As an avid A-League fan, a true believer and a football tragic, even I can’t get into this season with the same level of interest or excitement of seasons past.
I still watch the games, but the hype just isn’t there. There’s something missing even though the level of football on offer is pretty good and the quality of many imports this season is right up there, if not the best ever.
But this season more than ever, the off-field issues have taken over the game and its headlines, and they’re turning the punters away, myself included.
While someone like me will never leave the game completely, I can understand exactly why many have chosen to do so this season.
If we’re honest, the writing has been on the wall for the last few seasons. Ever since the Alessandro Del Piero, Emile Heskey and Shinji Ono show left town, things have been on a slight decline ever since, and this season that decline has reached its peak.
The blame rests on the shoulders of the FFA. Their inaction and infighting have reached new levels, and things are in danger of spiralling out of control.
They seem to have become the laughing stock of the Australian sporting public and are disliked by many in the Australian football community.
(Don Arnold/Getty Images)
That’s a huge problem, and it’s one which is fast becoming irreversible. Change is needed and fast.
This list could go on and on, but let’s just focus on the main issues: zero marketing of the A-League this season, a lopsided governance model, and no action, visible plan or timeline for expansion or for a second division.
Many argue there is actually a resistance to expansion from the FFA, and yet they still expect the current A-League owners to keep investing in their clubs and the league. Something doesn’t add up there.
Things need to happen fast or we’ll be back to the doom and gloom of 2010-11, where average crowds were just over 8500 people per game and fans were dropping like flies. The league was almost on its knees and teetering on the brink.
While it’s not that drastic just yet, if the FFA doesn’t start more actively promoting the game and driving it forward, we may be at that same point in six to 12 months.
The disconnect and discontent within the game is at an all-time high and not just at A-League level. Someone better start listening before it’s too late.
This is my message to the FFA: the football community has had enough. Running the game should be an honour and a privilege, not a right. You are the custodians of the game, not the owners of the sport.
(AFP Photo / Peter Parks)
This is what needs to happen as soon as possible:
1. Marketing and advertising
A new $346 million TV deal was signed only last season. Surely they’re able to extract an annual advertising budget out of that total and put it to good use?
2. Expansion
This is non-negotiable. Ten teams is way too few, another reason things are getting stale. New teams are a must as soon as possible, but at least build a plan and a timeline and share that with the clubs and the fans.
3. Second Division
This wouldn’t be such an issue if expansion had already happened. A plan needs to be put in place with a view to kicking this off in the next three years or so. A professional second tier would be ideal, but it could start as semi-professional.
4. Fix the congress
This is the single biggest reason why things have got to where they are today and why I’ve decided to write this piece. It’s had a domino effect, allowing the negativity to grow. The FFA need to cede some power and control or the game will go back to the dark ages.
5. A-League independence
This is the only way forward for the top tier. Set up an independent commission and let the clubs pay a yearly fee to the FFA, which in turn helps them run the game. But let the A-League run and fund itself. That is the way it will gain further investment and the best way for it to grow.
What do you think? Are you happy with where things are at? What would you change?
Rolly
Guest
Rugby league has only two profitable clubs the rest are propped up by the NRL .busness models don't work when it comes to running a football competition otherwise the NRL comp would have been shut down years ago .the Storm would not exsist if it wasn't propped up by news limited money .run sport like a business does not gurrenttee a viable competition as the NRL shows .Football problem stems a lot from David Gallop who is trying to run soccer like he did the NRLand it's clearly not working .gallop even entertaining the idea of a third Sydney franchise southern Sydney at the expense of Sydney fc clealry shows the man is out of his depths putting business models over the football fan.that fan base is Sydney fc fan base and Gallop dosent understand that all he sees is dollars and business models .I do agree time for the FFA to go and an independent body formed solely to run the A league.
Rolly
Guest
You would think it's in the interests of news limited to provide extensive coverage in their papers if they want people to sign up to foxtel who has the broadcast rights to the A league .the coverage in the Daily tele is woeful
asanchez
Roar Guru
Fadida, Wiser people than me can work out the finer details, but I’ll give you what I know, and how I think it can work. Many NPL clubs that I know of today can generate over $500k in sponsorship per year, I think if they were playing in a national second division, this figure could grow, plus their attendances could also grow generating some more revenue. We’re not talking of 5000 people per game here, but perhaps 2000-3000 home gates at $15-$20 each, for some clubs is actually achievable. A salary cap of $1m-$1.2m for 23 or so players, giving an average wage of just over $50k per player, some could be on more and others on less. In terms of travel and accomodation that could be partly covered by competition sponsors, some TV rights money, perhaps to show 1-2 live games per week, plus playoffs and the Final. There’s a lot of people out there, outside of the A-league, who have money and would invest to help out their clubs. It won’t be easy, but I think with sound planning a 2nd Division can work.
Rolly
Guest
I agree with everything in this article except for a second division .priority should be on expansion to a fourteen comp for the A league second division would not work in Aus because we just dont have the population and the interest at that level and it would dilute the state leagues .we are trying to grow the A league every effort should be made to put all resources into that it's where the interest for the public the media and the sponsors is . smaller clubs can survive like the Wollongong wolves or a canberra team as their costs would be less playing in regional cities in smaller stadiums and being a one city team with the community behind them .ten teams is stale now it was fine when the comp started fast forward ten years and expansion is a necessity for the game to grow and expansion in new markets .
Rolly
Guest
Exactly in NSW the liberal govt wants to spend 2 billion dollars and some on knocking down stadium Australia and the SFS and rebuiIdling two new mega stadiums that no fan wants becuase every fan knows there isn't one code of football in sydney that can ever fill either stadium on a regular basis thats taxpayers money that's paying for this and for who rugby league and the AFL mainly .so there should be money for soccer stadiums as well then with capacity of twenty five thousand seats which is more appropriate for our code .FFA should be doing more lobbying .
punter
Guest
Dear AR, lets see what you said; "David Gallop was toting “we’re going to be No.1”, did that approach actually advance the interests of soccer in Australia? I think the answer is a resounding no – although I appreciate you and others cheered him on." Please tell me what David Gallop said wrong that was so shocking that you have to keep repeating yourself relentlessly & why please was there an issue that Midfielder & others cheered him on?
Freycinet1803
Roar Rookie
That was based on financial reasons not merit though
Alex
Guest
Hard luck for you sunshine that a second division with promotion and relegation is a NOT negotiable FIFA and AFC requirement. It's coming! You better get used to the idea.
Caltex Ten & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
Yes Nem, they are running scared (smell the fear). When this FFA governance issue is sorted and it will be. Australian Football will surge and grow. AFL is in decline in participation numbers and their crowds are falling all be it slowly across the board. But it's only a matter of time when Football will dominate across Australia.
chris
Guest
When you say "we" do you mean AFL people?
Nemesis
Guest
@Caltex You're spot on. Don't listen to the posers, who, as you know, have been coming to this forum for the past 10 years to peddle their negativity & falsehoods. Roy Masters, who is no friend of Football, said this about the ALeague TV Deal: "But [David Gallop] can claim FFA receives the highest dollar per viewer hour from Foxtel, compared to the other three football codes, together with Supercars. The previous ALeague component of the Foxtel deal was $28m, so the current deal is double the previous deal, which is about the growth all the sports have been experiencing every 4-6 years when new deals are negotiated. Full story: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/the-bright-side-of-ffas-new-paytv-deal-20161222-gtggfv.html
Worried
Guest
Mate even I a non AFL fan is aware they have NOT had the same teams. South Melb for instance became Sydney Swans because of falling attendances. Bris Lions ??? Western Sydney ???? Lets try and be correct instead of pushing an AFL view on a Football blog because no-one on the AFL blog will talk to you!
Mark
Guest
Even by the standards of these boards, your ability to know the “facts” but have no understanding whatsoever of the context or meaning is staggering. Trying to draw any meaning out of crowds in the 1930s and 1940s is totally worthless.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
AR is correct, it has been reported many times since the headline figure was announced, putting aside the very large contra component, the deal cannot be split evenly across the six years, it has not been negotiated on that basis, the first year cash component of the deal is about $44 mill.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
Tom An expanded A-League with a fully professional 2nd division, with P&R will create excitement. Football will finally have the structure we fully deserve.
marco
Guest
@ Worried It does not matter (In the short term) when / if the current FFA management GET OUT as you put it . Bring in any team of managers/ leaders / executives / ex footballers ................nothing will change in terms of attendances, ratings, income and the divide between the A League owners and any incumbent governing body. The Crawford report recommended an INDEPENDENT Commision allowing simple and vital principles to be applied in running a sporting organisation that is not influenced by self interest. There is no will by the football community to implement such a recommendation. The VFL in the 80's was broke and about to fold & never to be seen again - i.e. the death of Aussie rules. It took 10 -15 years to achieve its goals. Not only did the commission save the state based VFL - it is now the national AFL & thriving. Holistically - Football's business model is so poor it has no chance while it ignores basic business principles and independence.
Redb
Roar Guru
Compare club membership AFL v A League.
Worried
Guest
What about those at FFA headquarters, you know those BUSINESS orientated ones. FFA acting a some kind of broker to put together funding between potential Sponsors or Financiers maybe even Westfield, whereby the FFA acting a some kind of guarantor would then loan an individual A-League club the money to build a 25 to 30K stadium, which would upon repayment of the loan be owned and operated by the club. I realise that they could not do every club at once, but maybe they could do them one at a time, based on who could offer the shortest repayment schedule, and eventually we would have clubs owning their own stadiums. At least it would be seen as moving forward.
Worried
Guest
I feel the major issue is the disconnect between FFA and football fans. FFA have from the very start set out to control wwhat fans can and cannot do! (with the exception of bad behaviour this is none of their business) The Conditions imposed on Active Supporters hae rwach the point (quite intended) of causing many to drop out leaveing numbers much reduced and the atmosphere at matches somewhat lacking. FFA themselves project an air of arrogance and treat all enquiries as some kind of personal invasion. They report to No-One, refuse to release financials and are consequently now deeply distrusted. (This will not be overcome quickly) Look at Newcastle Jets. The Jets are flying, but crowd figures are still suffering with the fans still wary after years of being given every excuse known to man for the owners habit of hiring the cheapest coach available and then telling the fans it will be alright. Times have changed but many Jets fans are still wary! Fox treat the fans the same, after 11 seasons we still have the same group of commentators with the same agendas, more interested in putting accross their opinions than commentating on whats happening ON the field! I'm not even going to talk about the standard of refereeing. The FANS pay for the football, either by Gate Tickets, TV Subscriptions or purchasing Sponsors products, every penny that comes in at some point came from a fan. Yet We the fans are the one group being left out of any discussion on the future of the game. FFA: Get moving or get out, ...No, JUST GET OUT!
Worried
Guest
I would also have to suggest to did NOT include the inconvenient figures from overseas viewers of the A-League, something AFL can only dream about!