In Tuesday’s Gold Coast Bulletin it was claimed more than 10,000 free tickets had been snapped up already and United were boldly stating they were targetting an attendance of over 20,000 fans.
And CEO Clive Mensink told FourFourTwo yesterday there was a possibility of a sell-out.
It’s fantastic stuff, especially for a club like Gold Coast United, who have so much negative press associated with their brand.
This is a club who’ve been sinking fast, with attendances falling from an average of 5392 last season to 2812 this season, and this initiative will give them some air, but that oxygen won’t last forever and they’ve got to build on it.
The fact so many people have already registered their interest in attending the match shows the potential of the Gold Coast market to the A-League.
Of course, it’s one thing to claim a free ticket – as it costs you nothing – but another thing altogether to actually turn up to the game. Let’s hope the majority of those registered for tickets do make the trip to Robina, despite talk of bad weather.
Either way, irrespective of how many turn up on Sunday, the level of interest this week suggests an A-League club on the Gold Coast can work. It just needs to be run and managed a lot more effectively.
There’s certainly been a lot of mistakes made by Gold Coast United since they came into the A-League, but Sunday’s free admission match can potentially be seen as a fresh start.
Mensink denied this when he told FourFourTwo: “It’s just a moment to show our appreciation to Frank Lowy and his World Cup bid team. And it’s an opportunity to provide the Gold Coast community who have been doing it tough with an early Christmas present.”
But let’s hope behind the scenes United management are thinking a bit more imaginatively about it all and working on plans to capitalise on the fixture.
After all this is the perfect opportunity for United to re-connect with the local community, show them that they’ve learned from their mistakes and showcase, and ultimately sell, their product.
As was said on Tuesday’s Fox Sports FC program, the club also needs to be active and aggressive on Sunday in surveying attendees and learning more about why they have and have not attended in the past.
Owner Clive Palmer said the gesture of making the match free admission was to salute the efforts of FFA boss Frank Lowy in his failed 2022 World Cup bid.
Maybe that’s Palmer being stubborn and finding an excuse to give an inch – as he so desperately needs to – in order to find a compromise with the local football community he has previously alienated.
But let’s hope it isn’t a one-off event.
If it is, I feel it will be a token gesture which means little in the grand scheme of things. I’m doubtful one free match will win many, if anyone, over in the long-term.
Publicly United have been cool this week on committing to the idea of lower ticket prices for future matches. Mensink said: “It is something we will take on board but we are just looking forward to this weekend.”
And I don’t mind that stance for now. Ideally, they should build up Sunday’s event for all it’s worth and then early next week announce they’ve cut ticket prices for the rest of the season, like new Jets owner Nathan Tinkler has done on the Hunter. Such a management strategy would build some momentum.
Of course, it does require Sunday’s product to be entertaining and that’ll be an important factor. But third-placed United and fourth-placed Central Coast Mariners are two good teams who should offer a decent spectacle, especially with players like the taken-for-granted Jason Culina on show.
And with a big crowd in a 27,000-capacity stadium, the atmosphere could easily enhance the product too.
Sunday represents a critical junction for Gold Coast United and they should recognise it as an opportunity to re-launch, start again and show they’ve learned from their mistakes. But the work only begins now and there’s plenty to do.
Sunday’s game and attendance won’t be the judge, it’s just the beginning.
But the local community won’t accept being burnt twice, so this is a critical opportunity for United to re-launch and show they can make a club on the Gold Coast work.
United management will never have a better opportunity to win the public over so they have got to capitalise on it. If they don’t, the long-term sustainability of this club is very, very questionable.
gazz
Roar Pro
Anyone want to guess how many will turn up on Sunday? I'm thinking 11,500ish?
gazz
Roar Pro
But they've got Gary Ablett and Karmichael Hunt.. how can they fail :p
gazz
Roar Pro
i thought clive palmer made no money from those sales. all food, drinks went to skilled park management who - correct me if im wrong - is owned by the qld govt? merchandise on the other hand....
gazz
Roar Pro
they've got good grassroots and juniors numbers though. maybe they just dont like the GCU product...
gazz
Roar Pro
People did have to pay a $1 transaction fee. and use their credit or debit card. its not just like claiming a free ticket off a shelf.... but i take your point
Brian
Guest
or maybe they don't like soccer
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Comm Games was a disaster in India as far as the tourist and TV ratings were concerned. It's a dead duck and Anna Bligh is going to spend over a $1b on the event with sporting infrastructure that won't be utilised after the event---if it takes place at all. There is now a big question mark over the event. and her poll ratings have collapsed because of what she has done in Qld. She will be gone in the next election.. GCU have not reach its full potential because of her stadia deals, and if GCU win an ACL spot despite of her the tourists from Asia will be here in numbers. The ACL is the key and especially if the Japanese clubs are involved for the fixtures.. The Suns are an unknown quantity and the Kangaroos were a lost cause. So we don't really know if the Suns will do any better..
Koops
Guest
GCU may not have cost the government any money, but they also dont bring any money and tourists either, the southern and western AFL teams will. The QLD Government from all reports is not exactly pro AFL football, but supports the development on economic grounds, and whether you are right or not about Commonwealth games TV ratings, they will bring plenty of tourists, athletes and $ to the GC.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Skilled Park was built for Rugby League and has been standing there for at least 4 years before GCU FC was even thought about.. State government have not had to spend any taxpayers money on Football at all. And don't get any hand outs like AFL on stadia..
Australian Football
Roar Guru
I don't think that the Comm Games will be around in 2018 they are just about dead.. TV ratings were almost non-existent.. The State Government has tip in $60M and the Feds $70M for Carrara and the AFL have said they are going to manage the venue and keep up the maintenance I believe.. Big Deal. GCU FC play at Robina---we share a ground with the Titans it is used 12 months of the year and GCU has not cost the Government a cent.. No good reason that the GCU FC can't get a better stadium deal out of the government to lower the ticket prices---at present they are the dearest in the land.. How many games at Carrara a year will the Suns play..? I believe there will be some at the Gabba..?
Chris
Guest
The next stunt GCU will pull is to pay people to attend. Say $20 plus free food and transport. They would still struggle to get 5,000 people there. Incidentally - to call it a "sell out" the tickets actually have to have been sold, not given away.
Koops
Guest
@AF Dont know where my post went, but my response was to AF, who was critical of the QLD state Government funding Carrara, their funding is actually a smart economic move as AFL club supporters will travel to the GC to support there team, something that Virgin Airlines has recognised with their huge sponsorship of the GCFC. As is common he was putting the boot into the AFL, if GCU had a something simlar, and many soccer fans from around Australia came to the GC to see their team play, i dont doubt the Government would do the same thing.
Koops
Guest
@AF GCU has their own private billionaire benefactor, and i think you will find a Commonwealth games for Carrara, as well as more than 6 AFL games a year, and the AFL tipped in some millions, what has soccer actually put in ?.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Just like the Nth Melb Kangaroos and the Bears before them.. Yes we have heard that all before. GCU FC have not cost the state Government a cent.. Boy what could have been with a $130m gift to football on the Gold Coast instead of giving it to Aussie Rules for half a dozen games a year..
ruckrover
Guest
A "hand out"?
Fez's are cool
Guest
Spot on. There is no way they will get a sell out either - the biggest A League crowd of the year was 25k for a Melbourne derby.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
If the Fury have a some good wins at home, the community will start backing it, then the FFA will back it, all is not lost yet.. I think the community will decide in the end if it stays or it dies.. We all hope it stays in the HAL---including the FFA.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Well GCU FC are new at it---the AFL and NRL have had three goes at it. This club is barley 1.5 years old..
Nick
Guest
I Love how you called it a sell out lol
Ratbag
Guest
Think of it this way. If the Gold Coasters decided just to make the matches ALL FREE. Crowds would slip back below 2k again. Cannot see it going any other way. There appears to be little demand for the World Game up on the glitter strip.