Carlos Hernandez of Melbourne Victory in action during the round one A-League match between Sydney FC and the Melbourne Victory in Sydney on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2008. AAP Image/Jason McCawley
It couldn’t have been scripted any better. Sydney FC host Melbourne Victory in the final game of the final round this Sunday with two points separating the two biggest Australian cities. But what are they playing for – the minor premiership or Premiership? Listen to the media and you won’t get a straight answer.
Too often Fox Sports commentators, newsreaders and other journos have labelled the battle to top the A-League table after Round 27 as the race for the minor premiership, inexcusably adding ‘minor’ when there’s nothing ‘minor’ about what’s at stake. It’s the Premiership that’s awarded to the team on top of the ladder at the conclusion of what we refer to as the regular season, otherwise known as the first past the post system.
Few, sadly, are using the correct ‘Premiership’ terminology.
Such mistakes, especially from experienced presenters who should know better, are unfortunate, making it even more difficult for the A-League to educate the public regarding the differences between the regular season and the finals series.
It’s an understandable mistake considering the unique system used in the A-League, and the fact that in the AFL and NRL, topping the table has little relevance aside from guaranteeing a better finals path.
In the A-League, the Premiership Plate guarantees the victor’s a coveted Asian Champions League berth – something the FFA should be applauded for initiating (applauded for once, especially considering how quick we are to point out what they’re doing wrong).
The drama and intensity of the matches involving Sydney and Gold Coast in Round 26 highlighted the hunger of the teams to claim the Premiership.
While the combinations with the finals series has been criticised by football purists – and seemingly part of the reason why journos are getting confused – the system strikes the right balance; rewarding the first past the past with a Plate (that will only grow in significance), the title of Premiers and an ACL spot, while combining a finals series, a popular trait in Australian sports, to determine the champion from what is the league’s showpiece event.
The Premiership race is not overshadowing the finals series, and as long as there is prize waiting for the Premiers as significant as an ACL spot, then the race first past the post will always matter. Meanwhile, the Grand Final and finals series has no threat of being overshadowed by the Premiership race.
When and if an FFA Cup is introduced (is this on the agenda, FFA?), then perhaps the FFA could look to drop the finals series and turn the Premiership into the most important and coveted prize in the league, with the FFA Cup satisfying the demands for knockout matches and a culminating final. But you sense such a competition is a way off yet.
Let’s hope Sunday lives up to the hype to help the Premiership race penetrate the Australian sporting psyche.
Let’s hope the SFS pitch can recover from the punishment it received thanks to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo (it seems the Scots did some serious damage – an omen for what Edinburgh’s own Ernie Merrick is going to do to Sydney FC?), that the rain that’s lashed the east coast clears and that the locals get out in numbers.
Surely they should top their regular season highest crowd of 33,458 against Melbourne in 2008?
In Sydney’s CBD, I’ve seen no visible mention of the game – the lack of marketing palpable, once again.
Let’s hope Sydney’s fans don’t let the league down, and let’s hope whoever wins is correctly labelled as Premiers.
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Marcel said | February 9th 2010 @ 3:02am | Report comment
Sydney surely should have their largest ever league game crowd, but somehow i doubt it will be .
As you rightly observed ,marketing in this city remains completely non existant… the game is basically invisible outside of the established forums. Aside from the converted most folks here wouldnt even know the game was taking place, let alone its significance……Just makes me shake my head in bewilderment. WTF are SFC doing?
Predict said | February 9th 2010 @ 5:26am | Report comment
I brought it up at lunch today at work and was met with some pretty blank looks. Usually a pretty sport aware crowd as well.
DaMan3000 said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:56am | Report comment
What on earth are an SFC?
Jokes. I think I have seen maybe 2 TVC’s all season and is there a Bilboard near the Airport? I have a vague recollection…
albe said | February 9th 2010 @ 3:13am | Report comment
yeah FFA have it right on this one… they are two seperate titles, Premiership for the league, Championship for the ‘other thing’ lol … yes some of us would prefer a Cup final, but hey all in good time. It’d also be great if next season, all games on the final day could start at the same time. An ACL spot is on offer here.
(On your point about the Fox callers… have to say ‘Minor Mike’ Cockerill is the worst offender. Must have heard him say it like a dozen times on sunday.)
Daniel King said | February 9th 2010 @ 5:29am | Report comment
The marketing is bad for this game but it has been bad all season, to think people will go to this game when they have built up no passion or loyalty throughout the season through lack of promotion is ridiculous unfortunately. It’s like giving someone a book, allowing them to read the last chapter and hoping they’ll love it like we did.
Chuq said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:40am | Report comment
So true! It annoys me when it is referred to as the ‘minor premiership’ by the mainstream media, some of them don’t know better, but the Fox Sports commentators should be able to get it right. There’s nothing minor about an ACL spot.
Realfootball said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:41am | Report comment
The complete absence of marketing has been a constant puzzle this season. The utter lack of marketing from the FFA is one thing, but why aren’t Sydney FC marketing the game themselves?
My guess is that the FFA have broken the bank on the WC bid and have nothing left, in which case the A-League has become an unwelcome casualty of a bid that I find it impossible to see as anything other then a tilt at an unobtainable windmill.
No question, the FFA have not managed this season well at all. A small team, seriously overstretched, and it shows. Why did Bonita leave? One thing is for sure – she didn’t leave because she was happy at FFA.
Mick said | February 9th 2010 @ 8:12am | Report comment
Minor premiership is still an easier one to remember for most people.
Davstar said | February 9th 2010 @ 8:41am | Report comment
A FFA cup would be nice i think the final game of the season could be FFA cup final, after the final round of league matches like in the EPL. Would be nice to see this happen with the state leagues it would allow new talent to be discovered and also allow 3 major silver wear pieces up for grabs ACL, Premiership trophy and an FFA cup. That would sorta mirror other nations in the world
Simmo said | February 9th 2010 @ 9:01am | Report comment
IMO, Premiers = Grand Final winners, like in the other codes.
Champions = Winner of the round-robin league, like in every European league.
For some unexplained reason we’ve mixed up the terminology in the A-League.
Marcel said | February 9th 2010 @ 10:05pm | Report comment
Definitely odd that the Premiers are the first to qualify for the Champions league.
Towser said | February 9th 2010 @ 9:08am | Report comment
Adrian
Premiers & Champions,not rocket science.
The big one is Premiers=automatic ACL spot= possible WCC spot.
Youd think journalists print & electronic could respect that by acknowledging the correct terminology.
Even experienced football journalists like Ray Gatt & Mike Cockerill did it yesterday.
Small point it may seem to some ,but in terms of the game creating its own traditions in Australia a necessary one.
Perhaps every time they get it wrong(journalists )we should get them a spot on the Old Goodies baked bean ad skit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydXtCpYimN8
“Get it right”
Brad said | February 9th 2010 @ 9:18am | Report comment
Went with a few friends to perth game on Sunday at Parramatta. They could not believe the price. $25 cheapest price for adult to sit at end of ground behind play. They won’t be back again for sydney fc or rovers.
Marshall said | February 9th 2010 @ 12:54pm | Report comment
I have the same problem – friends aren’t willing to pay $25 plus for a ticket to what they have the preconceived notion of being inferior football.
DaMan3000 said | February 9th 2010 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
This was me until this season when I decided it’s the best chance of watching good football I can get. Actually it was probably SFC vs David Beckham that got me across the line.