2015 Asian Cup faces crowded marketplace
Local organisers say the 2015 Asian Cup football tournament can be a ticket sales success despite being held during one of the busiest periods in Australian sport.
The Asian Cup finals from January 9 to 31 that year will go head-to-head with the Australian Open tennis, a planned Test cricket series against India, and the domestic Twenty20 competition.
Australia is also set to host the 2015 cricket World Cup after the Asian Cup finishes – perhaps starting as soon as a fortnight after the football final.
While Socceroos matches are virtually guaranteed to sell out, other group games in the 16-nation tournament face intense competition to attract fans and interest.
But Asian Cup local organising committee chief executive Michael Brown is confident the tournament to be held in Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland and Canberra can cut through early 2015′s crowded sporting landscape.
“It’s a busy year. We’ve got a T20, we’ve got a cricket World Cup, but the example I use is the (Sydney) Olympics – we all went, I can’t remember what I saw, but I had a great time,” Brown said.
“Mobilising communities to come for the event, rather than the game … people will go if there’s an experience to be had.
“There are people who are passionate football supporters, we’ve got to appeal to them.
“But there are those who will come because it’s an event.”
The Socceroos will be in one of four groups in the 16-team finals tournament, and will play one group match each in Melbourne, Sydney and Queensland.
The tournament’s opening match will be held in Melbourne, with the semi-finals and final to be played in Sydney.
Stadium deals are still being finalised.
In Sydney, ANZ Stadium, Allianz Stadium and Parramatta Stadium are being considered; Melbourne matches could be played at Etihad Stadium or AAMI Park, while Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Skilled Park at the Gold Coast and Canberra Stadium are all options.
Brown believes the tournament will bring unprecedented business opportunities for Australia, with two of our four biggest trading partners – Japan and South Korea – already guaranteed a place.
Australia’s biggest trading partner, China, would appear a safe bet to qualify through the group stages.
Selling games between lower-profile Asian nations is perhaps the committee’s biggest challenge – Brown saying being “creative” is the way forward.
He has earmarked tapping into Australia’s overseas-born communities of participating nations, and ideas such as gold coin donations for entry to some matches, as ways to build support.
Organisers say more than 45,000 international visitors are expected for the tournament.
© AAP 2013- Explore:
- 2015 Asian Cup, A-League, Asia football, football
May 8th 2012 @ 7:17am
Bondy said | May 8th 2012 @ 7:17am | Report comment
I would have thought its almost a quite period in Australian sport when we host the Asian Championships in 2015 imagine if it was hosted during the winter .
What is an acceptable crowd when the U.A.Emirates. plays Syria on a Wednesday night in Sydney at the Allianz ! Nobodys ever explained what crowd expectations are, we’ve never hosted the event,how about we run an effective tournament as best as Australians can host a major event and see what happens, why are we obsessed with crowds in this country .I watched India vs South Korea in front of 4-6,000 in Qatar why is that ok,are we expecting houses full signs when Nrth Korea plays Iran I’m not ,I dont believe the tournament will be all doom and gloom as has been written by Guy and should have solid to strong attendances for games that include the likes of an Iran or an Iraq and south east asian nations such as Thailand ‘when we played Thailand in Canberra last year there were more Thais there than Australian spectators’ .
Ask yourself this when is the opportune time to promote your sport or club in this country its incredibly difficult no matter what season or event / tournament your involved in, do people believe right now that the Adelaide Crows get enough market exposure in Sydney or does Canberra rugby get enough market exposure in Perth right now, how many people in Adelaide now know the ins and outs of the Gold Coast Titans in the N.R.L. there is no market winner in Australian sports everything smothers every other sport at some stage.
Blackurn Rovers have just been relegated from the E.P.L. a foundation club of English Football, the first club to beat Man Utd to a modern domestic league title and one of only four football clubs to win the modern E.P.L. and have experienced eleven years in the E.P.L. former club of National team players Bret Emerton and Lucas Neil, thank you for the memories Blackburn .
May 8th 2012 @ 8:36am
The Cattery said | May 8th 2012 @ 8:36am | Report comment
I agree with that first sentence, I too would have thought that January is more quiet than the middle of Winter.
Tennis and BBL? I honestly doubt that will keep fans away from the Asian Cup. By that I mean that there would be plenty of space for all three.
The odd game might struggle to worry the turnstiles, relatively speaking, but I’m confident most games will be very well attended.
When the event starts, the interest will be there and it will snowball from there – no point trying to envisage interest levels now, three years before the event.
May 8th 2012 @ 9:12am
Kasey said | May 8th 2012 @ 9:12am | Report comment
I still think this will be a success and a nice fillip for the game. Summer is not wall to wall sport like winter is, there will be a lot of people looking for something to do, even if its just in front of the TV. The fact that the Socceroos haven’t won it yet shows that even though these are not European nations and thus ‘ worthy’ football nations in the mind of the football illiterate, it isn’t a cake walk. AFC2015 will be just as successful as the Olympic football tournament in 2000 and it will be a great ‘coming out party’ for Australia to present itself to Asia.
May 8th 2012 @ 9:23am
Brad said | May 8th 2012 @ 9:23am | Report comment
Cattery.
Do you consider V8 supercars to be a genuine sport .
May 8th 2012 @ 9:46am
The Cattery said | May 8th 2012 @ 9:46am | Report comment
Huh? Why bring that up? Is it conflicting with the Asian Cup as well? Even so, I just don’t see it as a problem. The Asian cup has multiple games spread over many days and weeks across different locations.
May 9th 2012 @ 3:17pm
Alberto Rosso said | May 9th 2012 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
To a certain extent the benchmark was set by the 2003 RWC when the crowds were, IMHO, phenomenal . I mean like 35k at the SFS for Ireland v Namibia on a wet Sunday night in winter or 33k at Adelaide Oval for Aus v Namibia to watch what were always going to be floggings.
I can’t imagine that the AC crowds will be anything like that.
May 8th 2012 @ 8:22am
Lucan said | May 8th 2012 @ 8:22am | Report comment
Melbourne got good enough crowds (albeit in the cavernous MCG) for the non-Australian games at the 2000 Olympics. I’d expect 10k per match down here at bubbledome if the price points are right.
On top of the “gold coin” idea the organisers should be looking to sell city/stadium tickets also.
While we’re at it, how many are Cricket Australia expecting to attend Holland v Kenya on a Tuesday at the Cricket World Cup a fortnight later?
** Has it been confirmed is Sydney getting both semi finals + final?
May 8th 2012 @ 8:25am
nordster said | May 8th 2012 @ 8:25am | Report comment
To put it in a different perspective, this Asian Cup in Australia has a lot of potential in comparison to other nations that have hosted it. While the travel may put off some visitors from o/s, it will attract others especially in summer. And then there’s the folks from the many communities from AFC nations that make their home here now. I think it’ll do very well as a tournament and AFC will rightly be optimistic along with the local organising committee.
What detractors may forget is that this is a tournament for all football lovers across the region, not just for theatre/event watchers here. Its success won’t come down to what the lowest drawing crowd figure for one game or another might be.
a good summary from Michael Lynch also …
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/multicultural-appeal-for-asian-cup-20120507-1y93i.html#ixzz1uDpPSSuX
May 8th 2012 @ 8:52am
Lucan said | May 8th 2012 @ 8:52am | Report comment
Sydney gets SF1 + SF2 + 3rd place playoff + Final. That’s pretty disappointing.
May 8th 2012 @ 9:21am
Kasey said | May 8th 2012 @ 9:21am | Report comment
Where would Melbourne Host one of the marquee games? AAMI is only 33k, MCG is out during cricket season. Docklands maybe? Perhaps the NSW govt chased it hard? that’s right out of the Victorian playbook.
Playing the denouement in Australia’s biggest media market cutting travel times for journos etc makes sense from a perspective of trying to drive the media cycle.
May 8th 2012 @ 9:25am
Lucan said | May 8th 2012 @ 9:25am | Report comment
Melbourne is already hosting one marque game, the opener. Pretty sure that will be played at docklands.
Docklands or Lang Park would certainly be suitable for a non-Sydney semi or 3rd place playoff.
May 8th 2012 @ 9:33am
Titus said | May 8th 2012 @ 9:33am | Report comment
I can only imagine that there is a demand from AFC that the finals are held in the same city to minimise travel. Having 4 finals matches, plus group matches, is a big ask on the Football fans in Sydney.
May 8th 2012 @ 11:25am
The Bush said | May 8th 2012 @ 11:25am | Report comment
Two words – Suncorp Stadium.
May 8th 2012 @ 1:33pm
Jerome said | May 8th 2012 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
Semis at Docklands and Lang Park, with final at Homebush. Surely that’s not too much to ask?
May 8th 2012 @ 1:42pm
Lucan said | May 8th 2012 @ 1:42pm | Report comment
Sorry Jerome, the sky would surely fall if Sydney didn’t get both semis, 3rd place playoff, final AND an Australian game in the group stage.
Are we taking bets on which city will be the likely destination for Australia at the QF stage?
May 8th 2012 @ 6:46pm
Ballymore said | May 8th 2012 @ 6:46pm | Report comment
Brisbane Stadium*
Clean stadia please.
May 8th 2012 @ 7:12pm
ItsCalled AussieRules said | May 8th 2012 @ 7:12pm | Report comment
We haven’t got Demetriou’s permission to play the Asian Cup games in Melbourne, so the big games have gone to Sydney..
Otherwise it will destroy the AFL competition’s off season and change Melbourne life forever.
The FFA couldn’t afford the AFL’s 100 billion dollars compensation demands, if any games went ahead.
May 8th 2012 @ 8:57am
super G said | May 8th 2012 @ 8:57am | Report comment
I would go so far as to say that it will be the best attended Asian Cup in history. And it will be regardless of whether Syria v Kuwait gets only 8000 because the crowds for Australia,Korea,Japan,China,Iran,Iraq and any ASEAN team that makes it will be massive due to the expats living in OZ.
May 8th 2012 @ 9:58am
Kasey said | May 8th 2012 @ 9:58am | Report comment
Surely we can outdo Qatar:) – aggregate of 405,361 at 12,668 per match. We are a much more developed football nation than them. We also don’t lock our immigrants into compounds. The Socceroos games alone will be big IMO.
Prior to Qatar was the 2007 tourney hosted by Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. The 4 x hosts I guess boosted the home teams attendance. 724,222 (22,632 per match)
Not likely to beat China’s 2004 event though. 1,020,050 (31,877 per match)
May 8th 2012 @ 10:12am
super G said | May 8th 2012 @ 10:12am | Report comment
Didn’t realise China’s Asian Cup was that well attended Kasey. In that case I can see average crowds somewhere between the 22600 of the 2007 tournament and that of China ’04 but we might give it a nudge.
Socceroo games will be sold out and if the Chinese,Koreans,Japanese show up en masse it will be a very healthy crowd average.
May 8th 2012 @ 10:13am
whiskeymac said | May 8th 2012 @ 10:13am | Report comment
“We also don’t lock our immigrants into compounds.” … thats right, we call them detention centres and off shore solutions… although there is the Fowler compound (not Robbie).
…
We will have a well run tournament and I can envisage the bigger games being sold out so long as Australia is in the end part of the tournament and doesn’t suffer a shock!
…
I think a lot could be learned from how the 2003 RWC was run – small teams still got support from communities. Will be interesting how it is promoted and priced. Football does have a habit of premium pricing IMO.
May 8th 2012 @ 10:19am
Andyroo said | May 8th 2012 @ 10:19am | Report comment
I’m assuming Australia will charge money for most tickets…. that’s a huge disadvantage over most other nations right there
May 8th 2012 @ 1:15pm
mds1970 said | May 8th 2012 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re right Super G. The Socceroos games of course will do well. For the other games, there’s enough expats in Australia to build some reasonable crowds, even if the media and “mainstream” sports fans ignore the non-Socceroos games.
May 8th 2012 @ 9:43am
Nathan of Perth said | May 8th 2012 @ 9:43am | Report comment
That is going to be an *awesome* 2015.
May 8th 2012 @ 10:16am
whiskeymac said | May 8th 2012 @ 10:16am | Report comment
have to agree. Have been looking forward ot this one ever since it was announced way back (werent we the only bidders?) especially with the talent coming through here and in Japan etc which will be “that much better” by the time it all kicks off. A good follow up I hope from the WC – which I hope we get too! it could all flow on and give a bit of a boost to the local game – i said the same in 2011 but somehow this time will be different:)
May 8th 2012 @ 10:31am
AGO74 said | May 8th 2012 @ 10:31am | Report comment
Have to disagree with the crowded marketplace comment. As it is, January is usually when the A-League draws its best crowds (school holidays).
I suppose I’m biased because I’m really looking forward to the Asian Cup but I think the Cricket WC organisers have a tougher job selling a WC of a format that most people have lost interest in. Spending eight hours at a non-Australian match. No thanks. Even last year I went to Australia v England ODI at the SCG and the place was 2/3 full at best. Judging by recent ODI attendances, Aussies aren’t even that interested in their own team anymore.
May 8th 2012 @ 10:48am
Matt F said | May 8th 2012 @ 10:48am | Report comment
I’m not sure if there was another time to hold it really. The big international tournaments are almost always played in either January (ACN, Asian Cup when in the middle east etc) or in July (the European off-season.) Of the two options, January is clearly the least crowded month, not just regarding the interest of the general public but, more importantly the availability of key venues.
May 8th 2012 @ 10:53am
Wasp said | May 8th 2012 @ 10:53am | Report comment
I feel it will do very well, even the smaller nations have people living here and they will egt behing their country. Some of the crowds will be huge and others as many have said will be sparse, but I feel that it will get a great response from local as well as the numbers that will come from outside the country. I hope our tourism industry gets their act together. beaches, heat, nightlife, food etc can be promoted to the competing nations well in advance to get the ball rolling.
I hope we do get much bigger crowds than we all expect.
Go the Socceroos, I’ll be there in the green and gold.
May 8th 2012 @ 11:00am
super G said | May 8th 2012 @ 11:00am | Report comment
With a username like “Wasp” that’s a very open-minded point of view.
May 8th 2012 @ 10:58am
Cpaaa said | May 8th 2012 @ 10:58am | Report comment
So what happens with the A-League during January ?
May 8th 2012 @ 11:08am
The Cattery said | May 8th 2012 @ 11:08am | Report comment
Not sure if anyone has thought it through that far, but the best bet might be to push plenty of games during the peak holiday period, and then spread out the games during the Asian Cup, e.g. playing one round over the space of two or 3 weeks, etc.
There are rest days during the Asian Cup, so that might be the perfect opportunity to play a couple of A-League games.
Also, if one night there’s an Asian Cup game on in Perth, there’s no reason why you couldn’t have one or two A-League games on in the East coast, and vice versa.
May 8th 2012 @ 11:14am
Titus said | May 8th 2012 @ 11:14am | Report comment
Don’t think WA or SA get any games, apparently their governments weren’t interested.
May 8th 2012 @ 11:18am
The Cattery said | May 8th 2012 @ 11:18am | Report comment
Is that right? I didn’t know that.
In which case, Perth and Adelaide might be good venues for A-League games (not to mention Gosford, and maybe even trying games in regional areas), just a matter of timing it, working out the fixture, etc.
May 8th 2012 @ 11:17am
Fussball ist unser leben said | May 8th 2012 @ 11:17am | Report comment
Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t play any professional football matches during the Asian Cup! Grounds won’t be available, players won’t be available & fans won’t be available.
May 8th 2012 @ 11:29am
The Cattery said | May 8th 2012 @ 11:29am | Report comment
Only four venues are needed for the Asian cup, and no games are being played in Perth and Adelaide, so in fact, grounds might be available, and I’m sure some people would remain in Perth and Adelaide during the time of the Asian cup to attend an A-League game or two.
May 8th 2012 @ 11:32am
Fussball ist unser leben said | May 8th 2012 @ 11:32am | Report comment
In football, the quality on the park is more important than the quantity in the stands.
There is ZERO chance of any HAL match being played for 2 weeks before & 1 week after the Asian Cup.
The Asian Cup will be the biggest football tournament Australia will hold in the next 50 years. I’m intrigued to understand what you think would be the motivation to play 3 HAL games (Perth, Adelaide & Wellington) during this time? If you were in charge of the FFA & HAL, would you suggest HAL games be played during the Asian Cup?
May 8th 2012 @ 12:51pm
The Cattery said | May 8th 2012 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
cpaaa asked the question, it’s a good question and only you and I have come up with half a proposal.
You have stated that the A-League will need to take a 6 week break, including 2 weeks before the event, and a week after.
Now I don’t know whether that’s necessary or not, but six weeks is a long time to break, and it’s questionable whether you truly need to stop competition over the Christmas/New Year period.
Furthermore, there will be venues available if the A-League wishes to play games, not full rounds, as I suggested, you could spread a round over 3 weeks, there will be gaps in the Asian Cup schedule, and most importantly, there will be lots of people milling around – maybe a marketing opportunity for the A-League?
May 8th 2012 @ 1:03pm
mds1970 said | May 8th 2012 @ 1:03pm | Report comment
I can understand why you wouldn’t want to have A-League games at the same time as Asian Cup games are on. But why would you need or want a break before or after?
May 8th 2012 @ 5:36pm
pete4 said | May 8th 2012 @ 5:36pm | Report comment
I agree the A-League will certainly take 3-4 weeks off in 2015 whether it means FFA will reduce the number of Rounds down from 27 to 24 or extends further into April-May that season remains to be seen
May 8th 2012 @ 1:15pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | May 8th 2012 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
mds1970
I recall FIFA stipulating that no event must be played at the stadium for a couple of weeks leading up to the WC and I’d expect the AFC to have a similar requirement.
From a practical point, we want the pitch to be in perfect condition, plus there will be significant media focus on the stadiums in the 2 weeks leading up to the tournament and the AFC has very strict rules on signage at their stadia so I expect the stadia to be “cleaned” of all signage that doesn’t comply with AFC rules. In particular, Emirates is one of the AFC’s Official Sponsors, which means every Etihad sign will have to be wiped from Docklands!
May 8th 2012 @ 2:04pm
The Cattery said | May 8th 2012 @ 2:04pm | Report comment
I understand and accept that, but with some creative fixturing, there are lots of venues you can take advantage of.
Anyway, six weeks is a long time to break, and I’m not sure if it’s necessary. Also, why not take advantage of the buzz surrounding the Asian Cup?
May 8th 2012 @ 11:16am
Fussball ist unser leben said | May 8th 2012 @ 11:16am | Report comment
Opening Game: 4 January 2015 (MCG)
Final: 26 January 2015 (Olympic Stadium) – imagine the party in Sydney if AUS wins the 2015 Finale on Australia Day!
I would expect the HAL to go into recess from 21 December 2014-30 January 2015.
May 8th 2012 @ 12:41pm
Lucan said | May 8th 2012 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
MCG isn’t even on the shortlist of venues. Docklands and Bubbledome are Melbourne’s AC2015 stadiums.
May 8th 2012 @ 6:57pm
Ballymore said | May 8th 2012 @ 6:57pm | Report comment
According to the article it will run from Fri 9/1 to Sat 31/1.
So based off that I would play HAL matches Wed 31/12 to Sun 4/1, followed by another (midweek) round Tues 6/1 to Thurs 8/1 at venues not used by the Asian Cup (Ade, Wellington, Perth, Gosford, Newcastle etc).
HAL resumes Fri 6/2.
Thoughts?
PS Australia day would be awesome – an Australian semi final on that day would be ideal.
May 9th 2012 @ 8:17pm
DANIEL said | May 9th 2012 @ 8:17pm | Report comment
I think that in the case of the asian cup, the A- league, as will all other AFC leagues would suspend play through out the tournament. In the case of australia, play will not occur throughout January. The stadiums for league teams being used for the tournament are likley to have no play a couple of weeks before the tournament and no play for a week after