Spring in Melbourne means one thing to most sports fans: horse racing. The FFA must have forgotten this when putting pen to paper when putting together the 2011/12 fixture.
The multi-million dollar industry has found their niche in Melbourne’s overcrowded sporting calendar: everyone from racing experts to mug punters follow the ponies every Saturday (and one Tuesday) during October and early November.
For three consecutive Saturday nights, an A-League match has been scheduled in Melbourne, including the ever growing Melbourne Derby.
Without knowing the marketing strategy of the FFA, it would appear they are trying to fight a losing battle against TABCORP and the Victoria Racing Club (VRC).
Melbourne Cup eve would have been a perfect experiment for the newest club in the league, Melbourne Heart. A successful trial may have led to the A-League establishing a foothold in the otherwise empty Monday night slot.
Instead, the powers that be thought it better to take on Flemington’s Derby Day and failed miserably.
A miserly crowd of 5,666 turned up to watch the Heart take on Brett Emerton’s Sydney FC. After a promising although scoreless performance in the local derby the previous week, I’m sure Scott Munn and his board would have expected a much greater turnout.
Public holidays are gold on the Melbourne sporting calendar and have been used to great affect by the AFL.
ANZAC day has become one of the year’s biggest events. Only 20 years ago, ANZAC day was attracting crowds of less than 40,000. Now Collingwood and Essendon use the day as a powerful marketing tool, and sell out the MCG.
I am not suggesting the Heart will magically sell out AAMI Park, but I am saying that the Cup eve event could become an annual event.
I don’t suspect that the FFA will be so willing to give Victory only one slice of the derby pie next year, so it’s up to Melbourne Heart to create events themselves.
A game against Sydney FC would fit this scenario ideally.
Sydneysiders are already comfortable with Monday night football (NRL), so I don’t see that FOXTEL would object to the proposal.
If this idea went ahead, I think we would see a significant rise on the attendance figures and television ratings. Heart could even use the night for corporate marketing purposes.
For one reason or another, Melbournians’ love fixed events on sporting calendars. The Australian Open (tennis), Formula 1, and AFL have all realised and taken advantage of this.
The FFA need to realise this, and seize this opportunity.
Cup Eve and the Melbourne Heart may just be the only winner I back this Spring Carnival.
Twitter – hardsy05
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