The outcry around the “Have a fling with football” promotion was predictable, but things will never change unless fans start caring about what really counts.
First things first, how good was the Top 10 Socceroos Moments campaign?
I had fun writing it, I hope you enjoyed reading it and the whole thing was brought to us by Samsung – who were happy to give away two state-of-the-art Samsung QLED TVs to a couple of lucky readers of The Roar as part of the deal.
Not a bad bit of marketing before the World Cup, right? They even nabbed Tim Cahill to be the face of their campaign.
So why, as football fans, are we so conditioned to overlook the positives – like Samsung’s willingness to throw their support behind the Socceroos – and instead only focus on the negatives?
Maybe it’s because promotions like Hyundai’s “Have a fling” campaign – where Wendell Sailor, Damien Fleming and Luke Hodge encourage supposedly true-blue Aussie sports fans to temporarily lend their support to football for four weeks – are so spectacularly tone deaf.
What’s it going to take for football and its supporters to be taken seriously by marketing agencies, the mainstream media and all the other groups that pop up once every four years to exploit interest in the World Cup before disappearing into the ether?
And why do we need a former rugby player, an ex-cricketer and a one-time Aussie Rules player to tell us that football is worth watching anyway?
One of the public relations companies tasked with spruiking the campaign predictably argued that it was all just a bit of banter.
It’s an age-old tactic used to minimise the game’s significance in this country – trot out a tired trope that annoys football fans everywhere, then claim the whole thing was simply a joke anyway.
But maybe – and here’s where football fans need to take a look in the mirror – we’re also partly to blame for this frustrating state of affairs?
Football fans in Australia have every right to be sensitive – the game is routinely diminished by people who have no interest in it and who can’t understand the passion it generates – but there’s also a risk that by failing to engage with the football culture that does exist, advertisers see no value in the sport as a result.
And this apparent absence of ownership leads to companies like Global Public Events deeming it appropriate to charge adults more than $27 and a family of four more than $84 for general admission tickets to watch World Cup games at a dedicated live site in Parramatta.
Local councillor Steven Issa has long been a friend to football, but he should explain why public land in Centenary Square – most of us know it better by its former name of Church Street Mall – is being handed over to a private company to charge taxpayers to watch a free-to-air broadcast for a profit.
The Socceroos Active Support group has organised the Palace Hotel on George Street in the heart of Sydney’s CBD as its venue of choice, but that doesn’t really do much for fans across Western Sydney.
Little wonder, though, that fans have started to organise. From the Roar Supporters Federation in Brisbane to the nationwide Football Supporters Australia, there’s increasing recognition that unless football fans stand up for themselves, no one else will do it for them.
And while supporters federations aren’t exactly flawless themselves – if you ever want a lesson in personal politics, try getting something done as part of a group – it’s high time football fans started looking out for their own interests.
The “Have a fling” campaign may be pretty naff, but Hyundai also came up with the now seemingly deleted Socceroos thank you letters campaign.
So maybe – antsy columns aside – it’s worth engaging with the positive media the game generates every once in a while, instead of responding only to the negatives.
bryan
Guest
I find it hard to understand why anyone would want to watch the Premier League. I don't live in any of the places they represent, so it is largely a matter of complete indifference to me, who wins. I do have a soft spot for Southampton FC because I lived there for a year back in the early '70s when they were terrible, & for West Ham FC because my son became a fan when he did the same sort of trip to the UK. As far as the others are concerned, who cares? I live in Perth, so I support Perth Glory, even when they are terrible. I'm a "cross coder" & I see no reason why I can't enjoy more than one game where people run around a paddock chasing a bag of wind.
bryan
Guest
I'm pretty sure Ch7 said 36,000. You know, that Ch7, one of the mainstream media that wants to do Football dirt?
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
According to FIFA ticketing office, as of last Friday afternoon, 36,359 tickets have been allocated to green and gold supporters in Australia - ranking Australia ninth in World Cup tickets purchased by overseas countries, one spot ahead of England (32,362). They are expecting another 12,000 to be allocated by next weekend. This doesn't include tickets that are bought by Australians from overseas ticket sellers or overseas tour companies and those that will be sold on match day. Just those sold in Australia.
Griffo
Roar Guru
Actually not confirmed but it does make sense as a final warmup for opening group game.
Fadida
Guest
The other codes are played seriously in between 1 & 6 countries. Of course they'll have the best players. In some cases they have the only players....
Geoff Dustby
Guest
nice to see that you and your chip on your shoulder own the game
Geoff Dustby
Guest
how good is your chip? how do you know that the australian government goes overseas and talks AFL and NRl? are you privy to these conversations? or perhaps you just love being the persecuted one? are there really 36,000 australians in russia? other reports have it as 10,000.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Good thinking Hopefully arzani Maclaren and Cahill get at least 35 minutes in this game
peeko
Guest
great attitude.
Griffo
Roar Guru
Same lineup against Hungary - with little time left BvM embeds starting lineup.
Waz
Roar Rookie
And yet in England plenty of people go and watch the championship and league one seemingly having no trouble watching competitions that don’t have “the best players in the world” ... why do Australians have problems? Maybe it’s they that have such big ego’s??
MQ
Guest
I hadn't heard of this campaign until I came across Mike's article. So is it a Hyundai ad? The Sth Korean car company? Which has the naming rights for the A-League? That Hyundai? It's their money isn't it? So it's their business. They can use Donald Trump for all I care if they think it's going to sell cars. Seriously, who cares?? Multinaitonals have all sorts of weird ad campaigns running in Australia. Some work, some stink to high heaven, but there are far more important things to get wound up about.
Fadida
Guest
I'm sure there are many others who can pinpoint their love of the game through similar stories too AG
Simoc
Guest
The problem is switching from TV Premier League viewing to A league. They do all the theatrics in slow motion here. Such big egos, so little ability in comparison to the best players in the world. In the other codes many of the best players in the world are here. Why would an aspiring good soccer player play in Australia? Answer: To get a good gig overseas where the game is big.
AGO74
Guest
I grew up in a rugby league house with virtually no exposure to football but I started to gain an interest in football at age 15/16. Rugby league was still my primary love though when Italia 90 commenced. It was the first World Cup I watched and is recognised as the worst World Cup in history. For me though that tournament sealed my love for the game and I have been a passionate fan for close to 30 years now. However according to the likes of lester though I shouldn't have been watching as I was only a part time/casual observer (ie non true believer) when that tournament commenced.
pete4
Guest
Exactly right just a typical ad "insert sport here" and you have a long shot in winning a new car I actually don't mind the Coke one though https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR5SOPzIWUA&feature=youtu.be
Lionheart
Guest
our local cinema does that for rugby league origin games - seems popular
shirtpants
Roar Guru
Oh please... Hyundai are just doing what any good marketing team does and maximises their reach/exposure and return. They've already got the football fans and don't need to market to them as they'll all be watching the world cup. It's the rest of the country that is untapped potential. I have no issues with these "non football fans" gettting behind the team for 6 weeks, so long as they aren't the ones bashing it the minute we go out. The more support the better! More media exposure, hopefully pull a few into the a league etc etc
Griffo
Roar Guru
I do get the ads target but if is this all there was that would be a huge issue. On the other hand does it need to roll out competing codes? I think this is just flag waving fare for #TeamAustralia that could just as easily used swimming, netball, basketball, etc. ... ...in saying that the thank you letter campaign by Hyundai (from Kruse, Nabbout, Milligan, Risdon) was emotive stuff which would have transcended sport to a national level. Shame if it has been neutered to give the fling ad clear air time.
Fadida
Guest
A lot of people who don't watch much sport watch the big events. Going back to the article yesterday on the Uruguay game, a number of my work colleagues (female) watched the Uruguay game and sent me texts afterwards, along the lines of it being the best thing they'd ever seen and they were in tears. One of those girls now has a son who plays football as a result. If Hyundai want to try and draw non-football people in then the worst that can happen is some of those with little exposure to the game might fall in love. We have to accept that not everyone is a hardcore sports fan, that they jump on board whatever is the latest buzz.