Demetriou ridiculed for the good of his sport
Roar Guru
By apaway, 12 Dec 2009 apaway is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- AFL, Andrew Demetriou, football, World Cup football
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AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou addresses the media during an AFL Media Conference at AFL House, Melbourne. Slattery Images
I was in Melbourne this week when AFL chief Andrew Demetriou launched his anti-World Cup campaign to the astonishment of most. I suspect had I been in London, or Barcelona, or Istanbul, or Rio or Buenos Aires, I wouldn’t have heard about it at all.
I think Demetriou may well come to appreciate this, because less of the world will think him the fool he now looks. Or is he actually strategising brilliantly on behalf of his sport?
Demetriou has overseen great success in the AFL during his six years as CEO of the league.
He was the driving force behind the AFL’s massive $780 million dollar TV rights deal in 2005. The competition is set to expand into Western Sydney and the Gold Coast, and seems likely to do so without losing any of its Melbourne “heartland” clubs.
All indications are that Andrew Demetriou is a brilliant administrator.
Until this week.
His comments and fear-mongering rhetoric about Australia’s World Cup bid, his assertion that the AFL would have to cancel the 2018 season, his “hands off Etihad” edict make him look like the stupidest sports administrator of all time – and that takes some doing.
If Australia were suuccessful in their 2018 bid, the AFL would have 9 YEARS to come up with a strategy for playing away from the two big Melbourne venues during the period they were required for World Cup preparation and matches.
Futhermore, Demetriou’s comments look to have endeared him to no-one, not even AFL fans, judging from the response in Melbourne alone.
It is often said that Melbourne is Australia’s sporting capital, and that the city’s sport lovers will turn up to watch just about anything.
Can you imagine them tolerating the country hosting a World Cup and missing out on seeing some of it in their own back yard?
Worse, could Demetriou envisage the backlash against him personally if his stance and comments did the unthinkable, and torpedoed the country’s bid for the biggest sporting event in the world?
The TV rights for the event would make his 2005 coup look like a bad waiter’s tip jar on a slow night.
The revenue generated by tourism alone would be enormous and already has the Federal Government salivating – did Kevin Rudd perhaps choke on that saliva as he read Demetriou’s diatribe?
I can only think that Demetriou has launched the first salvo in a massive compensation strategy he hopes to secure for the AFL if they are forced to move matches away from the MCG and Etihad Stadium.
By presenting the worst case scenario of season cancellation (yeah, right, like that would ever happen), perhaps he is angling to squeeze a large chunk of revenue from whoever will listen – be it FIFA, the FFA or Canberra.
He surely couldn’t possibly believe that the AFL should have some advanced importance over the World Cup?
Apologies to AFL fans but let’s get real for a moment – an event that will be watched in over 200 countries by a collective audience of over 14 billion is not going to be held hostage by a cranky guy running a competition largely unknown outside these shores.
Demetriou must have a deeper, money-driven agenda in mind, and if so AFL fans should applaud him for having the guts to make himself a figure of ridicule and loathing for the good of his sport.
If he doesn’t, they should clamour immediately for his resignation and entry into a mental health facility. And by the way, much as I would love to see it, I don’t think FIFA will keep the World Cup from Europe for 16 years, which means Australia’s best hope is securing the 2022 event.
Maybe the extra four years will give Andrew Demetriou the time he needs to figure out alternate venues.
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Kurt said | December 12th 2009 @ 1:54am | Report comment
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
BN said | December 12th 2009 @ 2:02am | Report comment
14 billion viewers ??????
Like Kurt Said- ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Mr cheese said | December 12th 2009 @ 4:22am | Report comment
Absolutely right.
It is officially accepted that viewing figures for the fussball are MASSIVELY exaggerated.
The last World Cup Final was probably watched by around 250 million, not 1 billion as FIFA used to say.
It’s in their interest to inflate this stuff, no ?
Not in a million years will 14 billion watch a World Cup.
Gatto Nero said | December 12th 2009 @ 8:44am | Report comment
Not to mention that there are only 7 billion on the planet.
BigAl said | December 12th 2009 @ 10:07am | Report comment
Maybe they’re factoring in the significant portion of the populous that has four eyes ?
amused said | December 12th 2009 @ 8:35pm | Report comment
no, it’s actually 2999 billion, and as proponents of the bid will also offer, it will bring 100000 ( best Dr Evil voice ) billion dollars to the australian economy.
200 billion tourists will visit australia during the cup, consuming 100 billion beers, 300 billion meat pies and will use 400 billion condoms.
you have to think big!
Goosey said | December 12th 2009 @ 10:03am | Report comment
The article clearly states a collective audience of 14 billion.
There are 60 matches in a World Cup. That averages at about 233million viewers per match. It is an easily achievable figure.
The 2022 WC in Australia is in a good time zone for half the world population in Asia who are soccer crazy. If in the next 13 years China and India get there act together and were to qualify 14billion total views could be easily surpassed, as they would have a minimum of 8 games that would average massive unprecedented viewing figures.
Tifosi said | December 12th 2009 @ 4:37am | Report comment
The bully got bullied and he didnt like it. Pretty funny actually.
Demetriou’s stunt at the end of the day will mean little. As long as the Federal/state govts support this bid, he cant really do much.
But Yeah i think this is played out. Im sure in May 2010 more will be said.
Punter said | December 12th 2009 @ 6:05am | Report comment
Had you been in Sydney Apaway, you had some minor news on it, but nothing no-one worried about.
football said | December 12th 2009 @ 6:49am | Report comment
Actually
The WC audience results are independantly commissioned & reported by an international agency not by FIFA.
Get your facts right.
Mr cheese said | December 12th 2009 @ 7:49am | Report comment
Are you sure about that ?
Listen to how many people FIFA think watched the World Cup Finals in 1998, 2002 and 2006.
It is accepted by most that FIFA have been, er, generous in their calculation.
You have to be realistic. The idea that 1 billion people watched the last Final is simply silly.
FIFA need the sponsors to believe that the thing is seen by billions, don’t they ?!?!?!?!?
Luke W said | December 12th 2009 @ 9:07am | Report comment
Well of course 1 billion is a pure estimate, there is no possible way of measuring it. Some independent study probably figured out something like between 750 million and 1 billion people watched the last WC final. What administrative body wouldn’t want to proclaim from the top of that range?
John Ryan said | December 12th 2009 @ 3:20pm | Report comment
And of course Mr Cheese if it was the Rugby Union world cup and they said over a billion watched it,we would not hear a peep out of you
Dave1 said | December 12th 2009 @ 4:08pm | Report comment
1 billion people didnt watch the rugby world cup
Mr cheese said | December 12th 2009 @ 10:39pm | Report comment
Hold on.
You misunderstand me.
I like Rugby Union, yes. But my number one sport is football. This is not a case of mocking football. I really like the football World Cup and always have. I watch it much more than I watch the football world cup.
So you’ve got this one wrong.
I like the football World Cup a lot. I just don’t think people should believe any old numbers.
12 billion ?
20 billion ?
66 billion ?
Mr cheese said | December 12th 2009 @ 10:50pm | Report comment
“I watch the football World Cup much more than the Rugby World Cup”
That’s what it was meant to say.
My apologies.
Dave1 said | December 13th 2009 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
I dont believe any of those figures
Daniel King said | December 15th 2009 @ 11:48am | Report comment
It’s not silly at all, this is the world game, the world loves it. You might not but the world does. 1 billion is totally realistic.
ren said | December 12th 2009 @ 8:46am | Report comment
sort of irrelevant if the figure quoted is 14 billion- any half decent journalist would realise the impossibility of this. hence for me this article carries no weight, even more so given the article was overly one sided as it only questioned AD sanity whilst skimming over the cause for his concern- FFA’s inability to collaborate with the other codes.
Mr cheese said | December 12th 2009 @ 8:53am | Report comment
14 billion is not impossible if we’re talking cumulative figures.
Still, it is very very very unlikely.
Jeb said | December 12th 2009 @ 10:41am | Report comment
Mr Cheese – do the maths mate: 233million per game. Why is it unlikely? Because you don’t think soccer deserves such an audience?
Dave1 said | December 12th 2009 @ 3:32pm | Report comment
in what way does a sport deserve an audience?
Jeb said | December 14th 2009 @ 12:45pm | Report comment
Dave1:
i don’t think a sport deserves an audience. others might, hence the question mark.
there’s nothing like personal taste, or sitcom quotes, to prove facts wrong.
ren said | December 12th 2009 @ 10:48am | Report comment
ok- i didn’t realise it was cumulative. though i still believe this article lacked balance- there was a good article in the west australian, also online
Dave1 said | December 12th 2009 @ 3:42pm | Report comment
it doesn’t matter if it cumulative or not 14 billon people have never watched anything. It is an exaggeration but won that is a cliché and on its way out. These sort of statements are regularly mocked nowadays
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26354504-5018878,00.html
“……Would you believe he lobbed again? The same drivel. Magnificent tournament, wonderful man, boon for Melbourne, rolling in riches, 500 billion people watched the event…….”
this ones a classic from 2 and half men
http://www.tvfanatic.com/quotes/shows/two-and-a-half-men/page_14.html
Jake: Can we watch the soccer game instead of basketball?
Charlie: What are you, nuts?
Jake: Sophie said soccer is the most popular game in the world.
Charlie: Well, then they don’t need us to watch it.
Luke W said | December 12th 2009 @ 7:25am | Report comment
The FFA should just ignore the AFL and NRL and go ahead with the bid. With all Government’s backing the bid they are powerless. Don’t worry about a backlash from fans, all the polls this week in the major newspapers show that the majority of Australians will support the World Cup even if it disrupts the other codes.
Josh said | December 12th 2009 @ 9:12am | Report comment
Is the Dalai Lama bald? Just like Belgian Stilt-fighting, the AFL+NRL are not members of FIFA, therefore all the posturing and threats coming from south-east Australia amount to nil. Likewise did these same bodies have any major sway with the IOC? None, zip, nil. All their hyperventilating goes to show how adverse they are to competition, they already know they have precious little influence on the WC bid and it’s this that is driving them farther into madness.
Andy, Andy, Andy .. the longer your feigned resistance continues, the more embarrassing the AFL appears, keep up the snoozefest by all means..
Yes, believe it or not stilt-jostling is the most popular national sport in Belgium..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MbCJ3N18lw
Dave1 said | December 12th 2009 @ 3:56pm | Report comment
it looks like what the AFL says is important to fifa
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/beware-the-silent-assassins-at-fifa-headquarters/story-fn4l4ski-1225809548029
“.Beware the silent assassins at FIFA headquarters
WATCH out Australia, Big Brother is watching you. Very closely.
Amid all the controversy stoked by AFL chief Andrew Demetriou’s outrageous claims this week that the AFL could be forced to close down its season and the resultant barney over schedules and venues if Australia wins the bid to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup finals, it has been strangely silent in Zurich.
Most will know Zurich as the cultural and commercial centre of Switzerland, and the sixth-most-expensive city in Europe.
To followers of the world game, soccer, it is the home of FIFA, the sports world governing body — possibly the most powerful sporting body in the world.
When it comes to football, there is nothing that escapes the scrutiny and attention of FIFA.
Yes, the sounds of silence might be deafening, but rest assured the eyes and ears of the sport’s powerbrokers are finely tuned to the events of this week, even if attempts by The Weekend Australian to garner reaction to the war of words and to gauge what sort of damage it may be causing have gone unanswered……..”
sambobly said | December 12th 2009 @ 8:23am | Report comment
The AFL and NRL are not powerless. They have the rights to (some of) the stadiums for that time period and therefore, in effect, own or have leased them. This leaves them in a position of great power. The FFA will need to buy the rights from the sporting bodies and if they refuse to sell then this is tough titties for the FFA. If the government tries to step in and force the sale there will (probably) be a massive public backlash against the hosting of the World Cup. Finally, all this activity will probably dissuade FIFA from awarding the world cup to Australia in the first place.
Frankly, I think this is a brilliant strategic move from Demetriou.
Luke W said | December 12th 2009 @ 9:09am | Report comment
There will not be a public backlash against the World Cup. There will be some backlash from hardcore supporters of the NRL and AFL, but a society-wide backlash? No way.
Luke W said | December 12th 2009 @ 9:15am | Report comment
The NRL/AFL and its clubs own none of the stadiums they use. They are all owned by the Government or a private entity. Sure, the AFL/NRL have long-term leases to these grounds, but that gives them little to no legitimate power because ultimately the Government owns the grounds and those leases can be overruled. The only real power the AFL/NRL holds is changing public opinion of FIFA/FFA/WC and they have done well so far. Like you said, it’s a brilliant strategic move from Demetriou. He knows that if the bid was successful, he would have little power with all Governments backing it, but turn AFL fans against FIFA/FFA/WC and you can stop the bid in its tracks.
Timmypig said | December 13th 2009 @ 8:53am | Report comment
Actually Luke I am 99% sure that the Sharks own Endeavour Field …. but otherwise your point is well made. Still dangerous ground for a government to tread if it starts ripping up leases.
Jeb said | December 12th 2009 @ 10:45am | Report comment
sambobly: you said that “there will (probably) by a massive public backlash against the hosting of the world cup”. I think your basing this assumption on your delusion. The polls showed that people want the wc here no matter what.
sambobly said | December 12th 2009 @ 2:05pm | Report comment
No, I based this assumption on the idea that the Australian public would not like to see the government step in and brow beat two of the nations sports in favour of another. If this was done, it would smack of bully boy tactics.
Another point is that the posturing of Demetriou and other sporting directors will have FIFA thinking twice about awarding the World Cup to Australia in the first place. There are other, better financed candidates than Australia for this bid (example = Russia). This means that if the bid loses public support (or even the overwhelming majority of support) then FIFA will not award us the World Cup. Australia is not big enough to get given the cup in the hopes of developing football/soccer support (unlike the 1994 US world cup).
Jeb said | December 12th 2009 @ 2:33pm | Report comment
right, so you’re basing your assumption on what YOU think the australian public would not like to see, despite what they are saying themselves.
Look, no unbiased person, wants to see the nrl or afl damaged in an unfair manner and that wouldn’t happen. But the wc is too important for us not to do all it takes.
Dave1 said | December 12th 2009 @ 4:10pm | Report comment
the wc not so important that we should be damaging the AFL or the NRL
John Ryan said | December 12th 2009 @ 3:25pm | Report comment
Gee Mate what do you think Demetriou does all the time,I hope he holds his Breath till his face turns blue,he and the AFL are specials at being bullies
AndyRoo said | December 12th 2009 @ 5:51pm | Report comment
sambobly
I doubt the NRL has the 2018 or 2022 rights to any of the stadiums that will be used for the world cup. Perhaps Newcastle does?
The deals the AFL has done with the MCG or Docklands are not the norm for Australian sport.
Forgetmenot said | December 12th 2009 @ 8:39am | Report comment
If you had been in any of the places bidding for the soccer world cup you would have heard about it.
It was in both US, and English news.
Dave1 said | December 12th 2009 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
It made the news in India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/Australias-FIFA-World-Cup-dream-runs-into-rough-weather/articleshow/5318993.cms
Gatto Nero said | December 12th 2009 @ 8:45am | Report comment
Another poor article written from a pro-soccer point of view. I’m tired of reading that there’s something intrinsically wrong with a sport if it isn’t popular in Istanbul or Buenos Aires. So many sports are valued mostly in their country of origin, and not just gridiron and Gaelic football – bullfighting, takraw and our very special game of Australian football. It’s time to wake up to the fact that many Australians enjoy it – more so than any other sport in our sunburnt country.
This issue is done, let it lie.
Luke W said | December 12th 2009 @ 9:21am | Report comment
Another poor comment from an anti-football point of view. The biggest myth being perpetuated through all of these articles is that football isn’t popular in Australia, with the only piece of evidence being small A-League crowds. The A-League makes up a miniscule percent of football available to Australians to watch, enjoy and support. There are hundreds of thousands of Australians who support football but don’t necessarily support the A-League. They support the Socceroos, an EPL team, or one of the thousands of teams/leagues around the world. These people are probably fans of the NRL/AFL/Union as well, but I’m sure the vast majority would love to see a World Cup in Australia. Don’t underestimate football’s popularity in Australia.
B.C. said | December 12th 2009 @ 9:57am | Report comment
It is called SOCCER, if you dont like it being called SOCCER, you had best come up with another nickname for the SOCCEROOS.
KB said | December 12th 2009 @ 10:48am | Report comment
BC,
try “The Australian National Football Team” I have been calling our national Football team that since the newly formed “Football Federation of Austrlia” was formed 6 years ago… Get up to speed…
Springs said | December 12th 2009 @ 1:59pm | Report comment
Didn’t realise that was a nickname. The Austalian socceroos or the Australian ‘Australian National Football Team’roos.
KB said | December 12th 2009 @ 6:26pm | Report comment
I don’t like nick names.. the late Johnny Warren said he was not fond of the nick name Socceroos, he preferred just the Australian Football Team … If we must have a nick name then maybe just Roos
Daniel King said | December 15th 2009 @ 11:52am | Report comment
Call it what you like, it’s still the biggest sport in the world. Soccer, football, Wogball… doesn’t change any facts.
Gatto Nero said | December 14th 2009 @ 2:21pm | Report comment
Bulldust. Nobody of note has insinuated that soccer isn’t popular in Australia. Many object to the impression being put forth by the soccer community that it is the most popular sport in the country, or is on a trajectory to that end. One British journalist who toured Etihad with the FFA last month even reported being informed by soccer administrators that their code was the most popular in Australia – a statement that he rightly found hard to believe.
Dave1 said | December 12th 2009 @ 4:01pm | Report comment
Gatto Nero, heres a good article
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/zealotry-undermines-support-for-cup-bid-20091211-kolw.html
“Zealotry undermines support for Cup bid….
……….However, this week, a small but vocal minority showed how the overwhelming goodwill the World Cup bid had created could be jeopardised – and, in turn, the long-term benefits it would have for the game.
We are not talking about AFL boss Andrew Demetriou whose posturing about the inconvenience the World Cup could create was as blunt and predictable as the latest Tiger Woods joke. Demetriou’s dire warning that the AFL season could be cancelled if the MCG was out of action for four months was merely the hyperbolic rhetoric you can expect for a man paid more than $1m per-year to look after the best interests of his code. And who has done so spectacularly well…….
……….No, those with a far greater capacity to erode the universal support for the World Cup bid are the ones who cherish the idea most – the soccer zealots who, after years living in the shadow of the native codes, have been emboldened by their powerful new political allies……”
Gatto Nero said | December 14th 2009 @ 1:54pm | Report comment
Great article, Dave. I love Australian football, and my objections regarding Australia hosting a World Cup are rooted in the economics of the bid – they appear unsound from what I have read and I believe that the $2-8 billion could be better spent on a host of more necessary infrastructure projects across Australia.
However, as this debate has raged on, I find it more and more distasteful that the soccer zealots within the Australian community use the debate as a means of denigrating the followers of rival sports. I love footy, but I live in a city where ice hockey and gridiron are the #1 sports. I would be loathe to tell my coworkers and friends that the sports they love are provincial and unsophisticated because they aren’t followed internationally. Instead, I respect their passions and, in turn, they have been wholly supportive as we’ve watched Geelong win a couple of premierships in recent years. It’s a pity that a fringe group of Australians lack the same degree of tolerance.
Redb said | December 14th 2009 @ 1:55pm | Report comment
Well said.
MV Dave said | December 14th 2009 @ 2:17pm | Report comment
“Australia hosting a World Cup are rooted in the economics of the bid – they appear unsound from what I have read and I believe that the $2-8 billion could be better spent on a host of more necessary infrastructure projects across Australia.”
Err like building new AFL grounds in Sydenee and Gold Coast and err “community” AFL facilities at all the old AFL grounds?
” I find it more and more distasteful that the soccer zealots within the Australian community use the debate as a means of denigrating the followers of rival sports”
Not as distasteful perhaps as AFL zealots denigrating the game of football (and those who play it) for being foreign? You know mate UnAustralian! We can summarise by using the following well coined phrase – Sheilas Wogs and Poofters
Redb said | December 14th 2009 @ 2:39pm | Report comment
Richard Hind’s article is spot on.
Your burning hatred of the AFL is going to kill the bid just like it drove Frank Lowy to be over zealous with his stadium demands.
MV Dave said | December 14th 2009 @ 3:08pm | Report comment
“burning hatred of the AFL” Explain? l thought putting an alternative point of view and showing up incorrect or spurious arguments was still allowed on this site?
Dave1 said | December 15th 2009 @ 2:35pm | Report comment
the economics of the bid are that not since 1962 (the last time a country with a population as small as Australia’s has hosted the soccer world cup) have so few tax payers been burdened with so much.
Michael C said | December 15th 2009 @ 3:02pm | Report comment
nice angle.
Personally, we should get through this whole emissions issue first and wait see whether international air travel get’s emissions foot print priced out of affordability…
Anthony said | December 12th 2009 @ 9:35am | Report comment
Thank you, Mr Demetriou for defending our football. I am an AFL club member & have no intention of going to soccer’s WC if by some chance Australia gets it. Altho it’s going to be impossible for an ordinary Australian to actually get a seat anyway. I fully expect to attend AFL games if the WC is on, & for that AFL will need one of the big Melbourne stadiums. FFA is arrogant in expecting AFL/NRL to just suspend the competition for 4-8 weeks & FIFA is just ignorant of Australia’s sporting culture. What a shame that the most popular football in Australia is played on an oval field!!! No doubt this is a point for ridiciule from soccer fans – which is the level of their argument. Thanks Demetriou for doing your job, & not being intimidated by soccer.
John said | December 12th 2009 @ 9:35am | Report comment
The majority of the articles written about this topic seem to be written by an author who is favouring soccer. They all share a common thought that it should be the AFL’s job to just let the soccer authorities do what they want and then find a way of still playing their season. If the FFA is so keen to have the World Cup here, and there is at least 9 years until that may happen, then why can’t they come up with with a way to accommodate other codes.
The AFL season obviously isn’t going to be cancelled, but the AFL and World Cup are businesses, and to let a rival simply come in and run the show for 8 weeks is never going to happen.
Another thing I have noticed is the commonality of the non-unique viewer tally being quoted in order to belittle the significance of the AFL season. I don’t know if it’s just for the finals or the whole campaign, but I would imagine it is just the same people watching as many games as they can.