Far from this article intending to dissect and discuss A-League crowds, it instead deals with an even more important issue for Version 5 of the A-League: the next five months.
Let’s talk in a simple manner.
AFL and Rugby League in Australia remain the most prominent and popular sports of all the major codes, simply because more people go to games, more people watch those games on TV, and Australians have had more than a century of support in relation to these games.
While the A-League and football in Australia is in the best shape it ever has been, the last week of crowd complaints and begrudging articles would have many believe otherwise.
Despite some mediocre crowd attendances for the A-League in the past few weeks, obvious factors come into play.
First of all, the A-League spread its wings in the pre-season and began Version 5 of the League in August. An early start to the season, combined with an extra weekend game and a bigger season, could mean only one thing: crowd attendances would drop.
Despite lower crowd averages, the FFA should be reasonably happy at this stage of the Australian football season, considering both the AFL and NRL were (and still are) in their Grand Final stage.
The FFA must now latch onto the AFL and NRL free weekends in this country in the coming months and generate the biggest season of football in Australia they are so desperate to achieve.
Crowds around the nation will be low with the AFL and NRL in competition and now is the time for the FFA to boost popularity and offer an alternative option for a sporting spectacle. There is nothing wrong with the standard of the A-League, just the atmosphere.
The next few months will give us all a look at the stability of the A-League, for if it cannot boost crowd attendances and media awareness in the time of NRL and AFL free weekends and the Socceroos final two home games for the year in a couple of weeks time, the Australian domestic competition will continue to have its critics.
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October 2nd 2009 @ 11:38am
whiskeymac said | October 2nd 2009 @ 11:38am | Report comment
“There is nothing wrong with the standard of the A-League, just the atmosphere.”
I agree the atmosphere is dismally dull at times, and offers a stark comparison to the vocal and passionate crowds shown in games abroad (and crowds for AFL games etc).. It’s one reason i hope that Western Sydney doesnt play in the cavernous homebush stadium.
I dont mind the standard of playin the HAL, but it is often criticised as among other things as being slow, naive and mistake riddled. i think this will slowly improve – and as most armchair pundits admit the standard this year is above and beyond previous offerings.
“The next few months will give us all a look at the stability of the A-League” i agree with this & hopefully the crowds will increase inthe next 5 months without the competiton for attention etc but would also add that i think for football the ace is, and will laways be, the WC and the excitement it generates. So going beyond the 5 month period I hope next season shld be better for crowds because of the knock on effect this event generates, and i expect interest etc will trail off until the next one etc (assuming we qualify).
October 2nd 2009 @ 1:31pm
Pippinu said | October 2nd 2009 @ 1:31pm | Report comment
Interestingly, in the the Age today (a Victory sponsor), Geoff Lord makes the case for reducing the length of the season, having 22 rounds in a 12 team comp (everyone plays each other home and away), starting the comp in October and finishing in March.
Obviously this is completely at odds with current FFA thinking, and indeed the thinking of most A-League fans.
He also says that the new team, Melbourne Heartless, should be pushed out to the outer suburbs.
It looks like Lord is all heart.
October 2nd 2009 @ 3:30pm
AndyRoo said | October 2nd 2009 @ 3:30pm | Report comment
Not at odds with me.
I have never been a fan of over long seasons and playing everyone 3 times. I quite like the length of the super 14 and would prefer the NRL went back to 22 rounds.
I feel with the shorter seasons you get more bang for your buck in that both teams should be up for it 100%
I dont mind the Japanese way of doing it though, splitting the comp up into 2 stages.
October 2nd 2009 @ 3:57pm
Vicentin said | October 2nd 2009 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
We currently have one of the longest pre-seasons in the world. It isn’t good for us in terms of developing as a football nation. It would be a backwards step in so many ways to shorten the season. That said an Apertura and Clausura (opening and closing I assume) – or two comps per “season” could work. I like a long season because teams can have two or three (or more) bad games and it is not the end of the world unlike in a shorter comp where it feels like a knockout comp – nothing wrong with them but lets have one of them too. Managers can experiment more over a longer season with tactics as well as blooding more players as is the way with our salary cap and smaller squads.
October 2nd 2009 @ 4:07pm
AndyRoo said | October 2nd 2009 @ 4:07pm | Report comment
I understand the benefits to our football development of having the longer season but as a fan I enjoy the shorter season for pretty much what you described (feels more like a knockout comp, you can’t afford to lose).
I secretly wouldn’t mind if they fielded teams in the state league during the winter or such (although I guess that’s only really NSW, QLD and VIC where that’s feasible) or split it into two comps.
In the end 16 teams 30 games then finals sounds good to me. If they need more than that there is the ACL and they could look at some cups/tours.
October 3rd 2009 @ 4:16pm
Joe FC said | October 3rd 2009 @ 4:16pm | Report comment
Pippinu I think Lord’s views on the lenght of the season has some merit. I would not like to see the FFA dismiss it out of hand.
October 2nd 2009 @ 2:31pm
chook said | October 2nd 2009 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
I think he has a point if the FFA can avoid having clashes with AFL and league it wouldnt hurt even have a break for 2 weeks while the grand finals are on.
October 2nd 2009 @ 2:49pm
Pippinu said | October 2nd 2009 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
Maybe time the climax of a mid-week cup comp for those two weeks?
May as well join in the spirit!!
October 2nd 2009 @ 3:33pm
AndyRoo said | October 2nd 2009 @ 3:33pm | Report comment
Melbourne Heart have fumbled big time by not having their coach in place and being ready to recruit from today.
Today they could be talking to all the players coming off contract but as each day goes on more and more players will resign for their current club or sign for someone that has a coach.
We know more about the West Sydney Wanderers than the Heart and they don’t even have their license yet.
October 2nd 2009 @ 3:40pm
Pippinu said | October 2nd 2009 @ 3:40pm | Report comment
I agree.
The selection of this Heart consortium now looks pretty half-arsed.
I concluded long ago that it was all done to keep a club like Hellas right away.
I’m now more convinced than ever – there’s no way this Heart bid could have brought more to the table than what a revamped Hellas bid could have brought – it was all done quick and dirty just so we didn’t have to have a public debate about keeping the “ethnics” out.
October 2nd 2009 @ 4:00pm
Redb said | October 2nd 2009 @ 4:00pm | Report comment
As was said on SEN this morning, Melb Heart need a Mark Viduka – instant goal as far as profile.
Without that, their point of difference to Victory is squat.
October 4th 2009 @ 7:19pm
mahony said | October 4th 2009 @ 7:19pm | Report comment
Absolute dribble – I made the case for Heart’s approach in another thread. Read the SI interview with their founder to find out more. I will never leave MVFC – but I am more convinced than ever about the way Heart are going about their business.
October 2nd 2009 @ 4:04pm
BigAl said | October 2nd 2009 @ 4:04pm | Report comment
Well . . . I will put my neck out and say the A League or more specifically Victory will have their best ever season attendance wise next year !
I pass the new ‘Bubble’ Stadium every day, and it is truly a sight to behold !
I believe that every event held there over the next 3 ? years will be packed out. I hear that when up and running they can make it softly glow in any colour of their choosing ==> dark blue for Victory, purple for Storm…
Melbourne really is the sporting capital, within a 30 sec. train ride you pass the ‘Bubble’ stadium; the ‘G’; Tennis Centre; Hisense Arena (among other things there’s a Velodrome in there) – and it’s all within 15 min. walking distance from the city centre.
October 2nd 2009 @ 4:28pm
Pippinu said | October 2nd 2009 @ 4:28pm | Report comment
Big Al
it’s possible – although let’s not forget that in season two, we had attendances of 50,000 and 40,000 for two games – so I imagine that will have upped the average significantly for that season.
But there’ no doubt the bubble dome will be a major attraction in its own right.
October 2nd 2009 @ 4:17pm
James said | October 2nd 2009 @ 4:17pm | Report comment
“AFL and Rugby League in Australia remain the most prominent and popular sports of all the major codes, simply because more people go to games, more people watch those games on TV, and Australians have had more than a century of support in relation to these games.”
I looove how the soccer folk whinge about their sport being only 5 years old. As if the game was introduced to this country yesterday. Face the facts…the A-league is a boutique summer competition that acts as breeding ground for future talent to go overseas,(10%) and a retirement package for the ageing hasbeen warhorses(10%). These two groups will and have had the opportunity to play for the socceroos.The rest (80%) are people who just wannabe’s who are simply not work payign the admission price to see. The occasional marquee player will come along on the big bucks to liven the place up, but all this talk of the A-league overtaking the AFL or NRL is completly misguided…And pinning your hopes on futire A-league success with an audacious bid to snare the World Cup is desperate by any means…
October 2nd 2009 @ 5:23pm
Steve said | October 2nd 2009 @ 5:23pm | Report comment
“I looove how the soccer folk whinge about their sport being only 5 years old”
Your ‘right’ James
I also LOOVE the vicball dreamers that whinge that their sport has only been in NSW/QLD for the last few decade, but ‘only’ helped by the games administrators in the last ten years.
FACTS
- Vicball has been in NSW/QLD since the 19th Century
- Their has been vicball leagues in those states for about as long
- Their has been a professional vicball teams in the swannies [26+years] & lions [22 years] in those states
- The swannies and lions have both made and won premierships in those times
NSW/QLD have had over 100+ years of vicball to experience and support from up close……………..
AND STILL THEIR GAMES GET THEIR ARSE KICKED BY THE IRON CHEF!
Q:But whats the excuse vicball folk now claim to be the reason behind the apathy of vicball in those states?
A: We don’t get FNF live on FTA.
Of course, because if they don’t give a stuff about the swannies/lions games their really going to be ‘absorbed’ by to Melbourne postcodes slugging it out.
Real Answer: Their is NO Culture of Vicball in QLD/NSW [except from the expats]. And so may that continue.
October 2nd 2009 @ 6:17pm
James said | October 2nd 2009 @ 6:17pm | Report comment
Not too sure where in my post i made reference to the AFL becoming the major sport in NSW/QLD…Obviously you wanted to go off on a tangent, and come hell or highwater you went off!! (Unless of course you accidently left your Caps Lock on)
But since you have devoted your entire post to it, let me just say that I do know that the Swans/Lions draw about double the average crowds of Sydney FC/Roar. I am nto 100% sure but I dare say they draw a larger viewing audience too. And with the Swans in particular they get higher average crowds then any of the Sydney based Rugby league teams. Now before you climb aboard your high horse, I know there is only 1 (soon to be two) teams in NSW. But if say the average Rugby league TV audience in Sydney is say 500,000 (10 NSW teams) and the average audience for the Swans is 100,000…then I think its fair to say the Swans are at least holding their own.
I don’t believe the AFL will become number 1 in NSW (QLD I would argue has some Aussie Rules culture). What I do know is that the AFL want to increase their exposure to these markets. This will continue to drive participation and interest up, thereby ensuring the AFL continues to be the number 1 code in terms of professional interest and attendence in this country. And that, no doubt Steve, will really drive you mad.
October 2nd 2009 @ 5:41pm
Pippinu said | October 2nd 2009 @ 5:41pm | Report comment
James might be a Leaguie for all you know.
And what’s the point of making up your own name for the Great Australian game?
October 3rd 2009 @ 12:50pm
Steve said | October 3rd 2009 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
Two Words – IRON CHEF
October 4th 2009 @ 7:20pm
mahony said | October 4th 2009 @ 7:20pm | Report comment
Poor scared little man…
October 2nd 2009 @ 4:21pm
AndyRoo said | October 2nd 2009 @ 4:21pm | Report comment
“all this talk of the A-league overtaking the AFL or NRL is completly misguided”
Your the first person to bring that up.
So yep your misguided.
October 2nd 2009 @ 4:27pm
James said | October 2nd 2009 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
Hardly….mature posts such as this and the World Game don;t bring this up…but have a look over at the News Ltd stable every now and again…..
October 2nd 2009 @ 4:34pm
AndyRoo said | October 2nd 2009 @ 4:34pm | Report comment
Well we have a few nutters here, but for your own health stay away from those sites
October 2nd 2009 @ 6:34pm
jono52795 said | October 2nd 2009 @ 6:34pm | Report comment
For the record to “James”…
i am a passionate aussie rules football fan. attend almost every collingwood home game, and much prefer AFL to soccer. My article is only to point out the importance of a-league games achieving greater status in the coming months, and not any reference to a AFL vs NRL vs Soccer argument, as the article has unfortunatley been viewed upon.
October 2nd 2009 @ 8:58pm
Pippinu said | October 2nd 2009 @ 8:58pm | Report comment
Half time
GCU 0 Nix 0
Nix are giving GCU plenty of curry.
Is it my imagination or are they holding onto the ball a lot better and making their passes stick more??