If I could get a dollar for every time I’ve heard of a comparison between Football and the other codes in Australia, particularly in the last couple of months, I’d be a very rich man.
Now, I’ve been following the game for over 25 years, so I can understand the raw optimism of football fans. But at the same time I can’t bring myself to subscribe to these so called ‘Code Wars’. They are a myth, a concept which were started by certain sections of the media, created to protect their own vested interests.
Hopefully nobody reading this is naive enough to think that the media’s number one role in today’s society is to report the news!
In my opinion the tag of who is the number one code in the land is in the eye of the beholder; most in Victory, Western Australia and South Australia will tell you there is only one code (AFL), and in the northern states of NSW and Queensland the biggest code is the NRL, which dominates all the headlines up there.
To me, the start of the 10th season of the A-League should be about celebrating how far the game has come, what it’s achieved in these last 10 years in Australia, and to continue to learn from the mistakes that it’s made in that time, as there have been a few. But that’s ok, it’s a new league started from ground zero. It’s not a competition.
For Football, there’s only one word that should matter at this stage of its life – Growth. This is all it needs to keep doing right now, just as it has been for the last three to four years.
The A-League is only nine seasons old and the new FFA Cup has just started. The game is slowly breaking down barriers and changing old perceptions. Its now become part of mainstream sport and society.
Clearly Foxtel recognises this already, by contributing to the majority of the current $40m per year TV deal. We still only have 10 teams at the top level, with a $2.55m salary cap.
The game has had a chequered history, which has always been heavily fractured, and for the code to keep growing, it needs all the tiers of the game to keep coming together, and that’s slowly beginning to happen.
I think the game’s in a very good position today, it’s still in its early growth stage, but it needs to keep growing, which I think it will. In 10 years time I can see;
– 12/14 A-League clubs, giving us an extra 6-12 games per club and a longer season
– Every club with an academy down to under 6’s
– Every club with their own training facilities
– Squad sizes increased to 30 from the current 23 to increase depth
– Salary caps increased to a minimum $6m per club
– $1m prize money and a direct ACL spot for the FFA Cup winner
– Good amount of prize money just to qualify for the ACL, and $5m for the winner of the ACL
– A good sized TV deal for the A-League, of at least $100m per year or more, with some commercial free-to-air component
It’s very hard to put a number on what I think attendances will be in 10 years, but maybe an average of 20-25k, as it’s definitely possible.
Attendances are very hard to increase dramatically, particularly with the size of our population, but steady growth as we’ve seen for the last three seasons is the most sustainable sort of growth.
Another massive opportunity for growth is the fact that the A-League doesn’t solely rely on money coming from within Oz for it to prosper and grow. With Football now becoming massive in Asia financially, and as we’ve seen with the Manchester City owners buying Melbourne Heart, we could continue to see this type of investment in the A-League in the future. And while I don’t condone 100 per cent foreign ownership, if done right and managed correctly, it can take the game very far fairly quickly in this country.
We’ve had 10 brilliant years of the A-League, with massive ups and downs, the next decade will be huge for the game in every way. I can’t wait to see it unfold.
Avon River
Guest
That was an 'if' around 'crap or uncompetitive'. That was still a generalisation not necessarily relating to the A-League specifically. The 'uncompetitive' can be very unfair - the NBL as the example has had decent product, looked to be going places at various times but over the test of time seems to fail in the competitive domestic market place. The A-League - were it to have gone toe to toe across winter probably would've failed more on this mark than on the 'crap' mark. The standard of the A-League that can proclaim any of 60% of sides could win the whole show perhaps indicates more an evenness that lacks will sharpness at the pointy end (Villa not hanging around accentuates that). Sure - AFL - going into a given year the pundits might decide only 4 or only 6 teams from 18 have a serious shot at it for the given season - however - AFL is somewhat different to a lot of other leagues as the youth development occurs within and not without. So - it's easy to identify the 6 clubs in early/medium rebuild phase, 6 other clubs at the x-roads and 6 other clubs with a quality list in the premiership window. Generally the 'international' codes can top up their list with ready made players more easily - however as well - when you operate outside of a draft and controlled trade environment then wealthy club owners will often have their way on a whim - the A-League for now can claim as you have re internal evenness largely due to the presence of a salary cap which isn't really seen in the world major soccer leagues.
asanchez
Roar Guru
Get your points, but since when was the product crap or uncompetitive? I've been following the game over 25 years, been to 2 WC's, been to a Champions League final and a Euro, and IMO the game is now at a decent and watchable level, and it is super competitive. Sure the level could be better, and some games are much better than others, but you can say that for any league or sport in the world, no matter the level is. And it's getting better every year. I can easily foresee that in 5 years it'll be at a very good level across the entire league. In terms of competition, 6 clubs out of 10 can realistically win the A-league this season. I don't think the AFL could ever say that 11 or 12 clubs out of their 18 could ever realistically win the Premiership. So the sport is going places, and at a decent pace.
Avon River
Guest
Ironically sports like basketball have managed via the NBL to crack FTA and still somehow not make it work. Media is power to a degree - however - you're talking from the perspective of a young branded - the 'A-League'. Made up effectively of all new entity clubs seeking to establish their identities. Contrast to the AFL with an historical skew - in that the original VFL clubs (and their offshoots) hold histories/traditions - brand identities - that date back well into the 1800s inc MelbFC and GeelongFC dating to 1858-59. Media is less important in selling the story. Tradition and established branding and identity is a power too. All the media in the world will only get you so far if the product is crap or for whatever reason uncompetitive. Harsh reality was tht season 3 metrics were on the back of the novelty of MVFC moving to Etihad. That wore off. The medium term holy grail for the A-League is to hit that number again if possible. But more teams as you indicated and more rounds makes it harder to achieve. And Villa now - heading off early won't help other than add urgency for theatre goers to attend this week.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@Avon River, The Cattery, MisterFootball Thanks for paying attention to our insignificant, poorly attended, nothing league. Every set of eyeballs helps. ....Smell the fear.
asanchez
Roar Guru
Don't underestimate the power of Cross Promotion on any 1 of the main 3 channels! A-league ads playing on shows like The Bachelor or X Factor would do wonders for TV ratings, for any show. Season 3 metrics were awesome, but you need to remember that there was only 8 teams back then, and Football was ridding the massive wave that was the 2006 WC with the Socceroos capturing the entire nation. Those metrics were the 8-team league's peak, I don't think they could have gotten much higher than that. If we look at the current situation, I don't think even as well as we're going, we're anywhere near our peak in the current 10 team league. And once you're on a channel 7,9 or 10, you can't be ignored but some newspapers, that pretty much guarantees you blanket coverage across all media. Media equals power in this country.
Ben
Guest
Nordster, you are inconsistent. You have previously stated that even "Peen" leagues are too regulated for your ideological bent. Yet when the free market pinnacle of the Peens proposes introducing regulations to improve competitive balance, you firstly deny they are in fact equalisation measures, then when challenged, acquiesce but argue it is a matter of degree, and that in fact you support these measures. What happened to the champion of the free market who believes unfettered capitalism and deregulation will produce not only the strongest team, but also the best league in the world?
Midfielder
Guest
Not really but he starts the season slow and builds towards the finals... he works on running the other side off their feet and pressing very hard in the last 20 minutes ...
Punter
Guest
Mid, I have to agree. He has done wonders with us. Tell me, I've seen a trend with this team last year, very much a 2nd half team, was this something you noticed at Mariners? I'm worried about your team, you are not playing your better players.
Midfielder
Guest
Punter You guys gotta give back Arnold .... I have never seen SFC play so well .... the Flying Circus no more ...
Midfielder
Guest
asanchez .. I remember the email ... and the Nobody S......ews Soccer Like 7 ...
nordster
Guest
Yes i get that, but by degrees of equalisation, its not exactly socialisation or strayan/murican style lottery sports. La liga is at an overly fragmented starting off point for tv rights. A bit of a cartel there between real and barca via the lfp...maybe they are preparing for an independent catalan future where FCB join the caliphate super league lol;)
Ben
Guest
The regulation/centralisation of tv rights is an equalisation measure. In the currently deregulated tv rights environment, Barca and Real hold a competitive advantage that allow them to dominate the la liga table. The socialisation of la liga tv profits provides a leg up to their competitors and therefore diminishes Barca and Reals competitive advantage.
nordster
Guest
10 years, perfect timing hehe:)
nordster
Guest
Actually la liga is a whole different kettle of fish. They are merely moving more to an epl style approach, thats not equalisation. Spain has had overly segmented tv rights. Central tv rights are a good thing imo. Does not = equalisation, but nice try kitten:P
nordster
Guest
And weakness...its the weakness of the top teams, and the coddling of the smaller ones. On both fronts...
nordster
Guest
Only for a very limited period, see Evan's post below.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
Hey Punter you excited about the FFA Cup game vs the Reds toonite ? ;-)
Punter
Guest
I have been a SFC for 10 years now & there was some tough times, some times I felt very low, but it just made sat night so much better. However I enjoy looking at the growth of the game as a whole!!!!!
Punter
Guest
You sound worried!!!
George Haida
Roar Rookie
It seems that all people care about these days is growth and getting better and not watching if its not getting better. Why can't fans support their club, no matter what, and be a real supporter, not plastic, fake fans like most casual supporters, love your team no matter what, not when convenient.