Let’s have more action, less talk about crowds

Roar Pro

By Con Stamocostas, 12 Aug 2009 Con Stamocostas is a Roar Pro

Tagged:: A-League, Brisbane Roar, football, Gold Coast United, Luke Wilkshire, Melbourne Victory, Russian Premier League, UEFA

Related coverage

After four seasons of wondering whether the novelty of the A-League would wear off, the time has come to rid us fans of the manic and depressive crowd count that follows every round of the A-League.

For so many column inches to be devoted to the subject, as a fan, it’s getting quite boring. I’m sure the FFA and the A-League clubs have someone that is paid to keep an eye on the crowds.

Why not interview players or fans and ask them what they thought of the first round A League action?

Here is a behind the scenes look at the crowd counting that occurred after the first round.

Dear Melbourne Victory, what did you think of the crowd figures? Where you disappointed?
Yes

Would you have liked more people to come?
Yes

Are you working hard to get a bigger crowd next home game?
Yes.

Did having the opening game on a Thursday night affect the crowd?
Yes

Dear FFA, was moving the Brisbane Roar-Gold Coast United game a mistake considering the crowd was less than expected?
Yes

With the benefit of hindsight, perhaps having the fixture played at the Gold Coast would have been better?
Yes

Riveting stuff, isn’t it? I just can’t get enough of listening to club administrators.

The Russian Premier League (RPL) is ranked sixth in UEFA’s rankings, higher than the silky Dutch and pretty boy Portuguese leagues.

I covered Russian football for the first half of the 2009 season for Goal.com and I noticed the A-League crowd numbers didn’t look so bad in comparison.

During Matchday Two of the RPL, Dynamo Moscow, the club Socceroo Luke Wilkshire plays for, got 10.523 against FC Khimki. Matchday three saw FC Khimki get as low as 3,000 for a home game.

Matchday Four saw the biggest derby in Russian football feature CSKA Moscow Vs Lokomotiv and the crowd was a disappointing 20,000.

Perhaps the crowd figures where affected by the cold weather and the ice hockey?

So I looked at the figures when the weather in Russia got warmer, and after the summer break on Matchday 12, Rubin Kazan, the current RPL leaders and champions, played FC Rostov. The crowd was a paltry 15,000.

Another Moscow derby was played during Match Day 12 and in that game FC Moscow and CSKA Moscow had only a paltry 12,000 people watch them.

Am I boring you yet? I know I’m boring myself.

Bring on round two of the A League for the real action, the stuff that happens on the park, and leave the bean counting for the others.

Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.

The Crowd Says (48) | Page 1 of Comments

Pippinu said | August 12th 2009 @ 8:16am | Report comment

heh, heh – good article Con!

Personally – I was disappointed at the Melbourne crowd given the circumstance of opening our title defence, but moreover because I know there will be a 2nd team in Melbourne next year.

As for the rest of the round – I thought it was pretty good (crowds. level of interest and onfield action).

Reply
agga78 said | August 12th 2009 @ 8:18am | Report comment

I agree, we should be worring about the standard of play, not how many people watch the games every week. From what I seen in round 1 the standard and intensity of play was much higher than previous seasons except for the Melbourne game I attended which was below par partly due to another horrible pitch (bring on Swan st Stadium). The more quality in the league the higher the attendances, it’s that simple for me.

Reply
Realfootball said | August 12th 2009 @ 9:49am | Report comment

Absolutely, Con. A timely piece of get real perspective. Part of “build it and they will come” is getting the football right, and this season is a major step up in that regard. Cockrill in the SMH tips GCU for the title – I hope he is right, because that would be a victory for the kind of football that brings the crowds in – as opposed to McKinna’s colourless, kick and run Mariners. God help is they have a successful season.

Reply
- Pippinu said | August 12th 2009 @ 10:10am | Report comment
  
  Realf
  1. CCM’s style – agreed!
  2. On GCU winning – I’m not sure which club you follow (if you do follow a club) – but for mine – once the season starts, it’s every club for themselves – and I want my club to win and I couldn’t give a damn about what the hell GCU is doing. Personally, I find it odd that supporters of one club will want success for another club in the hope that it will help the league.
  
  But anyway, that aside, Con’s position appears to be that whether crowds are up, down or the same, it shouldn’t be front and centre of every story, and it’s a good point – I have been amazed at the amount of discussion that has occurred about crowds, especially in relation to the Fury and Roar, which in my book, looked good enough.
  
  Reply
  - Realfootball said | August 12th 2009 @ 11:22am | Report comment
    
    I am personally more interested in the standard of the football – ergo, the code – rather than the fortunes of any particular team. Perhaps I am an anachronism, but I think not.
    
    Reply
GeneralAshnak said | August 12th 2009 @ 9:58am | Report comment

The crowd goes wild! Spot on Con, the crowd figures analysis is a load of drivel and as far as I am concerned only used by writers who cannot get access to any players for interviews or who find themselves unable to get off their arses and actually analysis the matches played. How about discussing the tactics employed by CCM to neutralise MV? Or how great finishing is preferable to toothless possession (BR v GCU)? Or that a star studded field is not as effective as a star team (AUFC v PG)? Or that writing off NQF before a game has been played is foolish (coming back from 2 goals down against a rejuvenated SFC!)? Or what about WP and their disappointing start to the season, how are they going to make better use of the fantastic attacking stocks they have signed and stop the goals getting in? Will NJ be able to take confidence from this unexpected win and begin the start of an effective campaign now they have a decent coach?

Reply
- Pippinu said | August 12th 2009 @ 11:44am | Report comment
  
  General
  you’r e in luck, see:
  http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/08/08/the-glory-fades-as-their-socceroos-fail-to-excite/
  
  Reply
- Con Stamocostas said | August 12th 2009 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
  
  GeneralAshnak,
  
  Could you be my speech writer.
  
  Tony Tannous has some great insights about what happens on the field. I always learn something when I read his stories.
  
  For some reason there are a lot of what I call “voyeur supporters” in the A-League. They like football but they don’t support a team they support the A-league.
  
  Reply
  - GeneralAshnak said | August 12th 2009 @ 12:32pm | Report comment
    
    Would love to be mate Am attempting to improve my articulation via the Roar – as long as I can avoid the what anybody is allowed to call football flame wars
    
    Thanks Pips! I have already been there, but was hoping for more articles like that.
    
    I did enjoy Tony’s article too, it is just I am in whole hearted agreement re the current fixation on crowd figures that is going on. It was interesting for the first 5 seconds, but 5 days?!?
    
    Reply
Con Stamocostas said | August 12th 2009 @ 10:23am | Report comment

Cheers for the comments Roarsters,

I wonder what the Sydney crowd will be this week?

Reply
- Pippinu said | August 12th 2009 @ 10:25am | Report comment
  
  Reply
  - GeneralAshnak said | August 12th 2009 @ 10:30am | Report comment
    
    My first comment is still awaiting moderation but that query is a definate case in point
    
    Reply
David V. said | August 12th 2009 @ 10:47am | Report comment

You’re forgetting that in a lot of these countries, people have less disposable income, and many clubs don’t have the sort of rusted on supporter bases you get in England, Spain, Germany and Italy.

Reply
Midfielder said | August 12th 2009 @ 11:44am | Report comment

Con

YA …. the average was 13, 600 or so … I would be happy for that to be the year average… the bench mark is 10, 000 … if we can get 15, 000 great…

But like Con it does become a tad tireing .. my tips for this week… The Mighty Mariners will beat the SCUM(Newcastle) … Choppers will will beat the Inbreds, Sheep Shaggers will loose to the Glory Boys, Tards will call for the coachs head after they loose because without Mr Clean they are gooooone, Beach Worms (GCU) will beat the Sand Crabs …..

Reply
cab711 said | August 12th 2009 @ 11:54am | Report comment

If I had to predict I’d say the crowd figures will feature a +ve spike in the next season of A-League coming off the back of the Sth African WC.
Though I’m more concerned what happens on the pitch I’m not naive enough to know that low attendance = club death. The current season is harder to predict. You would think the inclusion of 2 new teams would create some interest to intice some1 to commute to the stadium but we have no basis of comparison, this is the 1st time in the HAL. We could, I guess, compare this with other codes. But I don’t like doing that because it requires research which in the end is all assumption and assumptions make bridges collapse.
Best then to focus on the things that we can control which is quality signings, football, pitch conditions, coverage, marketing etc. “If you build it, they will come”.

Reply
Killer_Tomatoes said | August 12th 2009 @ 12:50pm | Report comment

Who of us football fans would’ve thought 10 years ago we’d be complaining about 18,000 to the dome on a Thursday night (!!!) and an overall round average of 13,000? Surreall… The only truly depressing crowd was Newcastle’s and that club is a basketcase. While if i was from Newy I’d turn up regardless, I sympathise with the Jets fans, commtted and casual, and also understand that due to it being a town hit harder by a recession than most, fans have to prioritise on whether the trip to Energy Stadium is worth the $$$’s. Hopefully a promising performance, and a good spectacle (which I thought the game was), plus the signing of Vignioroli will bring around 9k for their next home fixture.

Reply
- Pippinu said | August 12th 2009 @ 3:05pm | Report comment
  
  True enough Killer.
  
  Vignaroli is one of a few shining lights for the Jets – I expect them to at least share the points against CCM.
  
  Reply
- Con Stamocostas said | August 12th 2009 @ 3:32pm | Report comment
  
  Killer_Tomatoes (great name by the ay)
  
  I agree about the Jets. That is what happens when you come last and you sell all your players.
  
  Reply
Towser said | August 12th 2009 @ 3:29pm | Report comment

Agree with everybody.

Reply