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Opinion

APL should feel ashamed with its touted 'Festival of Football' looking very thin on the ground

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Expert
22nd May, 2023
120
4378 Reads

On December 12th last year, I was categorically told that the Dolan Warren Awards night on June 1 2023 and the A-League Grand Final to be contested two days later would be supported by other football-related events and activities organised by Australian Professional Leagues.

It was reported that the A-Leagues would be showcased as never before and that, according to New South Wales Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin, “tens of thousands of football fans” would flock to Sydney to be a part of the festivities.

Apparently, the objective was to create a week leading into the deciding fixture that was similar to those seen in other sports, where the contest itself is just the culmination of a week-long event.

APL boss Danny Townsend stated that the decision to lock in the A-League deciders in both the men’s and women’s competitions for the next three seasons in Sydney was inextricably linked to the planned celebrations.

“Because we have certainty about which city will be hosting the final from a long way out, we are able to build a ‘Festival of Football’ around these major events,” Townsend said.

Whilst there is some logic in being able to plan more precisely thanks to knowing the location of an event well in advance, the average football fan in Australia called bullshit on his claim and rightly so.

The bullshit was confirmed when Townsend added that with fans now able to watch their teams play football throughout the home-and-away season at their local venues and then travel interstate for a “showpiece event at a set location,” they would now “get the best of both worlds.”

Danny Townsend speaks during a Sydney FC media opportunity

Danny Townsend (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

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Seriously? No matter how many times you read the above, it is simply nonsense. Townsend should apologise for insulting our intelligence with such inane language.

As it stands, a Friday night A-League Grand Final Party wedged between the awards and the actual match appears to be the full extent of the additional events for people to enjoy. It will feature five-a-side football, food, “pumping music” and potentially an A-League celebrity or two in the midst.

What was first slated as a full week of events that would bring in “$26 million of visitor expenditure into NSW,” a number used to justify APL’s original decision, now appears to be a VIP only awards night, a free party in the Moore Park Entertainment quarter and the match itself.

A rather rudimentary search for flights and accommodation first thing Monday morning provided a snapshot as to what travelling fans would be up for should they decide to make the trip to Sydney.

Return flights would set a Melburnian back a minimum of around $150 and the best rate on accommodation through the A-League’s official hotel partner was $180 per night at Sydney airport.

Melbourne City members may be able to do a little better, if the promised travel packages and discounted rates have in fact become a reality and the appropriate codes have now been received.

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Three nights’ accommodation with airfares looks like setting the average punter back around $700, with transfers, food and incidentals certain to elevate the cost for an individual traveller well north of $1000.

Unsurprisingly to no one, there is no festival and seemingly very little celebration.

What there will be, is a game of football between Melbourne City and Central Coast Mariners at 7:45pm on June 3rd, with the vast majority of attendees emanating from Sydney or Mariners loyalists who have travelled an hour down the freeway.

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I doubt even one of them will be here for any additional events, even if they existed, and considering Melbourne City’s average home ground attendance of 6677 across the course of the season and the just over 9000 that attended Friday night’s semi-final against Sydney FC, people will clearly not be flocking from Melbourne.

In reality, a small group of City fans will fly up for a night or two and most Mariners fans will enjoy the evening and drive back to the Central Coast the same day, ready to great the team on Sunday in celebration or commiseration.

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There is no festival, no All-Star game in the lead-up, no mention of potential live sites, no VIPs and no guarantee the stadium will even be full come June 3.

For that, the APL should be ashamed and we should all feel hoodwinked.

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