Various news articles in the past few days have spoken about moving the Western Sydney Wanderers versus Sydney FC derby game to ANZ stadium.
Not living in Sydney, and not being a fan of either club, it is a debate I have no particular thoughts on, one way or the other.
Buried away in those articles though is this quote from A-League Boss Damien de Bohun:
“ANZ Stadium is being considered as a grand final venue across the board this season.”
It is this that causes me outrage.
Every couple of years, parts of the Sydney-based football fraternity suggest the idea of the grand final being permanently hosted in Sydney.
I could not be more opposed to that view.
The AFL has grown from a Melbourne based competition, half of its teams still come from Melbourne, and the grand final has always been played in Melbourne. It is a similar story for the Sydney-based NRL.
I don’t find these to be compelling reasons to always host those finals in their respective cities.
Not coming from either Melbourne or Sydney, it is incredibly arrogant of those other two sports to keep the grand final in their towns.
It sounds like ‘we will take publicity, money, and support for our code from other places but we will not give suitable reward in return, should you be successfull.’
Not so the A-League.
The A-League, like the NSL before it, is a national competition, equally spread across the entire country.
It is not grown from some local competition, and dominated by one city, nor does it have a history of the event being held in one place.
It claims to be truly representative of the entire Australian community in a way the other two codes are not, and the best way to prove that is for the grand final to go to the city of highest-ranked team to reach the game, even should that happen to be Wellington.
This is one of the major points of difference between the A-League and those other two codes, and one thing that will turn code-jumpers into long-term fans.
How could you possibly have a better advertisement for the sport across the country than to have the chance for every fan to have the biggest day of the year in their home town?
The FFA has already devalued the Premiership by discarding the double chance to reach the grand final for the top two.
I see this as another attack on the worth of that achievement.
Finally, I must ask, will Sydneysiders even turn out to watch two non-Sydney teams at ANZ stadium?
Is the league really that strong yet that hosting the grand final at a neutral venue would have any chance of drawing a large crowd?
The sold out NSL grand final games – in Brisbane in 1997, with 40,000, and the 2000 game in Perth, with 43,000 – were the two highest attended finals in Australian history until the 2007 final in Melbourne.
Throw in the two 50,000 attendance A-League finals in Brisbane and any number of games in Melbourne, and you’ve got to wonder if only two Sydney crowds of above 40,000 in the entire history of the A-League and the NSL give Sydney any credibility as a viable neutral venue for such a game, and why should it even be considered?
Is it not a better look for the game to play to a sold out crowd at some other city than to have maybe 30,000 at ANZ in Sydney?
If you are of the opinion the fans of the best team deserve to have the chance to have the grand final in their city, make your voice heard now, before it is too late.
Don’t let the decision be made then complain about it later.
Charles Goldstraw
Roar Rookie
Thee FFA is bias to Sydney. Why do you think NSW had 3 teams while Victoria only had 1 when the A-League started up?. They play 2 socceroos qualifiers a year in Sydney while other cities only get 1 and some none at all. Despite the biggest club in the Country being in Melbourne the FFA will unfortunately continue to be Bias. The grand final should ALWAYS be a home game for one of the competing teams.
Keyless sky blues nut
Guest
If they can hardly see the match or feel comfortable, it's not good enough. Atmosphere with 70k is easy. Also public transport there will take you an hour and a half just to get on the train home with that type of crowd.
Keyless sky blues nut
Guest
Actually there's been three attendances that high in Sydney, all of which comfortably sold out and would have drawn more if not for sfs capacity being restrictive due to stadium members. I'd estimate the sydney derby lost easily 5k last week due to capacity limitations. Anyway, just felt like correcting that minor mistake, carry on!
Ian
Guest
You make the point that no Sydney grand final has had more than 40,000 spectators but any A-League grand final has only ever been played at the SFS (Allianz Stadium) which has a capacity of 40,000 or just a bit above. It is unfair in those terms to complain about the fact that a crowd in excess of this number hasn't been recorded in Sydney for grand final. While last season's grand final between WSFC and the Mariners may not have sold out ANZ stadium, if it were available, I believe it would've gone very close to recording a record crowd. Also the argument can be made at this stage in the A-Leagues life that it may be better to see a packed SFS than a mostly full ANZ stadium, the former certainly looks and sounds better on television. I agree with your point though and believe that the current system of playing the grand final at the home sides ground or nearest ground is the best option and should not be abandoned. I think this rightly rewards teams for the dominance throughout the season and rewards the home sides fans for supporting there team. In the case of the Mariners it would perhaps have been viable to hold the match at Newcastle but there is no denying that holding the final in Sydney certainly brings larger media attention to the match.
zutto
Guest
This is going by 5-7k crowd average on ACL night?
premy
Guest
Once again if the jets won hosting rights and it was moved to Sydney I would be pissed I would consider not going in protest. Why should Newcastle get shafted what if it was a Newcastle V Wellington final played at ANZ. Newcastle is not Sydney and we have a suitable stadium to host Asian Cup games why is it not suitable for the A-League Final
premy
Guest
So Wellington can hold it with a capacity of 34,500 but Newcastle can not with a capacity of 33,000
premy
Guest
Although that looks highly unlikely, If it we're to ever happen I would be pissed. In 08 the Mariners had hosting rights and tge FFA said they wouldn't consider a stadium with less than 30,000 capacity so Newcastle should be able to host a final if they were to win hosting rights
Cameron
Roar Guru
Yep Charlesworth will confirm this..
Gordon
Guest
Bear in mind that 2004-2006 the teams were from opposite ends of the country so it made sense. An All-WA, All-SA or the now-unlikely event of an all-NSW or all-QLD GF would be silly to host at the MCG, but would be forced nonetheless due to contractual arrangements. Likewise, an all-QLD NRL GF would be howled down by the Queensland media for being at ANZ Stadium.
Australian Rules
Guest
There are 2 reasons that the AFL Grand Final is held at the MCG every year: 1 - It is the home of Australian Football. 2 - It holds 100,000+. (2004, 2005, 2006 were all sell outs and there were no Victorian teams playing)
Rob Gremio
Roar Pro
Actually, Kasey, the Campeonato Brasileiro is run exactly the same as the English league - home and away, most points at the end of the season is the champion. Promotion and Relegation, top 4 qualifying for the Copa Libertadores (4th place a play off spot), places 5-8 in the Copa Sulamericana / Sudamericana (depending on whether you speak Portuguese or Spanish). Yes, they have the anacronism of the State Leagues still (first half of the year), but their national league is exactly the same. The Caveat here is that Brazil only changed to a first past the post system in around 1999 or so, preferring a finals series before then to decide their champion. They also have the Brazilian Cup, which is currently at the semi-final stage. I am happy(ish) at the moment, because my beloved Gremio is in the semis of the Cup, and sitting equal second in the Campeonato Brasileiro as well. They just need to overcome a 1-0 deficit next week at home to make the final of the Cup, and need to regain their momentum in the league to (hopefully) reign in Cruzeiro. C'mon! :D
Epiquin
Guest
+1
Epiquin
Guest
The reasons that the NRL and AFL have Grand Finals in permanent venues is not because of arrogance, but for the following reasons. 1) In both sports, there is a 1/2 chance that a local side will make the GF. 2) Sydney and Melbourne are the only two cities with stadiums big enough to host them. 3) If Melbourne hosted the NRL GF, the NRL couldn't trust the Melbourne media to treat it with respect (and same with AFL in Sydney) 4) Adelaide and Perth, don't have NRL teams. 5) MCG is a horrible ground for league, ANZ is a horrible ground for AFL 6) Suncorp, while it has better views, isn't big enough for NRL final. 7) The culture of NRL and AFL is to have neutral gorunds. But the A-League doesnt have these problems. And I think a permanent home for the A-League final would be troublesome. You posed the question "would the crowds turn up to watch two non-sydney team?" I don't think the crowds would turn up for any team that isn't the wanderers.
trent
Guest
You sure about that? As far as I'm aware Belgium has a play off series (aka finals), as does Brazil. Sure there are a few more.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
The K league (Korea) used to have one but got rid of it when they introduced promotion and relegation. Fans what it to come back and I expect Korea will have a finals system again soon.
NUFCMVFC
Roar Guru
Agree with article I think I recall reading an article Buckley wanted to have it at an established place Having a rotating GF is actually good for the HAL and good for football, in that unlike afl or NRL it is not seen as either Victorian or Sydney centric, but rather is a sport that is for all etc Plus having the showpiece event is good for promotion of the sport, eg holding it in Brisbane was good etc and good that places like Adelaide and Perth can theoretically hold it too Plus the current system fits with the premise of football being a strong number two in all states making for a strong code in an aggregate sense
Australian Rules
Guest
You probably right and that's why having it in the home city of the top-placed team works well for the ALeague.
ciudadmarron
Guest
I don't think either of these works in the context of the A-League - we need as many fans of competing teams in the ground as possible - having it played on the other side of the country is not a good option for mine.
cowelly
Guest
Agreed. Move the A-League final around and give all Australians something to enjoy... Until it is played on free to air TV for everyone, it needs more exposure, everywhere. It will also prompt more 50,000+ crowd rectangular stadiums to be built in more cities than just Brisbane and Sydney (huge win for Soccer, RL and RU!)