Australia’s place in Asia can help it host a football World Cup that will reap the sport more money than the other nations vying for the honour can deliver.
That is the argument mounted by Football Federation Australia (FFA) chairman Frank Lowy, who is confident Australia will win the right to host the coveted event in either 2018 or 2022.
Lowy said Asia’s status as the world’s fastest growing economic region and a developing sporting landscape should help persuade football’s world governing body FIFA to capitalise.
“We are able to show that bringing the game to Australia and having the Asian continent with us at the same timezone will benefit not only Australia, not only Asia, but the whole football world,” Lowy said at a Melbourne Victory business lunch on Wednesday.
“Because the income that’s been projected for the television rights and other income will be larger than if they go anywhere else.
“… Nobody can offer what we can offer.
“We are the backyard or frontyard for Asia, we know how to stage big events and the audience that is going to watch us, I think it’s two thirds of the world audience that is going to watch us, and that of course can be translated into dollars and cents.”
The other countries bidding for one or both of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups – to be decided in December next year – are Spain and Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands, England, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Russia and the USA.
But Lowy said Australia offered the sport an unrivalled development opportunity.
“Asian development in sport is such that if the World Cup comes to this part of the world then I think they will be able to cash in and sort of monopolise with football, because the other sports haven’t taken off yet,” he said.
“If you look at America, it’s a great country, a great sporting nation, but football can get nowhere, everything is occupied already, television rights, and it’s the same story in many other parts of the world.
“So I am confident, I believe we are entitled to one of those two World Cups, hopefully 2018.”
Lowy said it would provide an “unbelievable” boost for football in Australia.
“From the moment Australia is announced as the host for a World Cup the interest level in football here will go through the roof,” he said.
“This will be a nation-changing event … it will shine the international spotlight on us like never before.”
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Viscount Crouchback said | October 22nd 2009 @ 2:51am | Report comment
Lowy should change his name to Don Quixote.
tifosi said | October 22nd 2009 @ 4:27am | Report comment
If you look at America, it’s a great country, a great sporting nation, but football can get nowhere, everything is occupied already, television rights, and it’s the same story in many other parts of the world.
**Yeah like soccer can get much bigger here in Oz. With a population of 300 million and growing soccer can and is getting bigger in the US. The fact that ESPN has hired Martin Tyler indicates to me that Americans are taking it more seriously.
Ray gatt from the australian said it right, chasing the world cup has lead the FFA to take its eye off the domestic scene. Mr Lowy should be working out how to improve it.
Luke W said | October 22nd 2009 @ 7:25am | Report comment
What a load of crock. Lowy and the current FFA management have done nothing to embrace the AFC in any way. Where are the concessions for Asian players that are part of the Japanese and Korean leagues? Asians are some of the most technically gifted players in the world, and could add so much to our league. Also, rather than cheer on our fellow Asian team Bahrain in their WC qualifier, people are cheering on New Zealand from the OFC. Technically we are a part of Asia, but mentally we are not, and still consider ourselves outsiders. I also believe there is some arrogance from some parts of Australian football that we are too good for Asian teams, probably based on our relatively easy WC qualification.
Sorry Frank Lowy, but playing the Asian card is the wrong move.
whiskeymac said | October 22nd 2009 @ 8:10am | Report comment
agree that the US example was a bit flawed, not least because it doesnt seem to take into account the growing latino influence in the country, but there is a lot of puffery and posturing here and we need someone to be confident and upbeat about our prospects, position and potential. you rather we had someone meek and mild who says we havent got all the stadia yet but the weathers great? no. we need someone to say we are great and more than capable to be produce a great WC.
as for the Asian thing – this will take time still. it may be a cynical aproach and sentiment but at the same time i think the FFA and associated media has truly embraced Asia and is making efforts to integrate. I dont see how cheering on NZ is such a litmus test, especially as the kiwis are the closest we have historically /footballing wise (phoenix, smeltz, moss etc). You think if we (or a far eastern team like korea or japan) were in a play off with Egypt, Libya, Morrocco etc that many middle eastern asian teams wouldnt support them over us?
Eamonn said | October 22nd 2009 @ 8:31am | Report comment
Luke W v Frank L…hmmn my moneys on Frank.
Actually given the size of the Aussie market…the only way we can win the bid is by playing our Asian hand. It’s always about the money isn’t it. Frank makes sense.
Luke W said | October 22nd 2009 @ 11:31am | Report comment
Haha. Well that’s just my (not so) humble opinion.
I really don’t think the Asian angle will work. You can’t shake the feeling that other Asian countries do not like Australia, probably through our perceived (or maybe not so) arrogance, our refusal to come into line with AFC and FIFA regulations regarding Wellington Phoenix, and coming into the AFC and demanding so much (like WC backing) without giving anything in return.
Midfielder said | October 22nd 2009 @ 11:33am | Report comment
IMO the Asian card is our strongest card…
Asia is increasing it’s middle class .. especially in China and India … these two markets alone are 2.5 billion people almost half the worlds population… add Indonesia another 200 million ….
China and many parts of Asian are starting to look at sport now … playing the WC in Asian friendly time zones is plain and simple clever … Europe, Africa, South America are Football , North America football has a strong but second level presence on TV… however massive player numbers … but growth will come more over time football does not need the WC to cement football in North America.
Tis true cricket is the number one code in India but India has a huge football watching audience and FIFA see India as a future growth area… most of the rest of Asia is football but not hard core rusted on like Europe .. still open for a while for other sports to establish themselves… thus the WC in an Asia friendly time zone does make a lot of sense..
Luke W … everything has a start… our connections with Asian need because of our location and future economic needs to be strengthen… further we need Australia to be accepted even if a little different… Football does offer a connection via a social background as opposed to formal meetings… a place where business heads and government diplomats can gather in a informal way… Given we have little to no language, historical, religious, sporting, cultural, background to share … football is seen by many as a way of breaking down some of the barriers … but it does not to have a start … and the start does need time and understanding… be a little fair …