Atmosphere at the soccer better?

[littleduck]

I'm occassionally mildly interested in the olympics but during the world cup (much like the Rugby trinations I think its called) I couldnt give a rats as I dont rate the sport...so we made it to the whatever round of the world cup? Who cares I am not going to follow a sport purely because its "international" or we do well in it, thats just soft.

do you prefer the tests against new zealand or south africa?

 

[Ronin]

An intelligent person should be able to differentiate between excitement and boredom. If nothing is happening for 70 minutes in a Soccer game, I'm turning it over to a Football match that has scoring. Simple as that.

Just because you don't get a score, it doesn't mean that 'nothing is happening'. So I guess using that analogy, if an AFL game only has one or two goals kicked during a quarter, it is boring???? What a simplistic argument. If you don't like the game, no problem, but don't sprout crap about scoring, all you are doing is telling us that you are a sufferer of ADHD.

I could say the same for sports like basketball that have so many scoring plays, that it becomes irrelevant until the last few minutes of a game.

 

[Ted Ed Fred]

Nothing happens for 70 minutes... then two teammates decide to punch on with each other

 

[evertonfc]

Loving the atmosphere at A-League matches across the nation.

Amazing stuff.

Let's hope the AFL fans can pick up their game in 07 - they've had >110 years to get it right, I'd say it's time.

 

[SWANNIES RULE]

Go away mate^

That was a poor attempt at a troll, you know it's not true.

 

[Crosby87]

Just because you don't get a score, it doesn't mean that 'nothing is happening'. So I guess using that analogy, if an AFL game only has one or two goals kicked during a quarter, it is boring???? What a simplistic argument. If you don't like the game, no problem, but don't sprout crap about scoring, all you are doing is telling us that you are a sufferer of ADHD.

I could say the same for sports like basketball that have so many scoring plays, that it becomes irrelevant until the last few minutes of a game.

Hey, if you find passing back and forth and missed scoring chances, then knock yourself out. Obviously by "nothing" I don't literally mean "nothing". Like when you ask someone what they did yesterday and they say "nothing". They obviously did something, but it wasn't of importance.

Just like kicking back and forth and missed scoring chances. And don't try and compare the two sports. Two-five minutes between a goal with tackling and spectacular marks doesn't even compare to 90 minutes of 0-0 with people missing a net or faking an injury.

But then again, what do you care? You're just biased. You can try and argue this point any way you like, but your argument will also be blinded by your obvious bias. But I'm not. As I stated, I play the game, but I don't like to watch it. So have fun at the Soccer. Perhaps take some knitting to the next game, though?

 

[TheSaviour]

Its a bit dissapointing when AFL fans from Victoria and a lesser extent WA have this massive chip on their should about soccer. Its a great game and whether you like it or not it Australia is moving towards being a soccer nation and it the future it will be the most popular game in Australia.

 

[Ronin]

Hey, if you find passing back and forth and missed scoring chances, then knock yourself out. Obviously by "nothing" I don't literally mean "nothing". Like when you ask someone what they did yesterday and they say "nothing". They obviously did something, but it wasn't of importance.

Just like kicking back and forth and missed scoring chances. And don't try and compare the two sports. Two-five minutes between a goal with tackling and spectacular marks doesn't even compare to 90 minutes of 0-0 with people missing a net or faking an injury.

But then again, what do you care? You're just biased. You can try and argue this point any way you like, but your argument will also be blinded by your obvious bias. But I'm not. As I stated, I play the game, but I don't like to watch it. So have fun at the Soccer. Perhaps take some knitting to the next game, though?

So what is the difference between players passing it to each other in Soccer vs players using a possession game and chipping it around in AFL?

I guess you must be one of those people that claps rushed behinds. Splendid stuff that, splendid.

 

[bushie]

Its a bit dissapointing when AFL fans from Victoria and a lesser extent WA have this massive chip on their should about soccer. Its a great game and whether you like it or not it Australia is moving towards being a soccer nation and it the future it will be the most popular game in Australia.

May well be at a junior level in total participation numbers on the park on Saturday morning. ( You parents are really very soft.), but I think it is a very long bow to draw to say it will be the most popular!

Also I can't see 7 and 10 paying hundreds of millions for the round ball game in at least the next 50 years.

Long live AFL!!

 

[Ronin]

Just putting it into perspective for those that have 0-0 concerns: half way through Round 18 of the A League, there have been 6 0-0 draws out of 70 matches.

 

[Ronin]

May well be at a junior level in total participation numbers on the park on Saturday morning. ( You parents are really very soft.), but I think it is a very long bow to draw to say it will be the most popular!

Also I can't see 7 and 10 paying hundreds of millions for the round ball game in at least the next 50 years.

Long live AFL!!

Whilst they are a long way behind, with Foxtel having paid $120m for the rights after only one year, Nike just signing the biggest deal it ever has in Australia plus large corporates on board such as Hyundai, Qantas, Telstra, Powerade and Zurich is no small beer. Credit where credit is due.

 

[bushie]

Whilst they are a long way behind, with Foxtel having paid $120m for the rights after only one year, Nike just signing the biggest deal it ever has in Australia plus large corporates on board such as Hyundai, Qantas, Telstra, Powerade and Zurich is no small beer. Credit where credit is due.

Foxtel had to get something to replace the footy!

Nevertheless, well done.

But I still think you are dreaming.

 

[TheSaviour]

Yeah well with No Foxtel on Board because AFL ratings were not worth the money that 7 and 10 paid in there books could spell trouble for the AFL.

The main issue IMO is that the AFL is only popular in half the country and despite many millions of dollars and up to 25 years it has made very little inroads into the market they view as vital to the survival of the code.

Soccer has the potential to be the only code in Australia to have mainstream nationwide support.

 

[peternorth]

But then again, what do you care? You're just biased. You can try and argue this point any way you like, but your argument will also be blinded by your obvious bias. But I'm not. As I stated, I play the game, but I don't like to watch it. So have fun at the Soccer. Perhaps take some knitting to the next game, though?

why are people scared about other football codes in this country (im not saying your are crosby)? are the same people who are say afraid of soccer also afraid of immigrants and say its an immigrant game? obviously the answer's no but u get the point.

FFS we have 4 professional football codes. not many countries can claim that.

btw crosby who do you play for? PM me

 

[realfootball]

Exactly - that was my point. During World Cups, Olympics etc, people follow Australia - not neccessarily the sport.

I have played and refereed soccer at a reasonable level (State League) and love th egame in those ways - but cannot watch a full game (as distinct from highlights) unless Australia is playing.

I can watch pretty much any other sport - heck if I'm walking past the local park and a league, union or rules game is on, I'll stop and watch

By defintion, if you referee a game, then you must watch it too. Otherwise, what else did you do when you were refereeing?

 

[Rob]

Yeah well with No Foxtel on Board because AFL ratings were not worth the money that 7 and 10 paid in there books could spell trouble for the AFL.

The main issue IMO is that the AFL is only popular in half the country and despite many millions of dollars and up to 25 years it has made very little inroads into the market they view as vital to the survival of the code.

Soccer has the potential to be the only code in Australia to have mainstream nationwide support.

So let's get this straight. Despite Australian football having greater support than soccer in every state of Australia, soccer is in the best position to draw mainstream nationwide support?

What sort of logic is that?

 

[3kzisfootball]

Research conducted for the 2005-06 summer edition of the Sweeney Sports Report showed that half (50%) the adult population is now interested in soccer, the sport’s highest level of interest since the Sweeney Sports Report was first published 20 years ago.

But what it also showed that while soccer popularity increased substantially, the popularity of Australian Rules Football remained the same as the most popular football code.

This means that many sport fans are adding soccer to their sporting smogarboard, but not ditching any other sport in the process. So some AFL fans may start following soccer but as an addition, not instead of their current interest in the AFL.

So AFL will remain no. 1 for quite some time. But the popularity of soccer will increase as well. Bi-codalism lives!

 

[realfootball]

So let's get this straight. Despite Australian football having greater support than soccer in every state of Australia, soccer is in the best position to draw mainstream nationwide support?

What sort of logic is that?

Quite sensible logic. First of all, how do you define 'support'? If it's just 'attendance through the gate at a first class match', then that's fair enough. But if you define it with other factors such as a combination of attendances, participation, general interest and projected future outlook, then in my mind that provides a much better reflection.

And If that were the case, then in NSW, AFL would be, I expect, last by a country mile. Or, may be ahead of union, at best.

The other important factor is outlook. Few, particularly sports researchers (eg sweeney), would deny that football (soccer) is heading one way only, and that is up and up.

 

[realfootball]

They obviously did something, but it wasn't of importance.

And don't try and compare the two sports. Two-five minutes between a goal with tackling and spectacular marks doesn't even compare to 90 minutes of 0-0 with people missing a net or faking an injury.

But then again, what do you care? You're just biased. You can try and argue this point any way you like, but your argument will also be blinded by your obvious bias. But I'm not. As I stated, I play the game, but I don't like to watch it. So have fun at the Soccer. Perhaps take some knitting to the next game, though?

That's the difference, you may not see it as not being of importance but others can. I find a 0-0 draw no less exciting that a 100 point flogging in the AFL.
You metioned biasness. Are you sure your second paragraph isn't subjectively biased as well? .........

And don't try and compare the two sports. Two-five minutes between a goal with tackling and spectacular marks doesn't even compare to 90 minutes of 0-0 with people missing a net or faking an injury.

 

[Rob]

Quite sensible logic. First of all, how do you define 'support'? If it's just 'attendance through the gate at a first class match', then that's fair enough. But if you define it with other factors such as a combination of attendances, participation, general interest and projected future outlook, then in my mind that provides a much better reflection.

The only factor there which soccer would be in front is in participation, and even then only in 2 states. All other measures soccer is well behind.
WTF is 'projected future outlook' and whose outlook are you taking into account? Soccer Australia's?

And If that were the case, then in NSW, AFL would be, I expect, last by a country mile. Or, may be ahead of union, at best.

On what grounds other than participation?

The other important factor is outlook. Few, particularly sports researchers (eg sweeney), would deny that football (soccer) is heading one way only, and that is up and up.

You're using a survey that says Swimming is our most popular sport as your source? Credibility - zero.

Soccer in my part of the world is on steep decline, no-one gives a sh*t. They have to give tickets away to get people in - how's that fit into your outlook?

 

[rick James]

Soccer in my part of the world is on steep decline, no-one gives a sh*t. They have to give tickets away to get people in - how's that fit into your outlook?

Your part of the world is also the least important market for soccer in this country.

I'm sure some individual suburbs of Melbourne ALSO don't find any interest in soccer, whilst some other suburbs have 100% interest. The important thing is to look at the sports success on the scale of Australia as a country, and there can be no denying it has come on massively over the last two or three years.

It is still no threat to AFL though, they aren't in direct competition.

 

[peternorth]

Your part of the world is also the least important market for soccer in this country.

I'm sure some individual suburbs of Melbourne ALSO don't find any interest in soccer, whilst some other suburbs have 100% interest. The important thing is to look at the sports success on the scale of Australia as a country, and there can be no denying it has come on massively over the last two or three years.

It is still no threat to AFL though, they aren't in direct competition.

exactly. and the two sports should not be seen as a threat to each other!

 

[realfootball]

The only factor there which soccer would be in front is in participation, and even then only in 2 states. All other measures soccer is well behind.
WTF is 'projected future outlook' and whose outlook are you taking into account? Soccer Australia's?

In terms of outlook, i'd prefer to take notice of researchers and statisticians, not by a humble opinion. State by state participation. Does it matter? It's the overall rate that counts, and the 2005 ausports figures show that even including adults, soccer participation is ahead of AFL. . http://www.ausport.gov.au/scorsresearch/ERASS2005/ERASS2005_table21.pdf Not that this point is of that much signficance.

You're using a survey that says Swimming is our most popular sport as your source? Credibility - zero.

Ah yes, the ABS must be wrong too. Other than walking, they also say that swimming is the most popular sport/activity.

The highest participation rate was recorded for walking for exercise, with over one-quarter (25.3% or 3.7 million people) having participated in this activity during the reference period. This was followed by aerobics/fitness and swimming, both with 10.9% or 1.6 million people.

In actual fact ,the sweeney report is quite reasonable, and well within accepted statistical sample size parameters. It at least provides up-to date statistcal data that the ABS has not got recent data for, or has released. It's funny how some one-eyed AFL 'forever' people use the exact same reports, just when it suits them.
In any case, it certainly has more credibility than.... 'an opinion'.

Soccer in my part of the world is on steep decline, no-one gives a sh*t. They have to give tickets away to get people in - how's that fit into your outlook?

In your part of the world, the entire state represents just 10% of the Australian population. With all due respect, it fits perfectly into projections.

Currently, I think very few these days would blankly deny the increased support for soccer in Australia. Yet the beauty of it is, it does not have to be in competition with AFL at all.

 

[rick James]

exactly. and the two sports should not be seen as a threat to each other!

bingo, soccer gives me something to follow when the AFl isn't on (I'm not a big cricket fan to be honest) and I will go to the occasional match.

As I said in the OP, I didn't think the atmosphere was better than an AFL game, but it doesn't mean I don't enjoy it.

 

[Grunty]

Soccer in my part of the world is on steep decline, no-one gives a sh*t. They have to give tickets away to get people in - how's that fit into your outlook?

I think it is a little more complicated than "soccer is on the decline".

The local Perth team have been getting poor crowds, but there are various factors that come into play.

1. The Media. The West Australian, Channels Seven, Nine and Ten are almost totally dominated by AFL personalities, who ensure that footy gets the lion's share of all the news space and time.

There is a paranoid fear of soccer among many WA footy journalists and commenators as you probably know, Brad Hardie, Dennis Commetti etc.

The soccer paranoia tends to be a generational thing.

Soccer is relegated on a daily basis to a ten second sports news spot or a ten line article in the West Australian. The reason for this is that the AFL has much more financial clout than soccer in WA, which results in blanket coverage of footy.

That's just good business, destroy the opposition.

2. The Perth Glory soccer team are hopeless, and are at the bottom of the table.

3. The club is controlled by the FFA, who are more interested in seeing Melbourne and Sydney succeed this year, and have succeded admirably with Melbourne getting an average crowd of over 30,000.


As for soccer being in the decline in WA, registrations are at an all time high, and I hear many clubs have been turning kids away for lack of playing grounds.