The rapid development of the Western Sydney Wanderers is unparalleled in the Australian sporting context.
Encroached firmly in the A-League’s top four, the question now beckons: can the Wanderers really challenge for the title?
As it stands now few would dare to bet against them – and with valid reasoning.
The Wanderers have consistently posted home crowd attendances higher than that of the rival codes sharing the sporting heartland that is Sydney’s west.
Well-established teams, not least the Parramatta Eels and the Penrith Panthers in the NRL, average home attendances both lower than that of the new boys.
The general interest as well as week-in week-out quality of football has significantly improved since the side’s inception.
The measure of such a rise is evident for all to see with global kit supplier Nike (who also are the kit sponsor of Manchester United and Arsenal) unable to keep up with the demand for supporter apparel.
Despite this the on-field journey towards an A-League title (albeit in a maiden year) becomes increasingly realistic and possible as the season progresses.
Claiming the scalp of then fifth-placed Melbourne Heart outfit last week, while playing a man down for 83 of 90 minutes, clearly assured fans that anything is possible regardless of their recent initiation into the competition.
The Wanderers will today take on Adelaide United, who too have a lot to prove following the resignation of coach John Kosmina midweek.
A win away from home against the Reds will add further credentials towards a debut-season championship and prove once more they can match it with the top sides come the season’s climax.
Dave
Guest
Northern Spirit had bigger home crowds than WSW. The question is why are WSW less popular than them, considering soccer was once very popular in Western Sydney.
westy born n bred who supports Wests Tigers & WSW's.
Guest
I think alot has been mentioned how western Sydney wanderers success has come from the areas strong migrant communities but what hasntt been spoken about as much is that the wanderers also have very strong backing from the thousands in western Sydney like myself, see I am Anglo/Caucasian Australian, born in Sydneys west and i have grown up watching and playing both RL and soccer/football. And even alot of tge more RL die hard supporters have a respect for this team because it is made up of people from western Sydney, some of us like myself even grew up and went to school with some of tge players. This team links all nationalities in the west together anyone who doesnt aggree is either kidding themselfs or not from this city, i stilk have emmense pride at how the national anthem was sung at tge wanderers Australia day match...
Kickass Koala
Guest
yeah i know, all sports started in a single country at some point .... you never know, we may even get an american football league happening here ...
Cameron
Roar Guru
Haha, where is the like button? Damn it, not Facebook! +1 to that Jb.
Cameron
Roar Guru
Absolutely agree with you Jb! I don't see a downward trend in the up and coming games either. Hopefully aids in sustaining the current average which I believe you said required 63,750k per round. I can't see this happening but if Brisbane continue this form reversal, victory charging towards premiers and finals, success of wanderers and Sydney's renewed hope of a finals birth, we may just have enough luck left.
j binnie
Guest
kellett- sorry mate ,totally misunderstood. Early days yet but in a sample taken for analysis 30% of a total is an acceptable amount for going on with and those last 3 games definitely show what could be regarded as a "huge" upward trend of around 50% and yet there is nothing evident in the January games v Victory, CCM or Heart that would explain the reason for such an increase. Agree????? jb,
j binnie
Guest
KK - May God come down and help us all ASAP. If you want, ask my mates Midfielder or Kellett 1992,they will supply you with numerous web sites where you can get such information. JUST NOTICED KELLETT HAS ALREADY DONE SO. jb
Cameron
Roar Guru
I was making my comparisons based on the information given in the article. You're more then welcome to compare GWS to WSW though :D
Cameron
Roar Guru
I don't call it pro. I just didn't know what extent you wanted me to go into in regards to professionalism. Still played in another country, is it not?
Cameron
Roar Guru
Fox don't stuff it up, just you! www.ultimatealeague.com you'll find what you seek there!
Kickass Koala
Guest
Yes already established that parra get bigger crowds than wonderers ...question is on momentum not current numbers. If you want a better comparison your looking at GWS Giants v Wonderers ....They dont have 60 odd years behind them like the eels ...
Cameron
Roar Guru
2012 Parramatta Eels 12 matches Attendance average - 16,803 Season total - 201633 2013 Western Sydney Wanderers 10 matches Attendance average - 11,677 Season total - 116,765 Wanderers could average more if they moved their matches to Allianz but it was established fans did not want this. Ill give you some more stats though Parramatta Eels two biggest games of 2012 were: 45,863 vs St. George Illawarra 28,214 vs Canterbury Bulldogs Take these two matches out of average and total and you are left with: 127,551 with 10 games at an average of 12,755. So if Wanderers had of played both matches against Sydney fc at Allianz they still may not meet the average of Parra. Though it being first season I believe the Wanderers "could" eclipse Parra's efforts in Sydney's west.
Kickass Koala
Guest
hahaha i love a good argument tho! Granted in 1947 population would have been lower and who knows what the financial side of the economy was like. Interesting thought tho, im thinking with less playstation 3 and wii and fox sports, kids would be running out to games back then. At parra westfields what i saw with west sydney was something different, went to a few west tigers signings and they wernt like that. . Tho i know its probably a year one high. Plus crowds are different between codes, some louder and more organized than others.
Kickass Koala
Guest
educate me then, because i see more than 10k at most games, atleast half i mean come on the crowds have gotten bigger match after match, the average would have to be beyond 10 ...
Kickass Koala
Guest
no idea where u get the stuff from, i just go off what fox sports sticks up in the top right corner during each match ... if fox stuff it up, god help us all!
Kickass Koala
Guest
you call that a pro league ? I know high school kids who could beat those guys. If i create a sport with a ball and 4 posts and give the ball to a kenyan kid does that mean its a pro sport in kenya too ? My damn luck i didint think of this earlier, i could create a world game just by putting an AFL ball in every country. What was i thinking!
Cameron
Roar Guru
Jbinnie, that's not what I said. I know what 'trend' or "upward trend" means. I just said that consistency is measured over more than three games which was your example of "upward trend" which I whole heartedly agree with. I was not using the word of consistency in reference to what you said but to what was written in the article " Wanderers have consistently posted home crowd attendances higher than that of the rival codes sharing the sporting heartland that is Sydney’s west."
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party
Guest
Interesting Kylesy pointed out WSW is getting a better crowd average than the Eels at Parramatta stadium.Don't know if theres any stats to back that up.If WSW had moved their home derbies to ANZ you would expect a crowd closer to 40k than 20k,bumping up their home gate average by quite alot.
j binnie
Guest
kellett1992 - another lesson in basic analysis for you. "Trend" does not mean a "continuing occurrence" it is an indication of how figures are "panning out" at any given point in time. WSW's last 3 home games ,that is 30% of total,has "indicated" they may well be attracting more people to "normal" (no derby or ADP effect) games than what they have done in the previous 70% of their matches. Indications are that they may have "jumped" their gates by around 4000 to 6000 in the month of January,but only time will tell us if this trend is continuing.Apart from that you are right in everything you say. jb
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party
Guest
The WSW are playing both of their major rivals for the Premiers Plate in the MV and CCM away in the next few weeks,MASSIVE games in respect to the Premiers Plate,add to that the dogfight for the last spot in the finals and we're in for a very exciting finish to the season.Im just bummed my club isn't really involved in any of it !