For years, the sports comedy show has been a ratings winning formula and a staple across TV stations around the globe, there is just something about being able to have a laugh about the issues surrounding your game.
I’ve always said that our relative lack of media attention is stifling culture within our game, counterpart shows like The Footy Show of the AFL and NRL have been the backbone of culture within their respective sports, you tune in, have a few laughs, listen to the opinions and whether you agree with them or not you’re still thinking about the game in question.
Long story short it puts the game in the mind of the viewers in a light and entertaining way, it allows for water cooler conversation on Friday mornings and gets people revved up for weekend matches.
I don’t want to accuse sports fans of being malleable but this sort of model just works. They say what they say, it gets in your head and it drives you further into the fandom.
With the impending arrival of Thursday FC on SBS, football fans are in line for what we’ve been craving for years: a season long football comedy variety show that will not only extend culture within the game but (If successful) Add to culture as well.
For a while we had Santo, Sam and Ed’s Cup Fever but that was only for the duration of the World Cup. It was such a hit I wonder why it’s taken SBS three whole years to commission another football themed comedy show.
Anyone who has pay TV also has access to Soccer AM, a light-hearted mainstay of English football culture since 1995.
Now we have Matt Okine, Lucy Zelić and David Zdrilić leading the comedic charge for Australian football.
Okine is a hilarious comedian from Brisbane who will no doubt have a field day with the task of making light of the funnier side of the A-League.
Zelić follows her famed father Ned into journalism, for me if she’s anything like him she’ll ‘obviously bring a bit of individual brilliance’ and definitely some imagination and fantasy.
Zdrilić comes as a bit of a surprise, during his time on The World Game he’s always been straight laced, but with that cheeky smile of his I can’t help but thinking there is a joker somewhere in there.
Here’s hoping Matt, Lucy and David can do their part in creating a comedic outlet for football in this country.
In closing I’d like to hear from some commenters, what would you like to see as a segment in this new show?
Personally I’d like to see something along the lines of ‘Dive of the Week’ to name and shame divers and show fans of other codes that we don’t like people cheating, we hate it as much as they do, it will do well to dispel this stupid idea that they have that we love and accept divers.
Chant of the week would be another good addition, strengthening a quality unique to football the intelligent on the spot made up chants.
Perhaps they could even highlight the inevitable downer articles from code knockers that always come along when bored AFL and NRL-minded journalists have nothing to do in their off-seasons.
I’d love to hear some comedic responses to the drivel that usually comes from that sector in journalism, this would give football fans a voice and maybe encourage some of these melons to stick to writing about their own games.
No matter what happens, we now finally have a platform we’ve been wanting for a long time, let’s all get behind it.
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
Your sentiments run off the idea that sports comedy shows are an Australian only phenomenon. Countless shows in Europe run along the same vein.
Simon Boegheim
Guest
I will give it a chance, but I am not too excited about it at the moment. The Footy Show on 9 is absolutely pathetic. Whilst I am not interested in League, I have given it a couple of tries but there is very little serious and helpful discussion about the game to inform people like myself, but mainly adults making fools of themselves. If I want comedy, I'll watch a comedy show, if I want to know about what's happening in sport, I'll watch a sport's show. I hope that SBS proves me wrong, but I have my doubts. Our product can stand on its own feet and doesn't need to demean itself like the other inferior codes. SBS, please tread very cautiously and give our sport the respect it deserves.
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
There already is The World Game, monday nights at 9:30. And for decades it was showing sunday afternoons.
Cameron
Roar Guru
You're asking a lot of questions... Just give it too me straight Kane. If there is already a show that does this (what I said), then please point it out because I will admit to being blind! Tbh I don't watch much SBS so I honestly wouldn't know. So half these questions I don't follow... Especially your last question!?
Nathan Cirson
Roar Pro
Great read and I agree with you about Zdrilic but maybe he will surprise. I would've thought that Ned Zelic or Jason Culina would've brought a bit more cheekiness to the show but I won't judge Zdrilic until I've seen him. What a great way for SBS to return to coverage of domestic football. A great football entertainment show followed by free to air coverage of the A-League can only be good for the game. I hope the show is done well with match reviews and previews, interviews, guest hosts (there are plenty of characters in the A-League, why not get them on to provide a bit of humour and insight into what it's like to be an A-League footballer). Plenty of comic relief without going over the top, they could do a lot worse than following the example of Soccer AM. I like the idea of Dive of the week, plenty of funny stuff happens during a weekend of A-League football so I'm sure there'll be plenty to work with. I can't wait to see what the show is like, what the ratings are like and how the A-League followers embrace the show and how many non-followers will jump on the A-League bandwagon
Midfielder
Guest
Live now Mariners V Mal U 23 http://okezone.tv/streaming/3
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
Alright, I got my wires crossed on the whole Lucy and Ned Zelic thing. Thanks to those that corrected me in a mature manner.
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
You mean something like The World Game? Which for the longest time was on Sunday afternoons? You know that show they changed to monday nights to make sure they could cover all the action from the European weekend? The one that published my comments submitted by twitter so often I was inspired to take them to the next level and publish articles here on the roar?
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
I couldn't help but giggle when you wanted to be taken seriously after saying "lolol"
Legro
Guest
lolol, I couldn't help but giggle when you asserted that Ned Zelic is lucy' Zelic's father, I thought these articles were fact checked before they were posted here?
Cameron
Roar Guru
Just to add to Thursday FC, it would be good if they also introduced a Sunday program to go in depth and analyse the game and how its being played in the A-League.. Also get viewers/fans to interact via social media and submit questions or weigh into debate i.e. expansion, marquees, ticket prices etc... A one hour Sunday, midday show looking into the more serious side of football..they can also look into the EPL if they please, just to please the eurosnobs. I know fox do a pretty good job with A-league coverage but surely it wouldn't hurt on SBS ONE?
Cameron
Roar Guru
And me...
Cameron
Roar Guru
"Lucy brings imagination and fantasy to the show." I get what you're saying ;)
jamesb
Guest
Great stuff from SBS. Thursday FC on Thursdays (obviously) and the A-league game on Friday nights. The game is improving it's profile all the time.
jamesb
Guest
+1 Kasey If they did stuck with the title of "The Real Footy Show", then someone deserves to get the sack.
Orly
Guest
Good article, and I agree: this fills an important void in the health of the sport. Sorry to be pedantic, but a couple of minor points: 1) Ned Zelic is not Lucy's father 2) Lucy is the sister of Ivan Zelic 3) By an amazing coincidence, Ned Zelic also happens to be Lucy's brother 4) To me, Lucy brings imagination and fantasy to the show
gumpy
Guest
"The NRL and AFL Footy shows on 9 are seriously pathetic." The NRL one is actually much better now than it once was(the cross-dressing antics are truly in the past now) but I agree the AFL version is now a leprosy-ridden dog trading on past glories.
gumpy
Guest
My only worry is the 'hipster vibe' I'm getting from what I've gleaned of Thursday FC so far(an indie in-house band, Matt Okine co-hosting etc.) - a world-game counterpart of The Footy Show should endeavour to appeal to as many pop-culture demographics as possible, b/c there's football fans in all of them.
Football United
Guest
Ned Zelić is Lucy Zelić's brother, not father.
Midfielder
Guest
Will be a must watch for me...