Moves by the FFA to expand the A-League have a lot of fans buzzing about the future of football in this country.
Many would be hard pressed to even recognise the game of 15 years ago. The NSL had poor crowds, a shambolic administration and a sectarian fan-base. The A-League has firmly placed the sport into the mainstream with broad base membership and corporate support. Bit by bit the league has increased corporate sponsorship, tv viewing and playing standards.
From where it was to where it is now, football is clearly winning over Australia. In just ten years we have developed a league averaging over 10,000 fans and millions of dollars in revenue. Just imagine what we could do in 50 years.
The drive for more fans and a second division will give more Australians a chance to be a part of the league. Compare this with the closed shop mentality of the other codes playing the same teams again an again with no punishment for failing.
While other sports are pushing for millions of dollars to upgrade soulless mega stadiums, in football the discussion is returning to boutique stadiums that offer a more unique and intimate atmosphere.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
With fan engagement, home ends become a spectacle in themselves as they display the passion fans have for the game. The other ones? Let’s chuck on an INXS or a Metallica song and call it authentic.
Don’t even get me started on playing numbers. North of one million people, the sport of football is looked upon with envy by the other codes desperate to sell the game across state lines.
If the A-League can install a workable second division that unites all levels and can strike a deal with new media outlets, thus avoiding the dinosaur analogue channels, the dominance of football will be complete.
For too long football has stayed quite and humble in the face of outsiders trying to stop its development. We can safely say those days are gone as it continues it slows march to number one.
Perry Bridge
Guest
I thought Basketball was the world game. Or - one of at least 2 world games of which Association Football might be the other unless we extend our 'world game' category a tad further.
Nemesis
Guest
Unbelievable. There is virtually NOTHING positive you ever have to say about football. You whine about the Laws. You whine about the culture You whine about the fans. You whine about the flares You whine about Cup Tournaments. What is wrong with you? Why are you so hellbent on being negative every effing day about football. Why don't you focus your days on things you enjoy? Cricket, Aussie Rules, every sport except SOKKAH? Why are you so focused on discussing a topic you don't enjoy? There are so many discussion forums for any topic you enjoy - TV shows, books, magazines, politics, etc etc. Why do you choose to immerse yourself in Sokkah? You'll give the answer that: "I'm a casual fan of all sports". RUBBISH. You have nothing positive to say about Sokkah. Nothing. Not one sentence ever. This is quite pathetic, deviant behaviour for any adult.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Onside The FFA Annual report for 2016 quoted 2,155 clubs. So, 781 is just over a third of soccer clubs in the country. Of course some clubs might be exclusively juniors or female. Just for what it's worth - my opinion - While I recognize the 'romance' of it - I've never thought it a good thing to have lower tier sides able to beat your top tier pro teams. After all - it's not as if you're playing shorter games where the superior fitness and drilling of the pro team comes to the fore as fatigue kicks in late in a half.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Your opening line "If football has in excess of 1 million participants". The FFA claim this in such a rubbery way. The FFA 2016 annual report quote 1,188,911. Of that 499,361 were 'outdoor' participants via Miniroos, youth and seniors. The other 689,550 includes school comps (fair enough), school programs (starting to stretch the friendship here), futsal and 'Tournaments & Events'. And - like all codes with multiple offerings, clubs, programs, indoor/outdoor, summer social leagues, schools etc - - how many actual unique participants do we have in there? I include the AFL in my scepticism - 2017 Annual report quotes 1.54 million but includes over 930,000 via school comps (300K) and school programs (636K). Number 1 is interpretative.
quartz
Guest
much like we did at your gob smacked disbelief in the immediate aftermath of the world cup vote
Nemesis
Guest
"last of it’s type ...– the spelling and grammar are atrocious." I laughed & I laughed.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Hope so (last of it's type) - the spelling and grammar are atrocious.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Don't be so worried Pip, Settle down mate, keep taking those blue tablets . . .
Worried
Guest
Nothing more than a propaganda piece for FFA! I remember the old NSL and it wasn't half as bad as some FFA apologists would have us believe. Yes it had problems, but so does the current system. We MUST stop this constant denigration of our football history. There were and are many fine clubs involved in NSL and most deserve a chance to play at the top level in this country, without a bunch of RACIST conditions being placed on their entry. These would not be allowed in ANY other industry in our country! Disgusting FFA!
chris
Guest
Being number 1 is not just about sitting on your behind watching TV.
Old Greg
Guest
The Crushers were from Brisbane (a second rugby league team in Brisbane? Hard to believe at one stage there was such a thing!)
AR
Guest
Soccer is the biggest best most dominant sport in the country. It drew a massive national audience of 18k. For its one match of the week. On Saturday prime time. Free to air. The week before finals. Cop that other sports! We’re # 1 !!!
quartz
Guest
to provide some context albeit from an attendance metric... at the end of round 3 in the afl (27 games) - over 1.1 million through the gate
quartz
Guest
its a national something...
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
Just reading that the FTA ratings for Sat night were 18k. That's a national figure.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
What sort of A-League fan are you Pippinu. Not fooling anyone mate.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
How many people round the world watched the AFLX. Classic mate, classic!
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Getting a bit off track there Pippinu. The A-League is doing just great given the stiff opposition it faces every day, including your entourage of anti-sokkah bloggers. The NSL only averaged less than 2K attendance and had no TV ratings to even mention and it lasted for 27 years. If you and your Victorian Rules marketing department mates think that the A-League is going to die any time soon, then tell em they're dreamin'. Save your energy mate for something worthwhile, like the Bulldogs AFLW team song. Daughters of the West, Red, White and Blue. We come out snarling Bulldogs through and through. Bulldogs bite and Bulldogs roar, We give our very best. But you can't beat the girls of the Bulldogs breed, We're the team of the mighty West Haven't you got some old AFLX videos to watch as well. Classic mate, classic.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
It might be a case of having won the war...after losing every battle.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
But is there something intrinsically wrong with the Australian taxpayer paying for a stadium for the sole use of an organisation owned by a wealthy Indonesian family?