At the time of writing, the A-League regular season had one more game – Gold Coast United versus Brisbane Roar – to go before the season ended and the play-offs began. However, Central Coast Mariners’ 2-1 win in Wellington earlier in the day had made the game meaningless.
It was a scheduling snafu by the A-League, or by Fox Sports, or whoever decided to play the Sunday games in the order they were ultimately contested.
The two early games produced pulsating action and drama. Sydney FC’s 3-2 win over the Newcastle Jets has extended the classy Vitizlav Lavicka’s coaching reign at Sydney by at least one more week and banked some more frequent flyer miles in his account as SFC head to Wellington next weekend.
Central Coast, after looking likely to street the field just two months ago, left it to the last game to deservedly clinch the Premier’s Plate with their win in New Zealand. The sudden onshore wind gust on the East Coast may well have been Graeme Arnold’s sigh of relief at the full-time whistle, as his overworked squad hung on to clinch the three points that ensured the Roar couldn’t catch them, no matter the result of their derby game with Gold Coast.
But back to that scheduling mess. Last weekend, Central Coast and Brisbane played concurrently and for TV viewers it provided great drama as news of the game they weren’t watching filtered through (both games were televised on the Fox Viewer’s Choice system).
Why on earth that didn’t happen again this week is beyond me. The manner of the scheduling also left the Mariners at a distinct disadvantage.
With both they and the Roar involved in the Asian Champions League, there are a lot of games and travel to contend with over the next month. Consequently, as soon as the Mariners result was known, Ange Postecoglou rested five players from his starting line-up, a luxury he would not have had if both games had been played at the same time, and a luxury Graeme Arnold never had.
This may work in Brisbane’s favour in the next few weeks as Mitch Nichol, Michael Theoklitos, Thomas Broich and Ivan Franjic all get a rest. (And totally wrecked my A-League fantasy team but this is not the motivation for the article, OK!)
If the scheduling was at the insistence of Fox Sports, then they have gambled and lost. Sure, it would have made compulsive viewing “right now” if the Mariners had failed to win in Wellington. It may have added more viewers to the final game to boost the ratings. But it has backfired and the last game of the season is a lame duck. It may well be a cracker but it means nothing to the neutral.
If it’s good enough for the English Premier League to play their final round concurrently, or for final pool matches at the World Cup to be played at the same time, why would it not occur to league administrators to do the same for at least the matches that had a direct bearing on the outcome of final places.
Would it have been too hard for Wellington-Central Coast to kick off at 6.00pm New Zealand time, Gold Coast-Brisbane kick off at 3.00pm Queensland time, then play the Sydney-Newcastle game at 6.30pm Sydney time?
In a season of great on-field action and generally positive organisation off the pitch, it’s disappointing that neither the league or the TV bosses got this one right.
apaway
Guest
ICF, I agree with that sentiment and wasn't advocating that all games kick off at the same time just yet, just that when a scenario presents itself like it did last Sunday, the two teams vying for first place should have played at the same time, just as they did the previous week.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
I would have thought given the contract that the FFA has with Fox it would be just about impossible to change the kick of times to all start at the same time and disadvantage Fox, their ratings and their advertising revenues, which are based on ratings. Maybe in 20 years time, with a mature competition and greater revenue and stable ratings, we might have the freedom to do that, but not now.
Midfielder
Guest
I think they should be played at the same time... the team going second always copes it in the neck ... i.e. does not matter so rest players... however if they had to win the pressure of going second is hard ... the % of penalties won by the team going first is quite high... Agree should have been played at the same time...
Beau
Guest
Wow, roarsome, I think I disagree with you on every single point you make. The epl is almost never decided on the final day, but relegation zone mostly is. I do agree that just because it's 'good enough for the epl' doesn't mean it has to be good enough for here, let's focus on why we should or shouldn't do it in the Aleague, not use the argument that they do it somewhere else - that is them, this is us. The point this article makes is that Brisbane were able to rest half their team - if you play at the same time, and hear the other team is winning their match, you can just change your starting line up - when you watch those concurrent games you know the crowd and teams are getting updates and it adds to the drama. You can argue about ratings, but you can also argue whether that many people watch all games on a given day - 4-6 hours in a row, many would only have time to choose one - but it all the drama was going to unfold over a 2 hour period maybe more viewers in total would switch on to watch that - imagine that - everyone's team all playing at the same time, every Aleague fan has a vested interest an maybe non aleaguers could be dragged in with the hype as well. Having said all that, it would have to be all or nothing for me. All games on at the same time, or none. It's easy to look at this weekend and say how easy it would be to delay a kick off here and there, but what if the mariners game was set for Friday? They'd have to give teams adequate time to prepare for when their game is, flights etc, which epl clubs don't have as much worry about given the size of the country, Knowing all the final round was on a Sunday, or saturday night or whenever would fix both issues and just leave the tv scheduling issue. That's really what to weigh up for me, how many people would watch more than 1 game, to how many would watch all at once when they otherwise wouldn't - and how much that is worth having a fair competition. Ps on fantasy issues roar caused - a year long competition where some people compete for big prizes (cars, cash) and that kind of thing turns it isn't a bit of a farce. And tipping comps. It's a legitimate if smaller concern in this issue also.
apaway
Guest
Tommy, I'm not sure if the technology is now standard for Foxtel, but with the Viewer's Choice system, TV fans can choose which game they want to watch.
apaway
Guest
However, Roarsome, just last week, the Roar and the Mariners WERE scheduled simultaneously. One of the issues is the inherent unfairness when one team knows in advance what they need to do (or not do as was the case with the Roar) given the earlier result. I'm not advocating for all the last round games to kick off at the same time - not yet. But when two games have a direct bearing on places for the teams involved, is it not fairer for those two games to be played at the same time? Imagine the tension yesterday when Brisbane scored a minute from time probably knowing that the Phoenix had pulled a goal back in Wellington?
tommy_doleman
Roar Pro
That said, I don't mind simultaneous kick-offs if the top two are gunning for the Premiers plate as someone suggested earlier. But leaving the fixtures open does give flexibility regardless.
tommy_doleman
Roar Pro
Gotta agree with JamesB, at the moment it's only the fans that lose out if they can't watch the A-League. The ratings are also important to the competition. But, I agree with everyone else as well, they should leave the last round open (like they do in the AFL) and then structure the fixtures accordingly from there. Maybe even the final two rounds to really maximise 'the drama'.
Lucan
On TV perhaps, but in person nothing beats the shotgun start. The tension, the whispers in the crowd about what is happening on the other side of town. Holding off celebrations because the other game has gone into its 6th minute of stoppage time.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
I can only watch one game at a time so i'm not bothered by the lack of simultaneous kick offs.
Bondy
Guest
I'ts a valid point, why tease and taunt your supporters the week before and do the exact opposite a week later .
mds1970
Roar Guru
The game in Wellington was always going to go before the Gold Coast game because of the three hour time zone difference. If the Phoenix had won, the minor premiership would still have been up for grabs when Gold Coast and Brisbane kicked off. A flexible last round schedule like Fussball suggested could work - the AFL does it that way. But the round would be put in place a few weeks out, so which games are important could change between then and when the games are on.
Mick
Guest
There was an article by Simon Hill about the team finishing on top not getting enough credit & people not remembering who finishes top. If the last round of games kicked off simultaneously it would help add value to where the teams finish on the ladder whereas at the moment it is just treated as a finals fixturing tool
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Totally agree, Apaway. It's a no-brainer that the final round of matches has to either be: a) all 5 games scheduled at the same time; or b) keep the final round schedule 'open" and announce the kick-off schedule when we know the ladder leading in to the final round and schedule the games that impact each other at the same time. This will not inconvenience fans, since it is only 1 round with uncertainty of scheduling and we have uncertainty of scheduling for finals - think of the final round as an "early knock-out finals" for some teams. What happened yesterday was ridiculous and can easily be avoided.
Futbanous
Guest
Of course ideally the last round all matches should be played at the same time,not knowing the score of your competitors matches adds a completely different set of dynamics to the games. However agree with jamesb comparing the A-League with the EPL is an unbalanced comparison,simply because of the deep history of professional football in England & the exact opposite in a new league that needs TV money to keep it afloat. The difference between England & Australia is that support for professional football was there long before TV money was a factor. Currently in Australia TV money is helping to develop professional football & therefore fan support. We may not like some of drawbacks attached to that,but the alternative ,what alternative you may ask.
Mark Roth
Guest
Well they say that EPL is the best. I agree that simultaneous games might not be a great idea, but a more flexible schedule to maximize the chances that more meaningful games are played later, when that is possible, would be nice.
jamesb
Guest
Having games on at the same time is not a good idea ATM for the A-League. A-League needs to maximise its ratings by having matches staggered. When the A_League does become a strong comp, than it can perhaps have matches on at the same time. Why does the A-League always compare itself to the EPL all the time is beyond me.
Roarsome
Guest
Totally disagree. If games are scheduled simultaneously, the only people who miss out are the fans who can't watch the games on TV or go to a game and then watch the rest on TV. In this era of technology ,teams receive live scores from other games anyway which makes the idea of simultaneous play redundant. Yes, the EPL is deferent, larger crowds. Games are televised one after the other, there are no Finals and the premiership more often than not is decided on the final day. Get over it, we don't NEED this on our final day. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.