After years in the doldrums there are finally some green shoots starting to appear for the A-League in the early stages of season 2019/20, and some of the sights we’ve seen in the stands give hope for the future.
From the 15,000 at Hindmarsh for the FFA Cup final to the 29,000 at Bankwest Stadium for the Sydney Derby and the 12,500 at Leichhardt Oval, the solution is simple: boutique stadium plus full stands equals a winner.
How long have we been saying it? The A-League needs more boutique stadiums. The A-League doesn’t necessarily have a crowds issue (although falling crowds were a concern), it has a stadiums issue. Get that right and a lot of things instantly improve.
So why, with one of the best football stadiums in the country, does Melbourne Victory insist on continuing to play at Marvel Stadium in the Docklands?
Obviously, money is the answer, with the stadium deal reportedly far better than the one on offer at AAMI Park. And in a league that isn’t exactly flush with cash, it’s understandable.
But at the moment, when the league is trying to reconnect with the fans, I’m not sure it’s a strong enough argument anymore. Some things need to be done for the good of the game, irrespective of the cost.
The clubs have claimed they need to invest $120 million over four years to bring the A-League back to life.
Part of that investment should be Victory bosses tearing up the contract with the AFL-owned stadium and committing to playing all home games at what the fans consider their spiritual home – AAMI Park – built next door to the old Olympic Park, where Victory played their first ever games as a club.
Who could ever forget that 2005/06 season and the buzz we all got when the sold-out signs went up at Olympic Park? It wasn’t the biggest stadium in town, but it was small, intimate, and more importantly, it was full.
When the Victory first started hosting fixtures at Docklands and were regularly attracting crowds of 30,000-plus, you could understand why the club opted to play games at the venue, even if it was ill-equipped for football.
But those crowds are a distant memory aside from the Melbourne Derby, and even those Melbourne Derby crowds aren’t as big as they were with only one of the last four attracting a crowd of more than 40,000. From 2012 to 2016, all eight derbies at the stadium had crowds bigger than 40,000.
(Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
A few more stats. Since the 2016/17 season the average crowd for games at Docklands has been 30,094 (2016/17), 23,410 (2017/18), 25,895 (2018/19) and 23,873 (this season).
Take out the derby games and those numbers, not surprisingly, fall significantly: 23,952 (2016/17), 20,314 (2017/18), 18,847 (2018/19) and 19,048 (this season).
Only three times in the last five seasons has the crowd been over 30,000 for a non-derby game – twice against Sydney FC (Australia Day) and once against Western Sydney (season opener).
The fans are the biggest stakeholders in this discussion and it appears they are voting with their feet.
Those are all respectable crowds and averages, but how much better would they be in a 30,000 boutique stadium instead of a cavernous 55,000-seat AFL stadium?
Think about how electric the atmosphere would’ve been in the Westgate Derby with Western United over the weekend, where a smidge over 20,000 turned up, if the fans were right on top of the action at AAMI Park.
There is a reason the Christmas Derby at AAMI Park is the best derby of a season: the aesthetics and the spectacle in the stands is something to behold. Sun-kissed stands, heaving terraces, pulsating football. It’s football heaven.
This is the A-League’s point of difference, and while the FFA unforgivably went away from that to their own detriment, the clubs have made it priority number one: bringing the fans back. Especially the active fans.
All the marketing experts in the world can come up with BBL-style match-day experiences and activations, but nothing beats the beating throng of a football crowd. That’s still the best match-day experience and it’s something you can’t manufacture.
The recent Sydney Derby was the best example of this. Sure, that fixture has had bigger crowds, but if you were asked to choose between the 60,000 at ANZ Stadium or 29,000 at Bankwest Stadium for atmosphere and spectacle, there isn’t even a choice.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Bigger isn’t always better. Sometimes less is more.
There can also be no doubt that full stands positively affect the quality on the pitch, too. The players feed off the energy of the crowd and the spectacle is far better.
Adelaide United don’t win the FFA Cup final 4-0 without that home crowd behind them. The momentum and energy from the crowd created a tsunami.
The greatest error the FFA ever made was in not booking Docklands Stadium for the 2014/15 A-League grand final, which forced the match to be played at AAMI Park.
And while 20,000 fewer people were in attendance, the experience on the day was greater than anything you could get at Docklands. Just ask the people that were there and watching on TV. It was pure football.
Adelaide United experimented with playing games at Adelaide Oval a few years ago, and while they often got bigger crowds than what was possible at Hindmarsh, their fans were vocal in their displeasure. When the new owners came in, they listened. Adelaide Oval was off the table.
It was a small but significant message they sent. Football over profits.
For their fans and for the good of the league, it’s beyond time that Victory’s owners did the same.
GL
Guest
I'm not an A-League fan, but a lot of sense in this article...Marvel is a soulless warehouse, even for AFL....AAMI Park was made for your game....from the outside looking in, it's a no brainer ....
Punter
Roar Rookie
Don’t forget rhetoric that comes out of AR’s comments. These people thinks everyone believes in the Melbourne media. Roy Masters a non Melbourne media has been saying no more Gov monies for AFL for years now.
Gee
Roar Rookie
What is the money situation between the two stadiums. AAMI seems like a perfect fit for the lesser sports in was built for but MV are not whinging about the Marvel revenue so it must be better money. That might change with the dwindling crowds so the might have to move when the average falls below 20k. And considering the start to the season and the lack of a star player AAMI might have too many seats as well, maybe they can co-tenant with the boys out west when that ground is ready ;)
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
Perth Glory cant use Optus during the summer as it's used for cricket.
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
It's about time that soccer in Australia started paying it's own way. If FIFA wants Australia to become a soccer country then get money from them. But i will not happen for one simple reason. Lack of interest for soccer in this country, be it television or bums on seats at games. That is why games are played in the off season.
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
The new multi sport stadium in Perth known as Optus was funded by the state government. Each user pays for the use. Football,cricket and Rugby League. Also music concerts pay there way also. So please get your facts correct
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
The home of Perth Glory was fully funded by the state and local shire. No imput from Perth Glory. Was many years back in the 1990's
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
I know my fellow fans
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
#Chris Mate - this article is specifically referencing Melbourne Victory and there tenure at Melbournes Docklands (Victoria Harbour) stadium. re participation I'm talking about FFA and AFL (and other codes) on a national perspective. It seems to me that you're the one with the blinkers on - limiting yourself to NSW only. And while AFL might be regarded by yourself as a 'minor sport' in NSW - - it is interesting that the Sydney Swans are pretty well the best attended club team in NSW sport. btw - I specifically don't swallow the rhetoric; I seek out data and information myself so don't go accusing me of something that I specifically DO NOT do.
lesterlike
Roar Rookie
Yeah righto, I’m sure everyone in the Shed was totally stoked to lose their standing terrace to be put a mile away on level 1 in a seated area just to acommadate a bunch of people who hadn’t been to a game all season and won’t buy a membership for this season either. :thumbup: :thumbup:
chris
Guest
Mike the only blinkers out there are the people who swallow AFL rhetoric like yourself. AFL is a minor sport in NSW and cricket has the SCG to house their tests. Thats all that needs to be said.
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
Ask any true Perth Glory fan if their match experience was ruined by moving the GF from HBF Park to Optus Stadium,and they'll say no
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
#chris Mate - this year I wrote an article comparing the two. Both - along with other codes - use imaginative accounting on the official figures. I'm sure though - that your apparent belief that only the AFL would be 'creative' would stand up to deeper scrutiny......afterall, the AFL is the best attended, best viewed and best subscribed (club memberships) of the footy codes. So......clearly someone is stretching the truth. Think about it though - if Cricket reports a tally that adds Indoor and Outdoor cricket and school cricket......how possible is it that some kids/youths might be double or even triple counted. The FFA tallies indoor (Futsal) and outdoor competition (counts the Aldi program as competition) and school and 'tournaments/events' and social etc. All aggregated. The AFL aggregates comp, school, social etc. I do simply suggest that you take your blinkers off a fraction. They all do it. The facts......well....they are based on perception and bias in the most part unless you can get real 'apples' and compare with.....well...at best apples with kumquats.
AR
Guest
“the AFL have been bleeding the public purses dry for years.” You gotta love this stuff from the new-generation Trumpies. The AFL is the only sporting body that has contributed financially to major stadia in Australia. The only one. And that is capital up front, and ROI post-completion. The soccer and rugbies have never contributed a single cent between them, yet have enjoyed millions in upgrades for ageing suburban stadia, esp in NSW Not to mention... $300M for AAMI - check $300M for BankWest - check Billions to smash down ANZ and SFS to rebuild smaller versions - check But yes, it’s the AFL that gets govt freebies. Brilliant !
chris
Guest
Mike yes really. And no one inflates participation numbers more than AFL propaganda central. Thankfully, in NSW at least, the govt has woken up and is not buying the AFL lies.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
#Chris Um......really? The AFL have generally contributed funds to private/public partnership projects. Grants generally are more gettable when the applicant is contributing. That works at all levels so the AFL manages to 'lubricate the wheels' a bit. That's how it works. Regarding bleeding public purses dry - not so much. In Sydney it was the 2000 Olympics that bled those purses dry. In QLD the irony is the Gabba was used to host Olympic soccer matches and one of the phases of redevelopment was ensured to be finished before the tournament - - that venue has been transformed since when it had the greyhounds track running around it. It is now a true footy/cricket oval. The irony of course is the Commonwealth games were held on the Gold Coast but what is clear there is that no Australian idea of a pure soccer venue will be hosting athletics/opening-closing ceremonies. I'm surprised people speak fondly of the old Olympic park in Melbourne with that running tack around it. As it was - the AFL has pumped a fair bit of cash into Metricon Stadium and Govt investment in that venue paid off with it being a C'wealth games main stadium. That worked out pretty good I'd've thought. The irony about 'inflated' participation numbers is of course that all codes do it. The FFA's official numbers includes some pretty imaginative categories and like most codes counting a large numbers of juniors - there's pretty great scope for double dipping across school/club/program/tournament/event categories. The question is always that if the participation numbers are true - then where are the viewership and attendance and membership numbers to reflect that??
lesterlike
Roar Rookie
Why should people bother wasting $30 a ticket minimum when they know the experience is going to be terrible? There is enough scope for the game to grow by playing in appropriate stadiums without selling out the fans to play in venues that are terrible for the game.
clipper
Roar Rookie
Chris, think you'll have a hard case arguing that participation rates for the 2 rugbies are high in NSW, even with inflated numbers.
clipper
Roar Rookie
Which is a lot more than the NRL ever puts in.
clipper
Roar Rookie
yes, sorry - they should've changed it straight after the Olympics. GWS will never need a stadium that big (although nor will the NRL outside SoO and GF) and Swans fans hate travelling there.