Will the A-League Succeed?

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Will the A-League Succeed?

Post by Beaussie »

We all know that soccer/football has struggled for many years in Australia. However despite this, we also all know just how big their junior ranks are.

Will the newly created A-League threaten the viability of the other footy codes in Australia? What about if the Socceroos ever make the World Cup? :shock:

It will be very interesting to see what kind of crowds the A-League attracts this season. I'm sure all the footy codes in Australia are keeping a close eye on things.
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Post by King-Eliagh »

:lol: :lol:

Good luck!!!

:lol: :lol:

Soccer in australia is poor at best.
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xman wrote:
KE, why is an even comp important?
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Post by Beaussie »

King-Eliagh wrote:
Soccer in australia is poor at best.
You obviously don't buy the line that if Australia ever makes the World Cup, the growth in the game in Australia will boom. Don't forget their junior ranks are already larger than any other footy code in Australia. That in itself is a real concern for all other footy codes I would have thought.
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Post by King-Eliagh »

Nup I dont buy it for a bit. Alls I have to do is look at the aus league on tele and see the skill level is very low compared to the highest level. Sure our national team has the skill to stand up but from memory only one or two actually play in the australian league.

So even if we do make the world cup we're still unable to keep our player shere in aus which in turn creates a poor local league that not many support. NRL and AFL will be the benchmark for a long time to come. There is nothing to fear beaussie i suggest you dont need to worry about nsl taking over, just keep interrogating afl players to keep the afl on top. Nothing more is needed at present.
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xman wrote:
KE, why is an even comp important?
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Post by Beaussie »

King-Eliagh wrote:
Nup I dont buy it for a bit. Alls I have to do is look at the aus league on tele and see the skill level is very low compared to the highest level.
I didn't realise the Australian league was on TV.
King-Eliagh wrote:
Sure our national team has the skill to stand up but from memory only one or two actually play in the australian league.
True, but when the overseas based players come home to play, the Socceroos look very good on paper and are a real chance of making the next World Cup. I don't think they get enough time to learn each others game though when the just fly in and fly out. Perhaps that is part of the reason why Australia hasn't qualified since, from memory the 70s.
King-Eliagh wrote:
So even if we do make the world cup we're still unable to keep our player shere in aus which in turn creates a poor local league that not many support. NRL and AFL will be the benchmark for a long time to come. There is nothing to fear beaussie i suggest you dont need to worry about nsl taking over, just keep interrogating afl players to keep the afl on top. Nothing more is needed at present.
Yeah I see your point regarding the quality players available for the Australian league. The money to make playing in Australia attractive is certainly not there yet when compared to what one could make overseas. Oh and btw it's now known as Football Australia's A-League and no longer the NSL.
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Post by King-Eliagh »

Its on tele. I think sbs shows some highlights every now and then dont they? :lol: And ofcourse the final is on. Which by the way is almost worth a watch. The atmosphere and the two top teams makes for a match close to european b league season games.
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xman wrote:
KE, why is an even comp important?
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Post by Beaussie »

I was under the impression that Channel 7 held the FTA TV rights to the former NSL and they only ever showed the GF live. No highlights or delayed telecasts of the H&A season. I could be wrong though. I think Foxtel has the Pay TV rights but as for SBS I don't thing they have anything to do with the former NSL. I haven't heard of any TV networks being interested in the new A-League, however once again I could be wrong. Soccer on a national level has certainly struggled for any kind of relevance in the hearts and minds of the Australian public. I'm sure the new heads of the Football Australia's A-League want to see that change. Not sure how successful they'll be. Time will tell I guess.
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Post by Rugga cactus slapper »

John o'neal is a fcuk stick, and i would love to run into him 1 day so i can tell him straight to his ugly face, i don't like liars and he is 1 of the biggest lieing cnuts out there.

He will ruin what ever there is left of soccer in this country to ruin.

Biggest scum bag in Aus sports.

Makes them AFL muppets seem like good guys.

As you can see i hate the ***** :lol:
I love a hard prickly cactus, smack me baby, you piss in my sock and i'll piss in yours.
Rugby Union is full of FREAKS.

The game is crap.


RUGBY LEAGUE IS THE GREATEST GAME

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Post by Beaussie »

Are you just upset with John because he was responsible for poaching high profile rugby league players?
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Post by Dizzys_on_fire »

As long as the big time players continue to head overseas, I personally hold no hope for the A-League. A name change and fiddling with the structure of the comp simply won't cut it. Although it may impove in some aspects, sadly it will remain a 2nd rate competition I believe. And besides, in terms of elite (and I use that term loosely for Soccer in Aus) premierships in this country, the A-League will start in a very distant 4th position in all aspects (Television, Sponsorship, Media, Gate takings, and so on). The key for me is to retain much of our talent as possible to play in the A-League. All the heros of our young soccer fans are playing overseas and sadly they are the premierships that they seem more interested in. Kids grow up wanting to get a stint overseas with the worlds biggest clubs, not to play for Sydney or Melbourne or Perth. It's sad, but that the way it is. And IMHO I cannot see it changing, new competition or not.
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Post by Beaussie »

Dizzys_on_fire wrote:
As long as the big time players continue to head overseas, I personally hold no hope for the A-League. A name change and fiddling with the structure of the comp simply won't cut it. Although it may impove in some aspects, sadly it will remain a 2nd rate competition I believe. And besides, in terms of elite (and I use that term loosely for Soccer in Aus) premierships in this country, the A-League will start in a very distant 4th position in all aspects (Television, Sponsorship, Media, Gate takings, and so on).
Has anybody heard anything about a TV deal? If the A-League can be broadcast on even SBS, that would be more FTA TV coverage than the Super 12 Rugby.
Dizzys_on_fire wrote:
The key for me is to retain much of our talent as possible to play in the A-League. All the heros of our young soccer fans are playing overseas and sadly they are the premierships that they seem more interested in. Kids grow up wanting to get a stint overseas with the worlds biggest clubs, not to play for Sydney or Melbourne or Perth. It's sad, but that the way it is. And IMHO I cannot see it changing, new competition or not.
Very valid points Dizzy. Isn't it true that the A-League now has a lot more money to spend on players particularly with Frank Lowy on board? Still wont be able to retain Australia's best young talent though because as you say, the young kids want to play overseas. What kind of crowds do you think the one team a city approach can produce Dizzy. Surely better than the fragmented ethnic based crowds of the former NSL wouldn't you agree?
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Post by Dizzys_on_fire »

Beaussie wrote:
Dizzys_on_fire wrote:
As long as the big time players continue to head overseas, I personally hold no hope for the A-League. A name change and fiddling with the structure of the comp simply won't cut it. Although it may impove in some aspects, sadly it will remain a 2nd rate competition I believe. And besides, in terms of elite (and I use that term loosely for Soccer in Aus) premierships in this country, the A-League will start in a very distant 4th position in all aspects (Television, Sponsorship, Media, Gate takings, and so on).
Has anybody heard anything about a TV deal? If the A-League can be broadcast on even SBS, that would be more FTA TV coverage than the Super 12 Rugby.
I've heard nothing, although i'll admit to not taking an interest on the issue either. Surely something will or has happened with SBS. You're right about the Super 12 comparison too, but what gives Rugby the edge is the exposure (compared to Soocer anyway) it generates for just a handfull of FTA Wallabies matches. Rugby (particularly Super 12) has it's own problems with its FTA situation and I must say it doesn't look good for a competition that's looking to grow in this country.
Beaussie wrote:
Dizzys_on_fire wrote:
The key for me is to retain much of our talent as possible to play in the A-League. All the heros of our young soccer fans are playing overseas and sadly they are the premierships that they seem more interested in. Kids grow up wanting to get a stint overseas with the worlds biggest clubs, not to play for Sydney or Melbourne or Perth. It's sad, but that the way it is. And IMHO I cannot see it changing, new competition or not.
Very valid points Dizzy. Isn't it true that the A-League now has a lot more money to spend on players particularly with Frank Lowy on board? Still wont be able to retain Australia's best young talent though because as you say, the young kids want to play overseas. What kind of crowds do you think the one team a city approach can produce Dizzy. Surely better than the fragmented ethnic based crowds of the former NSL wouldn't you agree?
Well in theory, the one team - one town concept should generate bigger crowds than the NSL was capable of. The key is marketing it though. You just don't see or hear of our national soccer comp being advertised. Handing out freebies to the juniors is ok but it's not making any real progress. The A-League need to put in place a marketing campaign that reaches out to the wider community, depending on how much they can afford of course. But any marketing campaign by the A-League could be a waste as people may simply just not be attracted to a 2nd rate comp (due to players going overseas).

They've certainly got work to do. But as long as they show slow and steady improvment it can only be a good thing for them.
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Post by Beaussie »

Dizzys_on_fire wrote:
You're right about the Super 12 comparison too, but what gives Rugby the edge is the exposure (compared to Soocer anyway) it generates for just a handfull of FTA Wallabies matches. Rugby (particularly Super 12) has it's own problems with its FTA situation and I must say it doesn't look good for a competition that's looking to grow in this country.
An article I posted in the Fight Club today demonstrates the sad state of affairs for Rugby in Australia and the lack of FTA TV coverage. I could be wrong, but wouldn't the Socceroos matches broadcast on Channel 7 and SBS be right up there with the coverage the Wallabies get?
Dizzys_on_fire wrote:
Well in theory, the one team - one town concept should generate bigger crowds than the NSL was capable of.
I've seen figures of 8,000 - 10,000 crowds being expected in the first season of the A-League. Would you consider such crowds good, taking into account of course the one team - one city concept?
Dizzys_on_fire wrote:
The key is marketing it though. You just don't see or hear of our national soccer comp being advertised. Handing out freebies to the juniors is ok but it's not making any real progress. The A-League need to put in place a marketing campaign that reaches out to the wider community, depending on how much they can afford of course. But any marketing campaign by the A-League could be a waste as people may simply just not be attracted to a 2nd rate comp (due to players going overseas).

They've certainly got work to do. But as long as they show slow and steady improvment it can only be a good thing for them.
Sport these days is all about marketing. I really am not sure how successful the new A-League is going to be, it does however sound like they've got the right people on board with the likes of Frank Lowy (Westfield) and John O'Neal etc. It will be interesting to see what develops. I'm not really a soccer fan at all but will probably go to one of Sydney FC's games to check out the new comp. Will certainly be a different atmosphere to the old NSL and the Northern Spirit games I attended at North Sydney Oval.
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