SBS confirm broadcast of Arsenal's Australian tour

Is this the same guy who inferred YouTube or Google couldn't purchase separate assets because they share a parent company?

Mark, we're dealing with someone who is either an incredibly dull adult, or still too young to understand basic realities of business.

How hard is it to understand? There is no value in these matches for TV networks because no-one wants to watch them. Both 7 and 9 have had a go at these games and found the same thing - they don't rate enough or pull enough advertising revenue to justify any investment. Just because the networks were ignorant enough to do it once doesn't mean they will do it over and over. There is no interest in watching these games on TV because why watch Arsenal play a training match on TV when you can watch them play a EPL match in a couple of weeks' time. The only draw of these games is fans seeing their team in person. Heck, half of the people attending in person stop paying attention from half time...they throw paper aeroplanes and do Mexican waves because unlike TV viewers they don't have the luxury of changing the channel. Seriously, for some ppl on this site, the moment they start talking about the FFA their IQ drops by 20 points.

For some of the old NSL guard, the sour grapes are indeed still very sour.

Nonsense like this from the anti-FFA brigade makes it hard to take them seriously even when they have reasonable complaints.

I think we should do the same, or at least charge the touring teams prohibitively high costs for hosting them. I seriously cannot see how Australian football would be significantly disadvantaged in any way by ending these games (except for forgoing the small amount of cash currently earned from them). I'm not aware of any evidence that these games have any positive impact on interest in Australian football. Australian football fans don't really care for them. The only people who may complain are the event goers and Eurosnobs who have no intention of giving Australian football any of their money. The FFA should either bleed these clubs dry for these games, so that they actually benefit Australian football, or put an end to them entirely.

It's reported FFA gets $250,000 per match. I read MVFC got $500,000 appearance fee for playing Juventus last year. Petty cash compared to the money given to the European opposition, but that's money the FFA & clubs wouldn't be getting if the circus didn't come to town. A great way for the FFA & clubs to get cash from Aussies who don't attend ALeague.

Is there any thing more boring than when the EPL circus comes to town. Rip off the locals, flog off next seasons jerseys, play a pretend game of football and then pack up the money and the circus leaves town. What does the FFA get out of this racket compared to the EPL mob?

But, they are practice matches. Of course, no team likes to lose - hence, the Juve players were nervous during the penalty shoot out against MV & were disappointed when they lost. MV made 8 subs in the 2nd half; Juve made 9 subs. This only happens in practice matches when coaches want to try new players & new tactics. If you're a Syd fan, you should be thrilled Gersbach got noticed. It mean European clubs value a player developed by SydFC. Think long term; not short term.

ok. So to summarise, because it is possible for assets to *decrease* over time (rather than increase, which is the natural course in any successful business), it follows that the FFA doesn't have time to work on selling these games...because it is in dire financial strife elsewhere. Make sense? Yep. You gotta love these guys.

@Nemesis Fair enough, I respect the point your making. But I've also had people in my office talk down about the A League quality after these matches and they're the exact football supporters and weekend players/coaches that would be great if attended Syd FC or WSW matches.

@At Work As someone who is intimately involved with the ALeague, I can assure you... Any sports fan in Australia who is throwing paper aeroplanes when Liverpool, RM, Chelsea, etc. are playing is not a real Liverpool, RM, Chelsea fan. It just would not happen. Those people who go to these exhibition matches to throw paper aeroplanes are not, and never will be, interested in the ALeague. Even if they came to a game, they'd never come back. For sure, the real fans of Liverpool, RM, Chelsea are potential ALeague fans. Many of them already have an ALeague club (eg. Punter is RM fan and SydFC; MV fans are fans of LFC, Celtic, ManUtd, etc). The Euro club fans who don't watch ALeague may one day start watching but I doubt it. They love their club back home. Just as when I work overseas, I still love my club back home in Australia.

Typo to include RM with Bayern Munich as evidenced by saying "2 Spanish sides" in reference of Barcelona and RM. It's damaging to the A League's reputation as we can't win in the Euro fan's eye's; 1) Our team either performs well and wins and the excuse will be the travelling team wasn't trying, they were fielding juniors, etc, or 2) The A League team is completely outclassed and the Euro fan thinks the quality of the A League is rubbish. And yes we should be trying to convert these very people. If they're willing to pay $100-$200 to watch a football match, they are the very people that we should target, which is the broader football community and not a casual sports fan who wouldn't shell out that type of money for such a match.

100% agree, but you forgot those who also follow that team. My mate who stands (sits) with me every SFC game is going to the Arsenal game, he is an Arsenal fan, he & his family, did he go to Liverpool no. You kidding yourself if you think Barcelona or the England national team at Nemesis says would not fill the G or ANZ if they came out for a meaningless friendly next year.

@At Work What are you on about? You're not making sense 1) These events are not meant to convert football fans who watch football for celebrity players. These are practice matches designed to fleece money from gullible Aussies 2) Depending on the opponent, ALeague clubs earn as much as $500,000 appearance fee to participate. This could mean the difference between a club making a profit instead of loss. It could mean a better marquee player for ALeague. I follow ALeague intimately. There is absolutely zero evidence these matches damage the ALeague? They're played during the off-season. 3) Bayern Munich is a German Club; Real Madrid is a Spanish club.

I'm of the opinion that these games do more harm than good in converting European football fans to become A League supporters. So while it is nice that for a period of time throughout this decade the A League and some clubs make a bit of cash on the side, I don't believe the damage it's inflicting is worth it in the long-term. I think it's pretty obvious that Bayern Munich or Real Madrid don't have the marketing appeal that the 2 Spanish sides mentioned have. While they dominate the 2nd best league in the world, it doesn't mean casual fans will pay $100-$200 to watch them play live.

What? And I was looking forward to ABC's cardboard cutouts and wild 'possession' based interviews. Oh well better luck time I guess.

FFA just announced the Australian Women's Team will play 2 matches against Brazil Women's Team in September 16 Sep Pepper Stadium, Penrith 19 Sep Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle Both matches will be broadcast live on FoxSports.

There's a reason why the Japanese Football Association put an end to these tours in the Land of the Rising Sun.

You hypothesised that the crowds have been falling. No doubt they have & will continue to do so. If no other sport can pull big crowds for practice matches, why is it an issue if crowds start falling. We should celebrate that we pulled big crowds for a few years; rather than sneer "crowds are falling". I'm not surprised if people outside football don't understand the marketing appeal of Bayern Munich.