When was the last time we felt so positive about the A-League? We’re seeing ads on TV, some decent crowds in the FFA Cup and the APL has just launched its very own content hub.
Not since a crowd of 61,880 smashed the attendance record back in October 2016 have we had so many reasons to be excited about the A-League.
There will be another huge crowd at the recently renamed CommBank Stadium on Saturday night when the Western Sydney Wanderers host Sydney FC in the latest instalment of the Sydney derby.
And for the first time in what feels like forever, there should be a sizeable audience tuning in to the broadcast.
How do we know? Because for one thing we’re seeing ads for it on TV.
It’s hard to overstate just how refreshing it feels to see advertisements for the A-Leagues plastered all over Channel Ten.
For a long time the A-League preached exclusively to the converted, but Saturday night’s primetime showdown once again gives casual fans the chance to experience all the colour and passion of one Australian sport’s showpiece occasions.
Let’s just hope both sets of supporters pack out the stadium and produce the kind of atmosphere we all know the A-League is capable of.
It’s a spectacle Network 10 is more than happy to invest in, as their new sports sales director Nick Bower recently told the Mi3 podcast.
I went to high school with Nick and he’s a football fan from way back, so it’s no surprise he’s been lured home from Singapore to help Network 10 grow their football audience and connect it to major brands.
It’s the same kind of idea that has prompted the Australian Professional Leagues to launch its long-awaited content hub.
Named KeepUp, the content platform quietly went live late last week as a kind of one-stop shop for all things football.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about it is that it not only contains content from the A-League Men and Women competitions, but also a steady stream of stories from Europe.
Given that both Richard Bayliss and David Weiner have been lured across from Optus Sport – a provider which covers the European game in depth, but which now seems on the verge of losing its football content entirely – perhaps that’s not surprising.
But it’s interesting to see the A-Leagues contrasted alongside European football given how difficult it has been to convince Eurosnobs in Australia to even watch the domestic game.
Joshua Cavallo (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
It’ll also be interesting to see how KeepUp covers controversial topics. It’s all well and good to own the messaging, but what happens when the first contentious VAR decision of the season is made?
Will an in-house team have the editorial freedom to cover the A-League warts and all?
At any rate, that fact that more than 4,000 fans turned up at Lakeside on a freezing Melbourne evening to watch defending A-League champions Melbourne City down Victorian NPL giants South Melbourne 3-0 on Friday proved once again that there’s plenty of appetite for the round-ball game.
It also underlined the gulf in class between A-League and state league sides.
The FFA Cup remains a noble cause, but sadly genuine cupsets have been few and far between.
What’s more important, for the A-League at least, is for clubs like Melbourne City to find a fan-base.
Selling out a Sydney derby will always grab the headlines, but it’s every other fixture that must remain a priority.
Signing genuine marquee players like Daniel Sturridge will help. The former Liverpool striker has only just emerged from quarantine, but already it’s clear he’s got the magnetic personality to help sell tickets in Perth.
We’re tracking towards a huge opening weekend of A-League Men fixtures.
Let’s hope it’s a recurring theme, because this is one season where we need things to go right.
NSWelshman
Roar Rookie
Yawn zzzzzz. I guess the A League is must watch sport overseas. At least NRL & AFL are on overseas sports channels unlike A League! Premier League & most European leagues are on also!
NSWelshman
Roar Rookie
I don’t watch dinosaur FTA channels mate….I prefer to pay to watch sports not the rubbish FTA show!
NSWelshman
Roar Rookie
Actually I’m talking Fox Sports, Sports 24 etc not local FTA channels. People are paying to watch NRL & AFL unlike football.
Samuel Power
Roar Rookie
I based the Sydney Derby prediction on the Socceroos game there a few days ago. Got 23,000 midweek in pouring rain. Surely 2 of the biggest rivals can go close to that.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
You'd have to think that's a next obvious step as they increase their offering.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
At least with the seedings they won’t have to play Italy. Probably the biggest story in qualifications this round is South Africa v Ghana.
Steven tsimboukis
Guest
im very optimistic for the growth of the A league this season...its the very first time we are on PRIME TIME COMMERCIAL TV in history...football has been the orphan kid on the sports block in the past 50 years..but no more. .with good advertising support from ch 10...the tv attendances and ground crowds will grow nicely over next 12 months
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Why aren't the APL running an official one through KeepUp? Missed a trick there.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Someone over at 442 has started up a fantasy league for the upcoming A-League season, and already has about 25 players. So if anyone is interested, head over there and follow the link.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Its the coverage.... and you can pick your competition... and in particular what they have done to the A-L sites is an improvement...
chris
Guest
Millions of people are engaged with football week in week out. Parents and grandparents watching their kids. All of the volunteers that are engaged in some for or other. But yes - if sitting in front of the TV watching ch 9 is your standard we have no argument.
chris
Guest
You're right NSWelshman it doesn't rate on dinosaur platforms like Ch 9 and 7. If that's your yardstick for how popular something is then yes you are right. We tend to look at other criteria like, what sports do people play? What are they watching on digital media? What playing shirts are the kids wearing? Total up all of the football eyeballs (not just A-League).
NSWelshman
Roar Rookie
6 million media consumers Lolol. Yeah I can see A League all over the tv & media mate…oh wait millions around the world follow the A League it also…..not! Firstly I never said anything untoward against football in Australia! I hope it does make an impact, but for all your dribble about consumers & players why is it not the ‘major’ sport. Why does it not even rate on TV? I hope football & CH10 do bring the game to the masses but stop making out like it’s the dominant sport in Australia….participation wise yes but popularity & watchable wise it’s a distance from NRL & AFL!
Agreed
Guest
Good old soccer conspiracy theorists. Is Ch. 7 still to blame for killing off the NSL too?
Justin Mahon
Roar Rookie
2.2 million players and officials disagree with you and a further 6 million media consumers of the sport do too....
Nat
Roar Guru
Sure, can send me over the fantasy novels you've been reading? You've got 3 weeks of "plastic fans" to bump up the ratings before BBL starts. Then you 5k at the games will be doubled by TV ratings. How many times do you mention the other codes in your posts? Talk about insecure. Let me give you a tip on how often football gets mentioned anywhere else - 0.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
I think you need to find a hobby mate
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Opening round of games looks like a really good bunch of games. Should be a big opening round of A-League!
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
I would have thought that Sturridge would be good for generating an extra 1,000 new members, but I agree that that sort of thing won't retain members long term. It's a constant battle re-generating new memberships, it never stops.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Pretty good predictions Sam. I reckon you're going to get within 5% of the actual number overall, all things being equal. Hopefully the weather on the East coast will settle down a bit. The other thing hard to predict at the moment, especially in Sydney and Melbourne is the effect of any lingering covid hesitancy (to be part of large gatherings).