If more Australians are watching the A-League these days than the English Premier League it presents something of an opportunity for Australian football.
No doubt the time zone must play a role, as does the unreliable streaming of the English content via applications. Moreover, its limited presence on commercial television does the league no favours whatsoever.
It is fair to suggest that this situation will continue in the short term. After the technological and public relations disaster of #floptus, it is hard to imagine there will be a flood of new subscriptions leading into the launch of the English domestic season this weekend.
With the rights snatched away from Foxtel for the 2016-17 season and a recent extension seeing the league locked away with Optus until 2022, the A-League can potentially prosper without direct television competition from the biggest league in the world.
The Roy Morgan data of 2016, around the time of the stunning scoop Optus made on the rights, reported that the local competition was already out stripping the Premier League when it came to regular viewing in Australia.
The data identified a 50 per cent increase in the A-League viewing audience between 2011 and 2016 and also alluded to a bump in the numbers as soon as SBS began sharing a portion of the broadcasting duties in 2013-14.
While 2017-18 will be remembered as an abject disappointment for the A-League when it came to attendance and television ratings, the general upward trend since 2011 will hopefully continue off the back of the ‘magic’ being produced by the FFA Cup.
There is an interesting comparison to be made between Australia’s infantile and blossoming domestic cup competition and the storied nature of the English equivalent.
With Champions and Europa League football now ever present staples, domestic cup competitions appear to be battling with identity. The English version is an obvious example.
With the considerable resting of players, poor scheduling and only the lure of Europa League participation for the winner, it is no wonder the once hallowed competition is not as it was.
Contrastingly, Australia’s version where 781 teams throw their hat in the ring for a chance at history, is starting to look a little ominous. The English version appears stale and tired while our local product is in its infancy.
Even with Optus opening up its customer base to the entire community with its new monthly subscription service, the FFA Cup will continue to surge ahead if English football remains well hidden under Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak.
It is somewhat educative to compare the astronomical numbers that surround English football, its FA Cup and Australia’s little competition, which is driven by amateur participation.
The Premier League is a cash cow for many, at the expense of much of what is pure and honest about the game itself, its origins and the value of community and local involvement.
Chelsea members celebrate (IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)
It is a difficult thing for those clubs to engage with the knock-out competition in the spirit intended; such are their commercial realities.
Contrastingly, whilst appearing a little contrived and its importance over-inflated back in 2014 when it was born, within four years, the FFA Cup has become something quite special.
Sure it is still a little boutique and quirky at times, but any criticism in that direction appears to be missing the point. It is unique, local and tinged with the spirit and passion of the destitute underdog, grappling with the top end of town and that is something to be celebrated.
It is that David and Goliath scenario that brings the ‘magic’ of which the hashtag of the competition continues to remind us all.
It is that exact sentiment that the FA Cup appears to have lost, as the heavyweights employ the use of Squad B to surge through the fourth and fifth rounds.
Gone are the days of Coventry City in ‘87, the Elton John fuelled Watford of ‘84 and the decade prior, that saw three second tier teams claim the silverware.
The Round of 32 matches in the FFA Cup on Tuesday, took us back to the future and captured all the integrity and intended fun of cup competition.
Whilst the stern and disappointed faces of the Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar players reflected the professional side of the competition, the beaming smiles on the Bentleigh Greens’ squad captured that sense of fun after their ten-man, 1-0 victory against the Phoenix.
Avondale vs Marconi (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
Similarly, Devonport City set up an away trip to Avondale FC after a 3-1 win against Northcote City and Hellenic Athletic pushed the Wanderers all the way in a 3-4 loss at Larrakia Park Football Stadium in the Northern Territory.
Perhaps the most fitting of all upcoming matches in the Round of sixteen will be when the Bonnyrigg White Eagles welcome the Wanders to their home patch in the west of Sydney.
There is a significant buzz and interest in the FFA Cup. Feel good stories are worth their weight in gold and the engagement with community through the local clubs is proving a boon for those whose vision brought the competition to life.
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Some Australians were frustrated by Optus’ inability to provide reliable pictures from Russia and many are disappointed by the increased technological distance between the world’s richest league and their homes.
However, the burgeoning success of the FFA Cup and more Australians than ever watching the A-League, suggest that the current broadcast structures in place might be doing Australian football the biggest favour of all.
MQ
Guest
I've calculated that it will happen in about 180 years. We just need to be patient.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Yes, but while Allianz Stadium is being rebuilt they could have played derbies at ANZ. I was there for the A-League record crowd of nearly 62K and it was a magic night. Not sure about any decision "not to play derbies at ANZ" but if they get a big crowd at the SCG, then it could be a good atmosphere, especially if the Wanderers are more competitive this season. These days though, stadiums have their own memberships and most SCG members are cricket and Victorian Rules snobs, so no chance of the SCG being a full house when the football derbies are played there. That's why they might get more to ANZ Stadium. Maybe they should play the SFC v Mariners and SFC v Victory games at ANZ Stadium too, with the Suzuki and the Bolt in town.
Eden
Roar Rookie
I don’t think a-league should view European football as competition. Instead as a gateway to more fans and regular viewers. European football viewing hours are naturally unhealthy and don’t compete with A-league for time slots. People are not likely to get their football fill from staying up late and most conversations I have around EPL do start to evolve into some interest in the A-league. I still feel it is a couple generations away but football in Aus will be the number one code eventually. The admin just need to keep it all together rather than get in the way.
Nick Symonds
Guest
"No sensible football fan wants to watch linear TV for sport highlights." The World Game on SBS is basically an EPL highlights show, but they still broadcast it so I'm guessing there must be a few "sensible" football fans who watch it. Not everyone watches Fox and not everyone streams content, some people still watch "Freeview" and there should be something for everyone to broaden the A-League's reach as wide as possible. *I should have specified, still no weekly A-League highlights show on [FTA] TV even after 13 years.
Nick Symonds
Guest
I thought the one on SBS was just a segment on The World Game, not standalone. The one on Foxtel should be on FTA as well.
Nemesis
Guest
No sensible football fan wants to watch linear TV for sport highlights. If you're going to watch Time Delayed sport is has to be On Demand. Optus did this beautifully for the World Cup. Highlights. Goal Highlights. Short version matches. Full matches. That's what football fans expect.
Pseudonym
Guest
SBS had a weekly highlights show when they had rights to the A-League; from memory it was discontinued inbetween seasons, presumably due to low ratings. Foxtel has a weekly highlights show, as far as I am aware.
Mark
Guest
I was sure when I put it on a FFA Cup game recently it gave me the option to cast, but I may be confusing it with another app. You are spot on about the t&c’s.
MQ
Guest
Their share of the votes drop from 40% to 24%, and we move to a situation where the professional game only needs 2 of 9 state feds to control the board. I'm not suggesting that will necessarily happen, but given most of the A-League clubs already come from the largest feds, something which might be strengthened in this next phase of expansion, it's not out of the question that the ACT, NT and Tassie would be looking at this and thinking: where about to get absolutely steamrolled. By the way, my personal opinion is that the CRWG has done a pretty good job, and the proposed votes are reasonably spread out, or at least as spread out as is feasible.
Nick Symonds
Guest
QUESTIONS - 1) How many of the A-League generation who were born after the NSL watch the A-League? 2) Will streaming on Telstra bring in more viewers this season? 3) Will heatwave conditions in Europe force matches to be rescheduled into later time slots to avoid the worst of the heat, making it harder to watch live from Australia? 4) Still no weekly A-League highlights show on TV even after 13 years. Why?
Nick Symonds
Guest
I think SFC and WSW have both said that they will only be playing derbies at their own respective stadiums once they are rebuilt. No more at ANZ.
Waz
Roar Rookie
It was a perfect choice. The moment the draw was made this was the game most likely to offer an upset - and they were right, it was great viewing (not that I saw it, I was freezing my backside off watching Luke Brattan freeze his off).
Midfielder
Guest
agree mate
Raj
Guest
I have watched 2 full seasons of EPL and the WC on Optus. Never had any issues. I use the Fetch TV box though. The App is another matter. And I pay $5 for watching sport on Fetch! Now you have the Nations League coming up on Optus as well from the 2nd half of this year! Cant even compare the HAL to the EPL! TV audiences switching to watch the HAL simply because the Optus App doesn't stream well is a bizzare argument to say the least.
mattq
Guest
does it? the app t&c's state airplay is not available....
MQ
Guest
I agree, it was an odd choice.
Nemesis
Guest
Agree. As I said "Optus Sport is the best thing to happen to football broadcasting in Australia in recent times. The quality, depth & breadth of their football content for every event they buy is breathtaking. Far superior to FoxSports or SBS." The online streaming platform is also very useful for providing unlimited content. Whereas FoxSports sticks with the linear broadcasting model &, for most people, the linear broadcasting model no longer works. People want to watch content at the time of their choosing. It's been widely reported FoxSports will soon launch standalone FoxSports packages based on individual sports: football, eggball Rugby, eggball Aussie, eggball League, cricket, etc. When this occurs, we might find FoxSports Football offering has much more promotional content.
Waz
Roar Rookie
I am an example of the opposite. I used to be an occasional EPL viewer who now doesn’t see it. But my teenage boy, he’s an Optus customer and he gets EPL for free. He has watched maybe 5 games on FoxTel in the last 5 years but he watches EPL daily. I don’t profess to “get it” but kids prefer a 3” screen to a sofa and a widescreen tv.
Nemesis
Guest
"NRL, Union, AFL fans watch EPL…………… always have – always will." Another ALT-Fact. Viewing for EPL in Australia is very low, apart from about a dozen Blue Chip fixtures out of a season of 380 fixtures. No doubt due to the inconvenient Time Zone, but still an Alt-Fact to say NRL, Union, AFL fans watch EPL. They might watch EPL goal highlights on FoxSports News & buy the shirt of each team that wins the EPL title, but they certainly do not watch EPL in big numbers.
Waz
Roar Rookie
And I’m in agreement with that as well, it’s definitely a competition to enjoy, it just needs constant nurturing as most things in life do.