As we prepare for another instalment of the Sydney Derby, it’s an appropriate time to reflect on what the derby has meant for football in Sydney and why it will become the city’s premier sporting event in the years to come.
It’s hard to believe that this fixture did not exist just over two years ago. But it’s become so engrained in us now that we can’t remember what football used to be like before the derby.
Unless you’re a Sydney FC fan of course.
For many Wanderers fans like myself, we only had a passing interest in the A-League because there was simply no emotional connection that could be built supporting a team on the other side of the city.
The city’s sprawl is so big that Western Sydney is even classified as a separate region by many government bodies. For example, the NSW Government designates a Minister for Western Sydney to administer the region.
As a result, Western Sydney has, over many decades, developed its own identity and became distinct from the eastern, northern and southern parts of the city particularly in terms of demographics and income and wealth distribution.
And as much as Sydney FC tried to represent the entire city on its own for seven years, it was always going to be an impossible task given that they were based in the eastern part of the city.
So when the Western Sydney Wanderers were established in 2012, it awoken a football mad population that had been crying out for their own team to represent them on the national stage.
Finally, the region that has produced more Socceroos than any other in the country, had a football team to call its own. And a new fan-base became enamoured with the A-League.
The Sydney Derby was born and for the first time in the history of sport in this city, there was a true East versus West rivalry.
That’s right, no other sport has been able to harness the historic East versus West rivalry in Sydney quite like football.
Let me explain.
If you look at the other sports played in the city, they either have a lot of teams representing different pockets of the city or the sport has too low a profile to harness a real rivalry.
Let’s take the NRL for example. Rugby league is the biggest sport in town, however, its nine teams represent different pockets of the city such as Penrith, Campbelltown, Parramatta, Canterbury, Randwick, Redfern, Kogarah, Manly and the Sutherland Shire.
While all teams now have a fan-base outside of their traditional strongholds, the large amount of teams has prevented any true East versus West rivalry to occur.
Rugby union has the Shute Shield competition but once again, the large quantity of teams has prevented a true east versus west rivalry occurring.
Basketball had a somewhat east versus west rivalry for a short while with the Sydney Kings and West Sydney Razorbacks, but the financial instability of the teams as well as the low profile of the sport and the league prevented this rivalry from capturing the imagination of the city.
Cricket now has the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash but the problem is that they are only in the limelight for two months every year. The failure to incorporate the name ‘Western Sydney’ into one of the teams was a big opportunity missed to attract people from this region and develop a true east versus west rivalry.
The AFL now have the GWS Giants and the Sydney Swans. This could over time become a true east versus west rivalry in the city.
The only thing holding them back is the low profile of the sport in the city, particularly in the west, where it is largely unknown. And it’s hard to capture the imagination of the city, when the sport doesn’t have a lot of history.
The AFL’s decision to call this rivalry ‘The Battle of the Bridge’ sounds like a good idea from a marketing point of view, but I personally feel that they’re trying to manufacture a rivalry instead of letting it grow organically.
Which now brings me to the A-League. Football has a long and proud history in Sydney. Out of all the major cities in the country, Sydney has probably been the most receptive to the sport.
Despite the dominance of rugby league in the hearts and minds of the people, football has always been a favourite second sport for the majority of the population. It was common for children to start playing football and then switch to rugby league as teenagers. The fact that 40 per cent of all registered players in the country come from Sydney shows how strong football has always been in the city.
In comparison, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth have and still are very much AFL oriented while Brisbane is very rugby league oriented.
You only have to see the poor coverage Brisbane Roar still gets from mainstream media even though they have been champions three times in the last four seasons.
In comparison, both Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers have been getting much better media coverage than other teams in their own cities. And the best thing is that the coverage will only get better as the derby grows in stature and importance over time.
The Sydney Derby epitomises the historic East versus West rivalry in Sydney. The upper class, latte-sipping, brash and bling team from the east that is Sydney FC against the working class, Centrelink-loving, modest, hard working team from the west that is Western Sydney Wanderers.
Now those stereotypes are probably not true but they are part of the narrative that this east versus west rivalry has been built upon for many decades in this city.
It is a compelling narrative because it stirs up the emotions of every Sydneysider. The Derby now brings this rivalry to the battlefield of a sports arena.
It is for this reason that I believe that the Sydney Derby will become the city’s premier sporting event in the near future. The compelling narrative that the derby plays out is starting to prove irresistible for the fans.
All we need now is to get more people on board. And the best way to do this is by getting as many neutral fans to go to a derby match because the intensity and atmosphere that the rivalry creates will get them hooked and leave them wanting more.
They will tell their family and friends and even more people will want to go to the next one. In this respect, it’s a bit unfortunate that the limited capacity of Parramatta Stadium makes it near impossible to invite new people to experience the derby.
Playing a derby game at ANZ Stadium as a one-off is worth a shot for the simple reason of getting more neutral fans on board to help make this derby the biggest sporting event in Sydney. But that’s a debate for another day.
The Sydney Derby has the potential to be a sports rivalry where everyone in the city has to pick a side regardless of their interest in the sport or the league.
This may seem confusing to some but in many cities around the world where two big teams dominate, even people who have no interest in football pick a side to support because they are compelled to do so. You’re either one or the another and you are forced to make a choice.
In Milan, you’re either Rossoneri (red and black) or Nerazzurri (black and blue)
In Glasgow, you’re either a Bhoy or Ger.
In Rome, you’re either Roma or Lazio.
In Manchester, you’re either Red or Sky Blue.
In Liverpool, you’re either a Red or a Toffee.
In Belgrade, you’re either Partizan or Red Star.
And in Sydney, you’re either a Sky Blue, or Red and Black.
Make a choice if you haven’t yet done so, because this rivalry is going to become this city’s premier sporting event in the years to come.
What do you think Roarers?
Jack Peters
Guest
db You want facts? Football is statistically the fastest growing code in this country. The A-League dwarfs the local competitions in international ratings. What you are failing to miss is no one cares about the AFL and NRL outside of Australia. In contrast, the A-League is considered one of the top leagues in Asia and accumulatively has more viewers than its national competitors. Yes, this includes the much publicized "Big Bash League". This ratings comparison would stand up, but unfortunately for people like you who always put out these arguments against the A-League, Australia is not the only country on Earth. Which in turn would make yours (and others) comparisons void when looking at national figures only.. Something like 300 million+ people saw last years A-League Grand Final. That indeed is the "biggest" sporting event in terms of viewership nationally. I understand the one solitary point you are trying to make, unfortunately it doesn't compare in the grand scheme of things.
db swannie
Guest
The claim was made above by JACK .that it ALREADY IS . I showed how wrong that is ? Seriously the delusion on here is laughable.
Canman
Guest
Your point is well made that the disconnect from the local area, a lack of 'home' turf and the shared use of stadiums is a significant influence on the lack of atmosphere in inter club rivalries.
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
My single response to all your queries and questions, not just you good man...is that you have just all answered your own question, instead of the premise put forward by the (title at least) of the article - and WILL it be the premier sporting event? The answer is a resounding no. Not ever. Its not different, its not separate - you're just shifting the goal posts to suit your own [new] argument. Thankyou.
Punter
Guest
The claims that it WILL become the city's premier sporting event. This is an opinion, not a fact as the future is not here now. As for PNG, it was again highlighting an opinion.
db swannie
Guest
What has PNG got to do with the claims on here about SYD. You can deflect all you like ,but the claims that the Derby is SYD's premier sporting event are wrong. That is not an opinion ,it is based on fact..crowds ,interest,tv ratings,media coverage etc. & it Has SOO & the NRL GF so far ahead it's not funny. & apparently that won't last according to the fortune tellers on here ..10 yrs ...30 yrs. soccer will take over.. Lol ,just lol.
db swannie
Guest
So what.? I was replying to the claim that the Derby was AREADY the biggest sporting event in Sydney. Do you agree with that? I mean seriously there is not a shred of evidence that SYDNEYS Premier sporting event is the Derby . All I have done is highlight that fact.
Rodney
Guest
If we're talking specifically about premier sporting event i'd argue for the NRL Grand Final. That's the event which really has some gloss and pomp and (generally) lacks the bitterness and rivalry that SOO or the derby have. Origin has the eyeballs, but its also a very exclusive event built up off the passion of the fans, players and everyone else involved which, outsiders wouldn't necessarily understand. The Sydney Derby may be the loudest sporting event but again if we're talking about something that you bring a tourist along to well firstly you probably couldn't get tickets for them and secondly I don't think an outsider will be able to appreciate the event as much as a sydneysider.
Punter
Guest
I was in London one year during the SOO and it was on the same day as the champions league final. I had never missed a SOO until then. I also realise how small it was outside of Australia, even in a country with the only professional RL competition outside of Australia. I never saw the SOO in the same light again.
c
Guest
db aleague has been around one decade not many
Kasey
Guest
Football being a national code means the Sydney Derby has a national audience. Football fans from all over the country tune in for it. RL is nowhere in SA. up until a couple of years ago, if anybody here wanted to watch SOO, they had to go to a pub that had their satellite antenna tuned to Alice Springs TV! That's right....SOO was live into London but not Adelaide! I've only seen ch9 start broadcasting the games into Adelaide near-live in the last 2 years. With cost cutting in the Media Industry driving the centralisation of many commercial TV News bulletins to being produced out of their Sydney offices, Leaguies can delude themselves into thinking their game has a national presence. It does not. Last time I was in Melbourne, there were more basketball(NBL) stories in the sport section than Storm news!
Punter
Guest
It's his opinion. Some RL fans think it's the best sport in the world, that is their opinion. I mean its only PNG where its the no 1 sport.
Punter
Guest
DB, every code does it. Look at the Rugby League world cup, the leaguies talked it up. Its common pratice, go to that particular code's tab. I still follow the Dragons, but when i see people on the RL tab saying SOO is the biggest rivalry in sport, i just ignore it as that is their opinion not stupidity.
db swannie
Guest
Rodney ,read the thread title . SYDNEYS PREMIER SPORTING EVENT. I have posted in here to show how absurd that is. But the Soccer crowd will run with it & post about how it is true . Reality & some soccer fans are not in the same postcode.
db swannie
Guest
Well funny how you soccer fans talk up your sport as going to do this & going to do that ,yet moved away from the 2 big winter sports in this country . Go back to winter if it is going to be that big . It does alright till another sport competes then it is smashed. Love the optimism ,but try reality for awhile.. Here are some more facts. When you can regularly get 1 mill plus ratings for a night game get back to me . When you can get AL games that rate continuously well on fox ,come see me. You are talking up(as happens every yr) yor sport ,when it does not compete with mine . There should be more cricket fans on here to post some facts to show the absurdity of some of these posts .
ciudadmarron
Guest
From the off I was not interested in Sydney FC and my magic eight ball told me there would be a 2nd team in Sydney eventually, most likely in the west. In the meantime I watched the jets myself, idly, not passionately. I knew that one day the team would come. Obviously for you it was different and much respect to you for your support. I'm still curious though as to your antipathy - is it solely because you already have the Jets? Or is there something else? How don't they represent Western Sydney?
Pat malone
Guest
I bet you are looking forward to that day. Then again support could die off for football. Past events are no indicator of future events. Things ont grow for ever
Rodney
Guest
of course origin is bigger. But I don't think including representative games into a list of derbies is fair or even relevant. Derbies are intercity or inter-regional competitions, I think most would classify Queensland and NSW as separate regions. SOO isn't even coming up in this conversation.
db swannie
Guest
LOL LOL LOL JACK Have you any facts to support this outlandish claim. The premier sporting event in Syd is either SOO ,or the NRL GF ..every yr. On crowds ,tv ratings ,interest ,it is so far ahead it is not funny. & as for surpassing the NRL in ten yrs.. Lol. Your TV rights deal for Four yrs is still less than what the NRL gets for One. & the ratings for this yr won't inspire too much of a growth. The yearly soccer mantra of takeover,sleeping giant blah blah is hysterical. This yr is no different.
db swannie
Guest
Lol. The delusions of grandeur are hilarious . Every yr it's the same story. Sleeping Giant,we are taking over ,BLAH blah. Then the cricket starts & suddenly Soccer is smashed . remember DG last yr big noting & then when the AL went up against the BBL .it got smashed .outrated 10 to 1. The Al does fine when there is no competition . As soon as a major sport competes with it ,then reality should set in ..sadly it doesn't. & anyone who thinks that this game is the biggest in Syd has rocks in their head. SOO a yearly event plays one or two games in Syd , Gets 82 k crowd &. 4 million in ratings. The al derby gets 20-45 k & ratings about 1/20 th of SOO. There is no comparison,as much as the soccer fans tell each other. The reality is it is not in the same ballpark.