The Sydney derby will make history next month, and fans can play their role by filling ANZ Stadium for the biggest domestic game in recent memory.
There were conflicting stories in Sydney’s mass circulation Daily Telegraph last week, with Tom Smithies claiming that Sydney FC fans had snapped up less than 5,000 of the tickets on offer for the opening weekend clash against bitter rivals Western Sydney Wanderers.
According to Smithies some 10,000 tickets designated for Sydney FC fans remain unsold, with many more still available in general seating areas.
But the Telegraph’s sports editor-at-large Phil Rothfield was more bullish in his ‘What’s The Buzz’ column on Saturday, writing that the derby had already shifted 50,000 tickets and that more than 70,000 fans were ultimately expected to file through the gates.
The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, with the majority of fans inside ANZ Stadium for the historic showdown likely to be supporting recently upended hosts Western Sydney.
A cursory check of the Ticketek website reveals there are indeed tickets remaining in the Sydney FC end, although it’s never stopped tens of thousands of fans decked out in Sky Blue from showing up at Allianz Stadium on derby day in the past.
Whatever colours supporters wear to Homebush, the important thing for the A-League is to get as many fans through the gate as possible.
This is a chance to make a genuine statement and there’s no better way to do it than by seeing a record crowd make its way to Sydney’s Olympic Park.
My partner and I will be flying down from Brisbane for the match and I would urge every football fan in Sydney to make a concerted effort to be part of this historic occasion.
Some of the best moments in Australian football have taken place at ANZ Stadium – including the national team’s World Cup qualification in 2005 and an historic Asian Cup win in 2015 – and a supersized Sydney derby offers the chance to write another chapter into the history books.
I’ll be at the season opener between Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory the night before and in keeping with the ‘rocks and diamonds’ nature of the A-League, there’s considerably less fanfare surrounding that particular fixture.
Victory look set to sign former Chelsea hard man Michael Essien – not that they need him – while the Roar will simply be hoping that some fans turn out following another disastrous off-season.
Less than three weeks out from the game there are still no general tickets on sale – the same can be said for Perth Glory’s and Newcastle Jets’ opening day fixtures – with the A-League and its constituent clubs once again leaving things decidedly late.
There’s also been relatively little advertising around the upcoming campaign, although there were murmurs from the A-League’s official social media accounts last week that an ‘Find Your A-League Team’ promotion would be forthcoming.
Not for the first time, it looks like fans will be expected to do much of the heavy lifting, although at least there’s a sprinkling of new names to help lure spectators in.
It’s a shame no one appears interested in Germany’s former World Cup winner Miroslav Klose, despite his eight goals and eight assists for Lazio in Serie A last season.
Klose is no spring chicken at 38 years of age, but he’s the highest goal scorer in World Cup finals of all time, and he scored in his last three matches in a row in the Italian top flight last season.
He’s got a better pedigree than Essien, but sadly the fact that Klose scored most of his goals in the Bundesliga rather than the Premier League appears to have counted against him.
That’s only a minor gripe though.
The good news is the new A-League campaign is just around the corner. If the Sydney derby is anything to go by, it could be the biggest season yet.(Click to Tweet)
clipper
Guest
I rest my case. P.S. Do you think they should move the FA cup final around or keep it at Wembley or even the NRL GF?
clipper
Guest
Think you're right - different markets east and west - Easts can only manage less than that (especially if they're not winning), so it's not a bad target.
clipper
Guest
I disagree, punter - if a Carton match was the only Vic. team in the finals then I'm sure most Collingwood fans would watch (should have used watch, not follow) it - just to hope they get beaten, although Collingwood/Carlton are bad examples as everyone loves to hate them, whereas don't think the same applies to Penrith - maybe Manly.
Sydneysider
Guest
Sydney FC needs to sort out its vision and image. Paul Reid and co. do a great job with going to schools and having clinics on all the time, especially during school holidays. If Sydney FC can average between 15,000 to 20,000 crowds (outside of derby matches) then they will have done well.
punter
Guest
Clipper, somehow I don't think so. Would Cllingwood fans follow Carton if they were the only Melbourne team playing in the semis, somehow I don't think so.
punter
Guest
These guys all came to Australia as adults.
clipper
Guest
It should be noted though, that the AFL finals tickets are quite pricey - they're double the NRL ones, so maybe that has scared away a few people (plus many people got free tickets during the rounds) Complete agreement with the Wanderers driving the growth of A-league in Sydney - a few posters have already noticed more Football shirts than league shirts out West. ''
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Wait a minute there . . . you guys are creating the wrong impression, not me. Your figures include finals games. SFC didn't make the finals last season. If you compare the last two times they didn't make the finals, their attendances have more than doubled! 2010/11 8,014 2015/16 16,071 Memberships continue to grow, even though they didn't make the finals. Beat that!
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
I wouldn't call correcting false claims and exaggerations by MeIbourne RuIes a "put down". I love MeIbourne RuIes and am looking forward to an all Sydney Grand Final played in . . . . wait for it . . . . MeIbourne.
Davo1985
Guest
Ummm please stop, that comment was utterly embarrassing. And if you are being sincere then it definitely goes down as the funniest most ludicrous statement of the year. But I'll take the bait. What on earth gives you the impression that he was a top 3 world player at any stage of his career? What when he had that one very good season at Everton? Even during that 1 very brief period he wouldn't have made top 30 player of the world.
Sydneysider
Guest
For the GWS Giants home final this weekend at RAS Showgrounds, the Giants members purchased just 6,200 tickets of the available 24,000 capacity and this is for a finals match to get into the grand final. The rest have been purchased by the away team and neutrals. So for this Sydney Derby to already be looking at 70,000+ is amazing. It shows the strength of the code in Sydney. Like I said previously, it will be the Wanderers that will drive the growth of the A-League in this city.
clipper
Guest
Yes, sorry - should be 45k - thought moore park had 50k capacity, yet only got 22k for Penrith / Canterbury in the first week on a fine, sunny spring day.
AZ_RBB
Guest
What a week for Australian football. Wow Huge clash against the Saudis which could put in a seriously strong place to make Russia. Right on the eve of the ALeague season opener which might feature Michael Essien in an all star MVFC lineup. But we might also see the ugly side of the league. But all power to Brisbane fans! Then a mega Derby in Homebush which could be the biggest event in the league's history. To top it all of we get a grudge match vs Japan in a massive WCQ. Seriously how good is it being a football fan??!?!
AZ_RBB
Guest
Great stuff. Quite a few CCM fans I know are travelling down. It'll be an event for the ages. I genuinely hope all newcomers are blown away by the experience.
marron
Guest
I prefer VEST over HOO anyway. Especially on those dream nights when the whole stadium does it.
marron
Guest
Parra is accessible from all over the city - more than Homebush I'd argue. And rather than being a wasteland with once a fortnight pop up ripoff joints selling substandard fast food, and one one pub, it's actually a great precinct with lots of choice, and very importantly, it's like that with or without the wanderers (although they help a great deal!).
marron
Guest
Yes punter, you should know it's only acceptable to use those terms if they had a great grand parent or an aunt once-removed; that's when you celebrate it.
duecer
Guest
Very interesting observations. I have posted about how the waves of immigration to England were detrimental to the growth of RL in England, mostly settling in the demographical areas were it was strongest. It now seems to be happening in Sydney, with the current waves consolidating the growth of Football in these areas. RL was able to escape what happened in England because the waves of PI's from the Islands and our Kiwi cousins helped bolster the game and lift the percentage to almost half, but now it is almost at saturation point it seems the underlying preference for Football from the newly settled arrivals is becoming noticeable.
andrew
Guest
Wow. I am no Rothfield Fan, but if a journo writes something negative about A-league, "fans" crap on them. If they write nothing at all about A-league, fans crap on them. They write something positive, and you still crap on them.... hmmm maybe it isn't the media with the issues..
Midfielder
Guest
Just got my tickets