Sydney International Fifa Fan Fest has been a resounding flop

[afl_n00b]

Same stupid argument from all of the AFL fanboys, viewers are only tuning in because "its a special event" or "in the interests of national pride". Doesn't matter that it is a once in 4 year event - nearly as many viewers tuned in to watch Ned - Brazil as Hawks-Bulldogs, and the game was telecast at midnight. But then we already knew in 2002 that Aussies as a whole prefer top level football over top level Aussie Rules.

Im dutch and you would be surprised just how many are out here, we just dont stand out as much as other ethnic groups

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

Right and most of the Metro trains that run after 10pm in Melbourne are near empty, does that also make them a waste of taxpayer's money?

Obviously not, because those buses have no connection to Association Football

But this argument isn't really about any objective assessment of anything of course, that was made very obvious by the thread title, even before I saw the OP...

 

[Barkly St End]

Obviously not, because those buses have no connection to Association Football

But this argument isn't really about any objective assessment of anything of course, that was made very obvious by the thread title, even before I saw the OP...

I think we can all accept that we need public transport till the late hours as a community service, not too many are going to argue about that (in any event, you'll find far less services, and fewer carriages at that time, so the economics of it are taken into account).

But in this case, we had blokes like Fos and his disciples telling city authorities to put on stacks of extra services because there will be hundreds of thousands of people milling around all night for the full month of the World Cup - because we are now a "football nation".

Sure.

 

[FutbolAustralia]

- because we are now a "football nation".

Sure.

Over 40,000 Australians travelled to South Africa to watch the football world cup. 4th out of all the countries there, many with much larger football history.

Each and every Australia game at the FIFA Fan Fest was out of capacity hours before the game. Yes many games were empty, when small communities played at early hours in the morning in FREEZING conditions.

Whether you like it or not, where you are AFL or Football fan, yes sir, we are a football nation.

 

[Barkly St End]

Whether you like it or not, where you are AFL or Football fan, yes sir, we are a football nation.

We believe you, honestly, we really do.

I look forward to the day when soccer can build its own stadium with its own resources - but that's unlikely to happen in my lifetime.

Gee, I wonder why?

 

[FutbolAustralia]

We believe you, honestly, we really do.

I look forward to the day when soccer can build its own stadium with its own resources - but that's unlikely to happen in my lifetime.

Gee, I wonder why?

Ownership may not be there today, but the support and passion for the game are definately there. Yes, it has a long way to go, but it is inevitable that it will happen. You must also remember, the A-League is a 5 yr old league and is still developing. You must also remember that we are now part of Asia, the fastest growing football region in the world.

Also, your reply had nothing to do with my points, you sidetracked to another topic. I think you are deceived if you think the AFL owns all these stadiums? Correct me if I am wrong, but is the majority not leased and govt owned?

 

[Nardz]

i was in sydney and went to the fanfest on the night of the brazil vs portugal game, and it was certainly no flop. pretty packed.

 

[Barkly St End]

Ownership may not be there today, but the support and passion for the game are definately there. Yes, it has a long way to go, but it is inevitable that it will happen. You must also remember, the A-League is a 5 yr old league and is still developing. You must also remember that we are now part of Asia, the fastest growing football region in the world.

It won't happen today....but it will happen.

Yeh, well, a few of us are old enough to remember when Australia made the the WC back in 1974.

Believe me when I say: we've heard it all before, many, many times over!!

The A-League was created with Government funding to take over form the NSL which had run for nearly 30 years.

Prior to that, in Victoria at least, the old VSL used to be on FTA with one live game per week, and it used to play in direct competition with the then VFL (and got crowds far in excess of what GCU get).

Where's the A-League now? Hiding in Summer and on pay TV only (pretty much as program filler). A national T20 comp would blow the A-League out of the water in every single indicator you care to mention.

So believe me when I tell you that there really ain't anything impressive about where soccer is today in Australia.

 

[FutbolAustralia]

It won't happen today....but it will happen.

Yeh, well, a few of us are old enough to remember when Australia made the the WC back in 1974.

So believe me when I tell you that there really ain't anything impressive about where soccer is today in Australia.

Explain that to the majority of youth playing the game in Australia who love it. Try telling that too all the Socceroos fans out there.

 

[Barkly St End]

Explain that to the majority of youth playing the game in Australia who love it. Try telling that too all the Socceroos fans out there.

I did just tell them, that's what I did.

We've been hearing this line for 36 years, and this is what I can tell you:

1. 36 years ago there used to be one VSL game on FTA live each week;
2. there used to be two English soccer shows on FTA per week; and
3. the VSL used to play in direct competition to the then VFL, and got better crowds than GCU (I know because my dad used to take me to Juventus games when I was a kid).

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

Association Football has higher youth participation, and overall participation levels, than any other code.

It is the second-most popular code in Australia, and has the third-highest overall attendance of any sport.

Undeniable fact.

And no, these things were not the case 36 years ago, so repetition of that line is not a valid response in this case.

 

[Barkly St End]

Association Football has higher youth participation, and overall participation levels, than any other code.

It is the second-most popular code in Australia, and has the third-highest overall attendance of any sport.

Undeniable fact.

And no, these things were not the case 36 years ago, so repetition of that line is not a valid response in this case.

Soccer has been the highest participation code in NSW since the 1930s.

How do you know it didn't have the 3rd highest attendance 36 years ago.

In fact, it's possible that it might have had the 2nd highest attendance 36 years ago.

Put it this way, in the days when the VSL used to go head to head with the VFL (quite successfully I might add), the highest VSL attendance would always be bigger than the lowest VFL attendance.

Also, you've got nothing to say about the plethora of soccer that was available on FTA 36 years ago?

I'm not talking the Sex Before Soccer government broadcaster - I'm talking about the commercial FTAs!

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

You mean with the NSL being a national league, and there not being any true national Aussie Rules competition at that time?

And A-League crowd averages are generally far higher than was the case for the NSL.

Moreover, footballing pluralism is and always has been a reality in Australia. Again, this is undeniable.

The A-League is a growing competition, and Association Football support and participation is and will continue to expand, but I also hope that the AFL continues to remain a strong well-supported league. Although a part of its soul was lost when those of us who supported Fitzroy, and still do, had to endure the wilful whiteanting of our club at AFL level during the 80s and 90s.

I'm not talking the... government broadcaster

Incidentally, the ABC were involved as a carrier of AFL/VFL coverage over an extended period. And that was happening as recently as 1987.

 

[Barkly St End]

You mean with the NSL being a national league, and there not being any true national Aussie Rules competition at that time? Nice bit of attempted manoeuvring, but it doesn't wash.

I quite clearly and unambiguously stated that the old VSL, right up to the formation of the NSL, used to have a game live per week on commercial FTA.

I also said that the VSL used to go head to head with the VFL, and it biggest crowd for the weekend was always higher than lowest VFL crowd for the weekend, and you can bet that that was larger than the average GCU crowd.

 

[Zidane98]

i was in sydney and went to the fanfest on the night of the brazil vs portugal game, and it was certainly no flop. pretty packed.

Probably more at the Brazil - Portugal game then were at North Melbourne's last home game at Etihad.

 

[Tim_in_Philly]

You must also remember that we are now part of Asia, the fastest growing football region in the world.

Well, I'm in India at the moment and I had to channel surf across 50 channels for about 45 minutes to find the result of the Dutch semi-final. In the meantime, there were 10 minute long stories at the top of news hours on Dhoni's birthday ...