Atmosphere at the soccer better?

[Thats_Rubbish]

I'd love to goto an EPL Game. It would be great.

I went to Leeds V Arsenal at Arsenal in 2001 and believe me, it was the 2nd most shit-boring sports event i've been to (the other being NewYork V Toronto in baseball in 2001). What an over-hyped, flawed excuse for chanting, singing and like someone else said, jumping up and down. Complete waste of money. I go to sport for sport - not crowd antics.

 

[The Mongrel Punt]

I went to Leeds V Arsenal at Arsenal in 2001 and believe me, it was the 2nd most shit-boring sports event i've been to (the other being NewYork V Toronto in baseball in 2001). What an over-hyped, flawed excuse for chanting, singing and like someone else said, jumping up and down. Complete waste of money. I go to sport for sport - not crowd antics.

That about sums up my experience watching an Aston-Villa v Chelsea game a few years ago. Non-existant on-field action. The only decent action came from the three or four fights in the crowd on the way out.

 

[deadfish]

I'd love to goto an EPL Game. It would be great.

Id love to see a liverpool game, hearing "You'll Never Walk Alone" would be awesome by itself.

 

[The Mongrel Punt]

Id love to see a liverpool game, hearing "You'll Never Walk Alone" would be awesome by itself.

You could go, sing the song (Which is awesome - I'll never deny that) an then head out to beat the traffic.

 

[Roonaldo!]

You could go, sing the song (Which is awesome - I'll never deny that) an then head out to beat the traffic.

Nah don't think so. See you can't leave football games before the end. Because it is close, whereas usually the result of an AFL game is already determined in the 3rd quarter, so you can head out early and beat the traffic at your AFL games.

 

[mustapha]

So, how did the atmosphere at the 'G on Saturday stack up? It was bloody brilliant, and I follow neither team. I was a neutral observer, and I absolutely loved it.

Soccer, in Australia at least, has nothing on that at all.

Have you experienced both atmospheres? For example did you attend the Victory vs United semi final?

 

[Thats_Rubbish]

Nah don't think so. See you can't leave football games before the end. Because it is close, whereas usually the result of an AFL game is already determined in the 3rd quarter, so you can head out early and beat the traffic at your AFL games.

The games are close because of the flawed nature of the game. One team can completely dominate but not score and the other team can win in the last moment. Yeah great sport that. May the lesser team win.....simple sport for simple minds IMO.

 

[Thats_Rubbish]

You could go, sing the song (Which is awesome - I'll never deny that) an then head out to beat the traffic.

In fact, if you beat the soccer traffic you could probably make it to your local 'little theatre' and join in the singing, dancing and overly dramatic acting there too.....oh joy!

 

[Henry Jr]

Nah don't think so. See you can't leave football games before the end. Because it is close, whereas usually the result of an AFL game is already determined in the 3rd quarter, so you can head out early and beat the traffic at your AFL games.

Would be handy for the North Melbourne Supporters

 

[The Mongrel Punt]

Have you experienced both atmospheres? For example did you attend the Victory vs United semi final?

Not your example, but I have attended an EPL game. Does that count? I was also dragged along to a 'friendly' at the 'G a while back.

 

[deadfish]

The games are close because of the flawed nature of the game. One team can completely dominate but not score and the other team can win in the last moment. Yeah great sport that. May the lesser team win.....simple sport for simple minds IMO.

If you cant put the ball in the back of the net then you dont deserve to win.

Also, dont pretend there is no acting for free kicks in aussie rules either.

 

[Thats_Rubbish]

If you cant put the ball in the back of the net then you dont deserve to win.

Also, dont pretend there is no acting for free kicks in aussie rules either.

Gee must be a lot of teams that dont deserve to win based on that simplistic response then with all those exciting 0-0 results. But at least the fans can sing and dance, and in the worst cases brawl for some excitement after the match.

By the way dont misquote me!
Who said anything about acting for free kicks in either sport? I certainly didnt. I was referring to the whole kit and kaboodle with that sport. The moment the players walk on the field they are akin to pantomime actors, not sportsmen. The diving for frees is just part of it. When a goal is scored what happens? thats right, it's all about the individual - not the team. What happens when players get sub'd? thats right, they walk off at their own pace, hold up the game and clap the fans who are clapping them who are clapping the fans who are clapping them hahaha what a joke.

 

[Grunty]

the league will change when second teams will be allowed in the league from melbourne and sydney

the victory should easily average 40,000 this season with 30,000 members. As they will probably dominate for the next few seasons, a second team will enter in 2010. At this point the league will change as no longer will the MVFC have a monopoly and I think the league will be better and more exciting if there is a second team.

Melbourne Victory should continue getting decent crowds, as that is the nature of the Victorian sports supporter.

Ben Buckley said last week that the FFA are now looking at introducing extra teams in Sydney and Melbourne, plus 2-4 other regional teams over the next 4 years, taking the A-league to 12-14 teams.

This will probably extend the A league season until April-May.

The desired average crowd is 15,000-20,000, with Newcastle Jets' 20,000 plus crowd as the model for other regional clubs.

This is nowhere near the AFL average crowd, but good enough for the FFA, which has much lower overheads, partly because of the smaller squad sizes, approximately half that of a footy team.

I remember reading that break even point for most footy clubs is around 23,000-25,000, while it's about 8,000-10,000 for a soccer club.

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

Melbourne Victory should continue getting decent crowds, as that is the nature of the Victorian sports supporter.

Ben Buckley said last week that the FFA are now looking at introducing extra teams in Sydney and Melbourne, plus 2-4 other regional teams over the next 4 years, taking the A-league to 12-14 teams.

This will probably extend the A league season until April-May.

The desired average crowd is 15,000-20,000, with Newcastle Jets' 20,000 plus crowd as the model for other regional clubs.

This is nowhere near the AFL average crowd, but good enough for the FFA, which has much lower overheads, partly because of the smaller squad sizes, approximately half that of a footy team.

I remember reading that break even point for most footy clubs is around 23,000-25,000, while it's about 8,000-10,000 for a soccer club.

i heard the season only ends in mid-Feb because of the Asian CL starting in March.

I see that more than 12 teams is too many. You see people complaining that the AFL/NRL have too many teams now.

The isue is where the teams will be: 2 in Sydney, 2 in Melbourne, maybe 2 in Brisbane and 1 extra in Townsville
verses
1 in Syd, 1 in melb, 1 in Bris, 1 in Towns, 1 in GC, 1 in Woll, 1 in Canberra/Geelong/Tas/Darwin

I'd go the derby in both Sydney and Melbourne over say a Geelong or Gold Coast because there would be more passion that way.

You're right about the MV's crowds, they should be high, maybe not as high as I said, but at least in the low-mid 30,000s. This is enough for the proposed new stadium, rather than play at the Dome when it is half full.

On the 2nd team in Melbourne, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a closer interaction between A-L and AFL clubs. Some AFL clubs may put $$ into a new team as part of a consortium, while others may become closer aligned to MV (especially the demons/storm). This way clubs of both leagues can have increased revenue all year round rather than just during their respective seasons.

On the B/Even point, the AFL have 38 player lists and a salary cap of $6.25m, while HAL has 20 players (to be increased to 23 soon) with a cap of ~$2m plus a marquee player. Therefore costs are lower, but other things are also taken into account like TV rights (could it be more with more teams); monopoly status (1 team vs 2 teams); sponsors (more matches in Asia, but on pay-tv) etc.

I also think that unlike what most people think, summer has more competition than winter including a major danger to ALL sports and that being other forms of entertainment. Spring has the Horse Racing, Summer has the Oz Open, the major cricket matches, golf etc which are all sports which are big during their events but small otherwise.
But there is also the beach on hot days, going outdoors (i.e. picnics, bushwalking, sailing etc), cinemas, eating outside (i.e. at St.Kilda in melbourne or bondi in Sydney etc) making it even harder. I think sport becomes less of a major priority in summer than in winter where there is less to do and the weather makes it harder to enjoy (the HAL GF felt like a sauna at close to 40C). Therefore, to get big crowds is a great effort.

 

[realfootball]

The games are close because of the flawed nature of the game. One team can completely dominate but not score and the other team can win in the last moment. Yeah great sport that. May the lesser team win.....simple sport for simple minds IMO.

What, and as my NRL and A-league friends tell me, you get a point for missing in aussie rules???
What about tennis? You can win more games and still lose.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

What, and as my NRL and A-league friends tell me, you get a point for missing in aussie rules???
What about tennis? You can win more games and still lose.

In soccer, the deal is to score.

If you're going to bag AFL, take the Swans out of your favourite teams, unless that's the name of a "realfootball" club you follow.

 

[The Mongrel Punt]

If you can't manage to score in soccer, they'll give you a half dozen free shots when the game is over.

Brilliant...

 

[Rob]

2 years, what a joke

Soccer has been around in Australia for over 100 years, been popular in Victoria since the 50s and had the first national league of any oz sport in 1977.

Cricket may care to disagree with you there. The Sheffield shield started when, around 1900?

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

Cricket may care to disagree with you there. The Sheffield shield started when, around 1900?

You're right and they're wrong

Thanks for pointing that out, the SS began in 1892/93 with teams in VIC, SA and NSW.

Interstate matches began earlier than AFL was invented (AFL was a sport to keep cricketers fit over winter, maybe it should have stayed this way).

 

[RichardL]

The games are close because of the flawed nature of the game. One team can completely dominate but not score and the other team can win in the last moment.

It can happen, but it's pretty rare. Maybe it'll happen to your team once a season. My team, Reading, won 1-0 at West Ham back in October. Scored in the second minute and then took a real pounding for the rest of the game. Luckily West Ham's strikers were comically inept and failed to score, offering up a smorgasbord of ways to miss, crowning it all with chipping the keeper deep into injury time, only to see the ball cleared of the line.

Sure, the West Ham fans complained bitterly that it was unfair and they didn't deserve to lose, but to me that just made it all the funnier.


Of course one big problem is that it can foster an irrational sense of perpetual injustice in the eyes of some fans, who become biologically incapable of accepting his team lost to another because the other one played better - they have to claim they were robbed or cheated, or the ref was against them or their team weren't trying hard enough. It raises it's head in a big way every time the England team lose. The English football team that is - with cricket it's much simpler.
"aah, England lost again"
"Why do we keep losing like this?"
"because we're crap"
"oh yeah, I forget"

 

[RichardL]

If you can't manage to score in soccer, they'll give you a half dozen free shots when the game is over.

Brilliant...

only in cup games where there isn't room in the schedule for a replay.

For the first 15 years or so of european contests they'd settle draws by tossing a coin!

 

[realfootball]

If you're going to bag AFL, take the Swans out of your favourite teams, unless that's the name of a "realfootball" club you follow.

It's got nothing to do with bagging AFL. It's pointing out a major flaw in that argument. Anyone can find a reason to suggest why a sport is 'inferior'.

 

[HFC082]

If you can't manage to score in soccer, they'll give you a half dozen free shots when the game is over.

Brilliant...

It is indeed

Very enjoyable.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

It's got nothing to do with bagging AFL. It's pointing out a major flaw in that argument. Anyone can find a reason to suggest why a sport is 'inferior'.

Doesn't that make this thread null and void?

 

[magic19]

PEOPLE STOP REVIVING THIS STUPID THREAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let it die onto page 20 or something.


I know i just did, but it is for the greater good.