Where’s the promotion for the new A-League season?
Columnist By Adrian Musolino, 4 Aug 2009 Adrian Musolino is a Roar Expert
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- A-League, Central Coast Mariners, football, Mark Schwarzer, Robbie Fowler, Socceroos, The World Game
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Central Coast Mariners Goal scorer Matt Simon (left) reacts with spectators after scoring in the first half of Round 3, A-League match between the Central Coast Mariners and the Queensland Roar at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Aug. 31st, 2008. The Mariners beat the Roar 4-2. AAP Image/Dave Hunt
The new A-League season is only a matter of days away and yet the promotion of it has been severely lacking. It’s only now getting into gear.
Despite the promise and expectation of the fifth season of competition, with such exciting new developments, kick-off will be in the shadows of the other codes.
The timing of the season start has already been much debated and it is always going to be a problem.
Overshadowed by the race to the finals in the AFL and NRL, you can also throw in the Ashes and the Tri-Nations as competing foes in the opening month of the A-League.
The FFA needs to fight for attention in this competitive marketplace, like a younger sibling battling for a parents’ love in an overcrowded household.
The Fox Sports promotions and local campaigns run by the individual teams are great, but in the most part they are preaching to the converted.
The new campaign just launched to mainstream Australia, with the tag line ‘World’s Biggest Game’, only went live on Sunday night, just a handful of days before the first match of the season.
Surely, in such cases, it is best to build up to the season with a longer campaign, one that slowly raises awareness at least a few weeks before kick-off.
There was no denying the success of the pre-season friendlies against high calibre opposition, and the fact that no one has really missed the pre-season competition. But the lack of any visible momentum within the mainstream, non-football public, is obvious.
Ask non-A-League fans about the upcoming season and they will have heard the mutterings about the Gold Coast, Robbie Fowler and some returning Socceroos. But for most, the season has crept up quietly and many will be surprised that it begins this Thursday.
With all the potential marketable aspects to this season’s A-League, you have to wonder if enough has been done leading into this season.
As for the advertisement itself, it’s an interesting angle.
With A-League teams mixing it with teams from around the world, the FFA, by using the World Game theme, is trying to bring the A-League into the consciousness of the fans we have dubbed the “Euro snobs.”
The appearance of Mark Schwarzer, for example, links in the Socceroos and the EPL.
The line, “Your team in the world’s biggest game”, is certainly effective and plays to the idea that, whether you’re a fan of the league or not, at least it is representative of our hometowns in the grander scheme of things.
It’s certainly a more effective and simpler concept than previous campaigns. Hopefully it works in helping to generate momentum before the season.
Sadly, it doesn’t have long now to get the word out.
FFA A-LEAGUE PROMO
Recommend this story.
August 4th 2009 @ 1:49am
Adrian Kakais said | August 4th 2009 @ 1:49am | Report comment
I’m pretty pumped about this year. I don’t rate Adelaide United’s chances though unfortunately.
As for what you have discussed, hopefully the game will sell itself. So much appeal, just a matter of capturing it and building it into a nice package for the average non football supporter.
August 4th 2009 @ 3:52am
megatron said | August 4th 2009 @ 3:52am | Report comment
It’s an ok ad but will it really have an impact? I’m not the most hardcore A-League fan and I have to admit it’s hard to believe the season starts this week! Being on Fox is an issue IMO as so few get to see the games, ads etc.
August 4th 2009 @ 5:51am
albe said | August 4th 2009 @ 5:51am | Report comment
its a good ad i like it… but the best promotion for the league will be the football itself.
Its the world’s biggest game for a reason !
We aren’t some tin-pot sport that needs over-hyped ads every year (and scandal after scandal) to keep people coming back.
This year we’re up to five games a week for 27 rounds which is the perfect rolling promo. Awesome to see the off-season getting shorter every year … we’ll be practically year-round in not too long a time.
August 4th 2009 @ 8:07am
agga78 said | August 4th 2009 @ 8:07am | Report comment
I think the advert is great, but not matter how much promotion the A league and FFA try get out there, the A league does not have the major newspaers and commerical tv networks in their back pocket giving free promotion to the up coming season like the NRL and especially the AFL, Both these sports would have 10-15 pages a day in the papers leading up to the final week to the start of the season, while the A league get a two page preview in the Herald Sun even though there are two new teams and lots of really good signings, thats all the A league season preview was worth in the Herald Sun’s eyes. I am of the opinion this season’s A league will prove to be the highest standard of football we have seen yet in the A league, with new derbies and high profile signings the league really looks exciting this year, this will all help the league attract good attendances.
August 4th 2009 @ 1:03pm
Brian said | August 4th 2009 @ 1:03pm | Report comment
Melbourne Victory has a sponsorship contract with The Age so I imagine this would dampen the Sun’s enthusiasm
August 5th 2009 @ 12:01am
The Answer said | August 5th 2009 @ 12:01am | Report comment
That fact should also taints any reporting the Age does on the Victory.
Hardly a victory for independent journalism.
A`new low for Fairfax.
August 4th 2009 @ 8:20am
Realfootball said | August 4th 2009 @ 8:20am | Report comment
FFA strategy in past seasons has been to hold back most of the advertising budget until after the AFL and NRL finals have finished. They seem to be doing so again. It is debatable whether that remains a sound strategy with a longer season. Personally, I think not. This season would have been the perfect scenario to come in hot and strong first up and like you, Adrian, I am disappointed that the opportunity has been passed up by FFA.
August 4th 2009 @ 9:12am
The Bear said | August 4th 2009 @ 9:12am | Report comment
Advertising is typically very expensive. The cost analysis is likely to be done thinking that the HAL gets more bang for it’s buck at the pointy end of the season…perhaps market research shows the casually interested fan is vulnerable then to ally to the code. Whaddeva! Perhaps the disappointment that most of us feel is the realisation that the domestic competition is not getting it’s kudos from the wider community… but hey, who needs the validation…we got our HAL and we got the means to watch the games LIVE, albeit from a pub/club…or if you can afford it, in the comfort of your own lounge room.
August 4th 2009 @ 9:19am
Robbos said | August 4th 2009 @ 9:19am | Report comment
I think Realfootball is correct in that the FFA are still avoiding advertising with the upcoming NRL & the AFL finals, maybe justifily so. Also with the opportunity extending the season they also avoided competiting with the start AFL & NRL season with the A-League finals.
It’s a strategic plan by the FFA & they probably know better, but I tend to think that football in this country is like a runaway train, with the World Cup in 2012, the bidding for 2018 or 2022, the expected extra revenue from the TV rights, the expansions, the returning socceroos in years to come (the great generation).
I think we are ready to stand on our own feet, yes there are many that follow both HAL & NRL or AFL, (I personally am enjoying the great Dragons team at present), & compete with these competions. No doubt the HAL is still a long behind both NRL & AFL in terms of media coverage & attendances (especially AFL), but I feel the FFA could’ve done more in advertising the upcoming A-League.
I for one am really looking forward to the start of the A-league & am proud to have my own team to follow in this country in the sport I follow even if it’s not the premier competition in the world.
August 4th 2009 @ 9:26am
Sammy C said | August 4th 2009 @ 9:26am | Report comment
There seems to be a recurring theme around promotion and marketing around the A-League. Im a mad football follower, and I’ve only seen 3 or 4 ads in relation to the upcoming season – NOT including the 30 sec short you posted here Adrian (which seems great!). And all I really watch is Fox Sports which has the exclusive rights. I had to be reminded that the actual season starts Thursday night by a friend. Then when it comes to individual team promotion i can only speak for the likes of my local city, but thier marketing is completely non existent. But I guess trying to promote a team called the Roar dressed in Orange would be impossible at the best of times – I’d have more chance of getting Israel and Palestine to sign a peace treaty.
August 4th 2009 @ 9:29am
Tom said | August 4th 2009 @ 9:29am | Report comment
I agree with Adrian. You’d think now would be the time to advertise rather than six weeks from now. Won’t get any easier to cut through the media during AFL and NRL finals.
I like the ad though. Looks pretty cool.
August 4th 2009 @ 9:36am
AndyRoo said | August 4th 2009 @ 9:36am | Report comment
If you have a limited budget for promotion then waiting until a week before the season starts is a good idea. I know Ticketeck didn’t sell tickets for Roar games until a couple for weeks ago.
If you can only afford to get your add in front of the casual fan once or twice then do it when they can then buy a ticket. There is bound to be some people who saw the release a couple of days ago and heard there’s a game on Thursday night and brought a ticket.