The Asian Cup has been an outstanding success. The standard and quality of play has been high, the entertainment value more so, but standing above these has been the crowd attendances.
This was an area of great concern prior to the tournament, with the question often heard, “apart from to Socceroo games, will the punters show up?”
Well thankfully and spectacularly, yes they have, and Canberra – hosting no Australian match – has been a stunning contributor.
From over 12,500 to the storm-swept South Korea vs Oman clash to a sell-out for the dead rubber between China and North Korea, and surely a likewise crowd for tonight’s quarter-final between Iran and Iraq, Canberrans have voted with their feet – they love football and clearly want more of it.
So why is it still being largely ignored in regards to A-League expansion?
It’s officially been stated that come the next A-League broadcast deal, the competition will be considering expansion opportunities. Additional teams in either Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth were mentioned as the most plausible. The notion of a second team in Brisbane is the first concern.
The Roar struggled from inception to establish itself in the Brisbane sporting landscape, and has only now begun to consolidate its position there – and it took three championships to achieve this.
Football doesn’t have an overly strong culture in Brisbane (who I support), and if the dominant code of rugby league has been unable to sustain a second club in the city, can football seriously expect to do so? Or may it just divide the support base that the Roar have battled so hard to establish, weakening both old and new clubs?
Adelaide and Perth and both relatively small marketplaces, and while richer in footballing culture, so to is Melbourne. The Heart failed to establish itself as a strong alternative to the Victory before intervention from Manchester City, so is it a risk to attempt to establish new clubs in these smaller cities?
Why aren’t alternative cities where clubs are yet to exist being seriously considered as viable options? While I understand the argument and merits behind a club in Wollongong, I believe that one other location would provide a better opportunity for a successful expansion.
Please allow me to describe my vision for a club located in Canberra.
Darkness descends around a brightly lit stadium, as glove and long-sleeve wearing players almost dejectedly march shivering onto the pitch. A few hundred passionless public servants bitterly place their hand-warming, steaming hot tea on the empty seat beside them to applaud, cursing at opening their body to the wind as wave after wave of sleet settles layer after bone-jarring layer on their polar-fleeced overcoats.
This is the match-day which most readers picture when considering the introduction of an A-League club into Canberra. Why would you bother putting a side there? Well, while this has been my experience at the games of other codes I’ve attended since moving here, I can tell you that this picture would be very, very far from the case for an A-League club.
Yes, winter is truly hideous in the nation’s capital, but football here in Australia is not a winter sport. With an average maximum temperature just one degree below Brisbane’s over the summer, but without the humidity, Canberra’s weather would provide a platform for not just open and fast play, but an environment for a local crowd to enjoy and embrace.
“A crowd in Canberra? It’s far too small”, I hear you chortle. Well, with a population of more than 411,000, the Canberra region is on par with greater Newcastle, is significantly larger than the Illawarra and almost two and half times larger than Townsville. This is a marketplace that can support an A-League side.
Population isn’t everything, I agree. The Gold Coast showed that a large population alone won’t guarantee adequate support to ensure a sustainable club. Such support is garnered from football culture.
An argument could be made that recently failed A-League enterprises, while having a loyal and passionate pocket of fans, were located based upon a gap on a map rather than locations rich in football history and culture. If West Sydney Wanderers have taught us one thing, it’s that a large demographic and potential marketplace is ideal, but a tradition and passion for the game is more so.
“Well, that ends Canberra’s bid then”, you giggle. But that’s where you’re wrong. Canberra, despite having no male national league presence since the demise of the Cosmos in 2001, has produced a string of recent internationals. Names including the master of the three-yellow-card-trick, Josip Simunic, as well as Ned Zelic, Ante Juric, Carl Valeri, Nikolai Topor-Stanley and of course Tom Rogic, were bred through Canberra’s systems.
When you consider that without an A-League presence that could easily drive interest even further, 2012 football player registrations in Canberra (more than 17,000) easily exceeded those of Central Coast (12,500) and the Illawarra region (10,500).
Coupled with the fact a very understrength Socceroos’ Asian Cup tie versus Kuwait almost sold-out Canberra Stadium (more than 20,000), it is pretty clear that the city has a strong passion for football, and is hungry for a club to support.
Why the success of Canberra United in the W-League couldn’t be replicated in the A-League, I don’t know.
Football too, would have a monopoly on the region’s interest during summer. In winter the population is distracted by the Raiders, the Brumbies and the ski fields. In summer, there is no cricket, there is no tennis, there are no beaches. There would only be the football.
An added bonus to including a Canberra club in the A-League is the colour and attendances that would ensue, both home and away. With easy road-trips to Sydney, Central Coast and Newcastle, as well as ample flights to Melbourne and Brisbane, you can be assured that the Capital Punishment (a popular term coined in Canberra for its active fan-base) would travel to away games in numbers. Teams visiting Canberra will also be able to heavily populate the away terraces at Canberra Stadium.
Here endeth the lesson, and why rather than the dour description of a match-day above, I close my eyes to see a bright, warm, cloudless day – a light, cool breeze blowing the blanket of green and white balloons and streamers which welcome the two teams as they march eagerly, holding the hands of ecstatic juniors, onto the pitch.
A crowd exceeding 12,000 stand as one to applaud their club and their able opponents, greeting the teams each match day not unlike Anfield’s Kop, with song. The tune? ‘Time of Your Life’, written of course, by Green Day.
britesparke
Roar Rookie
Good article and certainly the Asian Cup crowds have been terrific. As far as attempting to extrapolate these results to establishing an A-League franchise in Canberra I would say more information by way of research is required. Do not forget that a lot of ex-pats will have attended China & Korea games and this would have influenced or "skewed" the figures. I was particularly impressed with the "dead fixture" recently that attracted an almost sellout crowd at Bruce Stadium! We need to establish that a potential A-League team in Canberra would regularly attract a crowd of around 11-12K as a minimum to be viable.
Lionheart
Guest
Canberrans will support anything if they're winning. Losing sides though, don't do well in the ACT, though I guess that's not dissimilar to most places. AIS would likely be their main source of player. I do think we have to be smarter to build the A League. Imagine, for example, how Brisbane would benefit from expat Chinese support if they had a decent young Chinese player in their team. The A League should step up and enforce the +1 Asian player among the list of visa players allowed on each HAL team, and they should do it now, during the Asia Cup.
AZ_RBB
Guest
So there are two A-League games tomorrow...... The more football the better I guess.
Tex Redmund
Guest
For sure expat communities have swelled crowds, but I see that as a positive. Expats built the game in Australia, which many 'old school' fans often argue, pointing to the strength of ex-NSL clubs. They underpin the support and culture of the game in many regions - so why is this a problem? Can't it be harnessed instead?
Tex Resmund
Guest
For sure the ex-pat community bolstered crowds at games, but that I see as a positive. Ex-pats built the game in Australia, as many 'old-school' fans from the old NSL point out. They provide football culture to a region & underpin the games support in many regions. Why couldn't the same occur in Canberra?
Claude
Guest
I went to a couple of the games - it was like a samoa vrs Fiji RL test played In penrith - a lot of expats and visitors and a few locals but even big city teams are losing money so a city with League, Union, Cricket and baseball don't need another big League team - remember it been a mild summer so the chances of big crowds turning out regularly in a city with no sea breeze are zilch..
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Ben, I attended every game at AAMI with a fellow A-league supporter and our view was that many in the crowd appeared to be at the Asian Cup games to support their particular country or were 'theatre goers' drawn in by the 'event'. The A-league would be in excellent shape if we could attract these crowds to HAL games week in, week out. That's our challenge. The Asian Cup crowd numbers show us where we could be if these people went along to HAL games.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
I can't recall second teams in Perth and Adelaide being mooted with any vigour, whereas Canberra is at the top of many a list. The crowds have been great though; not just in Canberra. I had the pleasure of watching in Melbourne one of the potentially lowest drawing games in the competition, Saudi Arabia v North Korea, and was pleased to see many thousands of other neutrals wandering in to catch the game and to join the enthusiastic Korean and Arab communities in what was a great night out.
Waz
Guest
Agreed and give Newcastle a run. I also think they would make good away days for Sydney and Melbourne sides.
Dave
Guest
Great argument Tex, very compelling. And I think there are a few extra points to mention. Canberra United (likely name) truly represents the Australian Capital Region (South Coast, Monaro, Riverina, Central West, Goulburn as well as the ACT and Queanbeyan) with a population close to 600000, with most of the region being able to travel comfortably to Canberra. The A-League becomes even more national by including a large regional team in its ranks a decision which would please the TV networks. Secondly, in FIFA there are over 200 national associations each having their own national league, and except for 4 capital cities of which Canberra is one all have a team in their respective national league. Thirdly there are 47 national associations in the AFC, and over half have direct representation in Canberra through High Commissions or Embassies. This focal point offers much to the generally agreed idea that Australia's future (politically, economically, and socially) lies in Asia, and Canberra would be ideally placed to assist all A-League clubs better access to our northern neighbours. Similarly the tertiary institutions in Canberra provide many Australian and Asian students who could be largely tapped into supporting their favourite game while in residence. Fourthly Canberra offers so much in its national institutions for all travelling fans additionally visiting for games. The building of a 198 bed hotel at Canberra Airport (under construction) offers teams and fans quality accommodation in line with many other hotels and restaurants of high standard. Fifthly the success of Canberra United in the W-League (a premier's plate, and two grand final wins)would suggest that Canberra can replicate that success in the A-League if given the opportunity. I do not want to engage in debate about the A-League credentials of other under-represented cities or regions. I remarked above that Tex's argument was compelling---now on reflection I think it is a no-brainer. Canberra United would only enhance the A-League and everything the FFA is trying to achieve.
Michael
Roar Rookie
I think Canberra could outperform Central Coast attendance wise as well.
Waz
Guest
There were probably 5-6,000 Chinese supporters in Suncorp last night, it was a bit hard to tell as they were split across three areas of the stadium. I agree at times they drowned the local support - the difference though is Australia need an anthem to sing and a go-to chant, a bit of active support and organisation needed me thinks! The points on Canberra are valid here, it is unlikely to be a powerhouse attendance wise but could comfortably out perform the failed franchises and wellingtons performance.
pete4
Guest
The club will almost certainly be named Canberra United Ex-Canberra boy David Gallop has said a number of times they are looking at bigger markets for the next 2 licences. But I think Canberra will eventually get in down the track should the AFC's issue with Wellington crop up again
Epiquin
Roar Guru
That's a fair argument. Australia has a huge Chinese population and last night's game in Brisbane was nearly drowned out by their supporters.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Gallops time in the NRL was defined by his pursuit of the short term dollar. It's no surprise he has bought that model of 'success' to the A-League.
AR
Guest
I like the idea of Canberra entering the ALeague, but I'm not sure the Asian Cup crowds are the proof of its viability. First, Canberra is generally a city starved of major international sporting events, so it's not surprsing that the locals turned out for this one. Attend a major event in one thing, turning up week in week out for club competition is another. Second, there were large swathes of Chinese, Sth Koreans etc at games, which gave the attendances a significant boost. Sadly, I think Gallop has made it crystal clear - the new expansion clubs will not be based in Canberra, Wollongong, Auckland, Geelong, Townsville etc. Millions, not just hundreds of thousands.
Josh
Guest
Wollongong yes, Canberra not right now.
Waz
Guest
Your argument is well made and I agree, time for a team in thd capital! I'd go about it slightly differently, let the FFA ponder over where to put clubs #11 and #12 and in the meantime close the Phoenix down and transfer the franchise to Canberra (thd Canberra Phoenix?) the persistence with NZ sides is a fools folly that the local market (TV primarily but supporter levels as well) aren't prepared to fund resulting in Austrslia TV revenues subsidising an off-shore club, to what purpose? The situation even gets the AFC offside with us! Yes I feel for the Phoenix supporters of today, it's a tough call on them but ultimately thd right one for the HAL and Australia.
Tony
Guest
If you let us build it, we will come.
RBBAnonymous
Guest
A good article Tex. You make a lot of great points. Happy to have Canberra onboard as long as you dont call yourselves the Cosmos or Capitals (shudder)