It is the most sobering of realities that just 39,595 people made their way through the gates to attend the six Round 3 A-League Men fixtures over the course of the weekend.
Anyone believing that that figure is acceptable is simply deluded and the numbers read very similar to those achieved in Round 2.
There was little or no excuse for attendances to be anywhere near as low as they were and excluding the 14,122 who attended AAMI Park in the hope of watching Victory extend their unbeaten run to three, the average crowd across the other five fixtures was a paltry 5094: a disturbing figure.
For years we have heard concerns around Australia’s excessive summer heat and it potentially being a key factor in keeping some fans away on scorching hot afternoons when twilight fixtures were held. However, in the current and unusual cool being experienced in many parts of the nation, such reasoning is completely moot when it comes to this season’s numbers.
Others might mount an argument that there is still something of a nervousness within the community and the need for more health confidence to exist before all and sundry return to matches.
Yet, the Matildas’ record crowd of 36,109 who filed into Accor Stadium in Sydney recently and the additional 20,495 who spent their hard earned to see the women’s national team tackle the USA in Newcastle a few days later, suggests that people are once again well and truly comfortable in attending football matches.
Sadly, that confidence and the desire to get out and return to the stadiums and venues to which we have been denied access for so long, does not appear to have brought fans of the A-League Men competition back through the gates and that fact should be of great concern to the owners.
The 2021-22 competition was launched on the back of a terrific television advertising campaign and there is no doubt Network Ten have thrown in everything bar the kitchen sink when it comes to committing to the long-term investment it has made in Australian football.
Both the men’s and women’s competitions have exciting new sponsors; companies that were no doubt convinced by the clear vision offered by the network and the potential advantages to their enterprises, and the long-awaited ability to stream all top-tier Australian matches has finally arrived via Paramount+.
There have been teething issues when it comes to the new way fans have been asked to consume their A-Leagues, however with most now ironed out, the general positivity around the digital side of the game has returned.
Aside from what still strikes me as a confusing new website – bizarrely titled ‘Keep Up’ – and all the challenges of recommencing the competition as the majority of host cities in it emerged from a second east coast lockdown, everything appears to have gone swimmingly.
Well, apart from the crowds, that is.
Where have the fans gone? (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)
Sure, one cannot expect the Wellington Phoenix to be pulling large numbers in their home away from home of Wollongong. Yet, one could well have expected a few more Western Sydney fans to venture down the freeway and swell last Friday night’s attendance to something more than 1948.
On what looked a pretty decent afternoon for football, Moreton Daily Stadium lured just 6549 through the turnstiles on Saturday for the Roar’s clash with Adelaide.
The champions could do little better that evening, with just 7019 people arriving at AAMI Park to watch two Melbourne-based teams in what was certainly the most disappointing attendance of the weekend.
Sydney FC’s fan-base also raised its hand in contention. Just 6943 people braved what were admittedly chilly conditions on Saturday night at Kogarah, a venue very popular with the locals and one hosting a match that Sydney really needed to win to right the early season ship.
Potentially and contextually the best crowd of the weekend was the 3014 folks who turned up to watch the Bulls and Mariners at Panthers Stadium in Sydney, although a few more in yellow with the desire to travel down the M1 to Sydney’s west could perhaps have been expected.
Despite a 3-0 loss to Perth on Sunday night, the Victory fans can at least hold their heads high, with the team’s improved form potentially seeing their crowd figures grow as Tony Popovic manoeuvres them back into contention.
Ticket prices are no doubt still an issue and the financial ramifications of the lockdowns may still be having an impact on the ability of some working Australians to feel comfortable enough to spend a portion of their income on a game of football.
However, just three matches this season have drawn in excess of 10,000 people and attendances outside the fixtures that historically draw the bigger crowds appear well down.
Yes, the Wellington situation is undesirable and Western United and Macarthur FC are still growing a base, yet the general trend appears downwards and not what the A-League owners had hoped for when they ventured into the waters of autonomous control.
Charles K Smith
Guest
Australians are conditioned and inured to tough, physically uncompromising football codes where men keep their feet, push through pain and don't fall to the ground at the slightest touch feigning agony. Oh, and they also like scoring. All the things that are absent from soccer. AFL and NRL crowds absolutely kill soccer because of this. And always will. Deal with it.
Tink
Guest
Vax mandates lollllll, we didnt go cos of that
Justin Mahon
Roar Rookie
Because I love going to see my club play live with my son and seeing a few mates at the pub on the way.... You know, football stuff.
Pedro
Guest
Well cricket our national team is dominating media and our TVs
Punter
Roar Rookie
The FFA killed it with infighting & killing the active fans. The one thing that had despite not being the best football competition in the world, they had a difference with the active fans to the other sports in this country.
Ferno
Guest
The opening of Western United’s new ground in a couple of seasons.... Do you really believe it is going to happen?
Peter Scott
Guest
Hey, where are those days nowadays?
Peter Scott
Guest
As long as people like you and the one above persist with this dumb fixation, nothing will ever improve. Certainly not in any meaningful way. The entire A League concept, built upon the various personality complexes of one man, was the wrong one and doomed to mediocrity from the start. Once the novelty effect of the early years has worn off, it became evident that the king really has no clothes. Henc the crowds now, which are reminiscent of the latter days of the NSL.
Paul B
Guest
I attended the City-Western Utd game with kids and a group of friends at the weekend. Was surprised by the low attendance. Decent tickets are $55 for adults but family passes work out at $27.50 so that's not too bad. I think it's partly down to the quality of the "product", there aren't many stars these days (at least not many non-injury prone ones...), and the lack of quality in the final third can be painful to watch and results in fewer goals. Leckie has come back but he's not going to put bums on seats. There's too much timidity in front of goal and reluctance to shoot which drives Australian soccer fans and would-be fans nuts.
Vincenzo Hot Dog
Roar Rookie
A key point for FA and APL for the overall game which is the toughest but most necessary – increase both the grassroots season and Aleagues/NPL to run for full year/minimum 9.5/10 months rather than just 6-7 months AND fully aligned as well as 2nd tier and pro/rel throughout. Football must use its power through far superior participation numbers than any other code to push for this as this is necessary for our players to compete internationally and raise standards. If the season runs from Jan/Feb-Oct/Nov this could work. All of the top countries are playing way more games than us with more teams and this is impacting our development. This will also increase and improve our fan culture/engagement as long offseasons can impact peoples love, development and continued support of the game in Aus. The football culture needs to grow more in these key areas: – People loving their clubs : outside of match day (ie content for fans, community engagement, museums, fan club gatherings, TV shows etc) , during match day (ie team that represents the area with youth from academy, active support, looking after fans, appropriately priced tickets and rewards for members especially long term, etc) – More critical analysis of players / teams: we need to see from prominent news outlets and TV Coverage like Ch 10/P+, KEEPUP, SMH etc an analysis and rating of each player and team each week to build discussion and raise standards. Detailed analysis is key like what Ante Jukic delivers on ESPN – Marketing push for ticket sales and membership numbers each week to push for growth. Show people amount of tickets sold and membership numbers with targets and rewards for reaching a certain level so people will want to join – Growth of platforms like KEEPUP, Ch10/P+ etc to tell the stories of the game and keep users engaged through getting to learn about players background , facilitate dialogue and lots more – Links with the whole football pyramid through both competition structures and enhancing communication around how through football you can reach incredible heights like playing in World Cups, champions league etc – ie highlighting pathway potential linking grassroots to Aleagues to National Team to a big club in Europe
Mr Hot Dog
Guest
A key point for FA and APL for the overall game which is the toughest but most necessary - increase both the grassroots season and Aleagues/NPL to run for full year/minimum 9.5/10 months rather than just 6-7 months AND fully aligned as well as 2nd tier and pro/rel throughout. Football must use its power through far superior participation numbers than any other code to push for this as this is necessary for our players to compete internationally and raise standards. If the season runs from Jan/Feb-Oct/Nov this could work. All of the top countries are playing way more games than us with more teams and this is impacting our development. This will also increase and improve our fan culture/engagement as long offseasons can impact peoples love, development and continued support of the game in Aus.
Mr Hot Dog
Guest
The football culture needs to grow more in these key areas: - People loving their clubs : outside of match day (ie content for fans, community engagement, museums, fan club gatherings, TV shows etc) , during match day (ie team that represents the area with youth from academy, active support, looking after fans, appropriately priced tickets and rewards for members especially long term, etc) - More critical analysis of players / teams: we need to see from prominent news outlets and TV Coverage like Ch 10/P+, KEEPUP, SMH etc an analysis and rating of each player and team each week to build discussion and raise standards. Detailed analysis is key like what Ante Jukic delivers on ESPN - Marketing push for ticket sales and membership numbers each week to push for growth. Show people amount of tickets sold and membership numbers with targets and rewards for reaching a certain level so people will want to join - Growth of platforms like KEEPUP, Ch10/P+ etc to tell the stories of the game and keep users engaged through getting to learn about players background , facilitate dialogue and lots more - Links with the whole football pyramid through both competition structures and enhancing communication around how through football you can reach incredible heights like playing in World Cups, champions league etc - ie highlighting pathway potential linking grassroots to Aleagues to National Team to a big club in Europe
Robert Pettit
Guest
ALM and ALW stadiums, ideally should be within walking distance (maximum of 500 metres?) of a train station and all must be rectangular. The opening of Western United's new ground in a couple of seasons will be illustrative. Spectators at either end of AAMI Park are too far from the action, I think as a result of the rugby codes having an "in-goal" area. The stands also need to be steeper. This will bring fans closer to the action and create a more vibrant (intimidating?) atmosphere. Very important for TV viewers and attracting additional support.
Robert Pettit
Guest
Active fan culture is potentially, in my view, one of the most unique selling points of football, along with knockout cups and promotion and relegation. None have been fully embraced by administrators over the years; to the detriment of football's progress. I fondly remember WSW supporters holding up plaques denoting their postcode at the first derby with Sydney FC. Football should align to the AFC competitions season of March to November. A principle reason is that ALM's main competition for viewers is possibly the big European leagues rather than rival "football" codes noting the clean air between mid May and mid August when they are on respective summer breaks. Realigning ALM (and ALW) will bring them into concert with the NPL season and potentially a second division and likely make semi-professional teams more competitive in the FA Cup, noting it is long overdue to create a women's knockout Cup.
Robert Pettit
Guest
Season needs to align with AFC competitions; namely March to November. Football can compete with the other codes across winter and the quality will be higher, as demonstrated in 2020 and 2021 because of the cooler weather. Higher quality is important to attract fans. Active fan support needs to be reinvigorated and fully supported by tha APL. This will take time.
chris
Guest
Paul it's also because we are literally spoiled for choice and content when it comes to football. So much to watch and so little time. When you total up the number of spectators that take in a game of football in this country, internationals, club games, asian cups, mens and womens etc. You on the other hand are gagging for a game of AFL. Do they telecast the Danish AFL league? How about the Russian one?
Paul2
Guest
I was wondering why only 4,000 turned up to last night's Melbourne City v Perth Glory match. It's the media's fault.
Bill Bailey
Guest
5 years ago the A League was a genuine National comp with teams in each major Aus. city. I rarely missed a home Roar game. It’s now gone back to the Philips Soccer League days with 6 teams from Sydney / Melbourne. Not a genuine national comp anymore.
Paul
Guest
Except travel is a problem. Redcliffe is not even in Brisbane. It is too far to travel for fans on the Southside. Also there is very little protection from the sun at that venue, not the best place to sit in a Brisbane summer
Simon
Guest
You know what doesn’t help. As of 8/12/21 have a look at the sports stories on news.com.au. NOT ONE a-league story in the headlines. But even some AFL and NRL pre-season breaking news from training.