Let me start off by making this abundantly clear, this is not a debate about why esport is a real sport.
I know that by writing this, I am going to inevitably get comments saying this, but let’s save that argument for some other time because regardless of your opinion on esport it is a competition that can draw people in the same way an A-League game can.
For those that are unaware, the E-League is a FIFA 18 competition that is organised by the FFA, each A-League club has two representatives, one that plays on Microsoft’s Xbox One and one that plays on Sony’s PlayStation 4 using the Ultimate Team function on FIFA 18.
Each club plays each other once in the premiership rounds with a finals series conducted on each respective console. The winners of these finals series will face off to determine the overall champion. The E-League is also connected to FIFA’s global FUT Championship series
Recently, I read in FourFourTwo that E-League matches being broadcast on Twitch have been smashing the A-League’s TV ratings. In some cases, there has been an increase in 16 per cent in viewership. While this can be argued that rating increase is due to more access to being able to see the games through Twitch, it is not surprising when one considers just how popular FIFA and Football video games are in general.
The FFA has been struggling to market the A-League to football fans, while the E-League is not the single determining factor that recruits them into A-League fans, it does have potential. It was estimated that as many as 1.6million people played FIFA 18 Ultimate team on the first weekend of its release.
It is also estimated in the main demographics of viewers of e-sport are between the ages of 18-24 and 25-34. Coincidentally the main demographic of those that watch football (either overseas or locally) is between the ages of 25-34.
This does not mean that all football fans are automatically going to be interested in FIFA, but it is interesting to note how we are a long way from the notion that esport is just for kids.
The A-League has a critical advantage over other codes in Australia in the fact that it is a playable league in arguably one of the world’s most popular video games. This allows it to advertise and promote itself to its core demographic.
When compared to how other marketing campaigns of the A-League have been average at best, marketing the A-League through the E-League may prove to be successful.
There is a greater number of viewers who are interested in football and they are all watching content that is related to the A-League. The FFA should be looking to capitalise on this and recruit those people into avid followers of the A-League.
The E-League provides football fans with an alternative pathway to get involved in football. Just as how people develop connections with their favourite player in the A-League, could the same not also be said for their most watched FIFA streamer?
I know this is possible because I have seen it happen. I know people who had great enthusiasm for football, but as they grew older they realised that they lacked the physical coordination to play.
They were subjected to torment by their peers at clubs because they were simply not good enough. This was not because of a lack of trying or effort, however. Eventually, they stopped playing club football because they knew they were never going to get a chance but that did not stop their involvement in the game.
They turned to FIFA to keep their passion alive, eventually they bought an A-League club membership. When I asked them why, they said it was because they played with that club on FIFA.
I have heard stories of people taking Blyth Spartans of the sixth tier of English football to the Premier League in Football Manager and then going to their games. If the role of a football club is to establish a local connection with its community and supporters, then the A-League clubs should see the E-League as an opportunity to establish that connection through a non-traditional method.
(Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg)
While the E-League in its current state may have a small impact on attendances, more could be done. One idea (and as controversial as it may be for some FIFA fans) would be to have the competition take place outside of the Ultimate Team set up.
This is my biggest problem with the competition as it essentially makes it “pay to win”. A decent player on the Ultimate team transfer market will set you back at least 30,000 coins and considering the average player only earns about 400 per match, it is hardly a fair system.
What is even more infuriating is that we end up seeing players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi representing Perth Glory. As awesome as that is, it does not really make this an A-League tournament on FIFA, doing little to establish the connection between club and viewer. If we have the clubs using only A-League players, then the FFA is effectively marketing the A-League as these are the same players representing the clubs in real life.
The E-League alone is not going to solve all the issues with the A-League crowds, but I would believe that it has potential to remedy some of them. This may not be the old-fashioned way in how people came to support their club and why they go to games, but it is still one of them.
At the end of the day, the E-League is a way to gather more fans into the A-League, given the FFA is currently failing to do that through traditional advertising, this could be the golden opportunity that they did not know existed.
Luke Karapetsas
Roar Pro
Read the very first paragraph in the article “this is not a debate about why esport is a real sport” it’s about how we use “cyberspace”as you put it to market the a-league
Worried
Guest
No debate.... E-League is not a real sport! Fact. E League is not a REAL anything, its cyberspace, you know MAKE BELIEVE! Needs its own forum not here......
Nemesis
Guest
Ignore him, Luke. He's a serial pest whose daily contribution to every football discussion is negativity, snipes, ridicule. Every singe day for the past 10 years. Today, he must've posted at least 20 posts on various football discussions. Not a single positive word. Just sarcastic comments aimed at belittling every aspect of football. I'm pretty sure he's an adult, which makes this even more pathetic behaviour. We're dealing with a very disturbed individual in Grobbelaar & his various other names
Luke Karapetsas
Roar Pro
Grobbelaar Whilst I appreciate your comment, it seriously wouldn’t hurt to say something positive in a while. I’m also not 100% sure what your point is in this comment, if it’s to A) berate the standard of commentary in the e-league then to rebut this I would suggest that the e-league is still in its infancy, there are going to be errors at the start, but after a few seasons the commentary would be at a better standard B) critise the e-league as an advertisement for the a-league because of better players in Europe playing for a-league clubs, then to rebut this I’d suggest the following: the diversity and lack of a-league representation is a concern but in the FIFA eWorld Cup all players regardless of team are given an 85 overall ranking. Do this for the A-league clubs and not only do you make a more even competition but you also promote awareness with A-league players, teams, etc I’m not saying don’t critise Grobbelaar, do so by all means but try to suggest a solution to the problem as well
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
For those who missed it, Sydney FC won 6-1. The A-League site has a description of the game. Incredibly, Paolo Maldini made a goal line save. "...a pass into Neymar's feet increased the margin. " "After a chess match of a first half finished scoreless, the first move was made when Gomes clinically finished across the goalkeeper from a narrow angle. But his lead soon disappeared and, in the very final seconds of stoppage time, Elbadar produced a brilliant Berba spin and low driven finish to stun the competition's pre-season favourite. "
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
If the idea is about marketing the A-League, the E-League is effectively telling a legion of young people (mostly young males), that the A-League is an inferior product.
Nemesis
Guest
Using basic common sense. Even if it is only $0.01 of extra value being added to the ALeague from exposing the ALeague brands during the ELeague competition, That will be $0.01 more than any value that will be added to AFL by having exposing AFL brands to Angry Birds, or League of Legends, or I Want To Steal Your Car. Seriously. AFL club have to play Candy Crush, Pokemon & Angry Birds... that's how much the Aussie Rules sport resonates.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
You are asking the question only because you know the answer, but are being too polite to say it out loud. The value to the A-League is negligible - and even that is being a touch optimistic. With every A-League team using Ronaldo and Messi in their starting XI, it's hardly an advertisement for the A-League, and if anything, serves to reinforce that the A-League is an inferior product.
c
Guest
skill on the park last night was first class
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
The commentary from the game was interesting: " For the home side we have Messi and Ronaldo, and the players to watch for the away team are....Messi and Ronaldo. Ronaldo kicks off, finds Messi, but it's been intercepted by Ronaldo and he plays it through to Messi, but he can't get past Ronaldo...oh no, Messi is injured, and there are only three no-name A-League players on the bench - this is a disaster!"
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
Re the AFL: 1. they have plans to use Etihad as a mega-venue for E-sports, a stadium they own, a bit like using it for rock concerts or WWE; and 2. two clubs have bought LOL teams, two cashed up clubs, what else are they going to spend their money on? What benefit will it be to those two clubs? Their membership and sponsorship books are already full, so who knows.
Waz
Roar Rookie
The E-League Finals were broadcast on Twich and 4 hours on Fox Sports last night. Twitch got 2,000,000 views during the actual Grand Final.
Waz
Roar Rookie
That’s your opinion and that’s fine .... but that wasn’t my point? My point was you always have to be negative, there’s no balance in your postings - that’s my point. And statements like “I can say to you with absolute confidence that it is of zero benefit to the A-League” ... well your confidence is misplaced, the HAL social media platforms have taken a surge directly linked to the E-League. So they have already benefited in what was an experimental launch season? What next for the E-League is the big question, and can the FFA avoid stuffing it up? And to pour further scorn on your misplaced confidence, the AFL are developing their own eSports strategy - why would they do that if there’s no benefit?? There is benefit. The FFA now know it. The AFL know it.
Griffo
Roar Guru
Waz, you’re never too old, as the saying goes. Or put it another way: old dogs do learn new tricks. ? Trends and preferences across the generations are interesting. But ageism is bad ??
AR
Guest
That’s right. I think the AFL has a video game, but I doubt it’s been successful or popular. I’m not a gamer so others may know more. What the AFL *is* interested in, however, is hosting eSport events at Etihad Stadium. With competitive computer gaming growing, it’s another source of revenue like Melb Victory games or concerts.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
Waz When someone is making overly optimistic predictions on the basis of comparing apples and oranges (like comparing IP views to TV ratings), then someone has to step in and tell it the way it truly is. This reminds me of people who each year make crazy predictions on the back of the big European teams touring Australia before huge crowds. And you know by now (at least I hope you do), that those big European tours do absolutely nothing for the local game. And when you have a situation where all the A-League clubs are running around with a Messi and Ronaldo (not some of them, but all of them), then I can say to you with absolute confidence that it is of zero benefit to the A-League - but I agree it can only help boost the public profile of the big European stars in Australia, for what it's worth.
Waz
Roar Rookie
?
chris
Guest
What is going on? Are there fights at every AFL match these days? http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/teams/port-adelaide/wild-fight-at-port-adelaidegeelong-match-at-adelaide-oval/news-story/72051d581582ec82df253782ae1e7053
Bob
Guest
@ Mr Grobbelaar Were you at the MCG last night to see AFL fans getting in to the ANZAC spirit by having a fight in the stadium? Shame on them, but let’s worry about flares in football instead Lololol
chris
Guest
Waz they have more money than sense. Let them squander a few more million just like they are squandering big bucks up here trying to get people to like their game.