In many ways season six of the A-League in 2010/11 looks to be more promising than ever.
Following on from another successful FIFA World Cup finals qualification campaign as top of the group and undefeated, a third appearance in the World Cup finals in South Africa watched by hundreds of millions around the world, an impending decision on the World Cup bid in the middle of the A-League season, possibly the announcement of a World Cup finals to be held right here in our own country.
Plus, the great progress made by the New Zealand All Whites football team at the World Cup should also see a big knock on effect for the A-League and football in the region, particularly the Wellington Phoenix.
Then there’s the likely successful bid to stage the Asian Cup here in Australia in 2015, a famous victory in the Asian Cup Final by the Matildas to be crowned as our first Asian Women’s Champions and the victory by the U-19 Young Socceroos as Asian Champions yesterday.
Top that off with an appearance by the Socceroos in January 2011 in the Asian Cup as one of the favourites.
Then throw in a second Melbourne team, the Heart, joining the A-League, add some popular European based players like Nick Carle and Michael Beauchamp returning to the A-League and then a pre-season where an unprecedented five major and world famous European and South American clubs came down under to play, teams like Boca Juniors, Everton, AEK Athens, Glasgow Rangers and Blackburn FC.
And the overseas club sides weren’t playing the Socceroos, like in the old football days, they were playing against A-League teams, who put up some very creditable performances.
Then A-League six should be a bumper season, right? The answer is – no one really knows for sure.
While Australian football at a national team and international competition continues to thrive, and football goes on overtaking other Australian sports as the most popular participation sport, and guaranteed to keep doing so with phenomenal growth statistics, the A-League is not such a sure bet.
After two or three seasons of tremendous growth in support for the A-League at the turnstiles, the A-League has recently suffered falling attendances.
The question is now – has that decline hit rock bottom and will A-League attendances rise and start to trend upwards again?
In some ways the 2010 World Cup in South Africa was a disappointment, not just for the team and our results, but for sponsors as well. The Socceroos didn’t progress to the knockout stages, as we did in Germany 2006 and consequently interest in the Socceroos and football was down on the last World Cup.
The bids to host the FIFA World Cups of 2018 and 2022 have also had their fair share of problems. Rather than galvanising the country and improving the profile of football, it has been a disjointed effort bringing out the worst of criticisms from anti-football folk and further divisions between codes and their supporters.
And despite our great achievements in Asia, we are yet to see any major benefits accrue to the A-League or a major influx of Asia’s best players wanting to play in Australia.
Apart from the Everton game where over forty two thousand came to see them play Sydney FC, the attendances at the other pre-season games and the Sydney Festival of Football have been disappointing for the promoters.
Philip Micallef from SBS said that “Sydney fans should hang their collective heads in shame after snubbing the Sydney Festival of Football.
“Sydney’s fickle fans unfortunately did not get too excited about the big event that served as a valuable pre-season exercise for all competing teams, especially Sydney FC.
“A poor turnout of 14,000 on match day one, 9000 on match day two and 15,000 on match day three would have left organisers shaking their heads in disbelief and wondering if it was worth bringing over such quality teams.”
Season six of the A-League will be one of the most important in its short history.
Despite the recent fall in attendances, the A-League still has rising TV audiences and ratings for pay TV, growing sponsorship dollars, the FFA negotiating for a much bigger TV rights deal and a growing international exposure – the 2010 A-League grand final was shown live in over 100 countries to over 70 million households.
However, the national football competition still needs to get a larger share of punters through the turnstiles to keep the cash flow going and help avoid financial losses for A-League investors.
Greg
Guest
You do realise that as a member you were entitled to 10% off tickets to the MV v Boca game? Or are you a first time member? Don't know how you come to the conclusion that ticket prices are expensive being a club member. The dearest Adult membership category (premium A) for MV equates to something like $35 per game. I consider that cheap.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Michael C- You've actually added further validity to my statements, and I thank you. I stated (amongst other things): 1. "North Melbourne FC, ... is over 85 years old" and I reckon most mathematics scholars (from Grade 1 upwards??) would agree that 141 is, indeed, greater than 85. Hence, my this fact I stated is factual. 2. "should relocate their home games to Ballarat or Tasmania". The actual "headline" YOU used to entice people to view your column was (your own words): "Ballarat or Hobart for North Melbourne". Just like you, I cannot be held accountable for the impressions people make after reading my comments.
Michael C
Roar Guru
linking to my article - I'd like to think I reserve the right to correct you on a couple of points. please note - North Melb, est 1869, is a VFA/VFL/AFL team that is 141 years old. The question of 'relocation' is off a small number 3 or 4, esp going forward against poorer drawing interstate sides - - - the impression you've given is 'relocate their home games' is an impression of ALL home games.
GeneralAshnak
Roar Pro
Androo wrote: Whichever club sells the most should get the full playing list showing up at their trophy night. Now that is an awesome idea - will pass it over to AUFC :D
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
Doesn't the discount come from your getting 15 games for the price of 12 or such. Plus a scarf :) Both are good but I really love the rebate idea because it makes junior clubs want to sell a league memberships. Also I just love the idea of an A league club actually handing over a scheque to the junior club. Whichever club sells the most should get the full playing list showing up at their trophy night.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
I totally agree with both of you - a rebate is much better for the overall Game and the Clubs. However, based on what I've observed of consumer behaviour over the years, consumers love a discount and the annual Christmas sales demonstrate the irrational behaviour of normal human beings when lured by "the discount"! I reckon most families - particularly those with young kids - appreciate every dollar that they can retain.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
Agree with General, a rebate is better because it actually means the clubs are pushing for you. A discount is much more of a softer sell. It also means your not restricted to just the players getting a discount but instead the club have an incentive to get everyone they are connected too signed up. Family, friends, neighbours they are all just a couple of degrees of separation from the club and are all elligible.
Bilbo
Guest
Brisbane Roar were not the promoters of this match and did not set ticket prices.
GeneralAshnak
Roar Pro
I see what you are driving at Fussball - however I like the intention of the club, it shows that AUFC cares about the grassroots and it can be used by the clubs as a fundraising drive as each membership to AUFC their club generates earns them from memory $18/child membership and $50 per adult membership.
jimbo
Roar Guru
Looking forward to it and another Sydney victory! The weather should be better by then and hopefully the ground will be in better condition.
Smokygrayson
Guest
Asian Champion's League perhaps? It's already there. Asian Cup too. Are you aware of these? An FFA Cup would be the best for drumming up additional local interest if you want more comps.
Smokygrayson
Guest
Junior membership deals is a great idea. Surely this is a no-brainer for all clubs? My son would take it up, and many others in his team would too, which would drag their parents along to games (I know for a fact they aren't attending at the moment). While they might lose a small amount of revenue from children who already attend the games, they would gain from verbal networking that happens at training and weekend games and get the A-League into people's conversations, as well as getting attendance from those parents who would be required to take their kids to the game. FFA is really missing an opportunity here. At weekend games there is almost no talk about the A-League among the parents unless I bring it up. There was a lot of chat about the World Cup when it was on. Unless you were a fan already, you would hardly know the A-League exists. Why the stark difference? Promotion. In Newcastle, we at least have local media that supports our A-League club.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Midfielder - As you suggested: "SFC are the team to beat this year" ... ... and our lads are certainly looking forward to giving them a jolly good beating on Saturday night! ;-)
chocolatecoatedballs
Guest
there have been some great responses, especially about getting clubs, kids/families incentive to go through the turnstiles. i will digress slightly, in europe the have the champions league and the euro's, could we set up a comp with our timezone neighbors with our fourth and third placed teams? Drum up a bit of interest and maybe money with the extended coverage/season these teams will get? just a thought.
Midfielder
Guest
Jimbo IMO SFC are the team to beat this year ... very strong all over the park with speed to burn...
Midfielder
Guest
Midfielder wonders aloud why some folk have so much angst about a little 5 year old still in its infancy league... Let me for a moment ignore all except football folk... we know its magic... we also know on a world stage its football first daylight second... Normally I ignore the other codes ... however I do respect the management skill of the AFL ... it is in a class of it's own and TBH the AFL management team is in many ways the worlds best ... lets admit it ... it does us no harm in accepting truth... However we have a huge potential audience in Football ... Australia 22 million, NZ 4.6 million, PNG 5.2 million, Fiji .8 million, Singapore 4.3 million, Malaysia 60 million, Indonesia 200 million..... WOW all in our time zone and all looking to Australia to provide a lead. In Singapore , Malaysia & Indonesia the A-League has a big following... and it is growing in NZ as the Nix get better... a broadcasting deal to 300 million people is in no way out of the question ... with Singapore , Malaysia & Indonesia football nations... how many watch 1 % equals a grand final 2% doubles a grand final...etc etc etc The starting point is having a reasonable league which ours is ....HHHHHHHHHHHHMMMMmmmmmm AGGGGGGgggRRRR ... being kind in Hal's 1-5 getting there.... Hal 6 has seen from where I sit a burst of energy with youth being at the forefront.... thank God we have a youth league which is this years and in future years supplying new players... The U 14 international team & the U 13 state teams along with the top 60 players identification program managed to keep our best in Football ............BB take a HUGE bow for this achievement the AFL taught you well and in keeping our best WOW the players coming thoooooooo OMG .... We should never forget we lost about three quarters of these players in bygone years... With the youth and the signing of the South American players ... call it one handed tying but by heck our little league is starting to grow in a region wanting us to succeed... No other code can come close to this .... money & history weight heavily against us ... this is where BB skills will again come to the surface ... we have three years to survive and that will be hard ... but if we can survive and grow a little over the next three years then I am full of confidence about footballs future...
jimbo
Roar Guru
Sure has been a lot of football this year, but as a football fan I'm loving every minute of it and lots more to come. :)
jimbo
Roar Guru
I can't see how you could possibly interpert Mike Cockerill's article as "desperate". Perhaps you are the desperate one JamesP - clutching at straws again. :)
jimbo
Roar Guru
Here's the story about the Gold Coast debt. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/gold-coast-rocked-by-24m-centre-of-excellence-blowout/story-e6frexni-1225867248796 Oops, that should read they are about 26M in debt and owe 260K (not M) in taxes to Qld. :)
Brian
Guest
I love football but after watching a month straight I need a break. The highest level in Australia is the national team not the HAL. I am not trying to bash the HAL only to be honest about its possibilities - it after all only started 6 years ago. I'm a much bigger football fan than AFL but for the last couple of weeks I have been much more interested in AFL (Hawks) running into finals than HAL pre-season.