The A-League is approaching the end of its tenth year and has turned into a viable domestic competition.
The NSL, which was inept, often corrupt, inward looking, often ethnic based and bankrupt of both ideas and revenue, was the perfect example of how not to run a national football competition.
In the mid to late 1970s they managed to walk away from a national broadcast deal with Channel Nine, backed by Kerry Packer and Rupert Murdoch, and in doing so made enemies of the two most powerful media companies in Australia.
The most important thing about the first season of the A-League was changing the approach. As we countdown the finalisation of our tenth year it’s edifying to look back, if for no other reason than to appreciate how much and how little things have changed.
The evolution of football in Australia still has a long way to go. It’s astonishing to see how far we have come. Arguably the most important factor has been the mainstream’s acceptance of the A-League under David Gallop’s watch. The skill levels have also improved out of sight, the difference between the first and tenth seasons is staggering.
It is also worth noting that the AFL, NRL and cricket [with the help of Big Bash League] are still the kings of the media. Although who would have believed football would catch and pass rugby union in revenue and media and the Socceroos would be challenging cricket as the country’s top national side.
Sport in the 20th century changed from individual sports like boxing, cycling and billiards and the national teams in cricket and tennis to code-based sports via the superior broadcast schedules they could offer the TV networks.
The 1955 Sydney revolution, when ethnic-based football teams broke away from district associations, and the previously mentioned back-stabbing of Packer and Murdock ensured football in Australia would not take part in the change of sporting interest.
Today’s landscape, or should I say from around the start of YouTube coupled with widespread use of the Internet, has allowed football to re-emerge. Our strengths have always been our player base, even if many in the base supported other codes, and the global nature of our game.
Who can forget the 1997 failure to make the World Cup, nor the 2005 qualifying game nor the efforts of the 2006 World Cup side. These three events helped keep the A-League become viable in its early years. There have been many doubters along the way and many from within have questioned the path taken over the last ten years.
The Asian Cup and Cricket World Cup both recently finished. What amazed me was despite the mega cricket crowds for Australia, India, New Zealand and England, the crowd average over both competitions was around the 20,000. This was in spite of the extra media, tradition and history cricket enjoys over football.
Many journalist today argue that a football match between Australian and Japan is more important than a cricket Test match between Australian and England. Whether it is or not is not that important, but that many traditional media people think it is and that in itself is huge.
Cricket with the Big Bash has made all other sports take note of how things can change.
I don’t think football saw the Big Bash League coming and even if they did there is little they could do to stop it. However, the A-League has survived and according to media reports has all free-to-air networks willing to bid for its broadcast rights, if the price is right.
Maybe the most important aspect of the A-League’s survival is that few people under 20 would remember the NSL, nor the issues they had. Moreover they would have seen a growing code while other codes have falling numbers, which a Channel Nine Melbourne news item highlights.
FFA is developing a Whole of Football plan to help the sport connect with its player base. The football is improving, free-to-air networks are showing an interest, the player base is increasing, media is increasing and new structures and competitions have been created.
All this has happened because the A-League has survived, and the evolution continues.
Jake Faulkner
Roar Rookie
the last time Wellington had home finals, we got 30k+ to both.
Bondy
Guest
Mid Its interesting the evolution of football in Australia I've just been on the overview tab and Ronaldo's five goal haul this week for Real Madrid has not received one comment, unprecedented 3-4 years ago . Your article on football in Australia has received over 170 comments ....
Lazza
Guest
They get money for the rights at least which is more than the AFL can achieve. They have to give their rights away for free and then tell everyone it's shown around the world?
Lazza
Guest
Talk to some young Japanese? Baseball is an old man's game even in the USA now.
Bondy
Guest
More importantly has that match been approved by AR ? ...
Midfielder
Guest
This today from that friend of Football the Herald Sun ... bits taken from the article ... yes the evolution is well under way.. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/major-soccer-event-to-bring-50m-kick-for-vic/story-fni0fit3-1227297688256 Major soccer event to bring $50m kick for Vic More than 220,000 tickets are expected to be snapped up for the three-match series between European giants Manchester City, Real Madrid and Roma. Premier Daniel Andrews has revealed his Government is bidding to lock in the event long-term to stave off interest from other states and bring the world’s best soccer players to Melbourne every year. He said the State Government hoped to secure the tournament — which will be beamed to more than 150 countries — long-term.
Jack
Guest
Craig "I hate Aussie sports" Foster says Australia v Japan is a bigger deal than the Ashes! Say it ain't so... For the record, I work with a Japanese organisation and I can tell you now that none of my colleague give much of a crap about the Australia v Japan matches... in fact the demographic I work with (in their 30s to 50s) mostly don't give a stuff about "sakka-" in the first place and would rather watch Baseball.
db swannie
Guest
Simple ,a comparison,with a blatant lie in it was made above by AZ RBB..
Midfielder
Guest
Just read the "Whole of Football Plan " to be released in about a month ... maybe grand final week...
Mazzalenko
Guest
"It’s highly likely the Uefa Champions League will also go to a commercial FTA network" if this is the case then Ch10 will make it theirs as we know that CL matches are shown either 4.45am AEST or 6.45am AEST (depending on daylight savings) and at that time Ch7 has the hugely popular breakfast show Sunrise whilst Ch9 has the almost as popular Today show and either definitely wont be punted for CL matches I can assure you. Not sure what Ch10 have for morning breakfast shows (I'm going to work so hardly bother to look) so it could be with them unless Ch10 puts it to 1HD and if 7 or 9 have to get CL matches then they could put it on 73Mate or 90GEM. Either way as long as our code is on 7, 9 or 10 then I will be happy and grateful as the SBS umbilical cord needs cutting sooner or later and yes people will be reserved due to the previous instances of Ch7 getting NSL rights but that was then and this is now and NSL no longer exists and our code has come a long way since the 90's.
GWS
Guest
Expansion. Yes. But Singapore and Hong Kong. Huge following for soccer, potentially good corporate sponsorships and the A League already has a TV presence in both markets.
Evan Askew
Guest
@ midfielder, I am willing to be corrected but the decision of the ethnic clubs to break away from the district associations was not pure madness. I thought they did it because they weren't getting a fair go from the amateur minded powers that ran the game in this country. It was my understanding that teams like Hakoah (Sydney City) Budapest (St George) and Apia got massice crowds, had the better players but were not allowed into the top flight. No less a person that Les Murray has said that without the revolt of the ethnic clubs football in this country would be no better than Field Hockey. It was also said that the ethnic clubs were founded in many cases because European migrants weren't allowed to join the established district clubs at the time. Many of these players were accomplished footballers from Leagues in Europe to hear tell of it. I came across this information in Johnny Warrens shielas wogs and poofters book and I am willing to trust him as a source.
The artist formerly known as Punter
Guest
But according to you the majority of the 95K turned up for the game solely for the song!!!! Just as silly an analysis.
Midfielder
Guest
I think 10 for two key reasons, first on 7 or 9 Football would not be the major sport whereas on 10 Football would be their leading sport ... second the FTA are excellent with cross promotion and the Project for me is the best cross promotion of any of the FTA shows for Football...
Uncle Junior
Guest
Midfielder, you are absolutely correct. I was a bit surprised to read that report in well-respected marketing website which said one commercial FTA channel already has an offer on the table. I think Ch10 would be a very good fit. And there's the added bonus that Mel McLaughlin is already contracted to the Ten Network. I'm sure Ten management would be very keen to build their football analysis & commentary team around Mel's stewardship. It's highly likely the Uefa Champions League will also go to a commercial FTA network and the new contract for EPL rights will also be up for grabs. Maybe they could purchase Match of the Day highlights programme directly from the BBC, like commercial TV used to do back in the 1970s.
Bondy
Guest
Mid That's what these warm up matches have done they've put us in a solid relationship with the commercial networks "foot in the door", interesting to note that both warm up matches have been dispersed between Ch's 7 @ 9 and not sold packaged to just one of them ....
Midfielder
Guest
I have given some thinking to it and if I was in the big seat and had to choose 7, 9 or 10 ... for me it would be 10...
Midfielder
Guest
UJ 7 with the A-League matches ... 9 with international club contest matches ... at least one offer on the table for the A-League rights from a commercial FTA with the other two looking like submitting rival bids.... the landscape is changing ... let the evolution continue...
AR
Guest
My aunt watched the Liverpool game on TV. She thought the song was fantastic. According to Fuss, my aunt is a "fan" of Liverpool FC.
langou
Roar Guru
Fuss, you claimed that the game was played at the same time as an AFL and NRL match. Once again wrong. It was played on a Wednesday. I imagine plenty of A-League fans with little interest in the EPL would have watched it. I also imagine plenty of eurosnobs claiming to be Man-u, Chelsea and City fans would have watched it as well. And yes, AFL and NRL fans would have chosen some sport over no sport. I am on record as saying that we have to be careful not to have too many of these exhibition matches. The last thing we want is these fixtures to take away from the domestic game. For the annual winter festival of football to become like the Spring racing calendar. You can say that no other sport gets 95K people to a practise match but you can word it another way and say that it is the only sport that gets more people to a practise match than they do to a whole round or two of domestic league matches.