I used to be a die-hard fan of the A-League, but, like many, I’ve drifted away.
I was a senior football player for over 20 years and I’ve been a fan of the game for over 40. I’m a life member of both my club, and what was my local federation.
I watched Australia through the heartbreaking years of the ’80s and ’90s, and have rejoiced at their success in the 2000s.
Coming from regional Queensland, I’ve at least followed every Queensland team in the old NSL, actively supported the Strikers, and then Brisbane Roar in the A-League. It’s a six to seven-hour round trip for me to attend a game at Suncorp, but even with a young family in the early years of the new league, I would usually attend at least three to four games per year.
During the glory years under Ange Postecoglou and then Magic Mike Mulvey, we went to a majority of games in Brissie. I estimate that I spent around $4000 one season, a lot of money for a family living on a single income.
(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Then, the quality of football in Brisbane declined, and Football Australia seemed to go out of its way to alienate fans in their quest for corporate dollars and create a ‘broader’ public appeal. How’s that one worked out, FA?
My attendance dropped back to three to four games, and then, without realising, I went an entire season without attending a match. That was five years ago.
Roar moving their home games to Redcliffe hasn’t helped. It has added over an hour to my total trip, and I literally have to travel within 500 metres of Suncorp to get there.
I still look at the Roar results, watch the odd game on free-to-air when I think of it, but have never been able to afford pay TV to watch as many games as I would like.
Then there’s the whole COVID debacle. Enough said.
This year, though, something is different. Brisbane seems to be on the up again, but that’s not enough by itself. There’s a number of other factors also lifting my waning interest.
By all reports, the quality of the A-League as a whole seems to be on the improve.
The Socceroos are on an unprecedented World Cup qualification run, and the Matildas continue to capture public attention, not to mention the Women’s World Cup coming here in 2023.
While it’s still too early to be sure, hopefully COVID will have a lesser impact this season.
Perhaps the biggest change this year is the broadcast deal with Ten and Paramount+ makes watching all games more financially accessible. Have you noticed the increase in Football ‘celebrities’ and stories appearing on Ten since that deal went through?
Then, of course, you have the signing of Daniel Sturridge as the icing on what is looking like a very enticing cake.
Is any of this enough to drag me back to the league? I’m not sure either way yet, but it’s a long time since I’ve been so interested in the start of a season, and the first time I’ve been motivated enough to submit an article to The Roar for years.
If I feel this way, then maybe, just maybe, others do too.
Is the A-League is about to turn a corner and start marching back to its rightful spot among Australia’s major sports? My Magic 8-ball says: “Signs are good”.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
5000 was the original plan but there Keeping the Eastern Stand at Ballymore now and its gonna be 15000 capacity now because Ballymore is going to be used for the Hockey at the Olympics, Basically the Mclean Stand has been replaced and the Northern Stand is now gone but the Eastern Stand is now Staying Nothing is gonna happen at Perry Park because Football just isnt a vote Winner in QLD plus we have a LNP Council and Labor State Goverment and the Council owns Perry Park
Justin Mahon
Roar Rookie
You'll have to define 'popular' as in all those cities the fields are full of players of all ages aandthe statistics don't lie......
Tigertown
Guest
“Western Sydney Wanderers have acquired Japanese forward Keijofo Ogawa for the 2021-22 A-League season.” - FTBL 15/10/21
Waz
Roar Rookie
Ballymore is not approved for major events (like the AL) plus it will only have a 5,000 seated capacity plus standing on the Hill. It’s sole use will be as a training venue, a white-elephant training venue admittedly but hey, that’s what happens when you go to the right school. Perry Park will be redeveloped, it’s now the only option after the Gabba was selected for the Olympics and it’s just a matter of when - the smart money seems to be on redeveloping Perry Park for 15,000 and Hockey at the Olympics and football before/after.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
Strikers are a broke club who Sub Lease Perry Park from the YMCA and the YMCA in turn Lease Perry Park from the Brisbane City Council and the Brisbane City Council own the ground
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
Perry Park is not getting redeveloped only way Roar get closer to the City now is if the Barkie Groupe get on there hands and Knees and beg the QRU to let them use Ballymore once the redevelopment is finished
chris
Guest
Yes agreed. We need WSW and Victory winning games and being near the top.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
still only about the 4th most popular sports in brisbane and adelaide and then you fact in both cities populations - there is zero way we should both be in the top 4 for crowds
Josh
Guest
I disagree. Only those 2 clubs have the ability to put the A League on the radar. You're only saying it was good because Mariners were having a different season than normal and someone else besides SFC won it. Brisbane being on top would do nothing for the League.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
bs meaning big state, decentralised, spread out, long way to travel to matches for many (like dino here), unlike the centralised Vic and Sydney, no game's much more than an hour or two away
Towser
Guest
Ah yes , forgot that Waz, another one to add to the list.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Don’t forget, when the FFA took over the first time they thought they saw a cash cow and hiked ticket prices to eye watering levels more than halving attendance in the process.
Towser
Guest
dinowebs story pretty much coincides with my Roar story and I should imagine many other Roar supporters and realistically the A-league men’s generally. Let’s not forget that a large the core group of supporters are football fans who until 16 years ago had never heard of the Roar or A-league, either born and bred or brought up on (living here),Overseas football leagues. I never observed a lot of the old NSL fans who frequented Perry or Spencer’s park or even the old Lang Park at Suncorp. So we were looking for momentum at the Roar(read all other clubs) and that how fans responded can be seen in attendances at the Roar. First 3 seasons momentum builds on a naive expectation that the club will turn into something special, attendance peaks at nearly 17000 average in season 3, with 32000 for an ordinary league match and 36000 for a final, seems almost fairyland stuff today. Then it went pear shaped for a few seasons and I think by season 5 it was an empty colosseum most games, I think about 8,500 average and that included 20000 to the first home game against the Gold Coast. Ange of course as stated waves his magic wand and by the time Mike Mulvey weaves his charms in Season nine the Roar averages 15000. We(fans) believe in momentum again, the club is going somewhere, unfortunately like the rest of the league a flimsy expectation. Even in 2016 when 61000 turned up for the Sydney derby I had “Momentum hopes”, but since then the rest as we know is history. So it’s easy to slip back to pre Roar/ A-League days and follow Overseas football, in fact even easier given the amount of football streaming options since 2005. The A-League can turn it around again and emulate the “momentum turnaround” of the MLS and J-league after several mistakes, some positive moves in the last year, we’ll see.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Good article Dino. I've enjoyed every moment of Roar's football. Loved those intervening years you missed, the youngsters in the last couple of years and some of our imports like Eric Bautheac, Avraam Papadopulous, Corona, Macaroni, despite the frustration with our choice of coach sometimes. But the League overall is feeling good, plenty of clubs are stepping up despite, TV and sponsors now. The biggest threat is negativity, it spreads like wild fire. Hats off to you.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
tbf Waz, Queesland is a fbs
Waz
Roar Rookie
To be fair AA, Adelaide & Roar do have entire States to themselves.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
not sure if they could've challenged sydney in the long run western sydney were always going to be an issue with crowds and police/security, much like most mainly ethnic supported clubs in australia. its a shame what happened with active support, it hurt the league as a whole; but completely destroyed the wanderers
Tigertown
Guest
It’s possible a few former WSW supporters snuck away to become Macarthur converts. The Bulls did have a decent season & recruited well, including the signing of popular marquee stars. Also, even though BankWest is a top venue, I’m sure there were a few diehard fans who preferred the old Parramatta Stadium, & they may have flown the coop. Keep in mind, the RSL memorial pool was controversially dug-up to accomodate BankWest. After winning the ACL, Western Sydney could have easily outshone the Sky Blues, but they oddly stagnated. For me, the first few WSW seasons were magical. With a few wins under their belt, they might surprise a few punters. Bring on the derby.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
context though Waz 1 & 2 are a given being the biggest and most succesful clubs 3 & 4 (brissy and adelaide shouldnt ever be top for attendance) wanderers supporters have been targeted by police/security for several seasons. I doubt whether they can pull crowds like the early days. for all the money melbourne city have, they still cant draw a crowd. big big problems in general for victoria and nsw to figure out with there lack of crowds
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
Wanderes are in for a tough season 3 players are refusing to get vaxxed and wont change their minds, add to that the religious beliefs of hemed and the money that club has spend this off season (in which the board believes that should be challenging for the title) and there is massive pressure. inside word is robbo will only be given the first 6 matches, if they're not near the top by that time he will be sacked