profile visits from the likes of Celtic, Wolves and Fulham give A-League clubs the chance to replenish coffers at the expense of the unloved Pre-Season Cup.
Newcastle Jets remain in contention for a place in the knock-out stages of the Asian Champions League – despite well-documented grievances over bonus payments.
And the arrival of Robbie Fowler at North Queensland Fury has generated the level of interest expected of a marquee signing, even if Perth Glory fail to sign the similarly high-profile Alvaro Recoba.
But despite the anticipation of what will be the most eagerly awaited campaign since the inaugural season, one caveat remains.
The standard of football must continue to improve if A-League clubs are to attract new fans through the gates.
That could be easier said than done.
The talent pool is now spread across two extra clubs, and a quick glance at both Gold Coast United and North Queensland Fury shows several players lobbing up for their second stint in the A-League – having failed to make an impact the first time around.
Gold Coast United have attempted to redress the situation by luring former Hartlepool striker Joel Porter back from England’s third tier, and United supremo Miron Bleiberg was apoplectic when Hartlepool coach Chris Turner suggested that Porter was taking a step down.
But unless United can turn on the style, they too may struggle to fill the surrounds of their plush Skilled Stadium home.
Perhaps that’s why United are reputedly trying to lure disgruntled Brisbane Roar fans south with the offer of discount memberships to former Roar season-ticket holders.
It just goes to show how cut-throat the crowded sports market currently is.
While Gold Coast United may benefit from luring one-time Roar supporters to their fixtures, the A-League will ultimately lose out should established fans simply switch allegiances.
That’s why new fans need to be welcomed into the football family – and one of the best ways to do that is by selling the quality of the league.
The recruitment of players like Jason Culina and Robbie Fowler will help, while the National Youth League has already started to churn out the stars of tomorrow.
Yet with some Australian football fans still to be won over by the local game, it’s imperative that standards continue to rise.
Expansion may open new revenue streams for the A-League, but the quality of the league must grow exponentially along with the addition of any new teams.
Otherwise the A-League may become the equivalent of some of the bad Chinese dumplings so popular in my part of the world – tempting at first, but containing dubious filling.
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May 14th 2009 @ 9:41am
Redb said | May 14th 2009 @ 9:41am | Report comment
Mid,
“But if the Australian Government wants to improve trading ties within the region, they’re better off spruiking the A-League.”
Redb
May 14th 2009 @ 9:45am
Midfielder said | May 14th 2009 @ 9:45am | Report comment
Tifosi
So every match must be like what .. I actually do not believe Les & Fozza can discuss anything these days without the style and technical thing playing a big part… there is more to the game and match analysis and I repeat if a coach playing for a draw in an away match in front of a large hostile crowd is a poor game … then tell me when the A-League will ever reach and acceptable standard.
Agree all your points but it will take years and we will see the benefits of this in ten years … but wishing it was Christmas tomorrow will not make it so .. the current crop of players come out of the coaching that they went through it will improve each year but there is a need for balanced reporting on it.
May 14th 2009 @ 10:04am
Tifosi said | May 14th 2009 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Well using sport to promote business or trade is in no way effective unless both countries are mutually in love with the game (ie cricket with india and australia). Football might have a better chance than the AFL but by no means is it any way to promote trade.
China do not care about Australia’s sporting landscape, they just want our resources.
But this is what Demetriou had to say
“I believe the Australian Government should be keen to promote and support the exhibition game due to the game being a truly indigenous one, which has led the way in Australia for cultural diversity with inclusion for all groups.”
Maybe so but what does this have to do with trade in china? Nothing. Seems the AFL wants the Federal government to bankroll this loss-making exercise.
This is what Simon Crean said, spoken by a true victorian
“Look at all the people. Anyone who watches a game of Aussie Rules football falls in love with it,” he said. “This will be an expo that has 70 million people. If we can show the game played on their soil with their audience I think it would take off.”
Yeah just like how the AFL exploded in popularity in the USA, England and Dubai after exhibition games in those countries.
May 14th 2009 @ 10:15am
Redb said | May 14th 2009 @ 10:15am | Report comment
Tifosi,
Sarcasm the lowest form of wit. A very tired old comment that one, would like me to trot out some old bigotry towards soccah?
The main thing point is the belief by futbol fans clearly demonstrated by Mike Tuckerman’s comments that no other sport has the right to go to the Federal Government and get funding for an international trade opportuntity.
The Melbourne footy club is also forging links in China and there is an attempt to get grass roots development going, something misisng from previous exhibition games.
The bottom line is that if no trade opportunities were present with Dubai or China it wouldn’t happen. Australian Rules football does represent a cultural angle that no other sport can, it has a point of difference. That doesn’t mean better though but certainly not worse.
I’m sure the Japanese wouldn’t always trot out their baseball team to represent their culture.
Redb
May 14th 2009 @ 10:25am
Midfielder said | May 14th 2009 @ 10:25am | Report comment
Tifosi
Redb has a valid point, I have always encouraged the AFL to expand off shore. IMO it is a smarter decision than the NSW & QLD expansion.. well maybe do both … but the 200 million investment in NSW &QLD put a good bit of that overseas .. like the Indians are doing with 20 20 in China.
However two points ..First Redb I don’t think the article had a go at AFL we will see this differently … second if you read Simon Cream comments he must hold a swinging seat as it was all a tad over the top.
But what I will be interested in to gauge the media challenge football has in Melbourne is the media this game will get compared to the Socceroos when they played in China and I think the match was in the top 10 or all time China TV shows.. (
May 14th 2009 @ 10:26am
Michael C said | May 14th 2009 @ 10:26am | Report comment
Tifosi -
hmm, and how Rugby League exploded into Melbourne after the first SoO game at the MCG in the mid 90s that drew 85K.
Playing a single exhibition game doth not a code establish at grass roots. That’s not how it works.
What a ill concieved comment this was Yeah just like how the AFL exploded in popularity in the USA, England and Dubai after exhibition games in those countries.
Keep it real, homies!!
btw – the question then is WHY play one off ‘exhibition’ matches or fairly meaningless friendlies? Usually what happens on the field prooves to be a diversion. It’s more an excuse to ‘host’.
May 14th 2009 @ 10:30am
Michael C said | May 14th 2009 @ 10:30am | Report comment
Midfielder -
note that Simon Crean is a former North Melbourne FC number 1 ticket holder – - so, he IS AFL friendly.
Also, that last year, the trade department recognised Australian Football as an export product – - the question at the time was “What does this mean??”
Perhaps we’re about to find out?
May 14th 2009 @ 10:40am
Tifosi said | May 14th 2009 @ 10:40am | Report comment
red b
Mike, said that if the australian government wants to engage in trade with china on a sporting basis, then football is better positioned than AFL.
If one believes sport makes a impact(I don’t) this is correct. Mike doesn’t once say the AFL shouldn’t go there. You are implying he says that.
And im not the one who said “If we can show the game played on their soil with their audience I think it would take off.”
Simon Crean statement was too easy not to take a jab at. I remember many AFL folk saying the same about usa and england back in the day.
By all means take pot shots at sokkah if you like, im a football fan and even i do as i’m a realist. In particular when people think the A-league will one day be bigger than the AFL, which it clearly wont.
AFL fans and football fans are both similar. AFL fans believe their sport will take off overseas(which it wont) and football fans think Football will become the biggest game in Australia( Which it wont)
May 14th 2009 @ 10:41am
DS said | May 14th 2009 @ 10:41am | Report comment
Redb
The fact is that AFL has the global scale and profile of a squashed insect on the windscreen and games overseas are just curiosities. I liked the joke about about “grass roots development” in China. You do fine line in absurdist humour.
Tuckerman is correct. There is no commercial sense in promoting AFL overseas. To quote Paul Kelly, AFL doesn’t have a chance of a cinder in snow. As for cultural promotion- well, I think we could also to NRL group sex. Be as relevant, and a lot more comprehensible.
The money would be much better spent elsewhere.
May 14th 2009 @ 10:52am
Redb said | May 14th 2009 @ 10:52am | Report comment
Tifosi,
Have a crack at this if you like re the Federal Gov’t funding of the redevelopment at Carrera on the Gold Coast:
“Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese. Mr Albanese is a former South Sydney NRL board member, but admitted he had been well and truly won over by the AFL.
“I say this as an unashamed rugby league fan but also as an AFL fan, the AFL’s administration is without doubt leading the way and is ahead of the game,” he said.
“Data provided by the AFL shows, over a 10-year period, this project will deliver 2239 full-time jobs and generate $415 million of economic activity.”
(source: Gold Coast Bulletin)
————
you were saying about Victorians and AFL fans in the Fed Govt!
Of course other fans of football codes will scorn the AFL’s attempt to expand the game, you maybe surprised at the improvement in game development, evident in the past 5 years. Of course its not going to become the biggest thing since slice bread, but free of the typical Sydney bigotry you displayed with your comments about Crean, it wil only take a few major cities in China to show some interest and get comps going to be considered a success.
and Mike didn’t say ‘football’ was better positioned he said the A League was preferable to AFL.
Redb