If there was ever a more perfect example of the complexity and dichotomy that exists within the top tier of men’s football in Australia, Match Week 5 of the Isuzu A-League provided it.
On Friday night at AAMI Park, just 2353 people rocked up to cheer on the high-flying Western United, as they snuck past the consistently competitive Adelaide thanks to a 44th minute Connor Pain goal.
On Sunday afternoon, a mere 2691 made the trek to Campbelltown Stadium to see the ladder-leading Macarthur FC produce the remarkable and beat the Newcastle Jets with just ten men.
After falling behind late in the first half, the Bulls showed exactly why they look the team most likely to rock the Melbourne City boat this season, with two second half goals that spoke of character, fortitude and resilience.
Despite both being entertaining matches, the paltry number of fans who witnessed them live will never be a good look and continues to provide critics of the league with ammunition to launch its way.
Looked at in isolation, it would be easy for the ill-informed to suggest that the entire competition is on its knees, struggling for air and destined to fold in the short term, based on the fact that the two teams who currently sit atop the ladder played vitally important matches in front of a handful of fans and in stadiums that effectively resembled ghost towns.
Conversely, it would also be quite simple to form an argument that suggests the A-League is well and truly alive and well, after the stunning spectacle that the Melbourne Derby provided on Saturday night.
Everyone knows that Melbourne City will be looming into sight when the whips are cracking and the business end of the season arrives.
A swathe of Melbourne Victory fans were hoping to be able to say precisely the same thing about their team, as they entered the first of three matches against a traditional rival that has been the best team in the country for some time now.
How far can Victory go this season? (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
All of the above combined to produce the most stunning of contests that swung in momentum countless times and ended with a frantic, chaotic and desperate finish that left fans of both clubs and neutrals gasping for air.
Frankly, it was the most exciting game of A-League Men football I have seen in some time.
And what a stunning comparison it drew, with the matches involving the league’s current top two teams drawing just 5044 people in total and the Network Ten live Saturday night fixture providing one of the best A-League spectacles ever seen on free-to-air television.
There were 19,640 people at AAMI Park privileged enough to witness the match and the noise they made and atmosphere they provided had social media alight in the hours that followed.
The general consensus was that Saturday night showed exactly what the A-Leagues can and should be in time, with Network Ten’s support and involvement the potential game-changer, as football moves decisively towards a new era.
Perhaps that was best surmised in a social media post I read during the match. A hardcore NRL fan I am connected with tweeted, “Having a rum, just flicking between the cricket and the A-League.”
That would no doubt be music to Ten’s ears and one can only hope that there were many others doing the same and destined to dabble in some further channel-surfing as the season continues.
As promising as such behaviour will be for the A-League owners and host broadcaster, the question of whether weekends like the one just past actually translate into more or less eyeballs on the game becomes relevant.
On one level, the free-to-air coverage was a win, even though the numbers may not be mind-blowing just yet. From a long term perspective, that is abundantly clear.
Yet with the remainder of the matches broadcast on Ten’s streaming service Paramount+, one wonders on the actual number of people who have taken up subscriptions and are using the service on a regular basis.
In short, few turned up to watch Western United and Macarthur FC on the weekend, yet how many others were sitting at home and following the matches from the comfort of their lounge room?
With multiple fans grouped together and watching the game, as well as account sharing that must be the bane of streaming services’ existence, accurately accounting for interested fans in the digital space is near impossible.
The actual television audience for the Western and Macarthur games may well have been poor, promising or pleasing. Yet accessing such data is near impossible. Contrastingly, the derby had it all, a big crowd and at least one casual A-League fan sneaking over for a peak.
Frankly, I would love to know just how many people are engaging with our now owner-steered A-League Men’s competition.
At the moment, I cannot tell whether it is more or less.
Pedro
Guest
Because everyone's watching our national tema in action in the ashes
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
With a name like Galea, I'm guessing you live somewhere in the environs of where the team is wanting to be located.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
I play A-League fantasy, and doing rather well if I don't say so myself, coming first and second in two leagues. I too was rather surprised at the very low numbers involved.
chris
Guest
jb absolutely right. But some people advocate for bigger goals, no offside, no keeper etc. So the more points accumulated the more enjoyable the game. That's simply not the case.
Rodger King
Roar Rookie
How do I get to play the A league fantasy league? First I have heard of it.
Rodger King
Roar Rookie
@ Arcadia - I think you should have directed this issue to the 'editors' as I believe they write the headlines for all articles. Before you ask, no, I don't know why they do.
jbinnie
Guest
Chris- if what you want to see can be described in your words " the intricacies and patterns of play, sublime skill and good finishing is what we want to see" surely if all these things were displayed at a higher level goals would automatically follow, no?????. Cheers jb
Andrew Galea
Guest
I'm a member of western United. I've supported Aussie football through the NSL to the A league for over 35 yrs. I've decided not to bother. It's too hard having to redeem tickets online, getting a different seat allocation every time, and too difficult to take someone with me having to do everything online. As for the paramount, I already have to pay for so many platforms to follow my football, I couldn't be bothered with another one, and apparently can only have it on my phone, needing to then Chromecast to the tele. It's all become too hard. I'll see if I change my attitude when the stadium is built. Until then it seems I'm out.
Frank from Geebung
Roar Rookie
Never played football, nor followed it much, as from a traditional rugby and league background, but I love the A league. It’s a shame there’s not more free to air, but I understand it comes down to dollars. Just can’t keep signing up for these subscriptions. It all adds up. I particularly love the A league highlight show on Ten.
Beni Iniesta
Guest
I've gotta pay that comment - hilarious! 10/10 Funny mate.
Nick Symonds
Guest
2353 for Western United vs Adelaide 2691 for Macarthur vs Newcastle 2660 for this article
NUFCMVFC
Roar Guru
Would it be the case the networks are using the sports as a form of loss-leader? Eg while making a loss on the sport itself they use them as a conduit to advertise other shows/content that are profitable etc
NUFCMVFC
Roar Guru
Yeah I think it's case of every attendance being down as people are nervous about the Coof or if they aren't there's the matter of getting back in the habit of attending Either way it's great that instead of the lower intensity and lower attendance game on the Friday being the FTA match we are getting the better games instead like the derby's While in the past AAMI park would have been full for this fixture, this nevertheless shows they may slowly be on the right track once there is better societal clarity over societal measures Next we have to hope Sydney derby's pick up attendances too and the WS fans start to travel again to nearby suburban games As for Macarthur and WU, concerning they are in front of NSL-sized crowds, but they are the 3rd teams for Sydney/Melbourne and it's a matter of whether they think the broadcast revenue benefits outweigh the attendance issues Hopefully they pick up in time and are viable but we'll see I had actually hoped to see APIA Lechardts and even Wollongong Wolves when they played CCM crowds bigger than they were as would have traditionally been the case against HAL teams but I guess they are down like everyone else
Arcadia
Roar Rookie
Stuart, it is either more people watching the game or FEWER not less. Fewer is used when we are talking about a number. Less is used when we are talking about a quantity. Please don't accuse me of being pedantic, we should get it correct. Especially when it is up there in the headline.
Rodger King
Roar Rookie
Thanks Marcel.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
Smart move is to wait until 2034 to avoid any possible legal issues and payouts and also gives the NSD hopefully time to get itself together as its just going to be the NPL with more travel costs to start with but by 2034 the NSD should have been going for around 10 years or so which should put in enough of a position to not just be NPL with higher travel costs Full Pyramid Pro/Rel is a Fantasy due to the high travel costs and highly competitive sports market in Australia also in my State our NPL from next year is only SEQ with Central and North QLD having there own FQPL with a State Finals System that's going to make Pro/Rel from my state to the NSD Complicated
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
No way its a good investment any more , Nine had a good investment post Super League, where they had the it for I think about 40 million a year for so many years. They didnt put up the big money in Super League either, foxtel and Optus paid for the Super league war, news ltd also paid millions per year to super league clubs. After the so called peace deal they all ripped off rugby league for a while. Foxtel also did incredibly well out of the A-league initially which it got for free, and even then the next deal they paid 16 million a year and added Socceroos matches. Foxtel used to have a monopoly now they are paying more and getting less. The problem with sport is they pay big money for that way above what it brings in ad revenue. News they have to produce themselves. They are all losing money because they outbid each other for sports. COVID saved Foxtel/Kayo because they got out of paying full price for their sports rights and got a big increase in subscriptions because people are stuck at home. The A-league is 5 games out of 6 on Paramount Plus. So Channel Nine are paying 575m for their portion of the rugby league out of 2 billion bit some of that is contra so less, who are these people then thick enough to suggest Ten are paying 200 million for the A-league?. What are Channel Ten paying for the A-league, its certainly not 200million the whole deal, I would imagine they are paying nothing because they would be the only ones able to provide the contra portion of the deal. Channel 10 is making money out of the A-league when you add in the sports betting revenue. Channel Nine in the meantime needs to look for more investors to cover all their losses.
Craigo
Guest
"Channel Nine get a return thanks to State Of Origin and finals, yet the fact is crowds have waned, junior playing number are dwindling and bush footy is on its last legs." LOL, Sorry Stuart you are way off the mark. I have been hearing Rugby League is dead for 40 years by the haters. The truth is it's never been stronger on every metric. The NRL just signed a 2 billion dollar TV deal. NRL is always a TV ratings winner all winter long with the NRL having 4 of the 5 most watched program year in year out, Record club Membership, Record merchandising sales year in year out. The NRL gets the second highest football crowds in Australia every year. With massive growth in Rugby League junior numbers. Read below about NRL surge in player numbers. https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/junior-numbers-surge-in-tigers-dragons-heartland-areas-20210729-p58e4m.html
chris
Guest
You may well be right. But you may well be wrong as well. No one knows how it will play out, but obviously some form of compensation would have to be considered if a current "A League" team got relegated. That is a lesser evil than it is keeping this competition a closed shop. It needs to connect with the grass roots and the clubs below A League need to know they have a shot at joining.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
The Licenses from my understanding are legally binding if the FA tries to introduce Pro/Rel before they expire the FA would have to pay the clubs out for terminating them early and even if the FA could I doubt they would if the FA decided to introduce Pro/Rel to/from the A-League early without paying the licenses off then there likely going to be dragged to court by the APL and face years of costly legal action FA will wait until 2034 because thats the best option for them