While the postscript to the APL’s decision to sell off the rights to the A-League Men grand final to Sydney for the following three years has been damaging, one positive could be about to emerge.
As authorities continue their search for the last remaining thugs who invaded the pitch during the Melbourne Derby on December 17, a group of frustrated and passionate fans feeling as though they have finally reached the end of their tether have come together to form a new body.
Football Supporters Association Australia’s core objective is to provide a clear, well-articulated and measured voice in the domestic game, not only in reference to the A-League competitions, but also in relation to NPL and grassroots play right around the country.
While operating as a working group in its early stages, the intention is for FSAA to become a conduit between Australian fans, active supporter groups and football’s governing bodies.
The most common complaint around APL’s grand final decision was a distinct lack of consultation with fans and who knows whether the governing body was stunned by the reaction when the details were sprung on fans in the week leading into the now infamous derby.
Subsequent exploration of the odd means by which the decision was agreed upon – with a handful of club representatives sitting on a board, rather than having all 12 clubs involved – cemented the distrust among fans.
There was a certain murkiness around the process undertaken and the agendas of those given voting rights perceived as having informed the decision to their own benefit.
After decades of concern when it comes to the governance of and decision making within football in Australia, the grand final call felt like the last straw for many fans. Some walked away instantly, others temporarily and – despite the football being played on the pitch being of outstanding quality across the opening weeks of 2023 – the trickle back has been noticeable.
(Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)
Other supporter groups have formed previously, all attempting to build followings significant enough to be listened to and considered when it came to key decisions. Sadly, there has been little success and something of a forlorn resignation from many potential members that the time and energy invested in such causes is simply not worth the limited or non-existent outcomes.
Now, with the clubs in control of the A-Leagues in a hands-on way for the first time, and their decisions potentially driven by self-interest and short term survival, a fan voice designed to call out questionable governance and the motivations behind moves that alienate fans has never been more important.
The new body was born of initial casual conversations between fans across the nation, with Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth-based voices involved, and apologies also accepted from people in other states and territories.
As the conversations developed further, it was clear that a desire for an organised, professional and representative fan voice existed, with a specific intention to represent all football fans in Australia.
That advocacy will be aiming to embrace fan issues, the state of the domestic game in all its forms, governance and structure.
While FSAA will support the meetings held between active fan groups and the APL that are set to take place in the coming days and weeks, there is also an intention to build a voice far more convincing and sustainable, with the lip service often paid to fans by the powers that be no longer acceptable.
That accountability fuelled the mass walkouts in the aftermath of the grand final decision, which the APL has still failed to effectively explain the reasons behind, aside from the obvious cash grab undertaken.
Despite being just weeks into its existence, the body’s website is up and running, with the opportunity existing to register and contact them directly with questions, concerns or queries. There is an initial press release to read and the details required to join and become an email subscriber.
Knowing the integrity of the people behind the endeavour, I will be engaging with them, hopeful that something positive and meaningful does emerge from their passion.
While understanding the challenges associated with governing a domestic game as considerable as football, the reality is that fans have rarely been listened to, in direct contrast to the power they hold in other Australian codes.
The FSAA hopes to be a means to correct that imbalance.
Elmer Higgins
Guest
NPL has fans outside of family, friends and old players? I live near South Melbourne Hellas' Lakeside Oval and see them playing in front of practically no-one and they are the biggest of the 'old clubs'.
Nat
Roar Guru
Care to explain why rookie?
Nat
Roar Guru
TBF I will give them 12 months. They will have no impact this season and by this time next year they will realise no one who holds any real authority cares.
Steven
Guest
Transperancy, vision and better communication is needed by all
Steven
Guest
I for one don't like the final series but it is important to have the fans voice their opinion on this topic amongst many other football topics.
Steven
Guest
Your wrong nick. Things can improve where fans and club management work together and agree on improvements. Time will tell of course so let's stay optimistic.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
From the UK football supporters association website https://thefsa.org.uk/about/ It has representatives from EPL and other leagues. Here is a snippet of what they say they are about: "The FSA is the national, democratic, representative body for football supporters in England and Wales. We are the leading advocates for supporter ownership, better fan engagement, cheaper ticket prices, the choice to stand at the match, protecting fan rights, good governance, diversity, and all types of supporter empowerment. The breadth of work is huge and difficult to sum up in a paragraph or two. As the national organisation we have regular contact with the Premier League, the EFL, National League, and the FA, as well as a whole host of other organisations within football such as the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA). Football is for all and we work closely with organisations such as Kick It Out and Level Playing Field to ensure that core belief is happening in the real world. We have supported the establishment of scores of BAME and LGBT fans’ groups over the past few seasons. We are founder-members of Football Supporters Europe (FSE) who represent supporters across the continent and are heavily involved in the organisation, with two members who sit on FSE’s Committee (Kevin Miles and Paul Corkrey). As secretariat to the All Party Parliamentary Football Supporters Group we have strengthened the voice of fans within Parliament in recent years. Our casework helps hundreds of fans every year who feel they’ve been poorly treated by their clubs, stewards, or police. We give those fans a voice, the best possible advice, and even legal support where necessary. We pioneered the concept of Fans’ Embassies and have helped fans of both the England and Wales men’s national teams at tournaments across the planet. We are proud to have replicated this service, for the first time, for England’s Lionesses at the Women’s World Cup 2019." If the recently formed FSAA is similar to this then more power to it.
Bill the Dill from Rooty Hill
Guest
As an educated fan, active supporter, beer drinker, punter and pensioner who can only afford, just, the Paramount plus cheapest subscription, I believe I have to give voice to the voices in my head screaming exercise some football intelligence before you blow a gasket. The corporatization, commercialisation and privatisation of football in Australia (and not just at the top like the A League) propped up by bucket loads of government subsidies at local, state and federal levels are both long-term trends. But only while supporters of teams exercise their 'right of choice' as a club customer and citizen-taxpayer. Unfortunately, the A League was a result of a battle between the transport and retail shopping titans, Sir Arthur George and Sir Frank Lowy with Lowy ultimately winning with the active support of Australian government, the FFA guernsey and control of the new A League. Like the pokies and the drinking at my local club, I make no moral judgements and leave that to others. The FFA and A league destroyed democracy in the football association culture at the top of the football competition and administrative pyramid in Australia, that is, it destroyed the democratic ideal of active participation in any governance or government structure. We as the drop kicked punters at the bottom of the pile, like the alienation of voters from political government and parties, were left alienated from the game we love. We were supposed to accept the changes and accept being customers with our hands in our pockets (game fees/charges, pay TV subscribers, merchandise consumers, tax deducting corporate sponsors) as the price of loyalty and a yearning for the return of association football culture rooted in geographic and ethnic identities. The franchise model of the MLS was never intended to be a financial success in Australia in the short to medium term originally but an annual dinner of billionaire owners and the A League clubs their play things to promote their image with some sports washing. Consultation is often an illiberal farce and affords no democratic rights of active participation in governing bodies. Before I go and lose my pension on the pokies, I want to say the whole A League at its core is a very badly run commercial business unless the owners just want some tax losses on the books, some sports washing for maybe some bad public relations in their own other business dealings or just an ego plaything like the mansion and the yacht until boredom sets in. As a western suburbs poor pensioner punter who cannot afford game tickets, merchandise and so on, I find the dreams of some of The Roar correspondents commendable and reminiscent of a happy and glorious yester year of association football supported largely by volunteers and not-for-profit clubs. But their dreams are also a bit detached from the corporate reality I see in football in Australia today.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
""""'One thing that is so easily gleaned from “active support” fans in football in Australia, is that they are all fundamentally hopeless at compromise, and are notoriously selfish."""" Thats a very valid point
Grand Panjandrum
Guest
My bet is in a few weeks there will already be a splinter group of people on the website who will take a zero-sum approach to everything, and then break off and form a rival supporter group page. I guarantee it will happen. Before Easter would be the deadline. One thing that is so easily gleaned from "active support" fans in football in Australia, is that they are all fundamentally hopeless at compromise, and are notoriously selfish. It has to be done their way, for their exclusive benefit, without any argument, or it's open protest and abuse to anyone who disagrees. (Look at some of the posters on this very page as proof) The best example - of course - is the WSW fans who boycotted matches at the new TAX PAYER funded Western Sydney stadium, SHARED between multiple tenants because if didn't have enough safe standing spaces to their specific and unreasonably selfish likings. And because they couldn't compromise they didn't turn up. Geese.
Grand Panjandrum
Guest
Precisely. If fans were really listened to, the NRL and AFL (particularly the latter because I think fans are largely unified in what they want to see) would be vastly different to the games we see now.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
And you're a Guru? Ridiculous comment.
John May
Roar Rookie
For a sport I have followed for 50 years with continuous frustration, please remember the silent majority hopes one day logic prevails.
Nat
Roar Guru
Congratulations, you've formed a website. Now all you have to do is find a collective voice that everyone agrees with. Then organise and present a viable financial model to support that solution. Then tell the Actives that any unruly behaviour will see them permanently expelled and enforce it. You know, all the things FA cannot do at the moment. Or you can start a website where you whinge about the failings of FA and offer no solutions at all.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Correct.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
it's more 'game to continue', fair call.
pete4
Roar Rookie
City should have been awarded the match 3-0
Stuart Thomas
Expert
That's the spirit!
Foot and Ball
Roar Rookie
As long as the supporters association is from Sydney then its ok..ole ole!
Foot and Ball
Roar Rookie
$550k in fines to Victory. Not so victorious hey..