One of my favourite memories of Sydney is of a hot and sweaty November show at the city’s legendary home of alternative music, the Annandale Hotel.
It was the first Aussie tour of Californian punk middleweights Ignite and despite it being a Thursday night, the venue was packed and the punters were spilling out into the streets and milling around at Stanmore Maccas as they often did whenever an international band came to town.
Early on in their set Ignite launched into ‘Embrace’ off their 1996 EP Past Our Means, at which point a popular scene kid named Dan Bombings leapt from the front row and with split-second timing, grabbed the mic off singer Zoli Teglas.
“I try and try… to stay positive!” screamed Bombings, as a less-than-impressed Teglas – singing a song about scene unity – attempted to wrestle back control of the microphone.
I look back on the memories of that show – the sticky floor, the surging crowd, the fans lining up to sing songs of protest with a ticket from Resist Records in one hand and a Big Mac in the other – and I can’t help but smile.
But that was 16 years ago. I have no idea if the Sydney punk scene still exists because I left the city more than a decade ago.
Which brings me, in a roundabout way, to the A-League.
Along with a ticket to see Ignite, one of the other things I no doubt bought in late 2004 was a season ticket to what was then my local A-League club.
And with the exception of a year or two when I lived in Japan, my household has been home to multiple A-League club memberships ever since. This year we had three.
But this season, more than any other, has tested my resolve. It’s made me question my commitment to a league that plenty of others were happy to wipe their hands of long ago.
It’s not just one thing, it’s lots of things.
It’s Simon Hill leaving Fox Sports. It’s the Central Coast Mariners potentially leaving Gosford.
It’s the Queensland state government rolling out the red carpet and allowing AFL executives to quarantine-as-they-please, while Brisbane Roar players and staff suffer in locked-away 14-day silence.
(Albert Perez/Getty Images)
It’s Fox Sports overpaying for the Big Bash League and exclusive cricket content, panicking after adding almost no new subscribers, then making the A-League the scapegoat for it.
It’s expansion club Macarthur FC charging active supporters $440 for a season ticket.
It’s the VAR. And increasingly it’s the rational discourse, or lack thereof, on social media.
What’s the old proverb? Repeat a lie often enough and people start to believe it’s true?
It’s hard enough to convince anyone else the A-League is decent quality without another “peak A-League” meme every time someone skies the ball into Row Q.
Just like it’s hard to convince some of the fans who revel in this side of internet culture that their determination to pay as little as possible to consume their football content is one reason the A-League is haemorrhaging cash.
But writing as much doesn’t win over any new fans.
Sometimes being the football lover who tries to take a different look at things brings nothing but brickbats and lawsuits. Just ask Bonita Mersiades.
The A-League was once fresh and exciting and new. But that was 16 years ago.
And so a week out from Sydney FC’s latest grand final win, I can’t pretend I’m not relieved the season is finally over.
There’s a tattoo on the back of my calf, which most people think is sports-related, but which is actually the album cover of Swiss punk band The Vanilla Muffins’ 2003 classic The Drug Is Football.
For me, the drug will always be football.
But as the A-League faces an uncertain future, it’s time for me to take some time off.
I hope it will be back – next December or February or whenever. And I hope I will too.
Chufortah
Guest
You forgot - no GF on free to air and no one having any clue the GF was on. The A-League will die a slow death, while the administration fiddles and slaps them self in the back for the money that Foxtel desperately out-layed, the larger public is blissfully u aware apart from the actual teams’ supporters.
Don't Think So
Guest
"Along with a ticket to see Ignite, one of the other things I no doubt bought in late 2004 was a season ticket to what was then my local A-League club." Unlikely, given the A-League came into being in 2005.
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
Start in April and play during the winter just like other football codes
Rodger King
Roar Rookie
I have no problem with the A League expanding, would love to see a 16 team league, played Home & Away = 30 games, perfect. Not sure existing current NPL clubs could afford to run a team in the A League though. If you are suggesting they play their home games in their suburban parks, then I say NO, they play in real stadiums not inadequate small grounds. First things first. A second division with an equal number of clubs from all states. No P/R to start with, let them get themselves set first. BUT when we do have P/R it also involves those clubs finishing last in the 2nd Division. Yes the promoted teams to the A League need to buy an A League Lic: so have to be pretty well funded from day 1.
Anthony Ferguson
Guest
a Perth bubble would be good, wouldnt it? I can just see the WA media fighting tooth and nail to get the A League here, like they did for the footy.
tinnie
Guest
"Getting 10k average across a so called “stagnate” league is pretty good" I agree I think it is good. I want to know though what the league is aiming for and what supporters hope for in the long -term? for generations to come people will be debating on forums like this: "Oh the league is in crisis, the AFL got more tv revenue" VS "noo compared to the Antarctic 1st division things are great!". So what are we aiming for? in the next 5 years,10 years, 20 years...What average attendance benchmark, what membership benchmark, what pay to view benchmark, what revenue benchmark etc etc...per team and across the league as a whole. A goal in place with measurable targets will make progress and evaluation easier moving forward!
AxeMaster
Roar Rookie
I think it’s time for some NPL clubs to come into the A League. There’s just too many games in the regular season and too few teams. No one wants to see the same clubs playing 3 times a year over and over. Get some of the big NPL teams in and liven things up a bit.
AxeMaster
Roar Rookie
Yep agree on the venues there Nick.
AxeMaster
Roar Rookie
And Ch:7 as well Frank....not one mention. Remember that night clearly.
JEAN
Guest
The pay cuts will be a medium term negative , as quality will dive. But it will clear out all the foreign 'has beens', and open the way for Australian up and comers to finally get a run. It is a very necessary knock-down rebuild.
AndyAdelaide
Roar Rookie
adding to my previous rant of advertising, transfer fees between clubs need to be introduced asap!!!!!, we just got raided again by Melbourne city; this time for Taras Gomulka (who definitely has potential to go to europe and even play for the national team). All because we couldn’t afford to offer him a senior contract. We put the kid in the spotlight and lose him for nothing (same story with our kids each year) add to that, the impending sale of McGree and blackwood just signed for kewells oldham. thats 3 of our matchday squad gone already. Time to unleash some more 16 years old next season!!!
marron
Guest
Also, there's something in the analogy with the mic-grab. At a punk show no less. The fans make it what it is. Unfortunately the powers that be have repeatedly stepped in and taken the mic back. The result; no fans, and a paint by numbers experience - might as well stay home and listen to the seven inch/ watch the game on telly (or not....)
stu
Guest
Perfect post. Sadly a truth lambasted by many on these pages.
Ad-O
Guest
The league isn't that problematic, the problem is people's expectations. Take it for what it is, the equivalent of a 3rd or 4th division of a big European country, and it does just fine. I get it, people want their favourite sport to be No 1, but its not just about sport, you're trying to change a culture, trying to build history and tradition. That stuff can take 50 years and will probably spend as much time going backwards as forwards.
RbbAnonymous
Roar Rookie
I know nobody wants to hear it and I can feel the eye rolls already but I will reply regardless. The A-league can be fresh and exciting every year in a pro/rel environment. For those people who are addicted to football like you and I following your team in a second tier for a year or two would not be the be all and end all. In fact it would strengthen our support and resolve for our teams. In fact it would allow us to start to convert more football fans from the casual observer into more hardcore supporters. Currently that conversion rate of football fan to A-league fan is abysmal. In this covid-19 era and the defunding by foxtel sport means that the A-league needs to be driven by clubs who are willing to spend. This is true of every football league around the world. The top clubs in every league drive the value of their league upwards. By having a pro/rel environment will mean that clubs will have an arms race of sorts to stay in the top tier year in year out. Every year the league will be freshened and strengthened by relegating two clubs and promoting two clubs. Clubs which are responsible and are well run will be the ones who will stay in the top tier. In my opinion the salary cap needs to go immediately. The clubs will naturally all get a similar dividend from fox but why should we limit clubs to that spend only. Why cant clubs use the funds of wealthy owners or the sale of domestic transfers in their budgets for players like everywhere else in the world. If a club owner is not fiscally responsible guess where he finds himself, usually at the wrong end of the table. It might not be this year but it could be the year after. In a pro / rel environment the table does not lie. Every year the best and strongest clubs compete. Why is that such a difficult concept to grasp. I can refute every point against pro/rel with logic and you will have no answer. It has to happen for our sport to progress and reach its full potential.
Needs more time
Guest
It is difficult at the moment following the A-League alright and I admit I only watch it occasionally nowadays. The lovers of the sport need to stick with it and keep following it or there won't be a national competition and I doubt there would be a National League v.3.0 anytime soon, and even if there was why would that be any better than the first two editions? Soccer is it's own worst enemy in Australia. It is a global sport, but so is golf and tennis. How is the pro game going for those sports in Australia? Yes. a lot of people are registered to play the game but those people don't obviously watch the A-League often enough. A big issue I have with A-League is that it is privately owned competition unlike the AFL which is all publicly owned. Why don't the soccer lovers of Brisbane own their team? You are relying on someone who is rich to hang around when people don't show up. For the future of the competition, it needs to somehow survive the next decade. 2nd divisions won't work and we have a de facto one anyhow in the state competitions. How are they every going to go full pro with only 500 odd people showing up weekly and no tv incomes? It's hang on for your lives times now for pro soccer here. If they can survive it, then pro soccer has a chance one day to carve out a sustainable niche. But this 'sleeping giant' talk is a complete nonsense.
marron
Guest
Stanmore maccas? Not for this self respecting punk kid - it was all "smash, smash, smash the golden arches, smash the golden arches, think before you eat" in my day, Mike; as for Bling FC, no thankyou!
Midfielder
Roar Guru
How to watch Socceroos V Germany tonight. https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/how-watch-full-match-socceroos-v-germany-2011-friendly-game?utm_source=&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=&utm_term=1475535 More than nine years after the Socceroos defeated Germany in an international football match for the first time, we're going to relive the 2011 friendly game in full on Tuesday, September 8. Tune in from 7:30pm AEST on Tuesday on Facebook, Youtube or the My Football Live App to watch the full match of Australia v Germany from March 29, 2011 in a live Premiere. The game can be casted to a Smart TV via Facebook and Youtube.CLICK HERE TO WATCH ON FACEBOOK!Tag your friends to make a watch party on Facebook and click “Get Notification” to receive a notification when the match goes live.Join in the conversation on social media with Socceroos fans from around the world by posting your photos and videos while using the hashtag: #GERvAUSHow To WatchClick here to watch on Facebook.Click here to watch on Youtube or watch in the player below.Click here to download and watch on the My Football Live App. Latest News
BigAl
Roar Rookie
Oh, I've just noticed that midi and KB (with his bran noo nom de plume) are still about - fair play to them.
BigAl
Roar Rookie
actually, this is the first time I've been here since you've had to register to get a gig ! Was perusing the changing landscape ( no Fuss, punter...?) and then suddenly 'chris' !!! with the same axe to grind and style. I just had to proffer an old school response.