Atmosphere at the soccer better?

[rick James]

HELL NO

I went for the first time last night, and even with 50 thousand people barracking for the one side the atmosphere just doens't measure up.

It isnt' the crowd's fault either, the Southern Death Crew (I didn't make that name up either) and the Blue and White brigade certainly make a bit of noise - but people tend to only cheer when something happens.

And quite frankly, not enough happens, I even left early because of how bored I was and how lack lustre the atmosphere is.

I also get the distinct impression that a lot of "soccer" fans are actually praying that Melbourne get a second club so that teams can have punch ons. Seems a lot of ex-pat poms as well as other ethnicities just want to act aggresively without their actually being any chance of a fight (nice and safe of course) consdiering there's no opposition fans, or they're so few in number it would be a mob style lynching.

But in all honesty, the game just doesn't stack up atmosphere wise, at the AFL something is happening every few seconds and in soccer something exciting happens maybe twice in a half.

I'd rather watch Melbourne VS Port at Telstra dome with a crowd of 15,000 (probably optimistic if anything) than watch a game of soccer with 50,000 victory fans alongside me.

Mind you, if we make the final (I imagine there's a final of some sort) I will instantly start buying up a bunch of Victory merchandise cause I like to be seen as cultured and such.

cheers

 

[m.diddy]

There only ever seems to be any type of atmosphere when there is a shot taken, where there is only about sometimes only a couple in 90 minutes. However in a lot of AFL games there is a constant buzz.

 

[TheSaviour]

You obviously didn't go to Australia Uruguay.

AFL can only dream of the atmosphere and passiona soccer generates.

 

[Upgrayedd]

i used to take my gameboy when i was dragged to perth glory games because i found it utterly boring when i was younger

 

[rick James]

You obviously didn't go to Australia Uruguay.

AFL can only dream of the atmosphere and passiona soccer generates.

Well considering I said this was the first time I've ever been, yeah, I woudl say that was quite obvious.

 

[RustyHawk]

Normally North end starts a chant which is then answered by South end supporters. Sometimes can be quite brilliant.

Last night South end crew to interested in drowning out the 100 or so Sydney supporters.

Oh and if you went early you missed all the fun.

Cops pepper sprayed the crowd on level 1 South end and some drew their batons after the crowd wouldnt move. The spray blew in the eyes of the Sydney supporters leaving them worse for wear and wondering what the hell they had walked into.

We had to camp them out in a function room till after 11pm just to keep them safe.

Different.

 

[peternorth]

AFL - constant buzz. always something happening.

NRL - only been to the tri nations game in melbourne but the start and finish were when it got loud. in between kinda docile to the non nrl eye

Soccer - international games are mad with lots of noise and atmosphere. world cup games are the same (coming from an avid AFL mate who went).

 

[rick James]

Normally North end starts a chant which is then answered by South end supporters. Sometimes can be quite brilliant.

Last night South end crew to interested in drowning out the 100 or so Sydney supporters.

Oh and if you went early you missed all the fun.

Cops pepper sprayed the crowd on level 1 South end and some drew their batons after the crowd wouldnt move. The spray blew in the eyes of the Sydney supporters leaving them worse for wear and wondering what the hell they had walked into.

We had to camp them out in a function room till after 11pm just to keep them safe.

Different.

Another thing, maybe it's becasue one end was poms and the others "miscallaneous" but do they realise that the North end is actually East and the South end is West?

Yeah I heard on the radio on the way home that the SDC were trying to bash the Sydney fans. Perhaps I might enjoy it more if I stood in the so-called "north" or "south" ends.

 

[da_daman]

why must every one keep knocking the A - league for ?

last nights match was one of dull tatics and mindless players.... so it is not right to judge of the standing of one game,
yes its not the premier league but we must take it for what it is.


I found last nights crowd to be one of great volume, no soccer will never be as big as AFL, yet each has there own place

it is possible for both to co exist and to support both sports.

 

[rick James]

why must every one keep knocking the A - league for ?

last nights match was one of dull tatics and mindless players.... so it is not right to judge of the standing of one game,
yes its not the premier league but we must take it for what it is.


I found last nights crowd to be one of great volume, no soccer will never be as big as AFL, yet each has there own place

it is possible for both to co exist and to support both sports.

Mate i'm not bashing it, I'm just stating that my first experience with the A-League (at the biggest crowd it's ever had) was that the atmosphere isn't as good as AFL.

 

[wazzabp]

I'll never attend a sporting encounter based on "atmosphere".
The on field action is the reason why I pay money to go. Soccer has very little action and isn't worth even turning the telly on to watch let alone going to the game IMO.

 

[rick James]

I'll never attend a sporting encounter based on "atmosphere".
The on field action is the reason why I pay money to go.

yeah that was covered in my post as well mate

 

[chiangmaipie]

WTF The atmosphere last night (I went as well) was FARR better than the AFL. Sure the game itself didn't live up to the hype, but the chanting, singing left the afl for dead.

I think this thread should be linked to a melbourne victory forum where it will be duely shreaded to bits.

As for me I prefer AFL as a sport and specatacle, but please don't ever think that AFL supporters generate as much passion as witnessed last night. I also like the world game it has a great deal to offer.

The atmosphere better at the soccer? absolutely!

 

[rick James]

WTF The atmosphere last night (I went as well) was FARR better than the AFL. Sure the game itself didn't live up to the hype, but the chanting, singing left the afl for dead.

I think this thread should be linked to a melbourne victory forum where it will be duely shreaded to bits.

As for me I prefer AFL as a sport and specatacle, but please don't ever think that AFL supporters generate as much passion as witnessed last night. I also like the world game it has a great deal to offer.

The atmosphere better at the soccer? absolutely!

sorry, teh atmosphere blows comapred to AFL, the actual action on the field is definitely inferior as well

 

[Hornet]

Another thing, maybe it's becasue one end was poms and the others "miscallaneous" but do they realise that the North end is actually East and the South end is West?

TD runs North (Lockett) - South (Coventry)

...but you're right. The BWB sit in the south end and cheer "We're north end" while the SDC sit in the north end and cheer "We're south end". It makes sense @ Olympic Park

Basically the BWB have the bigger cheer squad but can't sit in the north end because it has a couple of away supporter bays reserved for the visiting team . . . I hope that makes sense.

btw . . . if Victory had put away one of their several chances, the place would've collapsed

 

[kelman]

I went the week before in Adelaide.
The atmosphere was great. Has a lot to do with how the game is played. There is bad atmosphere at boring AFL games with 60,000.

 

[mattwinter]

Atmosphere at Adelaide United games is as good/better than a lot of AFL games I've been too.... I haven't been to a Melbourne Victory game, but from watching on TV there seemed to be a great atmosphere last night.

Unfortunately last night's game lacked any goals, and in my experience atmosphere at games often starts off a little dull, but then really gets going once one team is a goal down and has to chase the game.

BTW, both AFL and A-league have much, much better atmosphere than what I experienced at the Ashes...

 

[iDon]

Sorry to say even though AFL is my favourite out of the too, the atmosphere at an A-Leauge game is all over that of an AFL game on average. The chants the erupt out of such a small area at the both ends fills the ground with such noise, its brilliant.

Atmosphere at soccer better? Hell yes

-Mav

 

[Wizard]

You obviously didn't go to Australia Uruguay.

AFL can only dream of the atmosphere and passiona soccer generates.

Dont get me started on that night mate, i could go on about how good that was for hours and hours on end.

Soccer crowds are way more fun than AFL fans and the atmosphere is so much better.

 

[Tas]

It is more exciting because you could get stabbed, beaten up or set aflame with a flare at any moment, that would create some nail biting atmosphere.

 

[Black Panther]

I see on the Victory forum they are up in arms about Channel 9's news report tonight showing 2000 flare lighting thugs trying to knock down the gate at Telstra Dome to attack the Sydney fans who were locked inside for their own protection

All a media conspiracy

 

[rick James]

can someone link me to the victory forums?

 

[Le KooK]

I see on the Victory forum they are up in arms about Channel 9's news report tonight showing 2000 flare lighting thugs trying to knock down the gate at Telstra Dome to attack the Sydney fans who were locked inside for their own protection

All a media conspiracy

What is it about ethnics and the 'victim' mentality?

It's the same with the Canterbury-Bulldogs in the NRL. They are violent, aggressive and love to cause trouble at the match - yet when these thugs get plastered on television it becomes:

"Oh why us, those pigs are racist - everyone is against us, why are they picking on poor innocent us?"

"What do you mean I couldn't light up half the southern stand with a flare, I could do that in -insert eurotrash nation here-"

"That bloke was injured BEFORE I got to him waahhh wahhhh" etc.

 

[camsmith]

The atmosphere at previous Victory games even with half the amount of people has been better than last night. The central coast game a few weeks ago was amazing. Remember the TD roof was open last night, tends to lessen the volume. Dont judge the atmosphere on one game, you would do that for a North vs Fremantle game at TD, so dont do it for one A-League game.

On last night, I dont think the style of game helped. Negative Sydney tactics...

All in all, you can have great atmospheres at both depending on the game. With the chants and so on at soccer it probably just edges out for the better atmosphere on average. But give me a Richmond vs Collingwood Friday night game at the MCG any day!

 

[Bartram_Class]

AFL - constant buzz. always something happening.

NRL - only been to the tri nations game in melbourne but the start and finish were when it got loud. in between kinda docile to the non nrl eye

Soccer - international games are mad with lots of noise and atmosphere. world cup games are the same (coming from an avid AFL mate who went).

The World Cup was incredible, never seem an atmosphere like it, never been to an AFL game that got close to it.