By Adrian Musolino
December 16th 2009 @ 6:10am
Related coverage
Midweek round 19 a litmus test for the A-League
Melbourne Victory's Sebastian Ryall out runs Wellington Phoenix's Leo Bertos during the A-League pre-season final at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008. AAP Image/NZPA, Ross Setford
Round 19 of the A-League is upon us. Commencing tonight with a Queensland derby at Suncorp Stadium, and ending on Australia Day in Melbourne, the round spans just under six weeks – across 2009 and 2010 – with all fixtures played midweek. It’s the most important round of the A-League season.
Why?
It’ll test Australia’s true interest in midweek summer night fixtures over key summer dates, at a time when we cannot escape or ignore the ongoing crowd concerns.
The Round 19 fixtures are:
16 Dec – Brisbane Roar V North Queensland Fury
23 Dec – Sydney FC V Central Coast Mariners
13 Jan – Gold Coast United V Newcastle Jets
19 Jan – Adelaide United V Perth Glory
26 Jan – Melbourne Victory V Wellington Phoenix
First up, it’s Brisbane’s turn – possibly the worst time for the Roar to be hosting a midweek fixture; coming off the back of their lowest crowd of 5,801 who witnessed their loss to Adelaide United.
The Roar are in disarray, and even a local derby featuring Robbie Fowler is unlikely to sway a Brisbane that seems to have turned its back on the team. Avoiding a crowd lower than its new record must be the goal.
Sydney’s pre-Christmas Eve clash with the Central Coast should draw a decent crowd – Sydney fans having had a taste of the Asian Champions League midweek fixtures. Likewise for Adelaide fans.
Melbourne’s Australia Day fixture should be well attended, but it could have been even more of a spectacle had a more traditional rival been scheduled for that date.
I’ve often thought a rivalry round concept would work around a major holiday fixture, such as Australia Day, and a Sydney versus Melbourne clash – the hopeful Grand Finalists – would better utilize these holiday/summer dates.
With all these midweek matches, there is an element of the unexpected relating to crowds.
Midweek matches aren’t an Australian sporting tradition.
Our sporting psyche is built around weekends.
Australia’s response to midweek fixtures has been lukewarm, in both rescheduled A-League matches and Asian Champions League fixtures.
And even though summer fixtures in December-January have proven to be popular – and should be with the little opposition and school holidays – there is still an element of the unknown with these midweek fixtures, particularly because the poor promotion and marketing of the league makes it difficult for such fixtures, which deviate from the weekend norm, to gain much awareness and traction to the wider sporting fanbase.
It’s why traditional rivals and better fixtures need to be combined with these summer dates in order to maximize a time of the year when the A-League should be enjoying the benefits of the fine weather, school holidays and little sporting competition.
Midweek rounds could also be the ticket to condensing the season away from the AFL/NRL seasons, by squeezing in more than one midweek fixture in this summer period, in a similar way to how the EPL fits so many games into the Christmas and New Year period. It also provides an escape from the afternoon heat that can afflict A-League matches.
But first A-League fans need to show they’re committed to midweek summer fixtures.
How many truly knew of the peculiar round 19 of the A-League this season and why it’s so important? How many A-League fans knew to clear their Wednesday night schedules over the summer?
We’ll find out across the country over the course of the next six weeks.
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Michael C said | December 16th 2009 @ 6:42am | Report comment
hmm……MVFC vs WPhx on Aust Day…..correct again….pretty unimaginative scheduling,……see other thread regarding ‘blockbusters’.
proposal :
MVFC host SFC on the Sunday before Melb Cup,
MVFC host AdeUtd Aust Day weekend,
fix them in……year on year.
AndyRoo said | December 16th 2009 @ 8:17am | Report comment
That’s a pretty good suggestion.
Punter said | December 16th 2009 @ 6:50am | Report comment
I’d have agree with both Adrian & Michael C here.
Great concept Australia Day game, but MVFC v WP? That should be the ANZAC day match in New Zealand if the A-League ever expands a longer timeframe we all want.
Dave said | December 16th 2009 @ 7:04am | Report comment
Sort out the crap a-league website so dates of games are not all over they placer and the crowds will go as people actually know when the game is on. Look at the fixtures list and would not even know SFC were playing Victory
http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=aleague_fixtures
K B said | December 16th 2009 @ 9:11am | Report comment
Dave,
I agree, someone at FFA has gone to sleep on the job … Archie Fraser is a dope we are now at round 20 not 19 … c’mon Archie lift your game…
jimbo said | December 16th 2009 @ 11:36am | Report comment
KB,
agree that Archie’s performance has been very disappointing this year after all the hype surrounding his appointment. He’s the head of A-League Operations so he shouldn’t have been distracted by the WC bid.
He did a much better job at St Kilda.
Maybe he’s an AFL plant and is deliberately doing a bad job for Satan Demetriou’s benefit.
MV Dave said | December 16th 2009 @ 7:05am | Report comment
Will look forward to MCs crowd stats after this one. Fair chance that the Roar will break another record tonight.
Midweek over the summer school holiday period is the only way to expand the competition so the FFA and the clubs have to make it work and some suggestions that may help;
1. special pricing for these fixtures eg a mate gets in for free with a full priced entry ticket punter
2. Kids under 16 free or gold coin entry with full priced entry ticket adult
3. no liveTV telecast in the home teams city
4. FFA edict that the home team must win
5. more advertising of the games on FTA/Newspapers
6. special promotions to local sports and in particular football clubs with cheap ticket deals…
7. MV ran a special deal with local University for one game and had all the students sitting together which worked well as they filled up one bay…should do more of this ie why not pensioners, armed forces personnel, emergency services etc and make a themed night
8. Around Christmas supporters dressed in santa outfits get in for half price etc
There are lots of ideas and l hope clubs and the FFA have come together to put some into action.
BTW re no 4 attendances arent helped when home teams constantly lose and play poorly…ok perhaps the edict should be the home team have to score at least 1 goal
…there is no substitute for teams playing well at home and this is the most important promo!
Brett McKay said | December 16th 2009 @ 7:27am | Report comment
How many people today will read Adrian’s piece and then quickly rush to put tips in, including games six weeks down the track??
Be interesting to see how these midweek games go. Syd-CC next week should be OK, and obviously Australia Day too (despite the Phoenix being involved), but I do wonder if tonight’s game might have done better if it was next week when more people have finished up work for the break??
Billo said | December 16th 2009 @ 7:34am | Report comment
I don’t know why crowds are such an important discussion point – we never read about crowds in Sheffield Shield cricket, for example.
There are teams in England in the lower leagues that have been established more than 100 years that would welcome some of the crowds drawn by A-league clubs this year.
The A-League’s problem, perhaps, is that it got off to a great start, in terms of crowds, but then lost the sense that it was fashionable to be seen at A-League games, so we are now seeing the ‘true’ supporters who have stuck with their teams.
The best thing the clubs can do is get their heads down and concentrate on winning new fans slowly.
The A-League is in probably the world’s most competitive sporting marketplace, and I think it is doing better than some people would admit.
Jeb said | December 16th 2009 @ 9:39am | Report comment
“I think it is doing better than some people would admit”.
I wish I could think the same Billo, but I reckon in brisbane the roar couldn’t be doing any worse. Expect the players to outnumber the spectators tonight at suncorp.
It’s hard to see the crowd situation turning around in the near future. I think the low crowds are going to be chronic for a long time – not something that a few wins or cheaper tickets will solve. The only answer in my opinion is time. Time for people to forget the great support they showed the team over the first three seasons to only be rewarded with crap football and many, many frustrating home losses.
Re the question of crowds – totally agree that too much emphasis is placed on crowds to gauge the sports popularity. Nothing could be more uncorrelated. But for the teams to be financially viable they need to meet their benchmarks and my understanding it that the qld teams aren’t doing this.
Jeb said | December 17th 2009 @ 8:05am | Report comment
I was wrong. 11K crowd
Chuq said | December 16th 2009 @ 7:35am | Report comment
It’s clear FFA went for (who they would have expected to be) the five highest drawing teams for the home teams for round 19. Oh dear. Brisbane, Gold Coast didn’t really work out that way
Obviously this would mean Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide all having home games, meaning none of the big “rivalries”
Pat said | December 16th 2009 @ 8:31am | Report comment
They should knock at least 10 bucks off the ticket price for mid-week games and market that.
Marshall said | December 16th 2009 @ 8:44am | Report comment
I didn’t even know there was a game tonight. Without marketing such fixtures have little chance of succeeding
Gweeds said | December 16th 2009 @ 9:15am | Report comment
Methinks the FFA is putting all their eggs into the World Cup bid this season.
AndyRoo said | December 16th 2009 @ 11:50am | Report comment
The only defence I can come up for Archie is there is a lot on the plate.
Scheduling was done ages ago and has been poor but they have Adelaide’s ownership situation to deal with, NQ as well, getting involved with the Roar (cash injection, introducing the $15 tickets and taking over the Stadium negotiations for them*), taking over the match day operations of GCU too. All the while being involved with the Rovers and Heart expansion (the FFA micro manage so much).
They have made some big boo boos though, some were hard to predict but others even I could see coming a mile away (the poor handling of Canberra’s bid) and were very easy to avoid.
*As an aside the only redeeming reason for having Chris Bomblas as Roar CEO I could see was that he had some connections in regards to the stadium deal…seems he couldn’t even handle that.
Look at what’s happening now with players from Perth and Brisbane (and ahem Ryan Griffiths using it as an excuse) that they need more games once the A league finishes.
They are trying to negotiate with Suncorp to get a better deal for the Roar wouldn’t the carrot of A League Aussies vs NZ match help them and kill two birds with one stone.
Instead… nothing and Moore will leave the Roar and Perths title hopes will go up in smoke it will be a huge PR dampner and make the A League look micky mouse (no offence to Disney fans).
jimbo said | December 16th 2009 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
Lets not fall into the traps set by the enemy – don’t focus on A-League crowds only, like they do.
At an average of 10K per game the A-League crowds are still 4 to 5 times larger than the NSL averages – I went to an NSL game where the crowd was announced as “about 800″.
Sure the A-League needs some attention, but . . .
we have just qualified for our second World Cup in a row,
the AFL Capital of Australia is trying to derail our FIFA WC Bid
etc
etc
etc – I see that all as a positive.
Axelv said | December 16th 2009 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
What i don’t understand is, since they moved Melbourne Victory’s home matches to Docklands, 3 of those seasons averaged ~25,000, including season 07/08 where we had a horrid start and never looked like making the top 4 until it was too late. This year we are on top of the ladder, playing great, clean attacking football, the standard is better than ever, and the crowds are down ~5000-7000 average. Could it be because of the GFC that people are cutting back? or is it because that 80% of Australians can never watch it on TV, or that the A-league is barely covered in the media? or is it because the momentum of Germany 2006 is running out of steam?
Either way, lets hope we can pull off something remarkable in South Africa, GO AUSSIES!
Art Sapphire said | December 16th 2009 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
axelv – the main reason is people are tired of Etihad Stadium – they get a better view of the game live on telly. The rusted on 20k supporters still go to the games. Its the casual supporter who only turns up to the big games or the finals that has decided to go to fewer games this season. I expect to see the figures improve next season as the atmosphere at the Bubbledome will be better.
Axelv said | December 16th 2009 @ 3:25pm | Report comment
I don’t agree with that, I think the views at Docklands are 4x better than TV. You can see everything that is unfolding clearly in the game, and you get to relax and soak up a beautiful atmosphere, not just a 2D 1/4 section of the pitch like on TV.
I fall under the casual supporter category, but for me, it’s not about how well Melbourne are doing in the league, i just want to see some football and pray that we get the 3 points! I go to around 5 matches per season, as i live a very long way from city, it takes 3 hours of travel, up and back, door to door, to get to the stadium, and it’s quite costly in match ticket, train and beer, it all adds up!
Art Sapphire said | December 16th 2009 @ 3:36pm | Report comment
Wait till next season Axel when we play at the Bubbledome. If you think the atmosphere is good at Etihad it will be fantastic at Etihad. You will never want to go back to Etihad to watch a game of football ever again.
Punter said | December 16th 2009 @ 3:40pm | Report comment
Art, most of time I agree with what you say, but this week the boys from Sydney will complete a rare double
(like Central Coast Marniers) on Melbourne victory (little v). It should be great , can’t wait 1 v 2 & after this weekend the positions will be reversed.
AndyRoo said | December 16th 2009 @ 3:41pm | Report comment
You poor Victorians growing up with only ovals…. Swan Street will blow you away!
Marshall said | December 16th 2009 @ 2:04pm | Report comment
How many do we think the Roar will get tonight? I’m gonna say around 3,000.
Art Sapphire said | December 16th 2009 @ 2:10pm | Report comment
With Robbie Fowler playing – you would expect a few more to turn up
Marshall said | December 16th 2009 @ 2:12pm | Report comment
Will they get many from Townsville? How long of a drive is that? Being a weeknight probably means not many away fans will travel to this rounds games
Art Sapphire said | December 16th 2009 @ 2:26pm | Report comment
I am not factoring the away fans – Its just that you would expect Robbie to bring a few people thru the gates. The best attended Sydney FC game so far this season was when they hosted Fury – 16,699.
AndyRoo said | December 16th 2009 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
Hmmm, there has been even less promotion than normal and an even worse feeling about the club. Their has been little made of Fowler coming to town.
Currently Sunny but black clouds around….. I did see a bloke wearing a fury top at the local Woolworths though.
4.5k I think.
@ Marshall it’s about 1,300 kms. So more than a day’s drive unless your crazy.
Art Sapphire said | December 16th 2009 @ 3:44pm | Report comment
Off topic -but could be massive news – Can some confirm that Daily Telegraph reported that FFA and Fox Sports are in the advanced stages of agreeing a new five year deal worth $300m. It was printed in todays paper but it is not online.
It was also reported that each club will be getting a $3million from the deal to help them cover salaries and travel.
AndyRoo said | December 16th 2009 @ 3:54pm | Report comment
I would be kind of dissapointed if it’s true and that includes the Socceroos.
I really wanted at least a small FTA component to grow the game (at the very least the Socceroos on FTA) and the clubs already get 1.7 to 1.9m a year from the TV deal.
So if true its news but not great (or horrible) news…..just news.
Art Sapphire said | December 16th 2009 @ 4:03pm | Report comment
Got to look at the big picture Andy – Lowy wants an FTA component in the next deal. This could mean a highlights package or Fox onselling 1 game a week to FTA.
But the good news is as I stated could each club getting a $3million from the deal to help them cover salaries and travel. At the moment they are receiving Sweet FA. This will keep the clubs solvent and they can focus their energies on building their support.
AndyRoo said | December 16th 2009 @ 4:09pm | Report comment
I think it was the SBS segment on TWG where they said the clubs get 1.7 or 1.9m a year from the TV grant.
1m extra is very nice but like RealFootball I want some FTA exposure too lure new fans and boost sponsership. The Bundisliga saw a rise in sponsership money when they started broadcasting a lot on FTA.
If this deal is just for the A league it’s a great one, if it includes the Socceroos then it’s ok.
Don’t want to be a dampner, it’s positive overall and is a nice statement about the long term viability fo the comp but I was dreaming of better.
I see MV dave said it’s 3 to 4 times bigger than the old deal….. that’s pretty awesome then.
MVDave said | December 16th 2009 @ 4:29pm | Report comment
Whilst l agree a FTA component is necessary (gee at least a highlight show broadcast after Fox has shown theirs) it is a massive increase (if true) and one which ensures the viablity of HAL for the very long term. Lowy has stated that he wanted FTA component in the next deal and what he wants he usually gets so will have to wait and see on that part of the deal.
Remember (if true) this deal is for 2 years less and 2 1/2 times the money. It may well be that the clincher was the continued telecasting of Socceroos home games which are huge ratings winners.
Axelv said | December 16th 2009 @ 4:16pm | Report comment
That’s horrible news if there’s any substance to it.
Most people didn’t get to watch Australia qualify for 2010, yet everyone saw 2006 when it was on SBS. Why would you pay $60 a month for low definition sports coverage? Standard definition digital on free to air is superior to Foxtel, it’s horrendous.
Imagine if the FFA gave a share of the A-league to Free to Air, and lets say CH10/One got the rights. Channel 10 would do everything they can to drum up the league and to get as many people possible to watch their channel. This means they would have have extensive A-League news during sport, advertising, to give the A-league as much exposure as possible so they can get good TV ratings. There is far more money in expanding the A-league audience to 20 million, rather than the current 4 million.
To sign off and extend the rights to Foxtel is mere short term thinking. Frank Lowy himself said that next time negotiations are up, it’s important that Football is on free to air and is broadcasted ‘to the people’ !
Axelv said | December 16th 2009 @ 4:40pm | Report comment
For the A-League to get $60m total per year is just putting a bandaid on the wound. If the A-League had some exposure, they would have more people watching the league, could get more people through the gates, this causes sponsorships to increase in value as the product they advertise is being seen by more people, it’s all inter-linked.
If the A-league was on FTA in the first place, we wouldn’t be having the dismal crowds that we have at the moment. To put a bandaid on the problem is just short term thinking. If they stop the source of the wound(which is lack of exposure), than they won’t even need bandaids for the future.
Oh, and to sign a deal now is the most stupid thing ever, the stock value of the soccer tv rights are going to sky rocket after South Africa 2010, THINK ABOUT IT.
MV Dave said | December 16th 2009 @ 4:02pm | Report comment
Have seen that also and would be fantastic particularly if they replace the old deal early. That is a 3-4 fold increase on the current deal and timing would be perfect for a start next season which is after the WC and with Heart to start then Rovers the year after. From what l’ve read would certainly be a huge boost to the local game and fly in the face of all the doomsayers. Look forward to hearing more in the not too distant future
Realfootball said | December 16th 2009 @ 4:03pm | Report comment
Without some kind of FTA component – a game a week live on FTA or a highlights package once a week (and a decent highlights package) it will be a disaster for the code long term.
Personally, I don’t believe it. It is way, way too early to be finalising a deal like this.
Art Sapphire said | December 16th 2009 @ 4:06pm | Report comment
Reports are that the deal will replace the current deal before it expires. So it might not be too early realfootball.
Each club getting a yearly $3 million injection will do wonders.
Midfielder said | December 16th 2009 @ 4:21pm | Report comment
Just to add a bit slightly off topic ..
Hope this is true no online link from the TerrOR … But massive news if correct
If correct we go from 17 million per year to 60 million per year … remember RL gets 80 million so this is very BIGGGGGGGGGGGG news…
Have a link from frog
http://img696.yfrog.com/i/ffafox300mil.jpg/
Backpage on Telegraph:
NEW $300m Soccer Deal.
IT’S the ultimate shot in the arm for Australian soccer- a multi-million dollar TV deal that will provide a huge cash injection for the A-League. FFA and Fox Sports are in the advanced stages of agreeing a new five year deal worth $300m.
It is an increase in TV funding of almost two and a half times, with much of the benefit flowing straight to the A-League clubs.
It’s understood they will receive a handout from the FFA to cover the wages of their players in the salary capped A-League, National youth League and womens W-League.
With the A-League beset by negative headlines over its declining crowds this season, the new deal agreed by Fox Sports chief David Malone would be the ultimate statement of faith in the Australian game.
Fox Sports would continue to broadcast all A-League games, the Socceroos home matches, Asian Champions League games and the Asian Cup.
Then on page 95 there is a two column article about the issue.
FFA Hits a $300m jackpot with Fox.
It says, Fox Sports is expected to replace the existing seven-year agreement struck in 2007, with the new deal worth nearly two and a half times as much. Fox’s current deal has still four years to run, but may be replaced as early as next season.
Fox sports appears set to secure the same package, which includes the Socceroos home matches, Asian Cup, A-League, AFC Champions League.
The deal will secure the financing of struggling A-League clubs. The A-League clubs will receive 3million each season. This cash injection is expected to attract new investors.
Despite falling crowds this season, the ratings for the Socceroos continue to be a banker for Fox Sports, with excitement generated by the 2018-2022 WC Bid and the unchallenged hosting rights to holding the international nations 2015 Asian Cup tournament.
By expanding the A-League to 14 teams in 2018, we would get 4 spots in the Asian Champions League.
It’s not known whether the new deal will contain any provision for free-to-air coverage, though FFA chief Frank Lowy has declared his desire to see some of the A-League on a terrestrial station.
AndyRoo said | December 16th 2009 @ 4:24pm | Report comment
Art
I just had a look at what our current deal is and what AFL/NRL get and now have some perspective.
I was really hoping a bit of FTA would be the spark to turn A league attendances around but that new deal is massive and the fact it comes in straight away and isn’t just an extension means it’s even more of a big deal.
Art Sapphire said | December 16th 2009 @ 4:30pm | Report comment
Cool AndyRoo – Perspective is the most important thing
I am off to the pictures – good evening all
jimbo said | December 17th 2009 @ 12:09am | Report comment
In 2012 all the Socceroos games go onto the Government’s Anti-Siphoning list so they have to be shown on FTA as well as Pay TV.
Doesn’t include A-League games, just Socceroos.
Fox have been making a very good profit on football, not just domestically but also on-selling them to networks all around the world including A-League games and the A-League highlights package.
davelee said | December 16th 2009 @ 4:56pm | Report comment
midweek matches are quite popular with OD1 cricket.
i also wonder why they didnt do this earlier. i mean earlier in december. arent OD1 cricket matches going to clash during january?
itsnotcalledsoccerbro said | December 16th 2009 @ 8:23pm | Report comment
whats with the crowd at Suncorp tonight? its woeful.
Has the HAL grown too fast?
I am really worried about the game.
MV Dave said | December 16th 2009 @ 9:29pm | Report comment
Great result for the Roar and an excellent midweek crowd of 11,500. Van Dyk is the best targetman in the HAL. NQ were awful unfortunately.
Marshall said | December 16th 2009 @ 10:13pm | Report comment
Amazing crowd considering. Fowler factor was probably part of the reason – there seemed to be a few green shirts in the crowd too. Clearly the Brisbane faithful used the occasion to prove they are behind the team judging by the supportive banners. Great to see. Very pleasing. Also bodes well for midweek summer nights too.
AndyRoo said | December 16th 2009 @ 10:37pm | Report comment
There weren’t that many Fury fans they were in two areas though but did a good job considering their numbers. They seemed to me too bring as many fans as the jets do as a comparison.
I think it was a very good crowd considering the saturday one and their were plenty of liverpool fans in the crowd (with pool shirts) and I overheard some old poms who weren’t wearing a pool shirt but came because of Fowler.
A home win too, meant most people were in good spirits on the bus ride home.
7:30 kick off is only half an hour earlier than 8 pm but makes a world of difference for families. any later to get home and our little one would have chucked a tantrum.
On the negative side, the ground holds 60K but with only 11.5k fans the cheap seats had all sold out and the next section up is $25 and still isn’t what I would call good seats…such a shoort term money grab the Roar try so hard to make themselves unloveable
Marshall said | December 16th 2009 @ 11:18pm | Report comment
Proves how big an impact a marquee like Fowler can make.
jimbo said | December 16th 2009 @ 11:12pm | Report comment
Back page of the Daily Telegraph tomorrow:
“Brisbane A-League Crowds Up a Staggering 105% in just 4 Days.”
K B said | December 17th 2009 @ 6:55am | Report comment
Finally, some good work done at the Roar last night and the supporters should have been delighted with the nights work… A healthy Roar crowd of 11.5k witnessed a glimpse of the future in Ore and Zullo combining down the left flank with Sergio van Dijk the target man up front, were very effective…
You can see now what Angie Postecogalou is trying to do; bring in some discipline with a real professional attitude to their game; hard work and trying to entertain… This season may go down as not one of their best and maybe one to forget in the end, but the nuclears of this team with the young guns all contracted to the club bodes well for the next season…
Fury still always entertaining to watch especially with Flower in the side, but they have real problems with the defence, with giant holes in the central defence and midfield… Still they are learning and will be OK now with the new injection of Fox money into the HAL… This will allow the clubs some breathing space to build their support with proper promotion and engage more with their community…
~~~~~~
KB
MV Dave said | December 17th 2009 @ 8:16am | Report comment
” but the nuclears of this team with the young guns ” … no wonder they never stop running!
BTW See Chelski needed another late penalty to win!! How much is Money Bags paying for the title???
BTW2 Manu And MV for the double this weekend…get some hard earned on those 2!!
albe said | December 17th 2009 @ 7:52am | Report comment
great turnup just about to watch the replay on Fox now
goes to show that judging crowds week to week is pointless. Important thing is, people are warming to the league, passion is growing for the game at club level locally… reflecting the interest that has always been there for club football from other countries, as well as our national team.
All good indicators, regardless of what numbers other sports draw.