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More than 400,000 football fans have attended seven matches across five cities during the post- and pre-season in Australia. While the numbers were impressive, there are still question marks about what the whole charade will achieve for football in this country.
The crowds flocked, of course, for the European giants that graced our shores – though it is debatable whether Tottenham Hotspurs and Liverpool can be considered as such on recent form – and reactions on social media suggested that it was somehow a boon for the sport.
It was a spectacle, yes, but hardly reason to indicate long-term benefits will flow on.
The first time Liverpool arrived in Melbourne two years ago, the sight of more than 90,000 fans belting out a stunning rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone was bone-tingling. The second time around, however, it felt just a little cringeworthy.
Here were Australian football fans, the majority of whom have no ties to the English city of Liverpool, cheering for a foreign club over a local club. To hear the Reds’ attacks on goal warrant more or equal applause to a Brisbane Roar goal gave the occasion a somewhat plastic feel.
It was also deflating watching 50,000 fans flood Suncorp Stadium while only 37,633 turned out to watch the Wallabies secure a fantastic last-gasp win over the Springboks a day later.
I am no rugby fanatic, nowhere near, but that game had more meaning than watching a club based 16,000 kilometres away embark on a business venture in a foreign land.
Fans may fervently use the games as proof of football’s worldwide pull, and mock rugby’s timid effort, but all it does is highlight that the general Australian is more interested in the Premier League than our domestic competition. There is a long way to go.
The current tours of Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham, Chelsea, Real Madrid and AS Roma mean absolutely nothing for football in Australia, unless we can somehow harness the interest and turn it into increased A-League crowds.
Currently the venture is just a money-grabbing scheme for the European clubs, a way to flog merchandise and increase their global reach. The publicity for Australian clubs is great, but I still fail to see how it is going to boost interest within our own population.
Could the spectacle of playing in front of a stadium packed with screaming Australians convince some of these stars to wander Down Under after their twilight years in Europe are over?
Perhaps, though they will probably be more drawn by the dollars, riyal and yuan on show in other developing leagues. Steven Gerrard was “overwhelmed” in 2013 but it did not convince him to ignore the money of the MLS.
The tours are obviously not worthless, with the exposure opening up the possibility of increased overseas investment. Though based on the recent Bakrie Group debacle that is not necessarily a good thing.
Chelsea’s and Tottenham’s visits also reportedly injected $18 million into the NSW economy during their post-season visits, and the FFA pulled in $250,000 per game and $1.2 million for the television rights.
It is great to see so many people enjoying football, but it does not provide a sign that the sport is about to boom here. It does highlight that football has the potential to excite more so than any other code, but we already knew that.
The challenge is to turn this excitement for big stars and glitzy leagues into passion for football at a more local level. Move it towards the A-League, the FFA Cup, the NPL and the grassroots. Kids buying and wearing Liverpool and Chelsea merchandise is not a win for Australian football.
We have to see a flow-on effect. The money the FFA raise from hosting these billion-dollar entities has to now be used exclusively to increase marketing and promotion of the A-League, starting with next season.
If the FFA can figure out a way to turn these spectacles into increasing A-League crowds, as well as using the incoming cash to assist clubs promote their games, then fantastic. Until then a degree of skepticism will remain about what these pre-season friendlies achieve.
Overseas sponsorship dollars may increase due to the exposure, a few players may think twice about moving Down Under, but retaining the interest of those European football fans is most vital.
Give me an A-League, FFA Cup or NPL game any day. The quality may not be as strong, and you may not hear 50,000 belting out a foreign tune, but at least it means something.
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