Football Federation Australia CEO David Gallop has tipped A-League attendances to break the two million barrier for the first time in it’s 10-year history.
The 2014/15 campaign kicks off on Friday night when Melbourne Victory host Western Sydney Wanderers at Etihad Stadium and Gallop said the game is in rude health, with TV figures and crowds on the up in the 10-team competition.
There were simultaneous launches in Sydney and Melbourne on Tuesday with Gallop and Lowy on hand at Allianz Stadium and A-League boss Damien de Bohun in the Victorian capital.
With the NRL and AFL seasons now concluded Gallop said it was football’s opportunity to shine, with Melbourne City’s Spanish superstar David Villa topping the bill.
“I like to think that Australian football is the hamburger with the lot in Australian sport at the moment,” Gallop said.
“And the meat in the hamburger is the A-League. That’s the engine room of Australian football.
“In this competitive environment we’re in, the other competitions have gone to sleep now. It’s our time.”
The former NRL boss said the code would also reach new milestones over the next seven months with the game’s popularity growing from strength to strength.
“This year we have some ambitious benchmarks we’re aiming for,” Gallop said.
“We’re going to go through the two-million crowd barrier for the first time. We’re aiming to get 660,000 weekly viewers on Fox Sports and SBS.
“Two million web users. One million social media followers. We expect to go through the 100,000 membership mark.”
Lowy recalled how nervous he was when the concept of a new national competition to replace the National Soccer League began in 2004 with the sport desperately trying to shed it’s image as the poor relation of Australian team sport.
“I remember the launch in front of journalists and thinking I am going to have to beg people to come and watch,” Lowy said.
“But now we are a competition that’s confidently standing on it’s own feet.”
Wellington coach Ernie Merrick, the most successful coach in A-League history, said he was excited about the challenge he faces and said the differences between now and 10 years ago were huge.
“I was at the first launch in 2004 and the standard of the players, local talent and the standard of import is very high now,” Merrick told AAP.
“Not only that, but I believe coaching has improved and in turn that is producing better players.
“It’s a very exciting time to be involved.”
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Greek side Olympiacos scored two second-half goals after Villa clawed back from two goals down to win 4-2 to take the advantage after the…
Tammy Abraham came on in stoppage time of Roma's 2-nil loss to Bayer Leverkusen, but should have had a consolation goal.
And so the reigning champions claim the Premiers Plate and now line up for consecutive championships. With their win last night, Central Coast is…
There have been a seemingly endless number of negative, doom-and-gloom articles about the A-Leagues, most of them related to the APL’s mismanagement. This article…
Nestory Irankunda was denied a parting gift in his final A-League appearance before heading overseas, with Central Coast's Danny Vukovic pulling off a spectacular…
The Liverpool great was enjoying himself with the Borussia Dortmund fans and tried to rope in Jadon Sancho to the celebrations.
