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Sometimes less is more. Sometimes it helps to get the message across clearer.
Thus this article is quite short. It is simply using available facts and asks a simple question.
It’s interesting to look at World Cup ratings, especially the Socceroos, and ponder ‘if only’ questions.
Many non-traditional football folk, come along for the event, union and league fans in particular are big watchers. By the rating numbers so too are AFL folk.
Into the mix is also the European supporter who watches the Champions League, EPL and the other European leagues.
The Australia versus France match rated highly when all regions are taken into account. The total was 2.133 million, which doesn’t take into account the many fans who were watching online, at clubs, at public viewings and of course through Optus.
This means that the audience for the match was high, coming close to some of our biggest domestic sporting events – i.e. the ones that captivate the nation each year like the NRL and AFL grand finals, State of Origin and World Cup rugby matches featuring the Wallabies.
In football most players are based overseas and have long by Australian standards playing seasons.
If the A-League was able to attract only 20 per cent of the total World Cup ratings it would add revenue the likes of which we have never seen. But the A-League rates about 5 per cent of the WC Socceroos matches – meaning there are plenty of round-ball fans who choose not to tune in.
I wonder how we can leverage off the WC ratings for the benefit of Australian football? If the Socceroos do well, will some of that support translate into the A-League?
Football already has the highest participation rates in the country, but this has failed to translate into popularity at the professional level. Will we ever see World Cup levels of support for our domestic league?
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