Does anyone else get the feeling FIFA will do little to remove the FFA from power, and that we’re stuck with same issues for the foreseeable future?
The announcement earlier this month that FIFA would allow Football Federation Australia to establish a ‘Congress Review Working Group’ sounded a bit like a euphemism for ‘we have own issues to deal with and couldn’t be bothered taking too close a look at what’s going on in Australia’.
A week later there was that curious tidbit in the Australian Financial Review’s Rear Window column, suggesting Frank Lowy himself had “also been a recent visitor to Zürich, where he met with FIFA officials in a bid to lobby them over their pending takeover of the Australian league”.
Fairfax journalist Michael Lynch said on Twitter that FFA spokesman John Kent emailed him to deny the meeting ever took place and that the AFR had printed an apology, but there’s no such sign of an apology online.
At any rate, there’s a sneaking suspicion FIFA don’t have much intention of leaning too heavily on the FFA, and that for all the sabre-rattling from the A-League clubs, it will still be the Lowys and co. calling the shots well into next year.
The next battleground is next month’s AFC Under-23 Championship and whether A-League clubs should be compelled to release their best players for the tournament.
But there are still plenty of fires burning on the home front – not least the small crowds and low ratings plaguing Season 13 of the A-League.
And that’s unlikely to change any time soon, with the Big Bash League in full swing and the Australian Open soon to get started.
What the A-League needs is a few quick fixes – and fast – if not to salvage this season, then at least to kick-start the discussion around what could be done better.
Starting with the following.
More realistic ticket prices
Spoiler alert: FFA have already, if somewhat belatedly, identified this as a problem. It’s why “kids go free” across the so-called Summer Football Festival.
But guess what? Plenty of A-League fans don’t have kids. In fact, many of them are in the key 18 to 34 ‘youth’ demographic the A-League is supposed to be targeting.
And many in that exact demographic have been policed out of active support by over-zealous security, and priced out of the game by over-the-top ticket prices.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
A single adult general admission ticket for tonight’s Melbourne Victory game costs $38 plus a minimum $4.75 handling fee. An adult general admission ticket for Melbourne Renegades’ BBL game across town costs twenty bucks plus a $6.25 handling fee.
Go figure.
Better TV coverage
We can have few qualms about the Fox Sports coverage. For a network that cops its share of criticism, the amount of time and money they dedicate to the A-League is impressive.
About the only thing missing is a serious Football 360 show – although perhaps it wouldn’t be the same without the sadly missed Mike Cockerill anyway.
What we really need to talk about are the free-to-air broadcast rights. Has the coverage been a success over on Network Ten this season? It most certainly has not.
And maybe that’s because the rights were palmed off to the network when no commercial outlets bothered to bid for them.
But surely FFA needs to do something about Saturday night’s games being broadcast on One – in Standard Definition – for less cash and lower ratings than SBS was able to generate?
A few frank discussions should be had before next season.
Actual marquee players
We should probably wish for peace between warring football factions given the season, but since everyone is bored of governance issues, let’s wish for something that might prove more entertaining instead.
Is a transfer system for A-League clubs too much to ask for? Loan moves? How about we just settle for some big-name players instead?
It’s a wonder Lou Sticca’s phone isn’t ringing off the hook, but the man who brought the likes of Dwight Yorke, Shinji Ono and Alessandro Del Piero to the A-League doesn’t seem to be in particularly high demand.
(AAP Image/Lukas Coch)
Which is a shame, because the competition needs some star power. And not just one player, but a whole raft of them.
A marquee player for every A-League club? Who wouldn’t pay to see that?
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
Another article from TWG: https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/blog/2017/12/30/why-leagues-transfer-carousel-cant-go I actually agree with the gist of this. Sebastian Hassett used Vidosic as an example of a player joining his 5th club, but to be honest, stacks of players have played for four or more clubs, and when you only have 10 clubs, and see the same players circulating through each club like a lazy susan, well, no wonder some fans get bored.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
It would appear that we are all at a crossroads.
RBBAnonymous
Guest
Mike, My feeling is that the rift between the A-league clubs and the FFA is irreparable. If FIFA can't bring the congress to a satisfactory conclusion and if the FFA remains in charge then I feel that there will be an open revolt. By this I mean that the clubs will not allow Gallop and Lowy to continue to run football as it is. If it happens I feel that we might have a few owners walk away from the game. They simply have no confidence in Lowy or Gallop running the A-league.
Kangajets
Guest
So is The bundesliga dead too
BigAl
Guest
. . . well ! -at least you are not alone... http://www.dw.com/en/german-football-is-at-a-crossroads/a-41861145
Kangajets
Guest
Yes jack Russell The owners charge what they want, and the fans are voting by saying it costs too much . Simple
Kangajets
Guest
Yes I know you are roar thick
Rolly
Guest
Sbs has its own political agenda SBS has lost the plot a long time again they are broadcasting outside their charter all they care about nowadays is ratings not broadcasting to their charter for multicultural Australia .all the programmes on their are second rate British shows ..sbs gave up on soccer years ago putting the A league on their digital channel instead of their main channel cost the code viewers selling the Russian World Cup games to pay tV operator for Saturday EPL games. Why did not SBS bid for the A league tV rights for FTA TV .then their commentators play politics and accept money like Foz for supporting a third Sydney franchise instead of getting behind a new team from a new city like Wollongong wolves niot beccause it's better for the game becuase a third Sydney team next door to Sydney fc and its supporter base is not good for the code.sbs is no fan of soccer.once was many moons ago.
Eden
Guest
Football has so much going for it at grass roots levels it would be a pretty special effort for the administrators to not grow the professional game into something genuinely dominant in summer over the next 15 years. You say kids aren’t the demographic but if you look at what sports kids play and what merchandise they buy it is all football... To fix footballs stagnant growth, they need super cheap tickets, recognise the active support as a strength not a weakness and recognise the growing support of European leagues is an opportunity not a threat.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
If people actually focussed on the SBS article rather than ‘flying off the handle’ we might get a more sensible discussion. From the SBS piece: “We should be talking about the inspiring football from Sydney FC, Newcastle Jets and Melbourne Victory, the breath-taking goals we invariably see every weekend, the prospects of the Socceroos in their fourth straight World Cup or the emergence of the Matildas who are making people sit up and take notice due to the quality of their football. Unfortunately our attention is forced to be cast elsewhere. Constant squabbling between FFA and the clubs that forced the intervention of FIFA, expensive tickets and merchandise for national and club matches, the virtual disappearance of the fan experience that made the A-League such a unique competition in Australia, the VAR fiasco that was such a huge turn-off, poor scheduling that does not take into account the fans' needs, the boredom of too many repetitive fixtures in a 10-team league and the poor form of the current Socceroos have left their mark on the game.” The article is about the FFA getting it’s act together for the good of the game. I can agree with much of it.
Boz
Guest
Kangajets, its why I loved going on away trips last season and the one before. Now more selective for the ones that commence early enough to get back to Sydney after a game in Newcastle. Such as 5pm Sunday or 5:30pm slot on Saturday. Otherwise you have to factor in accommodation whether it be a backpackers/motel/hotel
Lionheart
Guest
SBS have been at war with HAL for some years now
Lionheart
Guest
You misread me Kanga. That's four out, way short of eleven. Lighten up? I'm not with you? I'm with Roar thick and thin.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Spot on Pippinu. A-League will be dead before the year is out maaaaate. Poor old Iceland who's Premier League can only average 975 spectators per game. They will be dead in 30 seconds flat maaaaate.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
SBS has supported football unreservedly for over 35 years. When they start making such pronouncements, we need to sit up and take notice.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
that's about one in ten people!
Kangajets
Guest
Well said rolly
Kangajets
Guest
Boz They put Sydney v Newcastle on a Wednesday night at 7.50, means if I go after work . I get home well after midnight. Who plans this stuff ?
Kangajets
Guest
Lionheart The jets have massive injury toll this year . Vargas O’Donovan Georgeski Duncan Have all been out 6 weeks or longer , hence why you see brown Hoffman koutrombis moss starting every week The jets have been shyte for 10 years , but I feel we are more resilient then yourself who finds Brisbane having one tough season . Lighten up dude
Rolly
Guest
What utter rubbish you speak with average crowds of 11,000 how does that compare with the two rugby codes rugby league crowds average around 15,000 for rugby average crowds are 10,000 so are these codes dead or dying too .so much crap spoken on these blogs .the A league is doing just fine nothing some good marketing can't fix and expansion to fourteen teams plus a new governing body.the quality of football is very good it certainly is getting stale but that's just because it's only ten teams and the same teams paying each other over and over again and FFA marketing has been abysmal and their stubbornness not to consider expansion sooner rather than later.i am no expert just a fan of the round ball code .We have to accept this is Australia we are spoilt for choice good marketing is necessary and marque players big names need to be part and parcel of our games to fuel the interest