As the season rolls on, this year’s A-League is looking more and more like Baz Luhrmann’s “epic” Australia: a lot of hype and promotion, a lot of hope pinned on expensive local talent (hello John Aloisi) and more than anything, a poor reception at the box office.
Despite the fact highlight reels have been flooded with superb goals over the past few weeks, fans have been staying away in their droves. The weekend’s second-straight round without a crowd of over 10,000 officially marked the end of the honeymoon period.
No longer can the A-League pitch itself as the bright, young new kid on the block.
The drastic decline in support has revealed that the problem runs deeper than first expected. Those within the football family that expected expansion would turn things around must surely have to think again.
It was assumed that watching the same eight teams running around for going on four years had grown tired and that the influx of two new teams would provide a much-needed injection of variety to the competition.
But seriously, if variety was everything, we wouldn’t have seven clubs still sporting white playing strips every time they’re on the road.
And when fans are not pointing to expansion as the saviour, they are pointing to the global financial crisis as the reason for the decline.
This is despite the fact that, according to Roy Morgan research, consumer confidence began to plummet back in January and has levelled off since then.
Admittedly, things aren’t what they were a year ago.
But if a cutback in spending was truly a driving force behind football’s crowd woes, there would’ve been similar evidence of struggle in the winter codes.
Clearly, there wasn’t.
AFL crowd figures actually increased. The NRL escaped a tumultuous year off the field to see only a small drop in support.
Alas, it is fair to say there is more to it than just monotony and the economy.
Put simply, the A-League has had its day in the sun. Things haven’t been the same in Melbourne since the Victory tore season two to shreds. Things haven’t been the same in Sydney since “All Night Dwight” was bringing in the fans.
The momentum fuelling those glory days is the same sort of stuff that made the Reds take over Adelaide during the AFC Champions League.
Expansion will not address the issue of how to ensure A-League clubs are not just one-hit wonders. If anything, it will create two more one-hit wonders, exacerbating the problem down the track.
Of course, expansion also presents concern in the fact that a 10-team competition will require a 27-round season.
This works against the principle of bringing fans through the gates on two fronts.
Firstly because it is asking fans to rock up for an additional three home games. Membership numbers, which have only just found themselves solid foundation after a dreadful first season, will take a hit solely on this basis.
Secondly, we are likely to see mid-week games introduced to accommodate the extra rounds. Wednesday night games are hardly a big drawcard and have yet to prove themselves in this country outside of major events (such as State of Origin and the business end of the ACL).
Kudos must be given to the FFA for not underestimating the issue. They are currently conducting market research on the state of the competition.
Hopefully the research will help re-kindle that old spark the A-League once had.
After all, it’d be scary to think that a couple of extra teams only differentiated by the colour of their sleeves should have to shoulder all the burden.
Dave1
Guest
and then there is massive drop off in the ages 18-24 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/2D0179A15287F5BFCA2574E400117321?OpenDocument Participants, - By age Age group (years) 15-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 and over Total -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Participation rate (%) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Soccer (outdoor) 15.6 6.3 3.3 2.1 *0.2 *0.5 - 2.6 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution
Dave1
Guest
Classic....Clive Palmer. I hope he’s doing things different to the AFL for the AFL's sake.
Dave
Guest
well.....um......yes ......... good luck with those studies
David
Guest
yea fair enough sorry i was a bit harsh i see your point its just every journalist these days seems to aim to put football down and most of them have no idea about it. Im just sick of the medias fear of the 'soccer code' in Australia the socceroos got a crowed of 74000 in a dead rubber match against japan and still they aim to bring it down. Football can potentially bring in more money then other code in Australia they sold Adem Griffen of over a million and Allsop for just under and they are old and not so great players imagin just from a economic stand ponit the benefit football would have if more of the media gave it a chance just gets on my nerves
David
Guest
u GOT NO IDEA m8 soccer is the highest participated sport amoungst kids from the ages of 8-16 LMAO i noe i study this hahahaha second is swimming LMAO get ur facts right.
Dave
Guest
Relegation has ruined the Scottish premier league and is a major problem with the EPL. Super league has improve since they got rid of it. Soccer is not the most popular sport amongst young people. Cricket will last over the next generation and keeps growing in popularity. You want the new Kewell, Cahill, Neil……….look for kids with European passports like them and the will be able to play EPL
David
Guest
I agree the NSL was poor managed and had little to no coverage and it surivied 50 years and many of the clubs of the state premier league still stand today. There is Four problems with the A-league: 1. There is no relegation - Relegation brings a special aspect to football that no other sport has 2. Its still young A-league its only in its fifth season i doubt even AFL would have got any better support when it frist began. The quality has still got a way to go, although it has improved alot. Alot of players from the state premier league that are young are more then capable of filling A-league boots a greater emphises need to be put on local talant it cheaper and better local support then just buying interationals that are not good enough to make it in there own country. 3. There is only 10 teams - i think expansion is a good idea there should be at least 12-16 teams and a second division like the SPL. The A-leagues on the rise i believe Basket ball is lossing crowd numbers, cricket wont last over the next generation its not popular like it used to be. AFL and NRL will always be big but statistics show Football (soccer) is the most played sport amoungst young people which can only be good because in my opinion its the easiest and most fun sport to play. As you can see im a big fan on local talent its good to have internationals with experience from europe and South America however to improve the game we need our local boy playing the world game. For everyone player that players for a team there whole family will support it that a fact. Also local talent is cheaper easier to acquire and we can also sell players that are older to rich Arab clubs like Victory did with Allsop, and sell out younger ones to qulity teams in the EPL Holland etc.. Personally i think you got it wrong i think the A-league is heading in the right direction but no one said it was going to be easy if the Socceroos preform well in the world cup the game will expand even more. I believe our national team is the driving force of our domestic league we need to keep sending and producing quality players to play in europes big leagues to create a strong generation of socceroos once our current guys hang up the boots. We need to Find a new Kewell, Cahill, Neil etc if the game is to keep growing local talent is the way to go theres heaps of good playes out there they jus need to be given a chance Dijt, Bojic, Jedi are some some of the names we have already uncovered who will we find next i hope the next Messi or Ronaldo who knows thats mght be Aroon Mooey.
Dave
Guest
Dave your comparison of the sydney swans to sfc is intersting. In 1982 there were more peole going to socer games in Sydney than are in 2007. in 2007 there are more epoeple going to AFL in Sydney than were in 1982
Michael C
Guest
Norm - if you believe 'tossers' does apply to all those who have disagreed with me............you may be correct.............but I wouldn't dare to suggest it - - I'll leave to such idenfication and categorisation to an expert in the field. btw - the comment was made around the fool hardiness of suggesting anything in absolute terms.......i.e. that all of Vic, SA, WA & Tas are 100% AFL/footy anyway, let alone the suggestion that NSW and QLD are 100% anti AFL. It's a silly comment that is patently inaccurate and counter productive to decent discussion. Almost as pointless as suggestions that AFL is a white middle class game....................?!?!??!
Koala Bear
Guest
Lads First thing first, congratulations to Man U, the new World Club Champions; Champions of the world ... well done .. I thought it was an extremely good advertisement for the tournament watched by billions of Football fans around the world with a blanket TV coverage.. Sort of makes you laugh when the Grooky folk compare its TV deal with big brother.. :D Anyways, Adelaide FC as proven that Australian Football is heading in the right direction with its success so far this season and its brand has been exposed across the world competing in the FIFA WCC .. In comparison the NAB corporation, most probably pulled the plug on the Grooky expansion concept in Dubai and India because of embarrassment after seeing this magnificent advertisement for Football, and now are searching for a club in the HAL to sponsor .. I sort of remember they have a small link now; no doubt this will change shortly .. .. But what now for Grooky's Swans delivering bad news on its membership abysmal TV rating in NSW and Qld.. Their TV deal only with 2 more seasons to run before the cut and the pending demise of the expansion of Grooky into the Gold Coast and West Sydney .. Oh yes, we have heard that their long term strategy is over 50 years well let me tell you, it will need every day as the relentless push of "Australian Football" (and I don't mean Grooky) will dominate in 50 years according to Professor Toby Miller of the University of California with his thesis and study of globalisation in sport.. If Demetriou was serious he would have granted franchises in the these frontiers already, but he does not believe they are going to work or he would have done so already .. Yes the Grooky expansion concept is a furphy Clive Palmer on the other hand, the successful born and bred Gold Coast Boy putting his money back into the community is being suggested that its about the money .. Oh really ?.. The ignorance of such a suggestion, because he is taking the GCU FC on tour to China; huh, please explain..?? .. Demetriou was hoping to relocate the Grooky Bengal Lancers backing them to the tune of $100m and has not promised the GC17 cent .. Demetriou please go and get a life.. :D and stop this pretence or alternatively give them the nod now or are you all bullshit .?.. :( ~~~~~~~ KB
Michael C
Guest
Norm - it's a massive difference if it's the first ever game of a brand new franchise trying to capture the Gold Coast market........................why would you go well and truely off shore? Totally different - - therefore, isn't admissable as a precendent. Dave - so they ruddy should..........with the grass roots support for soccer in SYdney(NSW) - - the Sydney SWans ruddy well ought to be a 'poor relation' of SFC.....................SFC thus far simply illustrate that soccer is still mis-managed and seemingly 'missing something'..................work out what that missing ingrediant is and you'll become a millionaire. - - - might be goals and action!!, :D
Michael C
Guest
DAve - quote fully if you're going to bother quoting relocated out of town club from a (considered) foreign code into the heartland of the enemy. You're being childish in the extreme to pluck out as you have - when you know very well the figurative context. You're just trying to be a trouble maker - - - -which to me suggests either : A. you have no one to buy xmas gifts for B. you completed you gift purchases 3 months ago on e-bay C. you haven't yet realised there's only a couple of days left before Xmas such that - C.1 - you haven't got time for e-bay purchases - C.2 - you'll be one of those people shopping at 5 minutes to midnight on Xmas eve......
Redb
Roar Guru
Norm, And to you. now Dave, when are you going to get a life. :-) I think we should set up a virtual boxing match with you and MC - statistics at ten paces etal. :-) Redb
Dave
Guest
MC Foreign code?? The AFL tells us this is the "Game that made Australia" !! You cant have it both ways. The AFL pumped tens of $millions into the SS and continue to...SFC havent had that. The comparisons are very strong and indicate that it takes some time for a NEW team to grab a foothold in Sydenee. SFC still have time and should be judged in the next 5-10 years on their successes or otherwise. l have no doubt that after 10 years they will be doing much much better than the SS in comparable time frame.
Norm
Guest
"considering he’ll play his first game in China" - what's the difference between HAL teams playing a promotional game in China & AFL teams playing a promotional game in the UAE? "by some tossers on here" - does that apply to everyone who disagrees with you?
Michael C
Guest
Norm / Dave- the difference is that Sydney Swans was (rightly or wrongly) a relocated out of town club from a (considered) foreign code into the heartland of the enemy. (Dave) SFC sure isn't, they are a home grown club in soccer heartland, NSW - with everything going for them including the big boss (FL) and an Aussie Hollywood star. (Norm) GCU - - is entirely about the money for Clive Palmer. He isn't so much focussed on 'growing the game', considering he'll play his first game in China........to further his business interests and about as far from Mermaid Beach as is possible (perhaps that suits him?). AFL and West Sydney - - if it's about the money it's certainly a far more long term equation.......more like 50 years down the track. It IS about seeking to gain greater access to the NSW/Sydney population base - - it's about the main achillies heel that get's quoted so much - - by some tossers on here - - that the AFL is dealing to 48% of the population...........well.........step 1 now is to get 2 teams in each of NSW and QLD and have a game a week in each market. Is that purely about money.............well.........you can believe it is. Is it about broadcast rights.........probably. Is it abut growing the game..........certainly........'cos the AFL have and will continue to pump funds into those 'development' states.
Midfielder
Guest
Present for me Gotta love this from Galatasaray fans ... great mix of songs http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=kv5HCs6u3pQ
Midfielder
Guest
Great game Man U won .. the send off a bit soft ... Imagine how hard it must be to defend against that Man U attack did they play some beautiful balls today.
Midfielder
Guest
The irony is to hard to resist Kossie problems complete with Bling from the stars to solve his problems… then cheating by taking the axe to the brome or maybe its Christmas and I am in a funny mood … but Mickey Mouse and his mounting problems all self created .. and the wizard must be that new Russian owner … If you have never seen it before Mickey Mouse in the Disney classic Fantasia The Sorcerer's Apprentice is this Kossie coaching [url]http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=LD8HDta7Z_4[/url]
Dave
Guest
KB Likewise will be tuning in to see Man U become Champions of the World!!! Will be at TD next week for MV v SFC...will give JA a booooo for you :)